For the first two weeks of September, a delivery truck was parked in a few out of the way places around town and always overnight. But it would be moved by the early hours of the morning each time and it never moved during the day. The truck was a standard style courier like a Fed Ex truck but all white. It looked recently painted and poorly done.
The sky was a permanent haze of smoke hanging thick in the BC air from the wildfires of Washington and Oregon.
Daisy Dale had been unravelling for awhile but lately she was just jittery, like she was trying to keep a handle on something really overwhelming. She had been to the thrift store earlier in the day and been spotted by a few people buying what looked like some basic t-shirts, jeans and a hoodie but clearly not for her or her daughter. These clothes were men’s size large.
Darcy Lynch had ended up passing Daisy at the till and seen the purchase. She was trying to find things to make her Halloween costume for Vincent and Fiona’s wedding.She was carrying a red mini dress around and considering her options for modifying it.
Brooke Martin was now the newly hired clerk and had been a bit chatty and questioned it. “New fellow?” She asked demurely. She and Daisy had parties in some of the same circles sometimes.
“No!” Daisy said curtly. “Mind your fuckin own business.” She grabbed the bag from Brooke and stuffed the clothes in.
Brooke looked offended “I was just having fun with you. You don’t have to be a bitch.”
“Whatever. I have to go. Bye Brooke.” and Daisy shoved the shop door open and was off.
Darcy quietly observed it all and let her gaze follow Daisy through the window as she hurried away, It was odd, but not anything she could guess at. Maybe she had a secret boyfriend? Darcy held up the dress again and picked at it a bit.
“That colour suits you.” Brooke said as she passed. She was trying to shake off Daisy being so rude to her.
“Do you have any tall black boots?” Darcy asked casually. Neither of these were her style at all.
Daisy made a beeline for home and stole into her building like she was trying not to be spotted. Her curtains were closed these days but it was a dark and grey day and as soon as she stepped in a light went on and her silhouette walked up to the shape of another, a taller male shaped silhouette to whom she handed the bag from the thrift shop.
Chris Peterson had been talking with Noelle about a day at the park with the kids but the sky had clouded over as they talked and now he frowned looking out the window “Think it’s gonna rain Babe. We might need a new plan.” He watched Daisy’s living room light go on and then saw the two silhouettes and beckoned Noelle “Hey come look at this…..new construction guy you think? We seem to have Liv a lot...not that I ever mind but maybe he’s why...whoever he is?”
Noelle looked from the clouds in the sky to the window. “Well that explains that.” she rolls her eyes. Just like Chris, she was glad to have Olivia anytime, and Daisy had just dropped her off with no warning so much it was almost a regular thing. She just made note of it and moved on. By now the notebook she kept it all in had at least two entries a week. She watched as the shadow moved a bit more. “Well, maybe Seamus can bring Katie over. Or we go over there?” a pale hand came into view and a face looked out of the window a moment, then the curtain dropped. “The …” Noelle stared at the place the face had vanished. She didn’t finish her sentence.
Chris had taken out his phone at the suggestion of Katie and was already texting. He had seen Noelle’s notation though but had looked away from the window. “On it. Katie was really into the trains last time. Why don’t we invite them here?” He’s texted Seamus:
Rain day playdate at our place? Would Katie like to play with trains?
Blaze and Olivia were already happily playing with the little wooden trains as they were inclined to do for hours.
Meanwhile across the street. Daisy was in her kitchen smoking a cigarette. It was a habit she picked up from her partying life and she had the addiction genes from her mother to make it stick. “Joey, come away from the window and try on those clothes.” Joey was back and they had an odd sort of truce with romantic overtones. In the sense that he said he wanted to be part of her and Olivia’s lives and he had seemed so genuine she had agreed to a trial period of it. Then she had banged him because how else would they seal the deal? It was a little better than the old days. Joey would never be Seamus but no man could do for her what Seamus had so she was willing to settle for feeling wanted at least.
Seamus was home in the kitchen tidying up. It was too early to worry about dinner and Katie was on the couch watching television. He looked at his phone when it rumbled. Katie was much better about his looking at his phone now she knew she could interrupt him at any time. He read the message and turned towards the living room. “Hey Duckie … want to go play trains with Blaze and Olivia?”
In Daisy’s apartment, Joey turned from the window to face her. She’d seen people passing, but hadn’t really recognised them. Daisy was about the same as she’d been in high school. She’d even gotten her figure back after the baby. He hadn’t met the kid, but it wasn’t around a whole lot to begin with which was fine by him. But Daisy was a place to hide out until he knew the coast was clear and he could take off for someplace else. Maybe Toronto. Anyplace but here. He moved to Daisy with a grin. “You just want to see me naked.” he guesses and nudges her towards the couch.
Daisy quickly puts out her cigarette and giggles. She knew how to be coy in the way Joey liked. “Of course I do….you’re so fucking hot. But I was wondering Joey….do you want to see Olivia today like we talked about?” She makes her eyes big and smiles at him.
Katie’s eyes light up at the mention of trains and her friends and she nods and jumps off the couch. She clicks off the TV on the remote. She knew that button.
Iris was at the table doing some of her online course work already. Her laptop was open and she was reading a chapter of a PDF textbook and making notes. She looks up between Seamus and Katie as she listens to the offer and seeing Katie’s reaction she grins “I can see that’s a yes. I’ll finish this chapter later. Let’s go play.” She closes the laptop and her notebook and sets it on top with the pen and then gets up to find raincoats and anything else they need. The walk over takes awhile because there are many puddles and puddles are awesome. Finally they’re at Chris and Noelle’s door knocking.
