Keeping Katie Ch 27

Katie acted out at school the next day and was sent to the principals office. Because of her circumstances, the principal let her off with a warning but said next time it would be more serious. Karen made sure that she didn't get off so easily. When she got home she had to sit at the kitchen table and do the schoolwork she'd missed in class then she had to help do things around the house. She got no reward for being bad at school. And she was still hard at work when BB and Laslo got home. They got cookies and milk for a snack, Katie got a bologna sandwich.

She was not in a good mood when the Jones's arrived. Unlike last time Katie was not shy and was downright rude. Mr. Jones was immediately angry in return and Mrs. Jones tried to make peace between the two. Karen just let them all interact. She didn't try to control Katie or discipline the girl. That was up to Mr and Mrs. Jones. She did clear her throat when Katie started a temper fit and reached for something to throw but that was all. Mrs. Jones was shaken when they left and Mr. Jones looked very angry. He cast angry glances at Karen who rebuffed them with a closed look.

Don came home at the tail end of the visit and escorted the Jones's out to their car. He exchanged words with Mr. Jones who accused Karen of upsetting Katie on purpose just because of the visit. Don came back into the tense kitchen. "What the hell has been going on here today?"

Karen told him. "If they want Katie they're going to have to learn to take her in all her moods. I'm supposed to let her get to know them and them to know her. This is who Katie is."

Don sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Mr. Jones is going to tell the judge you made her mad on purpose for this visit."

"Let him. I have proof that this started when she hit a kid back at school. I brought her home, made her do her schoolwork then made her do chores around here all afternoon. She didn't get a day off when she acted up at school. I can't pave the way for them forever, Don. I just don't know what else to do."

"I tried to get home, but I couldn't."

"I know. God, I'm tired."

"Sit down and rest. You shouldn't have had to do that all alone. Where's Charlene?"

"She took the other kids to a movie so there'd be no interference. I didn't want there to be accusations of tampering. I guess that has sort of gone out the window. What happened that you couldn't get home?"

"A big political case. I had to be there, I couldn't leave."

"Okay. I think we're going to have to find another way of making sure someone else is here for the next visit. I don't want to lose this on a technicality. Katie, come here." she called.

Katie came out of her room where she'd been sent, looking like she was expecting to get in alot of trouble. She came over to stand in front of Karen looking very contrite. "What I'd like to know is what the hell were you doing today? You are usually such a nice girl. You got into a fight at school then you are a little terror when the Jones are here. Are you trying to get me into trouble?"

Katie shook her head. She gestured, faltering when she saw the forbidding look on Karens face. "I know you don't like them and you don't want to go live with them, but making them mad isn't going to prevent that. The judge said you have to spend time with them and you being a pain in the butt isn't going to help. Now I know that you did what you thought you should do, but if you make the judge mad he may send you there anyway because he'll think I can't take care of you and teach you good manners. You are not a bad girl, are you?" Katie shook her head.

"Do you like being bad?" the girl shook her head again. "I don't like you when you're bad. I love my Katie bug and I love you. We're doing everything we can to keep you here, but you have to work with us. Don't make this harder than it is. If you do end up going to live with them he'll be around all the time and then you'll have made him mad. You don't want that, do you?"

Eyes wide, Katie shook her head vigorously. "When I go other house?" she asked.

"The day after tomorrow. In the mean time, your grandfather is going to tell the judge I made you mad on purpose before they came over here and you were very bad. Do you want the judge to think you're a bad little girl?"

"Me not bad." Katie signed.

"I know that, sugar, and so does Dad, but the judge doesn't. Just don't try to fix this on your own. Let us do it, okay?"

"Okay. Mom mad?"

"No, I'm not mad. DIsappointed, but not mad. I'm worried about what will happen now though. Please believe me when I say I love you and I always will."

"Sorry. Dad mad?"

"No, Katie, I'm not mad, but I'm not happy that you behaved like that. If you have a problem or a question, come to us. Don't try to do it all on your own, okay?" Don said to the girl.

The sound of Charlenes car pulling in the driveway distracted them all. In a few minutes, all three of them came into the house. "How was the movie?" Karen asked.

"Okay." Charlene said. "I take it the visit didn't go well?"

"We had a set back." Karen confirmed.

Katie hung her head when Charlene sighed and frowned at her. "Katie." Charlene expressed her disappointment to the girl in one word. "I made some chicken stew this morning. We can throw in some biscuits and make some pudding for dinner."

"That sounds good. How is our supply of groceries?"

