Nightline
Call #6
"Hello--"
"Is Chelsea there? I need her, please."
...
"Phil?"
"Sorry I didn't phone earlier."
"I was getting worried. What happened when your mum came home?"
"Nothing. She went to bed. Well, she checked on me first but then went to bed."
"Have you gone back to school?"
"No. Dad's not called either. I don't know how to contact him and Mum went mental when I mentioned him. I don't know what to do."
"Have you not had the chance to speak to someone else?"
"Mum won't let me out the house and Dad's always said not to waste my credit."
"How does she stop you leaving, Phil?"
"I've not tried but she told me not to, she said she don't want Dad to see me again. I don't know how Dad'll be able to see me still arrested but I can't ask her. Do you think my dad's okay?"
"I'll be honest with you, I don't know. If he's with the police, he'll be safe, so don't worry about that. What I am worried about is you and whether you're safe. It's not okay for your mum to keep you locked in the house, Phil. It's actually illegal for her to do that, did you know?"
"No."
"Do you remember that I told you our conversation is just between the two of us? Well, I think it's time you told someone else."
"No, I can't! I can't do that!"
"Listen to me. From what you've told me, I'm really concerned about your safety. I-"
"Don't be. I'm fine. You can't tell anyone."
"What do you think'll happen if you told someone else?"
"I don't...I don't know."
"Do you think something bad's going to happen?"
"Mum said...she said that I'd be taken away and never see Dad again."
"What if I told you that she wasn't being truthful with you? You spoke with me and you haven't been taken anywhere. And the only person who has stopped you from seeing your dad is your mum because she lied."
"I'm...I'm scared, Chelsea."
"Scared about what?"
"Telling anyone. It took me three weeks to be able to phone you and I hung up three times before you answered. I don't know whether I can tell anyone else. I don't know who else to tell."
"If you ask me to, I can contact someone on your behalf. Everything you tell me is between us but if you asked me to phone someone and said I could tell them what you had said, I can do that. Would you like me to?"
"I don't want Mum to get in trouble."
"I wouldn't be phoning anyone to get your mum into trouble. Anyone I call will be because I'm concerned about you and your circumstances, and they'll help you. You're my focus, Phil."
"Can...can I think about it?"
"Of course. Everything is down to you."
"Will you be here tomorrow?"
"You want to phone tomorrow?"
"Mum's not been back in three days. If she doesn't come back, could you phone someone for me?"
"You don't want me to call anyone now? Three days is a long time."
"Tomorrow. Please?"
"Okay, tomorrow."
"Is Chelsea there? I need her, please."
...
"Phil?"
"Sorry I didn't phone earlier."
"I was getting worried. What happened when your mum came home?"
"Nothing. She went to bed. Well, she checked on me first but then went to bed."
"Have you gone back to school?"
"No. Dad's not called either. I don't know how to contact him and Mum went mental when I mentioned him. I don't know what to do."
"Have you not had the chance to speak to someone else?"
"Mum won't let me out the house and Dad's always said not to waste my credit."
"How does she stop you leaving, Phil?"
"I've not tried but she told me not to, she said she don't want Dad to see me again. I don't know how Dad'll be able to see me still arrested but I can't ask her. Do you think my dad's okay?"
"I'll be honest with you, I don't know. If he's with the police, he'll be safe, so don't worry about that. What I am worried about is you and whether you're safe. It's not okay for your mum to keep you locked in the house, Phil. It's actually illegal for her to do that, did you know?"
"No."
"Do you remember that I told you our conversation is just between the two of us? Well, I think it's time you told someone else."
"No, I can't! I can't do that!"
"Listen to me. From what you've told me, I'm really concerned about your safety. I-"
"Don't be. I'm fine. You can't tell anyone."
"What do you think'll happen if you told someone else?"
"I don't...I don't know."
"Do you think something bad's going to happen?"
"Mum said...she said that I'd be taken away and never see Dad again."
"What if I told you that she wasn't being truthful with you? You spoke with me and you haven't been taken anywhere. And the only person who has stopped you from seeing your dad is your mum because she lied."
"I'm...I'm scared, Chelsea."
"Scared about what?"
"Telling anyone. It took me three weeks to be able to phone you and I hung up three times before you answered. I don't know whether I can tell anyone else. I don't know who else to tell."
"If you ask me to, I can contact someone on your behalf. Everything you tell me is between us but if you asked me to phone someone and said I could tell them what you had said, I can do that. Would you like me to?"
"I don't want Mum to get in trouble."
"I wouldn't be phoning anyone to get your mum into trouble. Anyone I call will be because I'm concerned about you and your circumstances, and they'll help you. You're my focus, Phil."
"Can...can I think about it?"
"Of course. Everything is down to you."
"Will you be here tomorrow?"
"You want to phone tomorrow?"
"Mum's not been back in three days. If she doesn't come back, could you phone someone for me?"
"You don't want me to call anyone now? Three days is a long time."
"Tomorrow. Please?"
"Okay, tomorrow."