Chapter 20:
"Do we seriously have to go through this again?" Levi groaned. He sat next to Erwin in his office. Another couple was going to be interviewed, and Levi was sure it would end in disaster yet again. However, it was either suck it up or not be a part of these meetings at all.
"Maybe this couple will be nice," Erwin said unconvincingly.
Levi rolled his eyes in response.
A knock sounded on the door.
"That should be them," Erwin muttered. "Enter!" He called out.
The couple walked in, smiles lighting up their faces. They looked nice enough. However, Levi didn't let his guard down for an instant.
"Mr. and Mrs. Cassidy! Please take a seat." Erwin gave a warm welcome as he gestured for the couple to sit.
"Thank you, Commander Smith." The woman said as her husband pulled the chair out for her. She sat down, and he quickly sat next to her.
"So, you're looking to adopt?" Erwin asked, starting the interview.
"Yes. We have a girl of our own, but we thought that giving her a sister would be wonderful. She's six, and she would love to have another girl around the house." Mrs. Cassidy said.
"At least you have some experience raising a child," Erwin said.
"Have you ever had to deal with night terrors?" Levi blurted.
Mr. and Mrs. Cassidy looked at each other with concern.
"Can't say we have." Mr. Cassidy responded.
"We did mention that she was a survivor of the Trost invasion. She will come with a lot of baggage. She gets scared easily and often wakes up terrified. She requires a lot of attention and care. Are you prepared for that?" Levi asked.
"Well...we have helped our Elsie with her nightmares before. I know...it's probably not the same, but we would love and care for this girl as if she was our own." Mrs. Cassidy answered.
"Do you know how to walk someone through a panic attack? Do you know what to do when they become unresponsive?" Levi questioned, earning a warning glance from Erwin.
"I...I'm afraid we don't." Mr. Cassidy said.
Erwin quickly interrupted Levi's interrogation. "We can always prepare you for that. We really need to ask how you will care for the child's basic needs."
"Those are her basic needs," Levi grumbled.
"I am a great cook. And I'm a stay-at-home mother." Mrs. Cassidy smiled.
"I work in a butcher's shop." Mr. Cassidy said.
"May I ask where you stand financially?" Erwin asked.
Mr. Cassidy sighed. "Well...with the lack of livestock, it is hard to scrape up a fortune as a butcher. However, we live comfortably."
Erwin nodded, a slight smile gracing his lips.
The interview continued for a while, and Levi hated every second of it. Erwin seemed to be in a happier mood with every answer, which could only mean one thing: he was going to let them adopt Isabel.
"Well, thank you for coming in," Erwin said. "Perhaps we could schedule a visit for Isabel to come and meet your family."
"That would be wonderful!" Mrs. Cassidy exclaimed. "We look forward to it! Thank you, Commander Smith. Thank you, Captain."
The couple walked out of the room, shutting the door behind them.
"They seem like a great family for Isabel," Erwin said.
Levi rolled his eyes.
"I will make time in your schedule to bring Isabel to their home. Please be on your best behavior." Erwin said.
Levi nodded, refusing to say another word. He didn't want to let Isabel go.
…
"I so excited!" Isabel proclaimed as she skipped down the road in the Karanes District.
"Yeah. You're gonna meet some new friends." Levi said, holding onto her hand tightly as they walked through the crowd. Erwin had insisted that Levi take her to meet the possible family, but she wasn't allowed to know that she could be adopted by them. Levi was ordered to lie and simply say this was a playdate.
They finally arrived at a quaint little house, a small garden making the home look charming. Levi walked up to the door and knocked.
A young girl opened the door. Her brown eyes sparkled with excitement when she saw them. "Hello!" She beamed. "Mommy! They're here!"
"I'm coming, dear!" Mrs. Cassidy called from inside. She rushed to the front door, wiping her hands on a towel. An apron covered the weathered blue dress she was wearing. "Captain Levi! Isabel! Please, come in." She smiled.
Isabel skipped into the home, while Levi sluggishly entered. He didn't want to see Isabel having fun with another family. Wasn't he enough?
"My name is Elsie! What's yours?" The girl asked Isabel. Her brown, curly locks bounced up and down as she led Isabel deeper into the house.
"Isabel!" Isabel answered, following Elsie blindly.
"I'm gonna show you my room! It has lots of toys." Elsie said, guiding Isabel down a hallway. Their giggles could be heard slightly.
"Elsie has been waiting for this visit all week." Mrs. Cassidy chuckled. "She wouldn't stop asking us when her new friend would be here."
Levi nodded. "Isabel has been the same."
"Do you want some coffee?" Mrs. Cassidy asked.
"I take it black," Levi replied.
Mrs. Cassidy poured some of the dark beverage into a mug and handed it to Levi with a smile. Then, she got herself a cup and placed a few sugar cubes in.
"So, anything you would like to ask me about the adoption? I'm sure you most likely have more questions, being Isabel's caretaker and all." Mrs. Cassidy asked, stirring her coffee before adding a touch of cream.
Levi paused for a second. Erwin would have his head if he asked too many questions. However, since she asked…
"Did you know that Isabel has a fear of blood?" Levi asked.
