Introducing Cassie
Cressida POV:
I walked into Primrose House and after signing the visitor's log, I went to the playroom. Several children were drawing pictures with a staff member. Another adult was helping a child with leg braces sit on a large ball. Pollux smiled at me from a little area set up like a miniature kitchen. Our little red-haired friend ran up to me and handed me a little plastic milk carton.
Milk! Milk! She signed.
"Yes, Milk! Did you give Pollux some?" I asked. She giggled and handed him a little cup. "Pollux, are you ready for our meeting?"
Yes. Pollux signed to me. Let's go. We're talking to Miss Causey. He signed to the girl. She finger-spelled Miss Causey and he ruffled her hair as they walked down the hallway to the director's office.
"Thanks for coming, Cressida and Pollux." Miss Causey said smiling as the three of us took seats across from her desk. The little girl crawled into Pollux's lap. "So, we need to decide about names for our little princess. We have no documentation of her name, and she hasn't finger spelled it to anyone. We've tried, believe me."
I know. Pollux said. If anyone could have gotten her to sign her name, it would have been him in the two months he had been coming to the house.
"Have you thought of any names?" Miss Causey asked.
"Well - we were thinking of Cassie Melissa." I said slowly. Pollux nodded. He bit his lip. Cassie was a feminine form of Castor and Melissa was a bit of a variation of Mesalla. "She'll be named after - a very dear friend and Pollux's brother."
"Well, that sounds very nice." Miss Causey said smiling before addressing her small charge. "Princess, Pollux and Cressida thought of your new name! It's Cassie." Pollux spelled it out and pointed at her. Her eyes got wide and pointed at herself again before finger spelling Cassie. He laughed before wrapping her in a hug.
"Yes! Cassie! That's you, honey! That's you!" I couldn't help it, I was crying. "Come here, honey!" Pollux passed her over to me. I held her on my lap and held her in my arms. Cassie stared up at me wide-eyed as tears streamed down my face. "Cassie, we're going to visit you a lot, ok?" She nodded. "And you can visit us in our home too!"
Yes! Play with Pollux. She signed before giggling.
"Cassie, go get your snack, ok? Then Pollux will play with you for one more hour." Miss Causey said. Cassie nodded and hugged me before running off to the playroom. "Now when do you two plan to take her to your house?"
"Probably a month after we get married." I said. Sharon smiled. We filled out the adoption paperwork and signed the identity certificate that now had Cassie's name on it. True to our word, we spent another hour with Cassie before leaving.
We were halfway down the street when I burst into tears. Pollux pulled me to himself and hummed a soothing tune as he rubbed my back. "I - I wish Castor - and Mesalla could see this little girl they're named after -" I sobbed. "We're going to be a family, Pollux - I'm so happy - but - I'm - sad - I'm - I'm just all mixed up." I felt Pollux's body shaking with silent sobs as well. He gestured to a bench in between some houses and we sat down to have a good cry in each other's arms. "Sorry." I said sheepishly after a while. The sun was going down indicating we had been sitting for a while.
Bittersweet. Pollux signed before kissing my forehead. I nodded. You'll be a great mother.
"You'll be a great father." I said. Pollux grinned sheepishly. "She has you wrapped around her finger, but you know that already." He looked back toward Primrose House and grinned. He reached down and put his hand on my stomach. "Pollux! We're getting one kid at a time!" I squealed blushing, realizing what he was thinking about. He jokingly pouted but I could hear him holding back chuckles.
The next two months were a blur. I spoke with the mayor and reserved half of the town square for our wedding. We of course spent a lot of time with Cassie visiting her at Primrose House or letting her spend dinner or an afternoon at either my or Pollux's house. I was fixing my house to use the basement as a video editing and production studio as well as turning some of the extra bedrooms into office spaces. Pollux was teaching Cassie how to sort and coil cables. We were still working as a part-time freelance production crew and part-time Department of Communications crew. About a month before the wedding, we decided to let Cassie have an overnight at my house.
Pollux POV:
I was humming to myself as I assembled a bed-frame that was painted pink. Cressida was at the florist finalizing her wedding bouquet. The phone rang and I answered it. I put it in Talk and Text mode where I could hear the caller and they would hear a synthesized voice saying what I typed back on a keyboard.
"Hey, this is Plutarch, your long lost communications chief! Is Cressida available?"
Not at the moment. This is Pollux. May I take a message?
"Well, you sort of have to since she's your boss and fiance." I laughed. "Listen, we're thinking about running a special and we really need Cressida to come to the Thirteen over the weekend to discuss the programming. Could you have me call her when she gets here?"
No problem. I replied. I cringed. Cressida would have to leave the night we were planning on having Cassie stay over at her house. I wrote a note for Cressida telling her to call Plutarch before going back to building Cassie's bed to take my mind off of things.
My old fears of being unable to care for Cassie because I'm an Avox came flooding back. Sure, I helped her learn sign language and took her for outings, but at Primrose house I had the staff if I needed and Cressida has always been with me when we have taken Cassie somewhere.
"Pollux!" Cressida opened the door to Cassie's room. I turned around from my work and raised my eyebrows. She looked flustered. "I have to leave in a few hours." I gulped. "I called Miss Causey, and she said she still wants Cassie to do the overnight. I guess they have a child who needs emergency housing and she's taking Cassie's place for the weekend."
