Seamus Michael Reinhardt had never been in a court of law, never mind Family Court. Technically, he still hadn’t, as his day in court had taken place virtually on July 23, in an emergency session. With him were the local social worker, Ruth Reader, in the small branch office in the Alexandra Municipal Building. There, with Ruth’s help, Seamus was awarded full custody of the minor named Ash Reinhardt. It was quick and painless, for which Seamus was grateful. He was the minor’s only living relative and biological father.
Less painless was the next request, which involved the legal changing of the little girl’s name from Ash Reinhardt to Kaitlin Colleen Reinhardt. Seamus had to explain to the judge the story behind Ash’s conception while Ruth then explained that the mother, Samantha Coffee had named her baby after the tree against which she was conceived. It was also revealed that, in the child’s short life, she had been subjected to various forms of emotional and psychological abuse. Seamus and Ruth assured the judge that the minor would be placed in therapy immediately upon her arrival in Alexandra and, thus assured, the judge ordered the minors name immediately changed.
Finally, a date was set for the moving of the minor from Toronto to Alexandra. In order to keep the child as safe as possible and with as little anxiety as possible, a social worker was assigned to drive the minor across the country. Ready with masks for she and the child, Doris Johnson began the trip on July 24, taking a route that kept her within Canada, going through Greater Sudbury and Thunder Bay in Ontario. She and Katie arrived in Winnipeg, Manitoba on the 26th.
Unfortunately, this is where Doris Johnson suffered a non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction and had to be hospitalized. Katie was taken into custody and a meeting of social workers held looking for volunteers to take custody of Katie and continue her journey to Alexandra. Fortunately, Lisette Paget had already asked for a transfer to British Columbia, as living in Winnipeg was too much for the new widow. Slightly changing her transfer request to place her in the small satellite office in Alexandra, where Lisette had family and she then took charge of Katie and they left Winnipeg on the morning of July 29th.
Lisette was a bit younger than Doris and had the idea to begin communication between Katie and her father en route so that they could get to know each other at least a little bit before they finally met face to face. Using Lisette’s phone, she would make a FaceTime call to Seamus at every pit stop that they made along the way, keeping Seamus well informed of every step of their journey, as well as introducing Katie to many of the people that she would be meeting and living within Alexandra. This was primarily John, Colleen and Logan Reinhardt as well as Kurt Zimmerman and Iris Page, Seamus’s girlfriend.
Katie enjoyed these phone calls with the man who was her father and, with gentle encouragement from Lisette, was calling Seamus ‘Daddy’ within the first few calls. It was all very exciting for the little girl. Her life in Toronto had not been easy, even though she knew no other life. All of the people that she had contact with since the people she lived with had gone still had been much nicer to her than anyone she could remember living with. The ladies that drove her in the car were also very nice, although the new lady Lisette was the nicest. She talked and laughed and sang with her. It was all very tiring for her and she found herself doing a lot of sleeping in the car. But when she was awake, there was always someone to talk to. She was fascinated by the man she was calling ‘Daddy’ because he looked just like her and she’d never met anyone who looked like her before. He was very nice and didn’t seem to be upset, which she was only coming to understand might not be the way it was supposed to be with adults.
They arrived in Toronto on the afternoon of July 31 and spent the night in a decent hotel before they continued on, taking the ferry to Alexandra on August 1. Lisette drove off of the ferry and down Water street slowly, allowing Katie to take in her new surroundings. Soon she was pulling into the Reinhardt driveway and parking the car. She looked at the little girl beside her. “Ready?”
Katie took in the ride with wide eyes. It was so pretty! And the house they pulled up at was so big! She looked at Lisette and nodded. She was both excited and afraid.Katie was wearing donated clothes that were clean and in decent repair, but a little threadbare. She had on a light blue t-shirt with a teddy bear on it holding a little heart and a pair of pink cotton shorts with pilled fabric in the seat. She had shoes, kid’s crocs fakers that were yellow but almost worn through at the heels and the straps had clearly been repaired once or twice with some kind of glue that was visible around the edges. Her red hair was all chin length and a little wild but had been brushed that morning.
Colleen had spent the morning making sure the house was perfect. Even though both Logan and Kurt had the day off, she had told them to wait until later to stop by, so as not to overwhelm Katie. John was up and dressed and Iris had spent the night so she could be here to support Seamus. Now it was around 9 in the morning and they should be arriving at any minute. She wore jeans and a nice blouse.
Seamus was glad that Iris had spent the night with him. He needed her. Even though he had gotten to know his daughter a little bit, thanks to FaceTime, he was still a little nervous about this day. Katie would be living with them now. Living with him now. He was a normally confident man, but the idea of taking on a little girl that had been abused taxed even his confidence. He was in a pair of dark blue jeans and a green tshirt.
John had done his share of the housework too and cleanup after painting the room for little Katie, which had mostly been organized by Iris. She was way more practical and level headed than Daisy Dale and he was glad this was who Seamus ended up with. Then John had worked on the yard trying to recall all the hazards he managed when the kids were tots because surely she’d be running and playing in no time back there. They were pretty close to the water too so water safety might be a concern, or thin ice like Owen had pushed their anxiety buttons about. He closed the grate on the fire pit and hoped the kid had some common sense about things that were hot….mind you if her family life was messed up that might all be what they had to work with from square one. They needed a kiddie pool or something for her. Maybe he’d build a new sandbox. The old one disintegrated after many years and he had finally dismantled it and burned the rotting wood. He went back into the house after looking at his watch. He had on an old white CKAR t-shirt and a pair of long cutoff jeans shorts and black trainers, which he kicked off at the back door. “They here yet?”
