Today was to be Patty's first meeting with Mary. An assessment meeting to decide whether she felt she could help the young girl. Patty was lucky; she was not desperate for money, as she had quite a sum invested from an inheritance, so she only took on children that she could make a connection with. She felt that if she didn't feel personally involved, she couldn't help. It was an unusual position, her peers were mainly advocates of clinical detachment, but it worked for her.

Sighing to herself, Patty got up and crossed to the mirror above the big open fireplace. Looking in the mirror Patty's green eyes gazed back out at her. Checking that her long blonde hair was neatly in place, she brushed it back with her slim fingers. Patty was a petite woman, standing only five foot one inch in her stockings. At one hundred and ten pounds, her small-framed body showed the muscle of a sportswoman. Patty was a busy woman, but she still found time to play soccer with a group of girls she'd known since university.

The intercom buzzed and Patty crossed to her desk to answer it. Sylvia Deene's cultured voice announced, "Miss Johnstone from the Child Welfare Office is here with Mary O'Banion."

"Okay, thanks Sylvia" Patty replied. "Send them in." Running her fingers one last time through her blonde hair, Patty stood in front of the desk, leaning with studied casualness, her neat bottom against the edge. The door opened and Sylvia ushered in Rachel Johnstone. Hi there Rachel. Good to see you again. And you must be Mary?" Emma smiled warmly at the little girl who stood before her, her eyes warily darting around the room. Mary was short and thin for an 8 year old. Her slim body and translucent skin giving her a 'waif-like' look that Calvin Klein would love. Her long black hair hung limply over her shoulders almost reaching her waist. Mary was dressed in a simple cotton dress. It was hand made and the quality of the work showed that someone cared about her. 'At least' Patty corrected herself 'it shows that someone loves sewing.'

After a short silence Rachel Johnstone bent down to Mary and said "Say hello to Dr. Smith, Mary."

"It's okay Rachel. She doesn't have to speak if she doesn't want to. Come on shall we all sit down?"

The three of them sat on low comfortable chairs around a small coffee table of polished dark wood. Patty picked up a dish of sweets and offered them to Mary. "Do you want a sweet, Mary?" The little 8 year old sat, her shoulders hunched, and said nothing. "Okay never mind, but I'm having one. What about you Rachel?"

"Thanks" smiled the social worker, reaching for a sweet.

"Now Mary. You've been sent to see me so we can get to know each other. I think it would be a good idea if I told you a little bit about myself first. I'm 32 years old. That's very old isn't it Mary?" There was no reaction from the little girl. "I'm a special sort of doctor, one you just come to talk to about anything you want. Most times we would meet on our own, Miss Johnstone would just bring you here and we could talk on our own. But we don't have to talk. I also like painting. Do you like painting Mary?" The little 8 year old gave the tiniest of nods. "Good! Next time you come we could do some painting. Would you like that Mary?".....(cont)