Chris answers it “Hello Katie…..and Iris and Seamus. They’re waiting for you…..oh you’re all soaked. Come in.” Noelle had seemed a little out of it before….stopped a sentence midway which was unlike her... so Chris looked at her and then gave her a little kiss on the cheek as he backed up to let everyone in “You ok?”
Blaze and Olivia squeal and cheer at the sight of their redheaded little pal and as soon as Katie’s out of her boots and coat they’re thick as thieves in their game together.
Seamus grinned as he entered. “Yes, but now we can have hot chocolate.” he proclaimed. Noelle had taught him how to make vegan hot chocolate, so he started on that while the kids played and Noelle and Chris separated themselves for a minute.
Noelle tried to smile into the kiss, but just couldn’t shake her feeling of dread. “I’m fine, Chris.” she assures him. “I just thought I recognised the guy at Daisy’s place.” she shakes her head in the negative. “But … you know . just another blonde with her.” she looks over at Seamus making the hot chocolate. “Use the cashew milk, not the coconut milk.” she tells him, just in time.
Joey had initially distracted Daisy from her question with the roll in the hay. Then he tried on a couple of the outfits. They fit surprisingly well. Then he tried to distract her again and Daisy almost never said no. And afterward, he lit a smoke and lay back in her bed. “OK … I guess it’s time to meet my kid, right? You said Olivia is with Noelle?” he gives a slight grin. “How’s she been all these years…” he pauses. “And … her kid?” he’s mostly curious.
Daisy curled into joey and reached to take the smoke from him, wanting a drag without getting up to light her own. She had given him what he wanted twice. Now he was saying yes. But asking about Noelle. Daisy bristled a bit “She’s fine. She’s married, remember. To that cop, Chris Peterson.” But Blaze was his too and clearly he knew. “Blaze and Olivia are close, like brother and sister. We’ve tried to keep it that way. They take care of Olvia a lot while I work or go out but they also like to tell me how to parent and that’s fucking annoying.” She reaches for her phone “I’m going to tell them I’ll come get Olivia in like 15?” She starts texting Noelle:
Turns out I’m not going into work today after all. I’ll come get Olivia in 15? Thanks for taking her.
Iris hands Seamus the cashew milk as Noelle calls out and smiles at him. “We will never speak of the vegan recipe to your father?” She jokes. John used full fat milk and swore by it.
Katie, Blaze and Olivia are now in a triangle around a complex train track creation each with a train and sort of having the characters interact while possibly all playing out separate stories at the same time.
Chris tilts his head “Who did you think it was?” Chris is wondering but brushes off his first idea. “Probably just some construction meathead….aren’t they all these days….or a guy from the bar.” He assures her.
Seamus snorts as he begins to heat up the milk. “No … we shall not speak of it … but …” he grins. “Katie can probably get him to try it and like it. She is really paving the way for Owen’s three … if she can wrap him around her finger and learn to take advantage .. she might even be good for his health.” he quips.
Noelle shakes her head. “I just thought I recognised him. But … Mr Brate got a bunch of his workers to stay on the island so that he can still work on the buildings. It’s probably just some guy from the storehouse parking lot.” she leans into him and hugs him, then feels the phone in her pocket go off. She reads the message. “He must be a minute man.” she snorts. “She wants to come get Olivia…” she sounds a little disappointed. Once she shows the text she calls. “Olivia, your mom is coming soon.” they had learned that the kids didn’t have to stop playing. It was more of a ‘heads up’ sort of a warning. She texts back.
Sure. She’s having hot chocolate first. Come up the back. See you in 15.
Joey rolls his eyes and reaches over to twist one of Daisy’s nipples. “I don’t wanna fuck her.” he tells her, although he might if not for the cop husband. “Blaze SNow … that’s just stupid.” he rolls his eyes and sits up. “Well, now I’m back and she can take her parenting advice and shove it. I don’t need that slut telling me how to raise my kids.” he reaches for his jeans.
Iris laughs “Yes if anyone can convince him it’s Katie. Be interesting to see what she makes of triplet cousins...not to mention your brother and Slaine.” She gets mugs for the vegan hot chocolate and is ready to help serve when it’s time.
Chris makes a face about the minute man “Lucky her?” Then he frowns. The kids were having fun and he hated to break up the trio. And he loved having Olivia there too.
Blaze and Olivia both turn their heads in unison at Noelle’s announcement and then go right back to playing like it never happened. But Olivia does look up a gain a minute later with big sad eyes. Katie’s oblivious and constructing a whole new loop with a bridge.
Daisy swats at Joey’s hand “Ow….don’t do that.” She’s comforted by his lack of interest in Noelle though and she pulls on her own underwear and jeans and a bra and low cut top. It’s cold and rainy so she does throw on a hoodie and zips it up before stepping into her untied runners. Joey seems to be dressed and walking with her and she’s pleased at how eager he is to meet Olivia finally. They make their way to the back stairs and walk up and then knock. Through the glass of the door she can see where the kids are….oh 3 kids and the one redheaded one. Daisy frowns just as Iris walks past holding two mugs. “Fuck...Seamus must be here….I should have just had Noelle bring her to us.” Daisy had tried to trigger some kind of sympathy from Joey by telling him an exaggerated tale of how Seamus had broken her heart, used her and discarded her like all the other women he had done it to in her opinion. Daisy knocks impatient and tries to wave at Chris who seems to freeze at the sight of Joey.
Chris had been walking to get more mugs and saw Daisy at the door standing with Joey. Joey? He had heard the knocking and now he froze and stared. This couldn’t be what he was seeing….