Iris was ready with Seamus when she heard a car out front and gave his hand a little squeeze. She was in her rainbow pocket jeans and her old retro CBC t-shirt with her black hair up in a ponytail. Iris had focussed on getting Katie’s room ready as well as gathering some books and a few little toys for her. She had a few little clothes too, hand me downs of Thea’s that might be a bit too big but she had no idea if the little girl even had pajamas coming into the house so Iris tried to gather the basics, a nightgown, a few little shirts and shorts, a little blue swimsuit with an orange fish on it, a few pairs of little girl panties as well as some pull ups just in case, a hairbrush and a toothbrush, a raincoat and boots and a pair of little sandals. They’d fill in the rest later and as the seasons changed. Now she was ready to meet this little girl who looked so much like the man she loved it made her heart burst.
Lisette smiled at the little girl and could sense a little nervousness. “You already know what they look like. Your father and your grandmother and grandfather. And Iris will be there also. So it’s not so strange, is it?” she offered a confidence building smile and got out of the car, going around and opening the back passenger side door and undoing her car seat restraints. Then she helped her out and, holding her hand walked up the steps to the door and rang the bell.
Katie squeezed Lisette’s hand and nodded at her. She was still nervous even though she had seen them. She rocked a bit on her feet in the worn rubber soles of her shoes and looked at the house with curiosity.
Seamus is holding Iris’s hand when the doorbell rings. “She’s here…” he realizes aloud. Taking in a deep breath, he moves to the front door and opens it, looking down at the women, but more at the little girl. He’d seen her on FaceTime, but this as very different. Smiling, he steps back. “Hello. Come in…” when they do, he’s at a slight loss what to do. Katie really is like a female version of himself, but with much longer hair. He wondered if she’d ever had a haircut … and if she’d even ever want one. “Um .. let’s sit in the living room?”
Colleen watches Seamus head for the door and open it. She knows he must be a little nervous, which is uncommon for him. “The living room sounds like a good idea. . Miss Paget, would you like some coffee?” she hesitates in the living room, in case Lisette wants that coffee. There are three armchairs, the couch and the coffee table in their living room.
Iris stayed back a bit from Seamus but greeted Kaite as well “Hi Katie.” She keeps it brief. The poor kid might be totally overwhelmed. She nods as Seamus suggests the living room and then smiles at the social worker “Hello.”
John stays well back but gives the little redheaded mini Seamus child a friendly wave and a twinkly eyed smile. Definitely his alright.
Katie walks in with Lisette and stares up at the man she’s been calling Daddy and the woman with him. He looks like her but he’s really tall. The lady she’s been calling Grandma offers coffee to Lisette and the man she’s been calling Grandpa waves at her. She gets overcome with shyness and grabs onto the side of Lisette, burying her face in one of her legs.
Lisette smiles as they walk in. “No thank you … and please. Call me Lisette.” she insists. “She nods to everyone just as Katie grabs at her leg. “And sitting sounds like a wonderful idea.” she takes Katie’s hand and moves to an armchair by the window. She gives Seamus and Iris a look and then nods at the couch. They were the parental figures of this house and should sit together. John and Colleen can take the other chairs or sit together. She sits and looks at Katie. “Wow .. they’re a lot bigger in real life, aren’t they?” she sounds amazed. “But I know they’re so excited for you to come and live here with them.” she looks at the adults. “I think I have all of your phone numbers, so I may send you a message or two because as the old saying goes ‘Little pitchers have big ears’.” she smiles and lets Katie go to go into her purse and pull out her phone, sending a group text to them all;
Seamus she might come sit with you if you ask. Apparently she wasn’t encouraged to go to people in her old place.
Seamus watches and isn’t insulted that Katie didn’t come to him right away. He moves to the couch and sits, hoping Iris will sit beside him. Sitting will make him a little bit smaller and hopefully less intimidating. He laughs lightly at being called big. “Yea .. we’re kinda big around here.” he admits. He hears Lisette and takes his phone out, putting it on his leg. Then the message comes through and he half nods. “So, Katie. It’s great to finally meet you.” he holds out his hand for her to take. “Would you sit with me so we can talk? I’m really not as scary as I look.”
Colleen comes into the living room area one the offer of coffee is refused. She goes to sit on the arm of another armchair, hoping John will sit with her. Then she looks and smiles at this little girl.
John goes to sit by Colleen and watches to see what little Katie will do. He kind of expected ehr to be a bit freaked out by it all. Poor kid. Then he feels his phone buzz and glances at the text too and then watches Seamus. This social worker was on point. He looks at Colleen and then Seamus and Iris.
Iris nods at Lisette, picking up on where she’s headed and sits on the couch. She reads the text over Seamus’s shoulder and has to work not to react at how rejected this little girl had been. She smiles warmly at her and nods “He’s quite nice.” She made sure there was enough space between them that Katie could sit without being crowded by either of them.
Katie had been sticking to Lisette like glue but got her phone. Grown ups sure liked them so they must be important. She saw Daddy had one too and Grandpa. She frowned a bit as in her old house she had been ignored while they looked at them too. She cautiously walked towards the couch, looking between Daddy and Iris and then climbed up and sat between them, leaning her back on Iris’s arm as she stared at Daddy.
