Keeping Katie Ch 22
"Okay, who knows how to cook what?" Don demanded of the three kids.
"You can't cook?" Laslo translated Katies gestures.
"I can cook, but you guys are going to help. So where is the food?"
Dinner ended up being good. There were pork chops from Laslo and fried potatoes, Dons contribution, a green salad from Katie, and BB made chocolate pudding for dessert. Don helped Katie with the tomatoes, but she tore the lettuce up and got out the salad bowls for everyone. She was done first so Don got her to set the table. He could look out the window and see Karen and Charlene with their heads together, no doubt plotting the demise of his disposable income.
They were smiling and looking like a couple of school girls. He thought they were the cutest thing he'd seen in a while. He turned back to dinner and putting it on the table. "Get the drinks on the table and I'll go call them in."
He went out to the table and sat down next to Karen. "Dinner is ready, ladies." he said kissing Karens cheek.
"Charlenes a genius. Look what she did with this sketch of mine. It's beautiful, isn't it? I'm a bad artist, but this looks good." Karen leaned into his embrace.
"It's as beautiful as the woman who will wear it. Now you have something to show the place where you're going to get your dress. Do you know where you're going to go?"
"Not yet. I haven't gotten that far yet."
"We can start on that tomorrow." Charlene said. "I'm going to go eat before the monsters eat all the food."
She went inside and Don pulled Karen close to him. "Do you feel better?"
"I do, but I can't help worrying."
"I know. So am I, but I have to have faith that the judge will see that she's best left here with us. We're going to help the lawyer get the case ready so the judge has that chance. Come eat the delicious dog food we prepared and you can show me all the millions I'm going to be putting out for this extravaganza."
"My poor Don. It's not going to cost you, too much."
"Your poor Don really will be poor soon, but you are worth every penny. I want this day to be everything you ever hoped for."
She reached for his lips and he was happy to oblige her. She gave a small moan and he deepened the kiss. "Do we have to eat?" she asked.
"We should, that way the kids won't miss us and later we'll have some time alone."
"I want you now."
"I want you too. But waiting will make it much much sweeter. And the kids need us to keep up appearances. I promise I'll make it worth your while."
"I hate being an adult sometimes. I just want to do something wild now and not feel like I have to be the responsible one all the time."
"I know, darling. Believe me, I know. But that's the price we pay for being able to do this. This is only a temporary. Come on. The sooner we get the kids to bed the sooner they go to sleep." He gave her a mock growl and nibbled on her neck.
She giggled and squirmed against him. He got up and gave her a hand up. They went into the house. "We didn't save you any food." Laslo announced. The plates of food on the table were empty.
"Okay, then dinners over. Bedtime." Don said with a grin.
The chorus of protests produced alot of noise and the food. The kids were happy to be teasing them. It seemed to Don they'd come a long way from when he showed up at their house as a volunteer. Now it was home and he was considered the dad. It made his heart glad that she'd come into his life and invited him into hers. The kids were milling about getting their food and talking. Katie walked over to Don and touched his arm. "What is it, Katie?" Katie made some gestures. "I'm sorry, sweetie. I don't understand." he said in frustration. He was learning the language, but it was slow going.
Katie was worried about something. "She wants to know if you're going to be her dad after we get married." Karen wanted to know.
"Yes, Katie, I am. I'm going to be your dad and BB's."
"What about the Jones?" Karen translated.
"I don't know. I hope the judge will let you stay here and I can adopt you. But even if that doesn't happen I love you and I always will. Karen and I always will love you."
"Do I have to go away?" Karen spoke for her in a choked voice.
"I hope not. We're going to do our best to make sure you never have to go away. We're going to see the judge so we can keep you here. You might want to see your grandparents though."
Katie shook her head stubbornly. Karen came over to kneel next to her. "Dad and I love you. We're going to do everything we can to keep you here. That's what Dad said and I believe him. Trust us, okay? You let us worry for you. How about you sit next to Dad for dinner and make sure he eats his veggies, okay?"