Seamus had brought a mug of hot chocolate because Iris couldn’t carry two. “Yea, she doesn’t see Owen or Slaine as much with the baby and all, but that’ll change soon …” he is walking back to the kitchen and sees Daisy .. and Joey Piccolo. “Oh … fuck no.” he growls softly and moves further into the kitchen.
Noelle sees Daisy at the door with Joey. Just like she thought. “Fuck….” she swears. “I thought he was just a guy … oh fuck.” she straightens and takes a step towards the door. “Kids … stay put and drink your chocolate, okay.” and she walks to the door, opening it and stepping onto the back porch. By way of greeting, she only says. “What is HE doing here?”
Joey sees everyone .. three kids, but one of them is clearly a Reinhardt. There is also a woman who looks vaguely familiar to him. Black hair … but he can’t place here. Theres been so many women. Noelle comes out onto the porch and demands to know what hes doing there and he can see Seamus approaching the door as well. Fine … a talk on the porch is fine by him. “Hey Noelle.” his voice is almost habitually flirtatious. He gives her his charming smile. “I’m here to take my daughter home … and meet my son.”
Noelle blinks. “Fuck you, Joey.” she begins. “You didn’t want him before, you don’t need to meet him now.” she knows she might not have control over Olivia, but she has some over Blaze, but right now she isn’t sure what because she’s scared.
Iris notices Seamus’s reaction to who’s at the door and then sees Chris and Noelle and takes a better look. She thought it was just Daisy and then saw the guy with her. It’s Joe….from the truck….that she ran from on instinct. She’s shaking suddenly. Iris looked different that night. She had worn contact lenses and a ton of makeup. She was currently wearing none and her glasses. She had straightened her hair and now it was wavey and in a messy ponytail. But Joe looked exactly the same. And as everyone reacted she came to the realization that Joe….was the infamous Joey. Iris worked to keep her breath even and hung back , watching the children.
The kids drank their cocoa and stayed put as Noelle had said but sensing the tension there were three curious sets of eyes on the door and then a man who seemed to be making all the grown ups react to him.
Chris glanced back and saw Iris was with the kids and then was right behind Noelle, literally backing her up. He’s not going to talk for her or over her. But he’ll step in if Joey causes her trouble and his stance and glare make that abundantly clear.
Daisy looks sideways at Joey as he talks to Noelle. She didn’t like that tone at all. But then she immediately defends Joey to Noelle “He has rights, legally even. You can’t fucking keep him from his own child….or children.”
Seamus moves behind Chris and opens the door a bit more. The three of them are blocking it. He has been Olivia’s father figure since her birth or was until Chris came along and he was still protective of the little girl. But he doesn’t say anything about rights … he just glares at Joey. “Home? You’re living with Daisy now?”
Noelle reaches back to touch Chris in any way she can. She glares at Daisy. “Then he can get a lawyer and arrange visitation with a judge. He’s not taking Blaze anywhere.” she blows out a disbelieving breath. “Daisy … you didn’t let him move IN, did you? Is that why Livi’s always over here?” she glares at Joey. “Reconciliation?”
Joey already understands that he is outnumbered, but he also knows that Olivia is a meal ticket. They can get aid with that kid they aren’t getting now. But he plays it legit. “Daisy’s right. I want to meet my son.” he expects the women to cave, and he looks at Seamus. “Hey Shay.” then he looks around them and into the living room. “That redhead yours?” He remembers the fight they had over Sam Coffee very well. He can’t help himself. “Guess Sam gave you something more than a good time, eh?”
Seamus takes a step forward, bumping Chris a little bit before he thinks better of it. He knows he needs to control his temper anywhere near Katie. “Don’t worry about my kid, Joey.” and he backs off, rejoining Iris and the kids. He leans into her. “Remember that guy I told you about? That’s him. Joey Piccolo.”
Chris takes Noelle’s hand in his, both on their same side since he’s standing right behind her. “Joey I stand with Noelle, my wife. You will have to go through legal channels to see Blaze and we won’t make it easy. We already have a social worker on call.” He doesn’t say it’s for Daisy but he does play the card about Blaze. He also doesn’t mention some of it started in regards to a now pending adoption in the works for him to officially become Blaze’s father.
The children have gone back to playing but keep looking over. They calm more as Seamus joins Iris. Whatever it was, maybe it’s going away?
Iris leans back into Seamus and closes her eyes as he talks and then nods “I know.” she looks back at the looming conversation just past the glass door “Remember that guy I told you about? The one with the delivery truck and the date I took off on before it could have gone really bad...Joe? That’s him. Joey Piccolo is Joe…” She reaches for Seamus “I need to tell Chris...because if he’s connected to all that…”
Daisy looks at Noelle and Chris in disbelief “I thought you were my friends…..you especially Noelle! Joey is the father of my child and yes he’s back….we’re back. Can you just be supportive? I’m trying to make a go of it. Olivia needs a father. Seamus wasn’t it even though he pretended to be...and Chris isn’t either….Joey is. You all just have to fuckin deal. Tell your social worker where to go. Family is family.”
Seamus looks at Iris with both brows raised. “Shit …” the Reinhardts still swore around children, but there was far worse. Far, far worse. “Yea …you need to. I can understand if you want to wait but ..” he hears his name mentioned and looks over at the door. “God, that woman ….” he doesn’t finish … he’s learned why adults don’t talk openly around kids now more than ever.