Lisette watched as Katie moved between Seamus and Iris. That was better than she’d hoped. And she’s leaned into Iris, making physical contact. Wonderful. She looks at them all and initiates the small talk for them. “The trip here was a lot of fun. Especially the ferry. It has a playground on it.” she casually picks up her phone. Even though they had already been told that Katie had been locked in closets as punishment, she sent the following message to the group;
Katie wouldn’t go inside any of the play equip anywhere. So slides or anything exposed is good. Tunnels and small toy houses no.
Seamus smiles as Katie joins he and Iris. He glances down at his phone and looks up at Katie when Lisette speaks. “I love the ferry. I look for whales, but I don’t see them a lot. Do you like the swings, Katie? We have a park here with swings and slides. I bet you’ll like it.” he remembers that Social Services was speculation that Katie had never been to a park, which baffled Seamus’s mind. He wonders what else she hadn’t experienced. Ice cream? Eating out? Just walking around with family?
Colleen is impressed with how Lisette is helping them get closer to Katie. She glances at the message and bites her lip, remembering how they thought she’d never been to a park before. But she keeps a smile on her face. This poor child. But here she would find love and normalcy, or as much as a family as large as this one can offer.
John was reading the messages too and quietly sighed, taking Colleen’s hand if he could. He watched and hoped Seamus could find a way through all the stuff the kid had been through, Seamus and Iris both.
Katie smiles a bit about whales. “There were no whales but I like them.” She had never seen one aside from in a book or on TV but they were interesting. She nodded about swings but then scooted further back into Iris, almost onto her lap. Daddy kept looking at his phone. She looked wary of it. She was afraid of him getting mad at her while he tried to read on it.
Iris put a hand lightly on Katie’s back as she felt the scoot. She had seen the text and also Katie looking at the phone. “It’s ok Katie….” She wasn’t even sure what the issue was but whatever wasn’t ok from her family she knew would damn well be ok here.
Lisette keeps an eye on Katie without letting her know about it. She notices her scooting into Iris and purses her lips. “I was a little sad we didn’t see any whales. But now that we’re here, I bet we can see a lot of them.” she makes a dramatic show of turning her phone off and putting it back in her purse. Actually very dramatic, as this is really the first time a potential phone trauma had been shown by Katie. “And let me apologize for using my phone all the time.” she shrugs. “Old habits.” she smiles at all around her.
Seamus takes the hint immediately and turns his phone off, sliding it into his back pocket. He grunts. “I heard that. , we have a pretty strict ‘don’t be on your phone during family events’ policy.” he looks at Katie. “I’m lucky MY Daddy didn’t say anything.” he makes a silly upset face and mocks his father “Seamus Michael Reinhardt, turn that thing off. It’s not a part of your body.” he makes the voice sound high pitched and funny. He makes his voice go back to normal. “I think it was just that we have been so excited to have you come live with me.” he arches one red brow. “Iris, Grandmom, and a couple of other people you’ll meet fixed your room up special. Would you like to see it?” he asks. “And then maybe go play and maybe even ice cream?” he was not above a little bribery to pave the way.
Colleen also gets the message and smiles at Seamus mocking John. Then she looks at Katie. “He’s right, you know. We’ve been so excited to have you come and live with your father. Do you have a favourite food? Your Daddy makes a very nice macaroni and cheese. He can put almost anything in it, so you’d never get bored.” she nods and smiles. “After ice cream, of course.”
John immediately pockets his phone as he sees and hears the cues. “Yep we don’t need to keep looking at these blasted things.” He laughs at Seamus’s high pitched imitation a little gruffly because that’s just his voice but then sees Katie shrink back from the sound and look nervous.
Katie had relaxed as all the phones got pocketed. “It’s ok..” She said shyly to Lisette. She had been so nice all the time after all. She smiles a bit at the funny high voice and nods about her room and macaroni and ice cream. But then Grandpa laughs in a scary way and she startles and jumps a little bit back in her seat.
Iris just keeps a light hand on Katie’s back and nods along with Seamus, giggling a little at him trying to make Katie laugh. Then Katie jumps at John’s gruff laughter and she looks pained for a moment and then smiles “He just has a frog in his throat.” She tries to appeal to her imagination.
Katie looks wide eyed at Grandpa but no longer nervous.
John plays a long “Ribbit….ribbit…” He taps his throat “He doesn’t wanna leave...says he’s comfy in there.” He catches an almost smile on the little girl’s face.
Lisette watches carefully at Katie’s reaction to John, but then relaxes as it works itself out. She sits comfortably, just watching them interact.
Seamus gives Iris a look of love when she saves the moment. His Dad also did his part. “He looks at Katie. “Your room first?” he suggests. “Now that is your room, so you can make any rules you want almost about it. Like my sister had a very strict ‘no boys allowed’ rule. If you had that I couldn’t come in and neither could Grandpa or any other boy.” he grins a bit, remembering Fiona’s rules. “So you get to decide who even sees it with you. Whoever you want can show you your room, okay?”
Colleen doesn't show her relief at what could have been a disaster. Katie seemed to have a fear of men for whatever reason. Then Seamus speaks and she nods, curious who Katie might choose to show her room to her.
Katie looks curious about her room. Daddy was saying no boys could be a rule. But could she share with Iris and Grandma? She looked like this idea was very large in her head and tugged Iris by the hand as she stood up. She had gotten comfortable with Iris beside her.