Mrs. Cassidy's eyes widened. "I was not aware."
Levi took a sip of his coffee before speaking. "She saw her parents die before her. Seeing dead corpses can mess you up. So, you must be ready to help her calm down if need be. Just the sight of it can make her panic."
"I see. I will do my best to be extra careful." Mrs. Cassidy said.
"Talking about her past can also cause her to mentally shut down. You must be cautious with what you say. Calm her down if need be."
"Is there any specific thing you do to help her?"
Levi sighed. "There are many things you can do, but in my experience, walking her through it is the best option. It may be cruel, but she needs to accept what happened. If she gets too focused on those who have left her, she won't realize who is still alive."
Mrs. Cassidy nodded.
"I would...I want you to promise me something, Mrs. Cassidy."
"Of course, Captain."
"If you end up...adopting Isabel…" The words left a bitter taste in Levi's mouth. "Promise me you'll love her like your own daughter. She needs to grow up loved and protected. Take her out on adventures. Even a simple walk can do. Also, she loves books. And music. And sometimes, she tends to…"
Mrs. Cassidy cut him off when her hands cupped his. Her chocolate brown eyes met his slate ones.
"I can tell you care about her very much. You must love her like she's your own." Mrs. Cassidy started.
Levi gulped, then nodded.
"I promise you I will care for her as much as I do for Elsie. Isabel will never be hungry, and I'll send her to bed at a proper hour. She'll have loads of playtime, but I will make sure that she learns. She will be comforted when she has nightmares. I will love her with all my heart." Mrs. Cassidy said, giving Levi a warm smile.
Levi hated to admit it, but this was the perfect family for Isabel. She would be happy here...even if it wasn't with him.
"MOMMY!" Elsie cried as she burst into the kitchen. Isabel followed close behind. "Can we go see Daddy at work?"
Mrs. Cassidy looked at Levi. He nodded.
"I'm sure he would love that! Hurry and get your shoes on!" Mrs. Cassidy said, setting down her coffee cup to help the girls. Levi did the same.
The group made their way down the bustling street. Isabel skipped through the crowd with Elsie, but Levi made sure he was not far behind. In a strange city, he wouldn't want his girl to get lost.
Finally, Elsie stopped in front of a shop. She looked inside with pure excitement, running over to her mother and grabbing her hand.
"Come on, Momma! Dad's in there!" She exclaimed.
"Alright, alright, I'm coming." Mrs. Cassidy chuckled, opening the door to the shop.
Levi knelt down next to Isabel. "Do you like this family?"
Isabel nodded. "Yeah. They really nice."
Levi forced a smile. "Go on in and say hello if you want to."
Isabel skipped inside, following after her new friend. Levi watched through the window. She stood next to Elsie as they talked with her father. He stood at the main counter, chopping up some meat into equal portions. All of the sudden, his face fell. Levi couldn't hear what he said.
"Isabel? What's wrong, sweetie? Isabel? Isabel!" Mrs. Cassidy's voice rose with panic. "Captain Levi, what's happening?"
Levi rushed into the store, kneeling in front of Isabel. Her eyes had gone blank. Her skin was as white as paper.
"Isabel?"
"Blood."
Levi's eyes widened in realization. The butcher shop. Even though most of the slaughtering was done out back, blood still trailed in. Even now, Levi saw blood traces on the floor. He repressed the urge to gag in disgust. The butchers didn't even wash themselves up afterward.
He quickly scooped Isabel into his arms and brought her outside into the fresh air. "Hey, hey, hey. It's going to be okay."
"Mommy...Daddy...BLOOD!" She shrieked, causing a few passersby to take notice of her.
"I know, I know. It's very scary. Let it pass, sweetheart. You can do this. Take deep breaths. I'm here." He demonstrated proper breathing, and she tried to follow his lead. Her heart raced all the same.
"Isabel! What's wrong with her?" Mrs. Cassidy exited the shop.
"The b-l-o-o-d in the shop." Levi spelled out, hoping not to trigger another wave of panic.
Mrs. Cassidy's eyes widened. "Oh, Walls Above! I'm so so sorry. I didn't even realize that would be an issue. I should have thought this through! I can't believe I was so foolish." Tears flooded her brown eyes.
"It's okay. You don't know her as well as I do." Levi said.
"I'm so sorry, Captain." Mrs. Cassidy wept.
"I think it would be best to take her home. Thank you for opening up your home to us." Levi said.
"Of course. I'm so sorry."
Levi nodded and left with Isabel still trembling in his arms.
"It's okay." He whispered. "Nothing bad is going to happen to you. Papa's got you. You're safe. You're going to be just fine."
…
"Oh my. That sure puts a damper on our situation." Erwin exclaimed. Levi had just updated him on the events that had taken place earlier.
"They certainly are a nice family, but the profession is enough to cause hesitancy," Levi said.
Erwin nodded. "As much as that family would be a perfect fit, the messiness of being a butcher would cause trouble for her young mind." He sighed. "I suppose I will have to send a letter explaining the situation."
"I'll leave you to it," Levi said, leaving Erwin with the responsibility of declining another offer for Isabel's adoption.