Katie laughed at the comically terrorized look on Dons face. Karen looked at him too and there were tears in her eyes. She nodded and told Katie. "I think we'll put him between us so we can make sure."
"Help." Don yelped playfully.
Katie made more gestures. "She says if you don't eat your veggies, you don't get pudding for dessert." BB offered with a smile.
"Laslo, what do you say? We men have to stick together."
"I say we run away and order pizza." Laslo laughed.
"You're not running away without us." BB told him indignantly.
"No one is running away. I'm going to eat this delicious dinner and so are all of you." Charlene said stoutly. "Everyone sit down and eat."
"Do you see what you've done? You brought John into our lives and now we have to deal with this." Karen told Don.
"John hasn't anything to do with this. I've always been bossy." Charlene said flippantly.
"That's true." Laslo said.
"Enough truth for tonight. Eat." Karen said sharply.
Katie took her part of making Don eat his vegetables seriously. She kept feeding Don potatoes off her own plate until Charlene told her to stop and eat her own. "So how is the school quest going?" Don asked Charlene.
"Good. I have the classes I wanted. I do want to ask you a question, though. I was talking to John and he suggested that instead of moving all the way out here so far from school, I might try to find a place to share with someone I know closer to the school. That way I'd be saving money and not having to travel so far."
"That's not a bad idea. You'll have to find someone that will allow you to study, though. It won't work unless you can do the studying you need." Karen said.
"I think she has a room mate in mind already." Don said wisely.
"You do? Do I...ah, how thick of me. I think it's a good idea if you want to do that."
"I'm, uh, just thinking about it. You know, kicking the idea around."
"Is it someone else who goes to college too?" BB asked.
"No, Dummy, it's John. She's going to shack up with John." Laslo said cynically.
"I'm just thinking about it." Charlene protested to him.
"You will. It's the way it goes. Pretty soon you'll get pregnant and move out entirely. It's the way it is. Your new family will take up all your time and we'll be old news."
"Whoa, slow down there, Tiger. I'm not leaving. It'll be just like it is now. I'll just be in a different apartment." Charlene said.
Laslo threw his fork down on the plate. "I'm not stupid. You'll be living with him, going to college and you'll find your new life so exciting we'll be like wearing old shoes. I've seen it before. You can't fool me. I'm not hungry any more. Excuse me!" he said and slammed away from the table.
"Laslo, wait." Charlene said to him.
"Let him go." Karen said looking anxiously after him. "We'll talk to him. We know he has abandonment issues. As far as he's concerned we've been his parents sort of. Now he thinks he's losing you and this thing with Katie, it's taken him off balance. He'll need time to adjust."
"Are you and John going to get married?" BB asked.
"If and when we decide that we'll let you know." Charlene said with a shy smile.
"Katie wants to know if you're going to get married when Don and Karen do?" BB told Don.
"No. They are going to have a special day that they can call their own. That way you get two pieces of wedding cake instead of one." Don replied.
Katie beamed at them. "Did someone say dessert?" Karen asked.
"I'm going to go talk to Laslo." Don said. "I'll be back in for the dessert in a bit."
"Do you want me to come with you?" Karen asked.
"I don't think so. I think this is something we need to talk about man to man."
"Okay. Let me know if I can help."
Don kissed her and went to find his young friend. Laslo was sitting outside at the picnic table. He looked at Don and braced his shoulders. "I guess I'm really in trouble now."
"Well, I can't say I'm happy about how you spoke to Charlene, but I understand that you're upset."
"I know she loves John. I can see that, I just...why does she have to go live with him? They could live here like you and Karen."
"People who are just starting out together want some privacy and let's face it. There isn't alot of privacy here."
"You guys manage it." Laslo said with sly innuendo.