Iris looked a little taken aback and then apologetically at Seamus and then his parents “Oh...you sure Katie. I’m happy to if you want me to take you up…” She knew this kid had a lot of baggage. She was both honoured and felt terribly guilty.
Katie nodded at her and then looked around at the others and let her gaze settle briefly on Daddy before looking back to Iris.
John gave a little nod. He could tell Katie was connecting with Iris. “No boys and no frogs.” He teased “Ribbit...ribbit.” He gave Seamus a look of comfort. This had to be heart wrenching for him in many ways.
Lisette notices Katie’s decision and smiles. “While you look at your room, I’ll get your things from the car.” She looks around at the adults. “Just a few clothes and a car seat.” she explains and stands to slip back into her shoes and get them.
Seamus is a little torn by Katie’s decision. On the one hand, he had hoped he would get to see her reaction, but he also suspected that she had issues with men and, of course, he was a man. He would have to be patient with her. Fortunately, he was a patient person.
Colleen watches Katie tug at Iris and understood completely. Seamus was lucky to have her and she was glad that this woman was so willing to take on this adorable challenge.
Iris smiles down at Katie and takes her by the hand up the stairs.
Katie looks around at everything on the way to her room and then once in her room she meticulously explores it all like a grand adventure. She even takes all the little clothes right out of the dresser and looks at them, making a big mess and then looking worried, like she’s afraid of getting in trouble
Iris reassured her “It’s ok to look. They’re for you.” She tries to commit it all to memory so she can tell Seamus everything.
Downstairs, John blows out a breath and looks at Seamus “How’re you doin buddy?” His heart goes out to him.
Lisette goes out to the car and undoes the car seat from the belt and pulls it out, then reaches for a paper bag with her few clothes. Then she closes the car back up and heads back into the house. She sets the car seat down and brings the bag to Seamus. “She had .. nothing. So Social Services got her some clothes for her trip. And the car seat. I know you said you didn’t have a car, but it never hurts to have one around.”
Seamus closes his eyes and leans his head back when Iris and Katie go upstairs. “I’m okay, I think.” he tells his father. “I know she has issues and it probably doesn’t help that I’m big and broad and all.” Lisette comes back in and he takes the small bag of clothes. “Thanks.” he looks at her. “She has issues with men, I guess? She wasn’t…” hed been told she hadn’t been, but he felt he should ask again.
Lisette sits and immediately shakes her head. “No. No sexual abuse.” she assures them. “The issue may be with some other male in the house. According to neighbors, the father was strict and there was an older brother of the mother who … would be in his phone all the time. I’d guess she'd get in trouble with the males … maybe for interrupting or something while they were trying to look at their phones.” she looks at Colleen and John, including them. “Now is a good time to ask any … sensitive questions .. anything you don’t want Katie to hear.”
Colleen smiles at Seamus. “You’re doing great. Just be patient with her.” Lisette returns and she is relieved for the confirmation that there was no sexual abuse. “And trouble led to her being put in some horrid closet.” her jaw tightens.
John looks immensely relieved at the confirmation that the child wasn’t sexually abused on top of all the other awful stuff. “So no phones for a while. She didn’t like my laugh. I’m not offended but I wonder if it is volume or tone...I don’t want to make it any harder for the kid. I hate to be not sorry people died but these people sound like the worst of the worst. How could they treat a little girl like that? I’m not blaming Sam...” He qualifies to Seamus. “I had a horrible father I didn’t ask for. I’m glad Katie has a chance for something different.”
Upstairs Katie starts to look at the books and toys and Iris offers to read one to her. Katie looks surprised but happy. Iris’s heart breaks inwardly into another million pieces. She didn’t get read to. But she followed along so Iris guessed someone did. Maybe a babysitter or daycare?
Lisette nods at John. “Or also try keeping it near but no on you and avoid long text conversations for a while … ease her into it.” she doesn’t comment on being glad one way or another on the death of the Coffee family, but she does sigh softly. “They were far from the worst.”
Seamus nods. “That’s not a problem. I’ll just explain to people I know. They’ll understand.” he shrugs at his dad. “I don’t blame her, but it makes more sense why she never introduced me to her parents. I mean she knew Fiona and Owen from school at least. And I plan to give her a good life.”
Colleen nods and then sighs. “We’ve had some worse here on the island.” she admits. “Not in many years, but … Vincent’s father was physically abusive to him.”
John concedes “They could have been way worse. I know that, personally. But it’s harder to take when it’s our grandaughter who’s been unloved and messed up by people. Not that we don’t love Vincent. But he wasn’t 3 when we met him. And god knows if what they had been doing would have become even worse. More than anything, I’m glad she’s here. I know you’ll give her a good life Shay. I should text Logan and Kurt while she’s still upstairs. I know they were eager to meet her...maybe later today or even tomorrow though and I’ll tell them no phones and to let the kid set the pace. Kurt will have to just hug us and keep it in check. Mind you he gets it with kids. It’s the adults he mauls.” He laughs.