"We need to go shopping soon. I started making a list."

"Good idea. Let me see it and I'll see if I can think of anything else we need. I'll go to the store tomorrow for any emergency supplies and we'll make a day for a big run next week. We'll make it that long?"

"Yes. Would you mind if I leave early tonight? John and I have somewhere we have to be."

"What time do you have to leave?"

"About 6:30."

"You can leave at 6:00 if you want to."

"6:30 is fine. What else can I do for you?"

"There isn't anything we can do now. It's up to the judge to decide."

"Alll we can do is go on from here. I'm sure we aren't the first people that have had someone call foul on them. As long as it doesn't happen again."

"Katie, go back to your room until dinner. I need to talk to Dad." Karen said.

Katie gave them sorrowful looks when she went to her room. That was the worst punishment she could get. She was a sociable child and hated to be alone. "Katie, let's think about this a minute. You were bad and you know that right?" Don said. Katie stopped and nodded uncertainly. "Would you be willing to do something else instead of go to your room?" She nodded. "Even as bad as doing dishes for the week?" That took a bit more thought, but she nodded. "Mom?" Don said.

"It starts tonight through next week." Karen warned. "I'll keep track." Katie nodded. "Okay, but you know if you don't do them you have to do them for two weeks, right?"

Katie nodded and Karen reached out and shook hands with her. Unexpectedly she stuck her hand out to Don. He took her hand in his, there was a marked difference in the sizes, and shook it once. "Good deal. Go in with the others until dinner."

"That was a good idea." Karen said.

"I didn't want to step on your toes, but you said we weren't mad at her anymore..."

"Don't worry about it, love. I'm happy you feel you can step in with suggestions. I want that to be part of our lives, too. I promise to try not to step on your toes either. As long as we communicate we should be fine. I have had some kids try to play Charlene and I against each other. It wasn't pretty and I made good and damned sure the culprit never did it again."

"They need you in the penal system." Don teased her gently.

"Not really. I'm too lenient. I don't think I could sentence people to years of imprisonment or death. I'm too soft hearted. I like to start them when they're Katies age or the older kids ages. Get them started on the right path."

"Is that why you set the age limit for your kids at 13?"

"For the most part. That and at 13 they start getting pretty strong. Until you and John came around there hasn't been a man around on a steady basis for us to depend on for muscle and male support if we needed it. We've had some kids that have been strung out on drugs and that required a bit of work."

"Well, I'm here now and I'm not going anywhere." he pulled her to him and snuggled her in his arms. "I'll be glad when this is all over. I can't wait until he messes up and the judge sees him for what he is."

"Oh, I love the way that sounds. You just keep holding me like this and it'll all turn out alright."

"I'm not letting go."

"Uh, guys, I hate to break this up, but the natives want to be fed. Besides you're making me jealous." Charlene said cheerfully.

"Has she been like this all day?" Don asked Karen, teasing Charlene.

"Pretty much. She has been that way since she met John. There's just no pleasing the woman." Karen agreed turning loose of Don.

"Hey, I resent that remark." Charlene protested. "I've always been this way."

"She's just worse now." Karen said.

"Alright, you. Just for that I'm making spaghetti tonight."

"No, I'll be good, I promise." Karen acted horrified.

"Too late. Spaghetti it is. If you're nice, I'll make a salad to go with it." Charlene said firmly.

"You don't like spaghetti?" Don asked surprised.

Both women laughed. "It's fine. I make a big production out of it for the kids sake. They think it's funny." Karen assured him.

"It was kind of a thing we did. Some times we've had a shortage of funds so we ate alot of spaghetti because a pound of meat and a couple pounds of pasta would fill up alot of bellies."

"That and peanut butter and jelly." Karen nodded. "It's been awhile since we've had to do some of those kinds of things. We've been very lucky. I'll make the garlic toast."

"I'll do the salad." Don offered. "What?! I can make a salad. I'm a good salad maker. Just wait."

"I'm not arguing. Every hand is a big help. Well, get to work, you two." Charlene waved a shooing hand at them.

"She can be a bit of a drill sargeant." Karen told Don in a stage whisper.

"I see that." he responded in kind. "Let me change my clothes."

"I'll help." Karen said.

"Oh, no you don't. Then I'll never get my garlic bread. He can change his clothes on his own." Charlene said.

"She's mean too." Don said.

"GIve the woman a little power..." Karen said.

Charlene gave up and set to work feeding the ravenous horde with their help.

TBC