Keeping Katie Ch 11
When Don got home he walked into a buzz saw. There was three a strange cars in the driveway, yelling and screaming in the house and slamming doors inside. He had no idea of what was going on so he charged in ready to committ some mayhem of his own.Karen was standing at the door to the girls bedroom knocking on the door, talking into it, BB was screaming at an older couple to leave, they were huddled together with a man in a suit and he was talking into the phone urgently. Mrs. Constance was there trying to talk to the couple, the man on the phone and anyone else that would listen.
"What the hell is going on here?" Don demanded in his loudest voice. All the noise stopped abruptly as they turned to him. "I want to know what's going on and I want to know now!" he barked.
"Who are you?" the man in the suit demanded.
"Captain Donald Cragen, Manhattan SVU and I live here. Who the hell are you?"
"David Bradley, attorney for the Jones's. They've come to see their granddaughter and this woman is keeping them from seeing her." he indicated Karen.
BB ran to him and started talking, Mrs. Constance was talking, the lawyer joined back in and it was almost as loud as it had been before. Don turned to BB and took her arm. "Shh. It's okay." he soothed her. "Mr. Bradley, shut up. Mrs. Constance, what's going on?"
Karen glanced over at him and he read the worry in her voice and anger at the intrusion. "Mr. and Mrs. Joses came to see Katie. She started screaming and ran toward her bedroom. She's locked herself in there and won't come out. Karen is trying to talk her out here, but she's not having any luck. Mr. Roberts, is attempting to create a scene where it doesn't need to be. Mr. and Mrs. Jones have done nothing wrong."
"If they are not allowed to see Katherine I will file a court injunction to..."
"Mr. Bradley, shut up and do not make any threats that you can't back up. Mr. and Mrs. Jones, please have a seat at the table and keep your lawyer on a leash. Mrs. Constance, I will go help Karen talk to Katie if you would be so kind as to keep the Jones here."
"If the Jones are not allowed to see their granddaughter..." Bradley began again.
"For the last time, Mr. Bradley, if you do not sit down and be quiet I will have you removed from my home and I will get a court injunction to restrain you from coming over here without a police escort." Don told the puffed up lawyer. "I will try to get Katie out here, but she will not come out if you're causing trouble. Katie is a very sensitive girl."
Don went over to Karen. "Is it locked?"
"Yes. Mr. Bradley there came in like a storm trooper and scared her first thing. You know how she is about anger issues. He's carrying a load of it."
"I know. Why don't you go see if you can get through to the Jones's and I'll see if I can talk Katie out without having to break the door down. You have a key for it don't you?"
"Yeah. We may need it. She's pretty scared."
"How about you?"
"I'm okay. Later, I won't be." she said and went to speak to the Joneses.
"Katie, it's Dad. Open the door, sweetheart." there was no reply. "Katie, I can't talk to you if I can't see you. Open the door." still no movement. "Katherine, open the door. Right now."
There was a jiggle of the door handle and it opened slowly. Katie peered out and looked around Don before she came out, grabbing a hold of him immediately. She buried her face in his neck, clinging tightly to him. Don could feel her trembling. He carried her into the living room and sat down on the couch. "Katie, look at me. Look at me." he gently but firmly pulled her out so she could look him in the eye. "You are safe here. Mom is here, Mrs. Constance is here and these people are here to meet you. They're your grandparents. Do you know what grandparents are?" Katie nodded. "They want to get to know you."
Katie gestured and Don looked around for Karen to translate. "I don't like them."
"You can't like them or not like them, sweetie, until you know them. Is it because they're loud?" Katie shrugged. "Is it because they knew your father?" Katies eyes went wide and she looked ready to cry. "Listen to me. You need to meet them and get to know them." Katie put her hands over her ears and shut her eyes. Don pulled her hands down. "No one is going to yell at you and no one is going to hurt you. Karen and I and Mrs. Constance will be right here the whole time."
Katie looked over his shoulder at Bradley. "He's going to stay out in the kitchen where he's going to be really quiet. It's okay. Do you trust me?" The little girl nodded, though she had huge eyes and she was still clearly terrified.
"Mr. and Mrs. Jones, would you like to meet Katie now?" he called.