Iris sets down the book and Katie tries to hand her another “How about we take that one to the park to read? It has a whale. Daddy might want to read it..or hear it.” She’s not sure what stage they can get to in one day but she really wants to help connect Seamus to his little girl. She laughs a bit to herself at how odd yet sweet it is to refer to him as Daddy to this girl who looks like a little girl version of him. She’s trying to work towards the door and going back downstairs gently but Katie discovers a little tub of Duplo and gasps. OK this has to be shared with her Dad. Iris knows it’s Seamus’s old Duplo. “Oooh let’s show Daddy and Grandma and Grandpa ok?” She tries to carefully pulls the box to take it and Katie looks at her with big tears like she’s been scolded. “No no it’s ok…” Iris set it back down “I’m not taking it away…” She sits with the girl and exhales. She really had to think this through with Katie. There were so many triggers.
Lisette nods. “Watching affection will be good for her. And I’ve read her file .. and am actually moving here myself. Rented a little place by the water.” she chuckles. “Well almost everyplace is on the water here, isn’t it? My sister lives down the street from you. Amelie Beaulieu?” she grins. “Anyway, I am going to be here and you have my number and probably know where my office is better than I do at this point.” she laughs.
Seamus nods. Affection is a thing in their family, even more so with Kurt. He smiles at Lisette. “Yea, it’s the whole island thing.” then his smile widens. “Yea. Sasha is my best friend. He’ll be over eventually.” he blows out a breath. “Well, welcome to Alexandra.”
Colleen grins. “Amelie is one of my better friends.” she laughs. “Yes, it is a small island and in so many ways one big family. And healing … very healing.”
John listens to Lisette “Ah well welcome indeed Lisette. Glad to have another …..I won’t pronounce it right but FrancoManitoban?” He smiles. “She’ll see affection in this family. We’re pretty close, and there’s a lot of us. We’ll try to introduce her in small groups. And it is healing here. Maybe our big crazy family can heal this kid.”
Eventually Iris manages to get Katie to come back downstairs with the duplo by getting her to carry the duplo while she carries Katie. That way there’s no danger of feeling like anything’s going to be taken away. She smiles at Seamus as he comes into view but also looks a little like she’s coming down from all that happened upstairs. She lets none of this show to Katie though. “Hey look what we found!” She sets Katie back down on the couch and looks at the carseat nearby and the clothes Lisette brought in.
Katie holds the duplo box like it’s treasure and then pops the lid off and starts clicking bricks together like a natural.
Lisette smiles. “You pronounced it wrong but I’ve heard worse.” Iris comes down with Katie and a box of Duplo. Raising her brows, she watches the little girl play.
Seamus sees Iris bringing Katie and his old Duplo down. When Katie sits and starts playing, he resists the urge to dive in with her. “Oh … You found them, Katie.” he smiles. “I loved those when I was a kid. I hope you can have as much fun as I did.” he watches her, hoping that watching her is okay because it seems all he can do with his daughter for now.
Colleen smiles both at her husband’s abysmal French and the site of Iris and Katie coming down. Iris looks slightly stressed, so she asks. “Do you like your room, Katie?” she sees Seamus’s old toys and how interested Katie is in them. Like father, like daughter.
John had started to chuckle but reigned it in and smiled quietly as Iris and Katie came into view. He had managed to get a text off but had pocketed his phone and would read replies later.
Iris did reach into the duplo box and took out a brick or two offering them to Seamus. Maybe play was a way in “What are you making Katie?”
“A duck.” She had all the yellows she could fish out.
“Does your duck need a nest?” Iris asked, looking at Seamus. She had some practice at this with Thea but Thea was the most happy and confident child on the planet compared to Katie.
“Uh huh..” Katie said while trying to figure out how to make a beak.
Lisette watched the interaction. Iris was good with children. Another plus for this family. But the father was also good with kids, which had been a bit of a worry in the report she’d read, mostly because he was both young and worked in an adult shop. But now that she watched him, she was assured that this would not be a problem.
Seamus takes the Duplo and then looks at Katie. “Could I help make the nest?” he asks her. “Please?”
Colleen watches Katie play and smiles, leaning into John.
John feels his eyes water a bit and has to blink. It was too sweet. He remembered Seamus at that age playing with duplo, that very box of it. He felt Colleen lean in towards him and reached for her hand if he could grab it and hold it.
Katie looks up from her beak creation and stares at Daddy for a moment before saying a quiet “OK.” Big people were going to play? She smiled slightly and then looked at Lisette watching them. The nice lady brought her to nice people. “I like my room.” She adds casually.
Iris beams at the quiet OK. Progress! She sits back a little but not out of range and then smiles across to John and Colleen and Lisette.
Lisette smiles watching the father and daughter. Casually, she sits back, making herself a little more comfortable.
Seamus smiled at the permission to help. He sides his hand in the box, looking for brown and black Duplex and started to build slowly. “You know …” he says thoughtfully. “We’d find the pieces better if they were more spread out.” he prays that he is doing the right thing. Setting the bit of nest he’s built beside him, he slides slowly off of the couch and to the floor, then moves the coffee table closer to the fireplace giving them more floor space. Then he slowly, but dramatically sweeps the pieces off of the couch and onto the floor, making a bit of a mess of Duplo. Stretching out one of his long legs, he nods at Katie. “Spill them all out. You’ll find the pieces better.” he had noticed a bit of yellow as he picked out brown.
Colleen grins. He’d done the same thing when he was three. She nodded to John and then at the coffee table, encouraging him to pull the table away and give them even more room to play.
Iris tries to catch Seamus’s eye. She senses where he’s going and remembers the trigger upstairs with mess and Katie being afraid but he’s focussed on his daughter. She holds her breath a bit and watches them.