"That's because we have our own quarters. Charlene and John wouldn't have that. When you get a special someone you'll want your own privacy too. It's natural and normal."
"What makes you think I don't have a special someone now?" Laslo said with a mysterious smile.
"That's good, so you understand then. Couples don't want alot of people they know around them all the time. Charlene isn't going to go away from us. But she has to be able to live her own life. She wants to go to school and improve herself, just like you do. Someday you'll want to leave too. But you'll still be part of the family just like she is."
"I just don't want her to forget that we were her family first." Laslo said.
"She won't ever forget that. But family means doing what makes everyone happy. Have you considered that you aren't losing Charlene, but you are gaining John? He may not be much to look at, but he really is an okay guy."
Laslo grinned briefly. "I won't tell him you said so."
"I appreciate that. I still have to work with the guy."
"But you're his captain. Surely he can't get mad at you."
"Yes, he can. He probably says the same thing about me. You know how it is with us guys."
"Yeah. What I said earlier, about being adopted by you guys. I...I didn't mean it the way it sounded."
"I understand that. You have a legitimate concern. And you expressed it well. There comes a time in every mans life several actually when he has to make decisions and stick with them for his own sake, irregardless of what others think. You have reached that time and come through it well. You should be proud. All I ask is that you not hurt these women in the process. They are under the impression that they have to take care of us and I kind of like them thinking that way. We just won't let on that we know we're really taking care of them. Deal?" Don held out his hand.
"Deal." Laslo shook it with a pleased smile. "I want to ask you something."
"Ask away."
"I have a chance to work for someone in town but I'm not sure Karen will go for it. Can you talk to her about it for me?"
"What kind of job is it?"
"It's a janitorial one, but the hours are different."
"How different?"
"It's midnight to 2 am. At the Spotted Chicken Bar. It would be after they close, but I don't think Karen will go for it."
"I don't think she will either. You're too young to be in a place like that."
"It would be closed and I would only be cleaning up, not drinking."
"You'll have to put it to her. I can't tell you yes or no. This is her decision. Did you look for other work?"
"Yeah. No one wants me because of living here and the trouble I used to cause. Only David at the bar is willing to give me a job that I can do."
"If you want, we can talk to her together. That's probably the best way to approach it."
"Thank you."
"You know, BB made that chocolate pudding. Shall we go get some?"
"Sure. Can I...Can I just call you my foster father sometimes? Would that be okay?"
"I would be proud if you'd call me that. Or you can just call me Don, your foster father."
Don dropped his arm around Laslos shoulders as they made their way back toward the house. Laslo was nearly as tall as Don, but it felt right. Laslo entered the kitchen first. He looked at Charlene. "I'm sorry for the way I acted. I didn't mean it."
"Apology accepted. You know I don't want to go anywhere else." Charlene smiled at him.
"Laslo? You should know that if you don't want your pudding, Katie said she'd take it." Karen teased.
"Oh, no she won't." Laslo turned back into a kid and snatched his pudding before the littlest urchin could get it.
Don would have given her his but Karen put her foot down. "She's had enough. If you don't want it, we'll put it in the fridge."
The phone rang and Charlene answered it. Her demeanor changed and it was obvious who it was. "Let's go in the living room and give her some privacy." Don suggested.
"I think we should start showers now. So we're all clean for bedtime. Who's first tonight?"
"Katie is." Laslo said.
"No, you are." BB corrected. "I went first last time and Katie was before that. It's your turn."
"It is not." he squawked.
Katie nodded vigorously. "Enough. Las, you're up. Tomorrow night it's BB and then Katie. Stop arguing. The first one always gets the most hot water. Don't take all night." Karen said tiredly.
"There are too many women in this house." Laslo said disgustedly.
That caused a round of laughter. Charlene came in. "What did I miss?"
"Laslo thinks there's too many women in this house." Don grinned. "He doesn't know how lucky he is."
