SYNOPSIS
Shawn and Maya get the full story from John and reveal to Katy what they've learned, and Katy gets some good advice from an unexpected source...
Katy got up from the dinner table and started to pace the floor in front of Shawn and Maya. A part of her wishes she hadn't said anything at all to Shawn back at the bakery. From that moment she had a feeling that Shawn would dig further into what happened between her brother and her dad, and the mere fact that he did upset her more.
"I should have known..."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Shawn asked.
"Why, Shawn?" Katy asked hard, ignoring Shawn's question, "Why did you have to go and do this?"
"Because John is your family, Katy."
"You and Maya are my family, Shawn!"
"But John was your family before we were."
"My mother was my family. I barely knew John."
"That's beside the point. He's still your brother, Katy," said Shawn, "But for what it's worth I kinda understand how you feel." he added.
"Understand what?"
"The age difference," Shawn replied, "I've seen this before, you know."
"What are you talking about?"
"Cory and Josh," replied Shawn, "They were born eighteen years apart, but they're still brothers."
"Well, that may very well be," said Katy, "But they're pretty close."
"That doesn't mean you and John can't become closer."
"Josh never killed his dad."
"That's because his dad never tried to kill him." Shawn replied.
Katy stopped dead in her tracks and furrowed her brow at Shawn. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"Shawn, what are you talking about?"
"Katy, your dad tried to kill John. And if he had, he would have killed your mother, and he would have killed you. That's why John killed him."
Katy stared at Shawn for a long time, the furrow in her brow began to lessen, but then she slowly started shaking her head. "I... I wish I could believe that, Shawn." she said as she turned away from him.
"Why can't you?"
"Because I don't know that John is telling the truth. And all you have to go by is his word."
I expected this, Shawn thought to himself, but then said aloud,
'No, Katy.. we've got more than just John's word."
Shawn walked over to an end table near the door and picked up a manila folder with papers inside. He opened it and pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to Katy. It was a copy of a clipping from the Tulsa World newspaper.
"I think you need to take a look at this." said Shawn.
Still skeptical, Katy took the paper and read:
September 21, 1982
CLUTTERBUCKET SHOOTING RULED SELF-DEFENSE
The District Attorney's office has announced that they will not seek charges against a teenager for killing his father. A Tulsa County Grand Jury determined that John Clutterbucket, 16, of Oak Creek Village, acted in self-defense and in defense of others when on the night of August 23 he shot and killed his father Roy Clutterbucket, 37, who had escaped earlier from Tulsa County Jail. Roy was serving a six-month sentence for child abuse and assault and was due to be released in eight days when he made his escape.
County Sheriff's officials testified that when they arrived at the scene of the shooting at Oak Creek Village Mobile Home Park, they found the body of Roy Clutterbucket still holding a gun in his hand, and John with a bullet wound in his right shoulder. John had testified to the grand jury that he and his mother had endured severe abuse from Roy over the years, and while Roy was being led away after his conviction of child abuse and assault he had threatened to come after John. Further testimony revealed that John had fired his weapon at Roy the moment he saw the gun in Roy's hand, and that Roy had fired a shot at John wounding him in the shoulder before John fired a second shot killing Roy. Forensics later proved that John's bullet wound was caused by the gun in Roy's possession.
John's mother, Angela Clutterbucket, 36, also of Oak Creek Village, who testified in John's defense, was present during the shooting but was not injured. At the time of the shooting Angela was pregnant with Roy's child, John's sibling, and is due to give birth sometime in early October..
Katy slowly looked up from the clipping. "Shawn, where did you find this?"
"I didn't. Topanga found it," said Shawn, "But there's more, Katy." He handed her some other papers to read. Katy perused through a rap sheet that showed the numerous crimes her father had been initially accused of, including the numerous petty thefts, DUIs, and all the dismissed charges of spousal abuse, and then the assault and child abuse, which landed Roy in jail for six months until he escaped intending to kill his wife and son.
Overwhelmed, Katy sank down in her chair at the table still looking at the papers and shaking her head. Shawn sat back down in his chair next to her.
"You see now?" Shawn asked softly, "John was telling the truth; the whole thing was self-defense. And John wasn't just defending himself; your mom was there when it happened."