Katie quietly watches Daddy move to the floor and then sweep lego off the couch onto the floor. As the mess grows she looks anxious and starts scooping it up and putting it back into the box as fast as she can “No Ash….Ash bad….Monty mad….bad…” She’s shaking now and looking around “Sorry...sorry..” She starts to cry, looking completely terrified.
Iris can barely watch and impulsively pulls Katie onto her lap and holds her “No one’s mad at you. You’re not in trouble. It’s ok….it’s ok…” Katie burrows into her and cries and cries. Iris can’t help but start crying too and reaches one hand out to Seamus to try and hold his.
John had pulled the table away and now was about to sit when the lego being spread out caused Katie to lose it. He slid his hand over his face and closed his eyes.
Colleen sees Katie begin to cry and blows out a shuddering breath.
Seamus realizes he’s screwed up and big time. The sound of Katie crying is hitting him like a truck and he lays his head back on the couch cushion and stares at the ceiling. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Iris reaching for him and he lifts his hand to hold hers. He takes her hand and blinks, a tear escaping.
Lisette blows out a breath. She knew what Seamus was attempting but it failed spectacularly. The only thing she can do, however is murmur. “Trial and error.” because if they never tried to help her she would never be helped.
Iris rocks Katie a bit and as her crying calms she looks down at her “It’s ok to make a mess here. Life is messy. Daddy is messy and no one’s mad at him. It’s ok.” She’s not sure Katie will understand or believe her yet. She squeezes Seamus’s hand. She had seen the tear and it had increased her own. But now she calmed too and wiped at her face.
Katie sniffed a bit but looked curiously around. No one was mad. But they seemed sad. She looked down and noticed Iris holding Daddy’s hand and looked between them. Then cautiously she took one of the yellow bricks that had been revealed by the dumping of them and as if looking for permission she glanced around again and then clicked a little tail onto her duck.
John had heard Lisette and nodded at her gravely. But then he watched as again there was some resolve. He looked hopeful and sat back down.
Colleen leans back into John the moment she could. Her heart is breaking for her granddaughter … and for her son as well.
Seamus blows out a breath as Iris explains that messes are OK. He sniffs. “Oh boy is Daddy messy.” he can own that much. “And Katie, it was me who made the mess, not you.” he sniffs again and squeezes Iris’s hand before letting it go, wiping another tear away with the heel of his hand and going back to making the nest, as if nothing had happened. And he has no idea if that’s a good thing to do or not. His confidence, for the first time in his life, has fled.
Lisette is really only an observer, here to make sure things went relatively smoothly. With a child like Katie, relatively was a relative thing. The family was actually doing well, and uncovering the girls triggers was actually a good thing. But for now … life would be a bit of a land mine.
Iris exhales and looks at Seamus and then down at Katie. “You’re both doing awesome.” She’s pointing at the duplo creations but she means what just happened more. She suspected this would be tough but she really had no idea how it would feel. One thing she knew and had said in passing, she already just loved this little girl. It felt like she always had. She patted her back lightly as Katie stood up again to get the duck.
Katie heard Iris and Daddy and was getting calmer and calmer. She also saw Daddy wiping a tear which was curious to her. She walked to get the duck and actually sat down beside him, waiting for the nest to be ready. Her duck had no feet but if it was going to go in the nest that was ok with her.
John just watched with compassion and pride. They were doing awesome, given what they all had to work with.
Seamus is making a big nest, because he rarely planned small. It's coming along nicely and he is almost done when Katie comes to sit beside him. He only glances at her as he works. “Katie, what do you think you’d like for lunch?” he wonders and, sets the nest on the floor. “What do you think?”
Colleen watches things go back to a more even keel. Buckle up, this was going to be a bumpy ride. She watches Seamus and Katie and feels a little better about things.
Lisette smiles as things get more even again. This would truly be back and forth. It would take patience and strength.
Katie hears the question and carefully fits her duck into the nest. “I dunno.” She says honestly. Grown ups didn’t ask her what she wanted to eat. She just ate what they gave her when they told her to. She had learned not to be fussy because that was bad.
Iris looked between Seamus and then Lisette. They hadn’t talked about food. The child didn’t look malnourished as far as she could see but she was no doctor. She seemed an average healthy weight for her size though. Then she looked at Colleen, who was a nurse. “Do you like sandwiches Katie?” Maybe steering the choices would help. “Peanut butter?” It has always been an easy go to with her younger sisters.
Katie nodded a bit “Uh huh.”
Now John chimed in, keeping his voice as gentle as he was able to “How about peanut butter and banana?” He glanced at Lisette “No allergies?” He was meaning in Katie. He shrugged at Colleen, really unsure what else he could offer other than sandwiches at this point.
Lisette looks over at John and shakes her head in the negative. Katie had that much to look forward to. An allergy free life .. thus far at least.
Seamus grins. “Nice.” he says about the duck. Then he considers. “That sounds good. And I was thinking of putting hot dogs in the mac and cheese tonight. We haven't had that in a while.” he glances up at his parents. He’s got dinner but he’d like to play with Katie until lunch if he could.
Colleen nods. “Well, I think grandpa makes a better peanut butter and banana, if you don’t mind him serving you, Katie. Sometimes it’s nice to have the boys cooking, don’t you think, Iris?”
John took his cue from his wife and wiggled his eyebrows at her, heading to the kitchen and washing his hands. He got out plates and a few knives. He took out a nice big loaf of bread and the peanut butter and started setting up on the counter. He grabbed a bunch of bananas and began to peel. “Is everyone good with peanut butter and banana? Lisette, can i make you one too?”