They sat down on the furniture as BB and Katie turned on the television. They flipped through the channels until they got to a Disney movie and sprawled on the floor to watch. Karen snuggled up to Don and Charlene took a chair near them. "I'd like to talk to you when the kids go to bed." she said quietly.
"Okay." Don answered for both of them.
They all enjoyed the movie while the kids took their shower rotation. Then it was bedtime. The kids all said their good nights and then it was quiet for awhile.
Charlene rustled around in her chair. "Spit it out before you bust." Karen told her without looking at her.
"I'm worried about how my moving in with John would really affect you two."
"Why would it be a problem?" Karen asked, looking at her.
"I won't be around as much. I would want to spend as much time as possible with John at night. That's when you need me most."
"Not true. Don and I can cover the nights. On the nights that you need to be here, it's okay with me if John comes with you as long as you're discreet. I don't want to lose you, Charlene, you're family, you're like my sister, but if you need to leave I'll have to learn to get along with someone else. In the course you're taking you'll need clinical credits. I can document those hours already. I'll do it now if you want, but if it's current at the time, you'll be good to go."
"I don't want to go, but I don't know how I'm going to juggle everything all at once."
"Then you take it one day at a time." Don said. "Just like we are. You're so much a part of this family, I'd hate to see anything happen to what you have here."
"I want to know, Don, if this is going to make it hard on John or you if I do this?"
"No, Charlene it isn't. It means that we're going to be one big happy family, but there is no precedent for the department to follow and I don't intend it be this one. Just so you both know, I don't intend to treat John any different than I ever have and I'll take the heat if I have to from you two. I can't do anything else. I'm sorry but that's the way it has to be."
"You're so sure you can stand that much heat?" Karen grinned at him.
"Sweetheart, I've been taking heat from the brass for so many years, I can't imagine what you could do to me that...Never mind, scratch that. I'll chance that you love me and there's no superglue in the house."
"Dear, sweet, naive, Don. There's no way in the world I'd ever use superglue on you. I have much more inventive ways. Superglue is for amateurs." Karen patted his leg.
He looked alarmed while Charlene laughed at Karen. "Oh, Karen, you are a crazy woman. Would you really do that?"
"That depends on how bad he is."
"Do what?" he asked sharply.
Both women just looked at him and laughed. "Don't worry, love, I can't imagine you being that bad. Are you ready for bed?" Karen asked.
"I'm not sure now." he said uncertainly.
"Don't worry. I'm not mad at you. Now." Karen winked at Charlene. "I'm headed for bed. Want to join me?"
"I want to know more about this mad thing."
Karen laughed. "See you in the morning, Charlene."
Don said good night and followed her into their quarters. "Should I be looking up your criminal file?" he asked.
"Don Cragen. I would never, ever do anything that'd get me caught. Relax. It's not on record anywhere."
Karen got ready for bed but he was slower in getting ready. "You have me worried." he admitted.
Karen paused and sat down on the bed. "You really are, aren't you? Okay, Charlene took a dislike to one of the guys who used to come out here to volunteer. It turns out he was a jerk looking for a quick lay from one of us, he wasn't particular who. We overheard him talking on the phone, saying that he was going to screw us both before he left. We sent him out to the back pasture for some of those pretty berries on the trees. He went and brought them back. It was cold so he never realized we handled them with gloves because they were irritating to the skin. He used to go in the bathroom and beat off. This time when he did he gave himself a nice rash. Naturally we took him to the hospital. He never came back."
"That's what you did?"
"Yes. Feel better now?"
"No." but he did. "I'll be sure not to pick a fight and then go pick berries for you."
"I wouldn't ask you too. I love you." She scooted under the covers. He finished getting ready for bed. When he crawled into bed she snuggled up to him. She was more than half asleep. "I do love you, you know. You would never be that sneaky and I would never do that to you. Don't worry."
He sighed. His little spitfire. He finally slept.
TBC