Noelle looks at Daisy. She doesn’t say anything about being friends, because Daisy hasn’t been one and with a notebook on her, she probably can’t call herself a friend anymore. “No, Daisy. I can’t be supportive of you getting back with a man who abused me when he found out I was pregnant … TOO.” she emphasises the word, perhaps to remind Daisy that their children were born less than 24 hours apart because the same man knocked them both up close together.” she sighs when Daisy pulls out the father card. “Seamus WAS it .. he wasn’t pretending to love Olivia. He was there from the day she was born.” she glares at Joey. “He was not. Family is family DNA doesn’t make a father, Daisy. You should know that.” but she probably doesn’t.
Joey tries to remain calm and patient. “Fine. I’ll sue to see my son, then.” he realizes he may have to in order to keep Daisy on the hook, but frankly he isn’t interested in either kid. He scoffs. “Reinhardt? Playing Daddy to my kid?” He rolls his eyes but looks at Noelle. “A lot can change in three years, Noelle. I have.” he points into the house. “Hell even Reinhardt has a kid now. I know I was a little rough when I found out about the baby. But I was just a kid … and sacred. It’s different now. I’ve grown up. And..” he puts his arm around Daisy. “I want my family together. I’ve changed. You have to let me prove it.” he used the same lines on Daisy to great effect.
Daisy leans into Joey like he’s her everything again. They’re in the honeymoon phase still after all. She rolls her eyes about Seamus “Seamus dropped me the second he saw Iris. I swear I was a place marker or something to do when he was bored. So he was nice to my kid….so what? He gets to keep the not an asshole to children card.” She knew this was not all true but this was what she told herself to protect her still broken heart. “Joey’s trying Noelle. There’s good in him. I’m sorry you can’t see it. He’s admitting his mistakes…” Although he certainly wasn’t apologizing and his admissions were deflecting blame. She told herself they were admissions.
Chris’s jaw tightens when Noelle mentions the abuse Joey had inflicted on her when he found out she was pregnant. He puts his other arm around Noelle’s waist and holds her protectively. Joey’s reaction makes him want to switch places with Noelle and pound the ever living shit out of the guy but he can’t do that and still have a chance of being Blaze’s dad, and keeping his job after the Jack Rose stuff. Holding Noelle anchors his temper, just anchors it. Daisy is buying Joey’s crap hook line and sinker and she’s beyond help right now. “I think you two should leave.” He says with forced calm. He’s not offering to go get Olivia even.
Iris blows out a shuddering breath and nods and then looks over “I can’t believe it’s the same guy but it is.” She looks at Blaze and Olivia “We can’t let him near them.” She looks at Katie too even though she’s not a factor with Joey. It’s all overwhelming.
Seamus looks back at the kids. “We might not have a choice with Olivia…” he doesn’t know much law but he knows that they’re dealing with biological parents. The kids are almost done with their drinks, too so no excuse there.
Noelle sighs deeply when Daisy brings up her relationship with Seamus. The jealousy Daisy felt towards Iris was to be expected, but she can’t think about that right now. “He hasn’t changed a bit.” she proclaims. She can’t prove it, but it's an instinctual feeling. Chris’s arm around her helps keep her calm and she only nods when Chris tells them to leave. She doesn’t want to let Olivia go. Not with Joey.
Joey looks at Chris and, still playing the reasonable man card shrugs. “Fine. Get Olivia .. but I’d at least like to MEET Blaze. Let him know his father is around.” he all but bats his beautiful blue eyes. “Please, Noelle.”
Chris finds himself squeezing Noelle’s hand a little hard and then eases off, not wanting to hurt her hand. He stares, clench jawed at Joey but as much as he hated it, until the adoption went through, Blaze was still legally Joey’s and this choice was up to Noelle. But he really hated it. “I’ll stand by whatever you chose Noelle.” is all he can offer. This asshole was not a father though and he wondered why he was even doing all this.
Katie offers her empty cup to Iris and then climbs up her Daddy and hugs him like she senses he’s upset. She reaches over and extends the hug to Iris too smooshing them both. Katie has no idea what’s wrong but she just gets a feeling.
In the meantime Blaze takes his cup towards the kitchen like Mommy and Chris have taught him and stands on his tiptoes to put it in the sink.
Iris sees movement and lets go of Katie “Blaze….it’s ok leave it…..come back this way…” She’s aware he can probably be seen though the door now where he is.
Chris hears Iris call Blaze’s name and looks back and then sighs. He was sure Joey could see him and likely if Blaze was on the move, Olivia would follow him.
Iris scooped up Blaze and tried to make it a game “Woooo we’re flying back to the trains…” and then Olivia was walking towards her too and she gritted her teeth as she smiled “ You get the next ride Liv...but we gotta go back over here…”
Olivia giggled and then got past Iris and to the glass door where she saw her mother with some man. She frowns a bit and then Chris looks back at her and she sticks out her tongue and presses it to the glass to be silly.
Seamus gives Katie a big hug back. “You know, I get richer every time you hug me, Duckie.” he smiles at her and kisses her cheek. He watches Blaze and Olivia and heads for the kitchen. There’s almost nothing he wants to do more now than get Olivia away from the door.
Noelle sees Olivia being silly at the door, but she also sees Iris running interference with Blaze. Blaze was seeing it, but he also is bound to see Chris and when Chris had time off Blaze wanted to be with his father … not his biological one … his real one. “Olivia … Do you have everything? It’s time to go with your mother.” she ignores Joey’s request.
Joey sees both kids and the spare hugging on Seamus lovingly. But he focuses on Olivia and then on the boy in the raven haired woman Daisy said was Iris. He smiles and leans down at the girl with her tongue on the door glass. “Hello, Olivia. I’m your Daddy.” he begins not caring if this confuses a kid that’s never set eyes on him before.