Katie looked between her Grandpa, her Grandma, Seamus, Iris and then Lisette. Men didn’t cook in her old house. “OK…” She looked a little unsure about it all but wasn’t objecting.
Iris grinned at Colleen “Oh I definitely like when boys cook.” She winks at Seamus “And I love your mac and cheese. Yes please to peanut butter and banana John.” Then she looks at Katie “That duck has a nice little home. Just like you do now.”
Lisette smiles. “I’d like that, thank you John.” she knows she can leave at any time now, but will stay to see how Katie reacts to lunch. She’d been a little nervous about the fast food they had to eat on the road, but it seems to be more that she was never taken out to eat than anything else. A meal at home could reveal … anything.
Colleen watches John with a smile. “We have a lot of good boy cooks in the family. Which reminds me, we need to have Vincent make a celebration lasagna soon to celebrate your going to live with us, Katie. He does it for all the great things that happen in our family.”
Seamus looks at Katie’s unsure look. “This is a whole new world, kiddo.” he tells her. Then he smiles at his mother when she mentions Vincent and his celebratory lasagna. “Yup. We haven’t had any since little Liam joined the family.” he tells her. “Now it’s your turn.”
John smiles at the group and cheerfully makes sandwiches for everyone, humming a bit as he works. As he finishes them he brings in plates and passes them out, Katie first, and then Lisette, and then Iris, Colleen and finally Seamus and himself. He sits himself back down to eat. “Oh yeah the lasagna of the gods. I swear it’s Vincent’s dowry.” He jokes and then explains to Lisette “Vincent is engaged to our daughter Fiona. He’s a chef. She chose wisely, for all of us.”
Katie sees the sandwich put down beside her and looks up “thank you.” she says without any prompting. And then she waits until everyone has theirs and bows her head as if waiting for one of the adults to say grace.
Iris nods along about lasagna “Ok that sounds like divinity. I love lasagna. Thank you John.” She’s about to take a bite when she sees Katie has her head bowed “Oh…. Katie….uh…” Iris’s family didn’t do grace at all so she fumbles on this one a bit.
Colleen took her sandwich with thanks and sits with John again. Seeing Katie bow her head, she looks at Seamus with arched brows. This was one place she was not compromising at.
Seamus was watching Iris as she received her sandwich. Glancing around, he got the message. He also understood that he should be the one to do something about it .. or not do something about it. Taking a deep and fortifying breath he takes his sandwich. “Go on and eat, Katie. It’s OK.” and he takes a bite of his own sandwich and chews … while holding his breath.
Lisette watched as Seamus took another step forward on the minefield that was his new life with his daughter. Now .. she thought they were all waiting to see if he hit the mine, or missed it.
Katie heard Iris and then Daddy and looked up. Everyone was eating. No one was talking about god. She had never really understood why her old family did but she had been trained to behave like the others so she had done what she had learned. Now she looked right at Daddy and smiled and then took a bite and began eating.
Iris had been holding her breath watching as Seamus took it on. She had no idea this was a trigger or not but she laughed into an exhale when little Katie just started eating and then looked around in relief and began to eat.
John had pursed his lips with a mouthful of peanut butter and banana and chewed slowly, as he watched and waited. Now he grinned a bit and just ate. That one went better.
Colleen avoided a sigh of relief and began eating. That one had been relatively painless, and she was glad for Seamus that it had been.
Seamus grinned back at Katie as he began breathing again. He swallowed. “Not bad.” He compliments the chef. That one went better than he’d expected. Katie had been through so much, it was likely they wouldn’t unravel all of the troubles immediately. More than ever he was glad he’d arranged for her therapy before she’d even arrived.
Lisette began eating, feeling glad that food and mealtimes were not a trigger for Katie. That would make at least one major thing easier. “This is very good, John.” she grins at him. “You know .. for a boy and all.” she giggles. “I think Katie can look forward to some wonderful meals in this house.”
John laughed but intentionally quietly and nodded “Yeah we like food here. And messes. And kids.” He smiled at Lisette and then down at Katie and Seamus sitting together and eating their sandwiches. It was still uncanny how much she looked like him as a kid.
Katie just happily ate. It was a tasty sandwich. Everyone was happy in this house. Everyone was nice to her and each other.
Iris finished her sandwich and smiled “Yes all good. I get the impression the Reinhardt house has the same foodie energy going on as Paige and I do.” She smiles at Katie “That’s my sister, Paige is. Daddy has a sister too, Fiona, and brothers, Owen and Logan. Everyone is really nice. They’re your aunts and uncles” She’s not sure how much Katie will understand about partners and cousins “Aunt Fiona is with Vincent, the lasagna guy. UncleOwen is with Slaine….they have a little boy, Liam. I bet he’d like to play sometime. Uncle Logan is with Kurt.” She smiles “It’s ok if you don’t remember all those names.”
Katie looked thoughtful and seemed to be listening.
Colleen finished her sandwich and listened as Iris began to list off family names. She stood and went into the dining room, where she pulled an old photo album off of the shelf. “It might be a little easier with some pictures…” she moves and hands the abum to Seamus.