The elderly couple moved into the livingroom tentatively. Katie leaned close to Don and stared at them with huge eyes. Don kept his arm loosely around the girl. Mrs. Jones was a spare, birdlike woman with a trembling smile. Her hair was half grey and had been pulled up in a bun not intended to be severe, but it wasn't exactly flattering to her. Her clothes were practical and older, but were of good quality. She smiled at Katie with a tentative smile. She looked like a kindly woman who was out of her element. "Hello, Katie. I'm your grandmother." she said in a slightly tremulous voice. "It's nice to meet you." Don was inclined to like the woman.
"Hi, Katie, I'm your grandpa." Mr. Jones said in a hearty voice. "You sure are pretty. You look like your grandma did when I met her."
he sat down in a chair while Mrs. Jones sat on the opposite end of the couch from Don and Katie.
Katie made some gestures. "I can't translate them. I'm learning, but Karen is the expert." Don explained. "Karen?"
"Say it again, sweetheart." Karen said. "She wants to know why you didn't come see her sooner?"
"Can she talk at all?" Mr. Jones asked.
"She can make sounds. She can laugh, and you heard the screams, she just can't form words that use her tongue. She talks with her hands." Karen said.
"The scars on her face...?" he asked.
"She hears just fine. Those were done so because your son didn't want to hear her crying any more. He cut her tongue off and then sliced up her face. And he left her for dead, I'm thinking it's because he thought she'd bleed to death. But Katie is a fighter and she came through it like a trooper. Since her father was your son. Is it any wonder she's afraid of you? And your lawyer scared her with his volume. She's afraid of people who yell. She always has been."
"So she remembers...?" Mrs. Jones asked horrified.
"Enough. Not exact details, but she knows what happened." Karen acknowledged.
That really seemed to bother Mrs. Jones. She got a stricken look on her face. Mr. Jones said "It was so long ago and she was so small. And in any case we didn't do it to her."
Don sent him a disgusted look. "Kids have much better memories than people realize and it really makes an impression when there's pain involved." he informed the man shortly.
"Katie, we brought you something." Mrs. Jones said. She pulled a small box out of her purse and offered it tentatively to the girl. Katie wanted the box, but she hesitated, looking at Karen. She had been warned about taking things from strangers, but this was in her own house and her parents were here.
"Go ahead, it's okay." Karen said.
Don set her down on the couch between him and Mrs. Jones. She took the box, making sure she didn't touch her hand. Mrs. Jones folded her hands and watched with pleasure the way Katie opened the box. Katie reached in and pulled out a small locket. It was not exactly an expensive item, but it meant something to Mrs. Jones, obviously and Katie liked it. She held it up and brought it over to show Karen. "That's beautiful. What do you say to your grandmother?"
Katie made the gesture to the older woman. "That's thank you." Karen informed her.
"You're welcome. That belonged to my mother. I had hoped to give it to my daughter, but I didn't have one. So I wanted you to have it."
Katie wanted Karen to put it on her. Karen whispered something into her ear. Katie shook her head and then looked at Karen. It was obvious she was reluctant, but she took the locket over to her grandmother and handed it to her. Mrs. Jones looked stricken. "Katie wants you to put it on her." Don said, guessing correctly the reason for the exchange.
"Is that what you want, Katie?" Mrs. Jones asked hopefully.
Tentatively, Katie nodded and turned around so the woman could put it on. The chain was long enough that she could have slipped it over the girls head but it was a bonding experience for her to open the clasp and place it around Katies neck. Katie immediately came back over by Karen and showed it to her. "I'm sorry. She likes it, but she's kind of shy." Karen told the woman.
"It's okay. I understand." Mrs. Jones said. "We probably should go. This is alot for Katie to take in. I just wanted to meet you, Katie. We'd like to come back to see you again. Would that be okay?" Mrs. Jones asked.
Katie shrugged. "I think that's a good idea." Karen said. "Katie will want to know her blood relatives."
Mrs. Jones stood up and so did the rest of them. "Katie, you're a very pretty girl and I'm looking forward to seeing you again."
"Tell them good bye." Karen urged.
Katie waved and made two gestures to them. Mrs. Jones looked to Karen. "That's grandma and grandfather. Two gestures means grand parents. Here on the chin once is mother, twice is grandmother, farther up the face is for father and grandfather."
"What does she call you?" Mr. Jones asked loudly.
"She calls me mother and Don father. Those were words she chose on her own. I was Karen until I mentioned adopting her. Then she changed it."
"What did she call you?" Mr. Jones asked Don.
"Captain." Don said.