Olivia pulls her tongue off the glass and back into her mouth with a very baffled expression. She looks at her mom and then reaches up a little hand to the door and pushes it all the way open. She looks at her mother and then back at Seamus and then up at Chris and then to the man telling her he’s her daddy and shakes her head a little but the door is open now. She takes a step back from the man looking a little wary.
Iris had just put Blaze down at the trains when the door opened all the way and Blaze zoomed past her and out it making a beeline for Chris’s legs and hugging them. If Liv could go out, so could he. “Daddy!” He calls up to Chris who seems to be hugging Mommy’s back.
“Fuck…” Iris mutters under her breath when Blaze takes off through the door. She looks helplessly at Seamus and blows out a breath. He’s got Katie and she looks happy but these other two kids….were right by the awful man of two names.
Katie beams at her Daddy and snuggles in and then watches her two friends run by. The man at the door seems to be the person making all the grown ups unhappy so she stays right where she is.
Daisy steps forward to Olivia and looks at Joey with a big smile “He’s your Daddy...it’s ok Liv. Come give him a hug.” She leans down beside Joey and beckons her daughter. Olivia doesn’t move and just stares. “Come on sweetie. You don’t want to hurt his feelings…”
Chris lets go of Noelle and picked up Blaze, shifting him to his outer hip away from Joey “Hey Bud.” He frowns at Daisy “Don’t force her to hug anyone Daisy…..” There were layers to his feelings on that but the top layer was Joey Fucking Piccolo.
Seamus holds onto his daughter and watches what’s happening at the back door. He takes a step closer to it as Blaze races to Chris and Olivia seems hesitant. Katie hasn’t had a chance to say goodbye yet and Seamus isn’t so sure he wants to let her go to do that.
Noelle can almost feel the impact of Blaze on Chris’s leg. She smiles genuinely as he calls Chris Daddy. Then she sghs as Daisy tries to get Olivia to hug Joey. She sees Olivia shaking her head in confusion. Of course she’s confused. She hadn’t had a father but Seamus and Chris for her whole life and now here is this stranger. “Give it time Daisy. It’s not going to happen in 5 seconds.” she lowers her hand and places it on Olivia’s head, to comfort and protect if she has to.
Joey sees the boy hug and call Chris Daddy, even as he watches Daisy try and convince Olivia to hug him. He actually had no interest in hugging these kids except for show, so he finds himself in the odd position of agreeing with Chris and Noelle. “It’s OK, Daisy. They’re right. Let her get to know her father on her own.” he smiles his charming smile at her. “We’ve come to take you home, baby girl.” he tells her and looks at Chris with Blaze in his arms. “Daddy, huh?” he sneers a bit. “We’ll see about that.”
Chris watches almost painfully but is a tiny bit relieved when Joey doesn’t force the hug. Then Joey says we’ll see about that about Blaze calling him daddy and he retorts “Yeah. We will.” His tone is firm but he doesn’t explain.
Blaze watches a squirrel run up a tree and then looks down at his sister. The man who said he’s her daddy seems not very daddy like. Blaze is a little confused too. The guy kept looking at him too and it made him hold onto Chris more. Chris was Daddy.
Daisy looks annoyed at Noelle and Chris and scoops up Olivia “Fine. We’re leaving. Say goodbye Liv.” she sort of spins her around and looks down “Where are her shoes?” She sounds inconvenienced. “You know what never mind I’ll get them later. She can wear the pair with the hole. She’ll live.”
Now Chris can’t stand it “Daisy, it’s raining all day….” He keeps hold of Blaze and heads inside to grab the shoes. “Can you pass me the sneakers with the pink hearts Iris?” He catches Iris’s eye.
Iris had been listening in with Seamus in disbelief at the whole thing. As they waited with Katie she had noticed her glasses were smudged and taken them off to casually clean them on her shirt. Just as Chris asked for the shoes. So now glasses off and little shoes in one hand she swings in the direction of the door and hands Chris the shoes. Then she slides the glasses back on and turns back around when she realizes she’s right in Joey’s line of sight for a moment.
Chris hands Daisy the shoes and then steps beside Noelle again.
Katie calls out a quiet “Bye Olivia…” from her father’s arms. Something’s happening with Olivia and this man and she’s a little worried even though she doesn’t understand.
Seamus watches and moves closer to Iris as Daisy takes Olivia, barefoot. Katie gives a quiet goodbye and its a little heartbreaking. Moving a little more, he calls “Bye O.” she sighs, putting his free arm around Iris.
Noelle narrows her eyes at Joey before they widen at Daisy. “She’s not leaving here barefoot, Daisy. Jesus.” And then Olivia has her shoes and it feels like this whole thing is just wrong.
Joey watches the whole thing and when Iris delivers the shoes he feels like she is familiar again. But Daisy has their kid and he looks over at Seamus and his kid. “She’s a little plain jane bookish, ain’t she Shay?” he shoots the insult at him as he turns. “Let’s go home, beautiful.” he says to Daisy as they get ready to go.
Daisy could care less about the shoes. The ones with the hole would have been fine. God knows she was just going to put the kid in front of the TV since it was raining. What else was there to do with her? She shoves a shoe haphazardly on each of Olivia’s little feet to satisfy them telling her how to parent...again. Joey then says something completely heroic as he blatantly insults Iris and calls her plain jane and bookish. She lets out a little squeak of a laugh and then Joey takes it further by calling her beautiful. That’s right Seamus, Joey saw it. “Gladly hot stuff…” She croons back at Joey. She had the right man with Joey now.
Olivia looks bewildered and sad and waves at her friends, Seamus, Noelle and Chris feeling like she’s leaving her happy place. She feels a shoe get shoved on each foot and the second one scrapes a bit. But then she’s turned and heading down the stairs.