Seamus finishes eating and listens. “There a lot of us. Your … great uncle Jude … yea … he teases and says we’re going to take over the country.” he smiles at his mother and takes the photo album. He opens it and goes a few pages in, then chuckles and points to the picture of a little boy with red hair on the floor surrounded by Duplo. He is smiling and building something. Pointing, he tells Katie. “That’s me when I was about your age…”
Lisette smiles at the family as she finishes her lunch. She sits back and loiters a bit. So far her work is about done, but she is enjoying the family.
Iris smiles at Colleen about the photo album and then peeks over Katie’s head at what Seamus is pointing out “Aww….Katie you look just like Daddy.”
Katie looks excited about all the pictures. And then when she sees Daddy small and with duplo she gives a happy gasp. Iris says she looks like him and she stares between the photo and the big man beside her trying to reconcile it in her head “You were small.” She looks down at herself and then at Daddy.
John snorts a bit “Hard to believe but he used to be little too. They all did. Colleen we’re old.” He jokes and grins at the album. “And Jude’s right.” Then he looks at Lisette and gestures to her auburn hair “People are likely going to think you’re a Reinhardt with that hair. We’ve already got a redheaded priest in town being assumed. Father Liam O’Keeffe. No relation but a family friend and priest to some. Apparently Anna Wright’s been asked a few times too…” He shrugs.
Colleen laughs lightly. “We’re not that old.” she argues and smiles. “Yes there quite a few redheads in town, but you can try and tell people you are not a Reinhardt, not even by marriage.”
Seamus looks up at Iris and then grins at Katie’s gasp. “I was small, but I grew up. And so will you. Maybe not as big as me, but … maybe. Fionas a girl and tall, but she doesn’t mind it. You’ll be a strong girl too, growing up around these women.” he looks up at Iris. “That includes you, too.” He sets the book in front of Katie. “Have a look. It’s your family, too.” he encourages.
Lisette laughs. “Well, I can think of worse families to be confused with.” she states. She looks at Katie. “I think you’re in very good hands, Katie. And so I can leave you with them. But we’ll see each other again, I’m sure.” she motions to all of the adults. “I’ll see myself out.” and she will, unless there's a strong objection, but she thinks Katie is fascinated with her family. She looks cosy enough.
John smiles “Aww thanks Lisette. For everything. See you around the town.” He chuckles quietly at Colleen “We might be a little old now….not like Ulick old, just a little.”
Katie pours over the pictures so much she doesn’t notice Lisette going, leaning a little to one side as she turns a page and letting her shoulder press into Daddy’s arm before she leans back and pours over the next set. Some of them are labeled but she can’t read yet. The labeling is inconsistent. There’s a picture of what looks like a birthday party with the Reinhardt children all wearing birthday hats. The cut cake is sitting in front of the girl with one big boy beside her on one side and two smaller ones on the other side. The smallest boy who she now recognizes as Daddy is leaning at the camera showing his mouth full of food. Katie points “Daddy bad….” and giggles. Then she sees a photo of grown ups. Two look familiar, Grandma and Grandpa, but a little younger than they are now. Grandpa has way more hair. They’re sitting on either side of a much shorter older woman who looks a little like Grandpa in her face. She studies this picture a bit.
Iris beams at Katie’s gasp and nods at Seamus. This child was so precious. Then he talks to her about strong women and includes her as well as the ones in his family. She gives him a loving look. She notices Katie leans on him for a second and sighs a little but then Lisette is announcing she’s taking off “Thank you….so much.” Is all she can say to the woman but it’s heartfelt. As Lisete walks away she looks down to Katie giggling over the picture of Seamus playing with food and laughs “Oh you ARE like Thea.” She studies the next photo with her but waits for Seamus to point out who’s in it. She wants to give them their moments without talking over.
Seamus nods at Lisette. “Thanks for bringing her home.” he tells her as she heads out. Then Katie finds a picture of him cutting up at a birthday party and calling him bad. He laughs a little. “Some trouble is more than worth getting into, Katie.” that has a double meaning, as his daughter had been an accident, but by far the best accident he’d ever had. He winks at Iris about his being like Thea and then Katie is looking at another picture. He smiles and moves his finger. “Well, that’s grandpa.” he tells her. “But these two are very important in your life, because you share their names. Grandma Colleen and your Great Grandma Kaitlin. I know you had another name, but I decided you needed a change. Better names.”
Colleen grins and giggles a bit, and then sniffs at Seamus saying some trouble was worth getting into. If only they'd known when Kaitlin showed up at their door that January day to tell them Heinrich had died…
John gets a little misty eyed at Seamus’s words about some trouble being worth getting into. He knew without a doubt he meant her. And he had read Seamus the riot act that day. He couldn’t help but laugh quietly and wipe at his eyes. He sniffed as well when Seamus talked about the change of name and then blew out a breath. Sometimes the kids grew up right in front of you in the most beautiful ways you could never imagine.
Iris watches Katie and Seamus with tears quietly streaming and a heart full of love for both of them. The name change was explained and Iris nodded a long. It was very fitting for her to be Katie, named after both of these women.
Katie took it all in. “Ash…” She shook her head “Katie.” She looked up at Colleen and back down at the photo and nodded. “Katie. I like Katie.” She couldn’t explain it all. Ash was the her that was yelled at, punished, afraid. So far being Katie was good.
Colleen sniffed again and smiled when Katie looked at her. He was so happy and proud that Seamus had given his daughter her name to share.
Seamus watched Katie look at Colleen and then say she liked being Katie. “Me too.” he tells her. “I love Katie.” He emphasizes the word love.
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