"What's the symbol for Katie?" Mrs. Jones asked
"We use the first letter of the persons name up by the temple for a proper name. That's just how we do it." Karen said. "We don't use sign language to talk to her much. She can hear she just can't talk."
"Is there some where or a book we could get so we could get so we can understand her?" Mrs. Jones asked.
"You can get any American Sign Language book. It would help you understand her. There's also tapes and DVD's that you can get."
Mrs. Constance met them in the kitchen. "I see things are going well." she said overly heartily.
Katie moved over so she was touching Dons leg while she studied Mrs. Constance. Karen said reluctantly. "We're having a family picnic here Saturday for family. You're welcome to join us."
"We couldn't impose." Mrs. Jones said.
"Sure, we could. We're Katies family." Mr. Jones said. "What time?"
"We'll be eating about 2:00." Karen said.
"Can I bring something?" Mrs. Jones said.
"We're having soda and punch, so if you want to bring something else to drink be my guest."
"Is someone spiking the punch?" Mr. Jones joked.
"It's a family picnic, Mr. Jones. We don't allow alcohol in any form." Don informed the man firmly.
Mr. Jones looked chastised. "We need to go, Mother." he said immediately.
The older couple headed for the door. Mr. Bradley, strangely silent until now, said. "I'll expect you to make Katie available for regularly scheduled visits."
"We'll set them up around Katies school schedule." Mrs. Constance said.
"My clients have a strict schedule. They are entitled to ..." he said.
"Your clients, Counselor, are both retired. They can work around her schedule. Someone is usually here, but there are times we cannot be available for the visits. I'm sure we can work out a suitable schedule." Don said to the man.
"We should set up a schedule now so we..."
"This is not the time or place, sir. I need my calendar and Katie needs her schedule too. I'll get them together and contact your clients." Karen said.
"Within three days."
"Today is Wednesday. It can't be done in three days if one is a weekend. Three business days." Don said.
"Fine, three business days. If it's not done by Tuesday, I'll be filing papers to have court ordered visitations and they won't be on your schedule."
"Mr. Bradley, it's in my contract with the state that people who disrupt my household and cause trouble are allowed to be banned from returning to my property until I see fit. That includes lawyers with abrasive attitudes. I will add you to my list if necessary. I have to cooperate with you, but I won't be bullied."
"You can't..." Mr. Bradley told her angrily.
"She can, Mr. Bradley, and Mr. and Mrs. Jones as well. It's a standard part of a state contract." Mrs. Constance told him.
"The judge might have a different point of view." Bradley said.
"Judges take a dim view of lawyers who use intimidation on foster parents for their own glory." the social worker stated.
Bradley looked annoyed. "Three business days." he growled.
"We'll be on our way, Ms. Wesson, Captain Cragen. I apologize for disrupting your household at the last minute."
"It's your job." Karen assured her.
The small group left and Don turned to Katie. "Why don't you go look at your new necklace in the mirror then go show it to BB?" he said.
Katie smiled and left to do just that.
"I want to strangle that man. Then I'm going to take Mr. Jones and stuff him down the nearest toilet and flush." Karen hissed.
"I don't think that will help the situation." Don smiled at her vehemence. "I second the sentiment, but he was advocating for his clients."
"A thousand lawyers at the bottom of the ocean is called a good start." Karen snarled back. "I'm sorry. I'm not mad at you. What a hell of a thing to come home to. I would've called you, but it was like that as soon as they hit the door. Bradley came in like some runaway freight train, like he thought he was going to just order me to do what he told me and I'd roll over like some brainless bimbo."
"You could have had one of the kids or Charlene call me."
"I could have. I didn't think of that. I still think of them as little kids and Charlene needed to keep track of Joseph. He got upset when this whole thing happened and she took him out to the barn to keep him from going off and making matters worse for everyone. That's something I need to consider, huh?"
"I think so, so this won't happen again. Now, I think we need to look for a new attorney. We know who they're lawyer is so know who to tell the new lawyer who the opposing council is. Unless you want to flush our attorney down the toilet, too."
"Okay, only certain ones. Can I - Can I have a hug? I'm kind of in need of one right now."
"I could use one too." he said.
Karen snuggled into his chest very much like Katie. She was trembling, too, but hers was rage. She turned her face up to his for a kiss and he was happy to oblige. "I'm glad you're home. You rescuing me is getting to be a habit." she said with satisfaction.
"I like to be around when you need me. I have some good news if you want some."
"Please, I could use some."