"And she was pregnant with you, Mom." Maya added.
It was too much for Katy, her eyes welling with tears as continued looking at the papers.
"Don't you see?" Shawn gently asked, "If it weren't for John you wouldn't be here right now. And neither would Maya."
Still shaking her head, Katy again stared at the paperwork as she continued processing this new information. With every passing second it sank in more and more.
"Oh, my God..." Katy whispered to herself as she slowly raised her hand to cover her mouth, "Ohh, my God..."
The realization finally hit her right where she lives: Not only had Katy found out things about her father that she never knew, but it was being shown to her that she had her brother figured all wrong. Everything she thought she knew about John was wrong. This revelation changed it all, and suddenly, all of the resentment toward John, all of the bitterness, all of the anger, all of the hatred, had disappeared.
She again turned to her husband. "Shawn, I..."
"I know, Katy.." Shawn softly repied, "I know."
She leaned forward into Shawn's arms as she couldn't hold back her emotions any more. Maya got up from her chair and knelt next to her mother putting her hand on her shoulder. Katy reached her hand around and placed it over Maya's as she continued sobbing.
Deep down, Katy knew that Shawn wasn't trying to prove her wrong about what John had done because they both knew she wasn't. But now it was coming out that she had spent her whole life living on a half-truth. It was true that John had killed their dad, but until Shawn came into Katy's life she never knew why; but now the other half of the truth was in full view, and it revealed without doubt that Katy's brother was not a murderer, but a defender...
Her defender...
Her protector.
It was a very long time before Katy could say anything else.
"I… I had no idea," she finally said. "Mom never said anything about it."
"Maybe..." Maya began, "Maybe Grandma and Uncle John just wanted to put it all behind them and start anew."
Shawn nodded in agreement while Katy sat back in her chair still wiping tears from her eyes. Again, it was long moments before anyone spoke.
"What are you thinking, Mom?"
"I don't know yet." Katy was now staring off into space. "I... I've been holding this against John for so long, and all this time it never occurred to me that there was more to it."
"Maybe it might be time to forgive him," Shawn said.
"I would. I will, I swear I will, Shawn, but… but I just don't know how I'm going to face him now..."
"I might be able to help with that."
This time it wasn't Shawn or Maya who spoke. Shawn immediately recognized the deep and throaty voice resonating from the doorway: Chet Hunter, his late father and spirit guide, was slowly walking toward Shawn, who stood up and started walking toward him.
"Hey." said Shawn.
"How you doin', boy?"
"You already know the answer to that." Shawn replied.
"Yeah, that's true," said Chet, "But old habits die hard, and some don't die at all."
"Y'know, I kinda had a feeling you'd show up right about now," said Shawn smiling.
"Hey, wouldn't miss it," Chet smiled back.
"Uhm, Shawn, who is this?" asked Katy, who along with Maya had joined Shawn at the doorway.
"Oh, you've never met, have you? Katy, Maya, this is my da-"
Shawn stops dead in his tracks and looks with astonishment at Chet and then back to Katy and Maya.
"You can see him?!"
"Well, of course I can see him," said Katy incredulously, "He's standing right in front of us."
"I can see him, too." Maya chimed in.
"Ohhh, boy," Shawn takes a deep breath in anticipation that they won't understand what he is about to tell them.
"Katy, Maya, this... is my dad. Chet Hunter."
A smile gradually grows on Katy's face; she looks first at Shawn, then at Chet, "Ohh, well, I don't think I've had the pleasure, Mr. Hunter."
"Uhmm, Mom.."
"Shawn's told me so much about you..."
"Mo-o-om..."
"I can see where Shawn gets his good looks from..."
"Mom!"
"Maya!" Katy wheels around on Maya, who was staring at Chet wide-eyed and mouth agape.
"Mom, don't you get it?"
"What am I supposed to get?"
"This is Shawn's dad," replied Maya.
Katy continues staring at Maya, still not getting it.
"His dad."
"So?"
"Mom, do you remember what Dad told you about him?"
"Shawn said he called me a screwball."
"Besides that." Maya responded.
Katy had to think for a moment. "Yeah, Shawn said he died years ago."