Chris looks out towards the trees because he can’t watch the scene and not want to tell Daisy she’s a moron and just deck Joey. It was too much. He holds Blaze on one side and puts his other arm around Noelle, connecting them as he focuses on both breathing and keeping his temper in check. He scoffs at the insult to Iris.
Blaze waves at Olivia looking sad to see her go “Bye bye Livie…..” He watches after her. He didn’t understand what the man said to Shay that made Daisy laugh but he hears Chris scoff in his ear at it. Was he laughing too?
Iris leans back into Seamus, shaking a bit. Joey’s insult doesn’t bother her. His need to insult her as a shot at Seamus does give her the feeling that he doesn’t recognize her though and maybe that’s a good thing. She rolls her eyes after they’re down the stairs and then looks at Noelle and Chris “We need to talk to you guys…..”
Seamus snorts at Joey’s attempted insult. He leans into Iris a little. “I love you bookish mama.” he tells her. Then Iris mentions that need to talk to Chris and Noelle and nods. “Hey you guys.” he calls to both Katie and Blaze. “How about another cup of chocolate, trains and a Thomas movie?” if that doesn’t distract the kids, nothing will.
Noelle sighs ahile Olivia is taken away. She snorts and heads straight into the kitchen for her notebook and is scribbling in about Daisy coming by with a domestic abuser demanding her daughter when Iris says they need to talk. Seamus then offers the kids chocolate toys and a movie so she knows he wants them good and distracted. “Sure …” she pours the kids two more mugs … the rest of the hot chocolate … and then delivers it, giving Blaze a kiss on the head.
The children absolutely take the distraction and in a way seem glad to decompress after the tension they didn’t understand. Katie and Blaze lean against the couch sitting on the floor surrounded by trains and track and wiggle their toes while they watch and drink more cocoa.
Iris had sighed into Seamus “Thank you. I love you too.” Now she’s in the kitchen ready to talk. She’s seen Noelle writing and she knows all about that “Don’t put this in the notebook...I can’t prove it. But I’ve met Joey before. He doesn’t seem to remember me….which is probably good. I’d rather he think I'm a bookish plain jane to be honest.” She looks between Noelle and Chris “Please don’t think less of me but I used to...I used to lead quite a risky lifestyle….with men in particular….and a few women but even those were really eye candy for the male gaze. Anyhow I was in this online meet up group….hookup really and got a request from this guy calling himself Joe. Joe was Joey. I knew the second I saw him in the door. But we didn’t complete our date as it were. He just gave me a bad feeling in my gut. He picked me up in a delivery van...like Fed Ex style with those doors that slide. Apparently it was his work vehicle and he had a thing about having sex in it. I had heard and done weirder so whatever right? But then he starts driving us to the outskirts of Vancouver and I just felt alarm bells going off. I jumped out at a red light and took off. Two days later I read in the news about a woman around my age being sexually assaulted and left for dead in a ditch….by a guy with a delivery truck who said his name was Joe. Again I have no proof…….but he’s already been an asshole and abusive to women right?”
Chris leans back on the counter and looks increasingly intense as Iris goes on. He rubs at his face as she finishes and looks at Noelle and then Seamus and then back to Iris “First of all, I’m not judging you, about your lifestyle. That isn’t permission to assault a person in any way. Secondly, I believe you and I’m glad you got out. And third...holy fuck…” He exhales and processes it all.
Seamus will take Iris’s hand as she tells the story he already knows, but his jaw still tightens. “Yea. Joey had a van when he lived here. He called it his fuckmobile or whatever. He’d brag about his little conquests.” he doesn’t look at Noelle, and its almost obvious. “So he’s got that rep and has for years.”
Noelle listens to Iris and is blinking away tears by the time she is finished. “Oh, Iris. I’m so sorry.” she can’t cry near the kids, in case they look over and see her. Then Chris speaks and finally Seamus. She looks at the floor when his conquests are mentioned. She didn’t know about that, but it didn’t surprise her any. It only made her more ashamed to be one of them. She chokes a sob out. “We have to get Olivia out of there. If Daisy wants him there that's on her. But he hits women. He has a temper. I know he does.” she rubs at her scar absently.
Iris holds Seamus’s hand and then looks stricken and then at Noelle’s scar “He did that to you?” She deflates a bit “I’m so sorry.” She looks in the direction of Daisy’s “We need to get Olivia out and maybe help Daisy. I mean he could hurt her too….she seems to think he’s changed but for him to be as much of an ass as he just was to you...he hasn’t. Maybe he’s just rebranded it and upped his game. It’s not good. Use your notebook….get the social worker over there. Something tells me Daisy’s place isn’t like here.” She sadly shrugs “And if Joey’s been violent that’s all they need.”
Chris nods and pulls Noelle to him. This has to be hardest for her right now “Fuck I hate that guy. The notebook, the social worker….and uh...I’ll see what I can look up...officially at work Iris, I know it was a while ago but would you give a statement on what happened with “Joe”? I can cross reference it….see what comes up.” He leans in and kisses Noelle on the scar “Figure out how to nail his ass for all of it.”
Seamus sighs deeply. “Daisy lives in a tiny one bedroom .. think the back half of this apartment. Once O got old enough to sleep in her own bed, Daisy put her on the couch until I bitched and then she put her in the bed, or did when I visited. I get the idea the kid slept on the couch when I wasn’t there. And no, O has never seen me naked, or even there in the morning. I never spent the night.” he sighs and looks in the direction of Daisy’s apartment building. “If you need my statement … I … know some stuff ….” he offers, reluctantly. He’s done protecting Daisy … especially now. Then he looks at Chris. “If you're too close to this, ask my uncle … or really almost anyone at the station.”