"I have the list of everyone who's going to be at the picnic this weekend. We're going to have a busy house. Including Casey Novak. That won't be a problem, will it?"
"Only if you keep teasing me about that comment." she smiled at him.
"Okay, no more teasing and I won't tell Casey you said it either." Don promised.
"Such a prince among men." Karen patted his chest.
The kids came in to the house all upset and the volume went sky high again. Katie was one of the ones who wasn't as upset. Laslo was ready to fight someone, BB was ready to scratch someones eyes out in defense of Katie and Joseph was upset because everyone else was. Don made sure to keep an eye on the man. He was large and angry right now at the outsiders and Don made sure that he saw how calm everything was now. "Hi, Joseph. How are you?"
"Fine. That man, he wanted to take Katie away?" he asked.
"No. He wants to make sure Katie gets to know her grandparents, that's all. He thought we wouldn't want that so he came in here angry. But he was only doing his job and now he knows that Katie is okay he won't be doing that again."
"So Katie doesn't have to leave?"
"You don't have to worry about that, Joseph. Katie is just fine. You're a good man for worrying about her."
"Katie should be here where you love her, not with those people." Joseph declared.
Katie was getting upset as Joseph kept going on about the visit. Don had to nip it in the bud quickly. "I have some good news. We have a whole bunch of good people coming to the picnic in a few days and we have a lot to do. We're going to have alot of fun. And we're going to need everyone's help to get ready. Can you help me, Joseph?"
"Sure I can. I'm strong."
"I know you are. Between you and Laslo and me, we're going to be really busy. Can I count on both of you?"
"Yes." Laslo said.
"Yes!" Joseph said enthusiastically.
"And we get to clean, because we don't want guests in a dirty house." Karen added taking Dons lead and running with it. "Charlene, can you get a list of things ready that we need to clean?"
"Sure." Charlene said.
Karen nodded at her, it was understood that there'd be a council of war later. "Right now we need to figure out what's for dinner."
"How about hot dogs on the grill? I put the groceries put away and we have a bunch of hot dogs. We could throw together some french fries and have a picnic this evening."
"Sounds good. Don, is it okay with you?"
"I haven't had a hot dog off the grill in years. Sounds good to me." he said. "Laslo, want to help me get it going?"
"We don't have any lighter fluid." Laslo said.
"I forgot about that." Charlene said.
"Not to worry. We men know a trickor two. You just let us handle it. Let me get out of these clothes first. Why don't you guys go out and get the grill out, fill it with charcoal and I'll be right there." Don said.
"I'll help get the fries going. Charlene, I need to ask you a question." BB said.
Karen went into their quarters with Don as he changed into his civilian clothes. She sat on the bed deep in thought while he moved about the room putting his clothes on. "What're you thinking?" he asked.
"I don't trust Bradley. I think he's going to pull something. He's up for election or looking for a good citizen award or something. I just feel it. What could he pull? What more could he do?"
"Legally not much. He can only do what the Jones tell him, but I think the sooner we get another lawyer the better. I think he's up to something too. I've seen too many of his kind. Let me tell you something though. No matter how hard he tries, he's not going to make you look like a bad parent and we will fight him with everything we have. He's only allowed so much latitude for the case. Any more than that and he's going to make the judge annoyed with him and it'll go badly for him and his client. We know how to work those angles. When Casey is out here over the weekend, we'll talk to her about it if I don't get a chance to see her first. We'll get the very best lawyer we can find, I promise you that. You trust me, right?"
"I do. I'm just worried is all."
"So am I, but I know how well you've taken care of her for years. Plus, I know more than a few things I've learned over the years from things I have seen and know. I have some friends in places Bradley hasn't even gone to yet. We'll see just how good of a lawyer he is. I'll pit my legal team against him any day of the week. We're the good guys, remember? Our white hats are sterling clean. Don't let it get to you right now. We aren't even started yet. It's only the opening moves."
"I'm glad you're here. I'm in over my head here."
"I'm a good swimmer, sweetheart. Hang onto me, I won't let you go under."
"Okay, I'll hold onto you." she said with a smile. She stood up and gave him a hug. "I'll go help with the kitchen stuff and you go cook the buffalo for us."
"Yes, dear." he grinned and kissed her quickly. "Love you."
"Love you, too."
He left their quarters by the new back door and found Laslo and Joseph getting the grill ready. He didn't let on to Karen or anyone else how worried he was about the situation. It came with being the captain.
TBC