Maya gives her mother a look of 'hel-looo', and when it hits Katy she wheels back around to Chet.
"OHHH-H-H-H-H!"
Katy recoils in horror as it finally dawns on her that the older man standing in front of her is a ghost!
Shawn smiles as he takes Katy's hands in his, "It's all right, Honey. I don't want you panicking on me."
Katy can't take her eyes off of Chet.
"Hey, look at me, Katy. Look at me." Shawn implored.
Katy can only glance back and forth at her husband and his departed father, who at the moment doesn't look so departed.
"It's true, it's all true. Dad died years ago, but he still shows up for me every now and then at the most important moments to give me advice."
Katy is still having trouble processing this new information.
"I swear, Katy, it's all true." Shawn reassured.
"Hey, wait a minute," said Maya, "Dad, did he show up for you when Mom first asked you out on a date?"
"He sure did," replied Shawn. Chet nods in agreement.
Maya began to smile as her eyes lit up in knowing, "So that's why it took you so long to give us an answer."
"I just wanted to make sure I had some good advice." Shawn said.
"And look what that gotcha," said Chet. "An amazing wife, and a daughter whose just as amazing." Katy and Maya both blushed.
"Y'know, I'll never forget the first time I saw her in the delivery room..."
"Dad..."
"Ohh-kay, so I'm overreaching. Forget it." Chet walks around Shawn to stand in front of Katy, who still feels a little uneasy.
"Listen..." Chet began, "I know you're already aware that you have a wonderful family, Katy. You've got my boy now, and you've always had your daughter. Now that alone is sayin' something."
"I'm... I'm very lucky." Katy nervously replies.
"And now you've got an extended family," Chet continued, "Cory and Topanga and their kids and all their friends; I know they're pretty amazing, too," Shawn, Katy and Maya all nod. "Say, uh.. Did you know Cory's dad offered to adopt Shawn?" Chet asked.
"I heard about that," Katy replied, her nervousness now abating, "I also remember Cory saying that Shawn preferred to stay a street urchin."
"Yeah, well, I wanted to kick him in the pants for that one," said Chet with a wink to Shawn. "I always said that gettin' adopted by the Matthews would have been a hell of a trade-up for him."
"He's right." Shawn said with a smile.
"I know that to be true." Maya said.
"So do I." Katy added.
"But now there's this to think about," Chet gets more serious, "You have your family, and you have your extended family, but you… are the only family that your brother has left, and if it were me, I'd be making every effort, every effort, to reach out to your brother right now and make him a bigger part of your family. And knowing what you know now, I think he deserves it... don't you?"
Katy begins to nod.
"Then you know what you gotta do," said Chet.
Katy takes a deep breath, "Yeah. I do."
"I'll try and get hold of Uncle John on his cell," said Maya, pulling out her cellphone.
"I'll call the hotel," said Katy.
Chet started to walk out, but Shawn stops him for a moment.
"Hey Dad," Shawn began, "Thanks again for showing up."
"Like I said," Chet replied, "I wouldn't miss it."
"Hey, listen... Katy and Maya can both see you now, and this time you came for Katy, and not that I don't appreciate it, but... how come they can see you now?"
Chet looks at Shawn with a widening smile, "It shouldn't be hard for you to figure out."
Shawn looks at Chet with confusion.
"They're both a big part of your life now, son. And I know how important they are to you," Chet continued, "Shared experience: you can see their lives through your eyes, but now they can see your life through their eyes."
"They can see what I see. And that's why they can see you."
Chet nodded, and Shawn cracked a huge smile at his departed father.
"Thanks, Dad."
"You betcha. See ya 'round."
"His voicemail keeps picking up. I can't get hold of him!" Maya's voice was urgent.
"The hotel said John checked out 30 minutes ago." Katy said.
A split moment before it hits Shawn. "He's heading back home."
"The airport!" Katy and Maya chorus together.
"Maybe we can catch him! C'mon!"
The three are nearly out the door when Riley shows up on the doorstep.
"Hey! Where are we going?"
"The airport!" Maya answers grabbing a confused Riley by the arm, "I'll explain on the way there!"
The door slams behind them...
END OF CHAPTER FOUR