Noelle clings to Chris and looks to see if Iris wants to give that statement. Then Seamus talks about how things were in that apartment and sighs when he suggests he knows things that he’d be willing to share. “How long will this take?” she asks, impatiently.
Iris checks on the kids from where she is and they’re happily still engaged, giggling even as they put their feet on one another. She smiles a bit and looks back at Chris and Noelle and then Seamus “Yes, I’ll give a statement.” She sighs at Seamus “You saved Olivia from a childhood of total neglect….all of you.” She looks at Chris and Noelle too.
Chris gives Seamus a wry nod “I probably am too close to it but I can get the ball rolling and then refer it for sure. Darcy Lynch knows the foster stuff really well and all the rules, social workers….I mean we have a good team. It’ll happen.” He looks at Noelle “Let’s at least leave Lisette a voicemail or an email today and get the statements in. Some of those government offices are closed on weekends.”
Seamus reaches for Iris and nods. “Maybe. I brought over food and toys for her.” he snorts. “I didn’t even know I liked kids before O was born.” he admits. “Oh yea … Lynch adopted Vincent..” he sighs deeply. “Man I just don’t trust him with her.” by her he clearly means Olivia.
Noelle smiles at Iris. “Thank you.” she still looks like she wants to cry. “But … until then we just ... Leave her there?” she looks like she wants to cry. She is frustrated beyond reason.
Iris leans into Seamus and hugs him “You were good to her and you’re amazing with Katie.” She looks between Chris and Noelle “I imagine we can’t get her taken away tonight...or just go scoop her up?”
Chris rubs Noelle’s back gently, seeing her look “Legally no….we can’t. We could try...I don’t know the way Daisy goes she may want time with Joey and no kid right? Text in a few hours and say the kids miss Olivia? See if we can work a social angle and bait them with babysitting?”
Seamus grins slightly. “Thanks.” he replies to Iris and then kisses her softly. The women want to go and get Olivia now. He nods at Chris. “It’s a kinda low blow but yea. Neither one of them will think not to be inappropriate in front of the kid, but if you say you can give them alone time to bone … believe me … Olivia will be back here before bedtime.” he does not look happy to know this.
Noelle sighs deeply and looks at the clock. She looks miserable as she confirms. “Yea … and if we tell her its Blaze …” he shrugs at Seamus. “No offence .. but if Daisy is still trying to get over you … she hasn't acted in any way against Katie but …”
Chris shrugs “They’re gross and he’s an asshole but that’s Olivia’s out so let’s offer it. And Noelle’s right. Daisy is still super hung up on Seamus. I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s with Joey as some sort of in his face…..but why she’d do it to you Noelle is beyond me. I actually did think she cared about your friendship more than that.”
Iris kisses Seamus back and then makes a sweeping hand gesture all around “I agree with every bit of this. And I’m not a fan of Daisy….but guys like Joey...I mean he knows she’s insecure and he’s laying it on thick. He’s got her right where he wants. She probably can’t see out of it.”
Seamus sighs deeply. “I swear I had no idea .. so who’s the idiot?” he still sort of kicks himself for not seeing how much Daisy relied on him. He looks at Noelle as if she might have an idea but keeps his mouth shut.
Noelle sighs deploy. “Lets do it, but I am not going to look at Joey like I am jealous.” she looks at them all. “Because that’s what Daisy is thinking. She won. She got Joey to come back even though she’s hung up on Seamus. It’s like fucking high school all over again.” she snorts. “But she forgot how many times Joey got his ass kicked. Vincent D’Antoni … well Reinhardt now .. and Seamus. So … god .. I don’t know. I really don’t know.”
Chris sighs “It doesn’t matter what Daisy thinks. If she thinks Joey’s a prize then she’s really more fucked in the head than we thought.” He smirks a bit “Vincent kicked Joey’s ass? If I knew that I forgot it. Seamus doesn’t surprise me…..anyhow I had to hold back today so I get it. And even more so after what Iris told us. If he’s become some kind of predator, worse than what he did to you Noelle….then we need to put him away for good.”
Iris gives Seamus a squeeze “I get why Daisy has never gotten over you. She had no idea how to be your partner but believe me I get why she wanted to be. The Joey thing is beyond unbelievable.” She looks at Chris and Noelle “Yes he needs to be locked up so he can’t hurt anyone ever again.”
Seamus chuckles as Chris. “Yea … Vincent’s kinda small, but he can fight. Apparently Fiona asked him to be a distraction so they could get Daisy to the clinic … ironically for a pregnancy test. But Joey said some shit to Vincent, took a swing at Vincent and so Vincent handed him his ass. Three day suspension for both of them. Then a couple weeks later … it was Fiona’s birthday is all I remember … he started telling me how Sam was the fucking village bicycle and he’s been screwing har the same time I was … She had literally just left town so it was kinda raw for me so I beat his ass. Three day suspension … and the wrath of my family which I was already in trouble with. And as for Daisy ….” he squeezes Iris back. “She couldn’t have kept my mind. Ever. And now … for Olivia this needs to end.”
Noelle couldn’t help but sigh. “It was a pretty dramatic year.” she admits. “And I don’t want Joey near our son.” she looks at Chris when she says this. “I don’t think the teachers bought my bullshit about falling when Joey hit me. Maybe some of them remember it if we need to give a judge a reason Joey doesn’t need to see Blaze.” she looks at Chris hopefully.
