Nightline
Call #4
"Hello, my name's Chelsea. Can I take your name?"
"Chelsea!"
"Oh, hello, Phil. You at the park again?"
"No. No one's home. Mum stabbed herself."
"Is your dad not with you?"
"She said he did it but he didn't, I swear! H-he said the word again and she got mad and-and told him to stop but he w-wouldn't and he said he wasn't going to let her do it a-again so she stabbed herself and told the police Dad did it."
"Okay, Phil, sweetie, give me a deep breath. That's it, deep breath. It's okay, you can cry, but I need you to calm down, okay?"
"O-okay,"
"What did the police do with your dad?"
"Arrested him. That's what Mum said. He took her to A&E and she got him arrested. He shouldn't have said the word!"
"What word is that, Phil?"
"Abusive."
"Does your mum not like that word?"
"She hates it. I said it once and she made me eat peanut butter."
"Do you not like peanut butter?"
"It makes my tongue swell and it's hard to breathe."
"She made you eat something you're allergic to because you said the word abusive?"
"She said she was sorry. When we were in the hospital, she said sorry."
"Do you think because she apologised that it's okay?"
"I don't want to say."
"Is there anyone you see on a regular basis that you could talk to? A family member or a friend of the family? Even a teacher you like?"
"I-I can't."
"Why can't you?"
"She'll know. She knows everything."
"Does she know you've spoke with me?"
"Dad told me to never tell her I have a phone. I keep it in my pencil case. It's our secret but school knows her, they'll tell her if I say something and then she'll be mad."
"Listen to me, Phil. If you speak to a teacher or a counsellor you're speaking in confidence. That means if your mum calls them or asks what you spoke to them about, they're legally bound to tell her nothing. They're not even allowed to tell your dad. So if there's someone you think you could talk to, they cannot then tell your mum what you said."
"That's not what she said."
"Ask someone. You don't have to say why but ask a teacher or the school counsellor what would happen if you spoke to them. That way you can hear what they say and then think about it."
"I-I don't know."
"You said you were home alone. How long are you going to be alone, Phil?"
"Mum said she'll be home tomorrow. Am I a horrible son?"
"Why do you ask that?"
"I don't want her to come home."
"None of it is your fault, okay?"
"I don't think Dad's coming home."
"I want you to breathe again, Phil. Nice, deep breaths."
"She always said they wouldn't believe us! Chelsea, I'm scared. I don't want her to come home."
"Phil, listen to me. Listen to me, Phil. Okay? Do you think you will be in danger when she gets home?"
"I don't know. Dad's always here with me. There's only an hour when it's just me and her most days but I know I've got Dad."
"If you think you'll be in danger--"
"I won't be. No. I won't."
"But if there's a chance--"
"There's not. I was wrong. I have to go now."
"Wait, Phil--"
"Chelsea!"
"Oh, hello, Phil. You at the park again?"
"No. No one's home. Mum stabbed herself."
"Is your dad not with you?"
"She said he did it but he didn't, I swear! H-he said the word again and she got mad and-and told him to stop but he w-wouldn't and he said he wasn't going to let her do it a-again so she stabbed herself and told the police Dad did it."
"Okay, Phil, sweetie, give me a deep breath. That's it, deep breath. It's okay, you can cry, but I need you to calm down, okay?"
"O-okay,"
"What did the police do with your dad?"
"Arrested him. That's what Mum said. He took her to A&E and she got him arrested. He shouldn't have said the word!"
"What word is that, Phil?"
"Abusive."
"Does your mum not like that word?"
"She hates it. I said it once and she made me eat peanut butter."
"Do you not like peanut butter?"
"It makes my tongue swell and it's hard to breathe."
"She made you eat something you're allergic to because you said the word abusive?"
"She said she was sorry. When we were in the hospital, she said sorry."
"Do you think because she apologised that it's okay?"
"I don't want to say."
"Is there anyone you see on a regular basis that you could talk to? A family member or a friend of the family? Even a teacher you like?"
"I-I can't."
"Why can't you?"
"She'll know. She knows everything."
"Does she know you've spoke with me?"
"Dad told me to never tell her I have a phone. I keep it in my pencil case. It's our secret but school knows her, they'll tell her if I say something and then she'll be mad."
"Listen to me, Phil. If you speak to a teacher or a counsellor you're speaking in confidence. That means if your mum calls them or asks what you spoke to them about, they're legally bound to tell her nothing. They're not even allowed to tell your dad. So if there's someone you think you could talk to, they cannot then tell your mum what you said."
"That's not what she said."
"Ask someone. You don't have to say why but ask a teacher or the school counsellor what would happen if you spoke to them. That way you can hear what they say and then think about it."
"I-I don't know."
"You said you were home alone. How long are you going to be alone, Phil?"
"Mum said she'll be home tomorrow. Am I a horrible son?"
"Why do you ask that?"
"I don't want her to come home."
"None of it is your fault, okay?"
"I don't think Dad's coming home."
"I want you to breathe again, Phil. Nice, deep breaths."
"She always said they wouldn't believe us! Chelsea, I'm scared. I don't want her to come home."
"Phil, listen to me. Listen to me, Phil. Okay? Do you think you will be in danger when she gets home?"
"I don't know. Dad's always here with me. There's only an hour when it's just me and her most days but I know I've got Dad."
"If you think you'll be in danger--"
"I won't be. No. I won't."
"But if there's a chance--"
"There's not. I was wrong. I have to go now."
"Wait, Phil--"