Communiqué

Alice sat on the floor playing with the building blocks she had been given, her blond hair tied back messily and her jeans dirty. Mrs Camille sniffed before turning to the girl's mother, "I don't know why, Mrs Bennett but today your daughter, again, started to scream, twitch and swear for no reason other then attention. I have to make it perfectly clear. I will not tolerate this behaviour any more! Your daughter is not to come here any more, the nursery can't cope!"

"Yes but, this is only the second time"

"No, I'm sorry, my decision is final. Good day" Mrs Camille turned on a carefully shined heel and storked off, nose in the air. Mrs Bennett waited a moment before sticking her tongue out at her retreating back.

Stuck up tart, she thought bitterly as she picked up her four year old, "Were you giving Mrs C grief again? Mmm?" She lent a little closer, "I don't blame you"

The four year old giggled and began to braid her mothers auburn hair, Mrs Bennett sighed, "We'll see how it goes, eh?"

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Alice straightened her teddy, it wasn't as if she meant to do it, she thought stubbornly as she straightened Ted's button eye, it just came out! There was always that part of her that knew it was naughty to say naughty words and scream, but she couldn't help it. Once the twitches started she had no control.

Alice gave up the attempt to make Ted look neat and, grabbing his arm, made her way down the stairs.

Mrs Bennett was determined to find out what was wrong with her daughter, avoiding her was one thing but to bully her was quite another, even grown ups were convinced she was a bad child. Not that Mrs Camille helped much, oh no, she was so stuck up it never entered her mind something might actually be wrong with her daughter!

She finished strapping Edmund in his baby seat when Alice clambered down the stairs, Ted dragging behind her lopsidedly, "Come on Alice, let's go"

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Pulling up outside the doctor's surgery the Bennett family checked in.

Alice began to feel stiff, as though her joints had frozen up, "Mummy" she began to twitch, she opened her mouth to ask her mum to help but only short screams and obscure words made it out. In the midst of all the confusion Alice began to cry, and when the twitches stopped she still screamed, out of anger and fear and she couldn't stop, even when Edmund began to cry, nor when they were ushered through to the doctor's office.

Over the noise poor Mrs Bennett began to explain the problem to the confused doctor.

Alice crawled into a corner with Edmund and they both sat there hiccupping until the doctor sat next to them, "Why don't you tell be what's happening, Alice?"

Alice clutched Ted closer, opened her mouth and began to explain.

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Four year old Edmund Bennett followed his nine year old sister; Ted clutched in his chubby little fingers. He glanced down at him, with one eye a button and the other a bead, Ted seemed to be winking encouragingly at him.

"Aaaa, Mrs Bennett, back I see, mmm" she peered down at Edmund, taking in his bemused expression and scruffy teddy bear, "I do hope this one is not like his attention seeking sister" she sniffed.

Mrs Bennett smiled, "Oh no, Edmund doesn't want to go to your nursery" Mrs Camille frowned; "Alice here, just wished to say something to you" she nodded brightly to her daughter.

Alice grinned sweetly, "I just wanted to clear up the idea that I'm not an attention seeking brat"

The room went silent.

"I thought you might be interested to know that I was diagnosed with Tourettes Syndrome a few years back"

Mrs Camille spluttered, "Don't bother" Alice began, "You and everyone else who shunned and teased me have all said the same thing, and I find the sudden changes annoying"

Every eye was on Mrs Camille, how was it this nine year old had the courage to stand up to that stuck up old bat?

"One more thing, my medication works treat so please note I have absolute control when I say, I think you a self-centred stuck up tart!"

Mrs Camille turned a delicate shade of scarlet, Edmund clutched tighter Ted, "And very mean too!" he added. Alice grinned at him and they both walked off to wait by the door.

"Mrs Bennett!"

"Yes?"

"Did you not see what your children just did?"

Mrs Bennett furrowed her eyebrows, "Tell the truth?"

Mrs Camille spluttered in rage, "And" Mrs Bennett added, "I hope they all do the same" She gave her belly a pat, grinned and walked out with her children.

The rooms occupance smirked as Mrs Camille stomped off.

"Well, that was fun" Alice giggled.