Chris smirks at Seamus as he talks about the fights and suspensions “Some suspensions are worth it. Believe me….” He looks at Noelle meaningfully and then nods along with her and looks resolute “Frank does. I’m sure she’ll give a statement if it’s needed. That asshole doesn’t get 2 minutes alone with Blaze if I can help it.”
Iris listens to the tales from high school and nods slowly “So Joey’s been building on this...since back then. The total disrespect for women, or anyone, the violence.” She looks sympathetically at Seamus and then at Noelle. “I think we have a lot of reasons stacking up.” She nods at Chris in his determination.
Seamus nods. “Absolutely .. worth every second.” he puts his arm around Iris. “Let’s get Katie home. Make a nice loud exit so Daisy will know I’ve left. Then.” he looks at Chris and Noelle. “You two can decide if you wanna wait out Joey’s libido or not. We can even walk by and scope the place out on the way home.”
Noelle sighs deeply and nods. “Or Daisy’s libido. They’ll need a babysitter and I am the only one who will do it for nothing, so she’ll use me … and if she doesn't … Joey will.”
Iris makes a aface about listening in on Joey and Daisy but with Olivia in there, she concedes “Yeah that might help.” She looks at the two kids by the TV and the little movie has wrapped up and credits are rolling. They’re playing with trains again “Katie, it’s time to go.” She calls out.
Since Katie had settled into the Reinhardt house and life she had been very easy going about leaving places. Home was happy, daycare was fun, Olivia and Blaze’s house was fun, Jayla’s was fun, Izzy’s was fun. When every place you get taken is safe and joyful the anxiety goes away. She stood up and waved at Blaze, handing him back two trains “Bye bye.” She toddles over and gets her own shoes because she can and she’s proud about it.
Blaze takes the trains from Katie and sends them zooming down the track one after the other “Bye Katie.”
Chris shudders a bit about Daisy or Joey’s libido and nods “Text us if you hear anything...useful.” He looks at Noelle and sighs and then smiles down at Katie “Look at you Miss Independence. See you Katie.”
In Daisy’s apartment Daisy has clicked the TV on for Olivia and lit a cigarette. She knows smoking around her toddler is not ideal so she at least crosses the room to the kitchen and isn’t right beside her. But Olivia objects.
“That smells bad Mommy.” She coughs a little at the smoke and frowns at the TV “I don’t like this show.” It was one of those dumb it down for kids cartoons with an overly simple plot and really exaggerated characters. She missed Blaze and Katie already and a room that didn’t smell yucky to her. And the man who said he was her Daddy felt a bit yucky to her too.
Seamus nods to Chris about texting. Then he also looks at Katie. “She’s my big independent girl … even if she’s really just a silly duck.” he swoops in and sweeps her up giving her a hug, then waving goodbye. “We’ll talk to you guys later.” he promises. He leaves the building and looks at Daisy’s building across the street. From his position, he can’t see her apartment. But he sets Katie down to walk or be carried by Iris, nods to Iris and casually walks on the outside of the building. He can hear Katie complaining inside and smell the cigarette smoke from the slightly open window.
Joey rolls his eyes at Olivia. “You know something, Olivia?” his voice is more sarcastic than kind. “I don’t like this show either.” he takes the remote and flips channels, finally settling on an action flick involving car chases, car crashes and plenty of gunfire.
Olivia watches the loud show with big and frightened eyes. A man starts screaming and flailing after being shot and Olivia scoots back from the TV in terror and begins screech crying. It’s the scariest thing she’s ever seen.
Daisy sighs and calls out “Don’t show her that crap Joey….it’s too rough. You’re fine baby…” She calls over but doesn’t offer any comfort. Daisy is spiralling from everything that happened across the street, too in her own pity in her head to parent properly.
Iris overhears the violent TV, Joey and then the scared crying and instinctively swoops up Katie and starts singing to her to try and cover what could lead to more nightmares for her. She starts fast walking towards home “The itsy bitsy spider climbed up the water spout...down came the rain and washed the spider out..”
Katie jumps and looks frightened to the point of tears and then buries her face in Iris as she’s carried trying to listen to her singing. Something bad was happening to her little friend.
Joey rolls his eyes and turns the television off. “Isn’t it time for you to go to sleep, Olivia? I know it’s time for Mommy to go to bed.” he smirks at Daisy. She knows what he wants.
Seamus sighs deeply as Katie starts crying and is picked up by Iris. He knows better than to knock, but he begins to walk away texting to Chris.
Parenting 101 … Joey was watching an action movie, O is crying and Joey wants to send her to bed now, but its barely dinnertime. Give Daisy a few minutes and then text all casual. Maybe a fake apology to butter her up but if Joey wants sex, she might suddenly forgive you regardless. Priorities, yanno @@
He sends the text and catches up with Iris and Katie. “Hey Duck? How bout we invite Liam over? Can he bring Owen and Slaine? A fun dinner?” He hopes his daughter calms down, or he might have to go back and pound Joey just on the principal of the thing.
Katie does stop crying, especially when he Daddy catches up and says Liam can come over with Uncle Owen and Auntie Slaine. She nods and sweetly smiles as Iris pats her back.
Iris exchanges a look with Seamus and turns briefly to look back, seeing Chris then crossing the street and within a minute walking back across to home holding Olivia’s hand while she looks way happier with a little backpack on like an overnight bag.
Chris gives Seamus and Iris a grateful nod and takes Olivia back up to Noelle and her brother and a safe place for her to be in their family for the night and be properly loved and parented. It was a temporary fix though, until everyone worked together to figure out how to permanently solve the problem of Joey Piccolo.
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