Ok. Cressida put a hand on my shoulder reassuringly. She knew I was nervous. I wish you could be here too.Tears came to Cressida's syes.
"I - I'm sorry - I'm crying." She said wiping her eyes. "I - I just - I guess - I just wanted to do the overnight too." Cressida said sniffling. I went over and put my arms around her. "I - I hope I don't - I mean - I don't want to sound jealous." I shook my head. "I know you'll do great with her. I'm not worried about you at all."
I'll call you if I need you. I told her. Cressida went to her room and packed her stuff. I walked her to the train station and waited. I made her close her eyes and then placed a small picture in her hand. She looked down and gasped. It was a picture I had taken of Cassie in the playroom the day we signed the adoption papers.
"Oh - thank you -" Cressida hugged me again before getting on the train. I smiled, but I was feeling nervous. I would be collecting Cassie en route to Cressida's house. Before I knew it, I was in front of Primrose House.
"Oh, hi!" One of the staff said hurriedly. She had an infant in her arms and a toddler clinging to her leg crying. I could hear other staff members directing the kids as they cleaned up the playroom. "Cassie's ready. You can go into her room. We're just getting her bed stripped for the new girl." I nodded. "Sorry it's so hectic." I shrugged and smiled before going upstairs. Cassie was sitting on her bed. It was a toddler size bed with a light pink mattress. It would have had light green sheets on it if they weren't being washed. Her bed was in the middle of four other little beds.
Hi, Cassie. I signed.
Pollux. She finger-spelled grinning. She grabbed a folded up dress that was on the end of her bed and handed it to me. Home.
We're going home. One night. Then come back at dinner tomorrow. I explained. Cassie hugged me around the legs and held her arms up making pleading noises for me to pick her up. I chuckled. I signed her out and took a notebook that had her progress notes in it. We went down the street to Cressida's house. I set Cassie down and she tore through the living room giggling and making excited noises. She peered into the dining room and then in the kitchen. Her eyes widened and she started to look worried.
Cressida. Where? She signed.
Away.I signed. Work. She looked sad. I held up a finger and then went into her room. I came out with a little flower barette Cressida had bought earlier. I put it in Cassie's hair and took her to the downstairs bathroom. She giggled as she looked at herself in the mirror.
Pretty! She signed while squealing. I took her upstairs to her room. I hung her other dress up in her closet and showed her the small dresser and table that were in the room. Miss Causey didn't want us to get her a lot of stuff before her adoption since many of the other children in the group home had very little personal belongings. She didn't want Cassie to get singled out by having more than the others.
Dinner was an easy affair as Cressida had prepared a casserole for Cassie's overnight. Cassie enjoyed eating it and I laughed watching her get about two-thirds of the dinner in her mouth and the latter everywhere else. We had bought child-size silverware for her, but she still found that difficult to manage. After dinner, she asked for a bath. I took her to the bathroom and filled the tub with some bubble bath I found in the bathroom cupboard. I didn't know how hot to make the bath, so I made it pretty lukewarm. Cassie was impressed by the bubbles and would point to them gasping. Bubbles. Lots of bubbles. For Cassie. She squealed. I helped her climb in and began washing her face and hair. She giggled and splashed the water. You're a little fishie in the water!
Fish! Cassie signed laughing.
Here comes the towel, little fish! I signed as I got a towel to dry her off. After she got into her pajamas, she went into her room and picked up a picture book that was on her little table. She pointed to it eagerly. I pointed to her bed and she crawled in. I sat on the floor and began pointing to pictures and signing what they were. When I noticed her eyelids drooping, I kissed her goodnight and closed her door.
Rationally, I knew she would be ok, but I suddenly was reluctant to go downstairs and clean up the kitchen. I just wanted to stay outside her door to make sure she was ok. I chuckled to myself. I guess I was protective of her just like I was with Cressida. Perhaps even more so because she was obviously smaller and she would soon be my daughter. That was a weird feeling. Good but weird feeling. Eventually I did make it down to the kitchen and tidy up so Cressida wouldn't come home to a dirty kitchen. After writing in her progress notebook about how she did during dinner and her bath, I checked on her after an hour. I smiled as I watched her sleeping form.
Soon I was engrossed in reading a manual for a new video camera when I heard a bloodcurdling scream. I nearly broke down Cassie's door even though my study was right across the hall from her. When I flipped on the light, I saw Cassie tangled in her sheets thrashing around and wailing. What is happening to my little girl? I thought frantically. Other terrified sounds were filling the room and I realized they were coming from me. You have to be strong, Pollux. I bent down and Cassie clung to me literally with a white-knuckled grip. She was wailing and buried her face into my shoulder. I untangled her from the sheets and sat down next to her bed.
Bad dream. I signed. You're safe now. Safe now. I kept on signing that until she began signing it back. Yes. She had a look in her eyes that I knew all too well. It was the look of someone who desperately wanted to voice their fears, but was unable. She began sobbing again and I rocked her back and forth while holding her. Tears came unbidden to my eyes. Why? I thought. Why must this little girl - my little girl suffer such terrible nightmares? Why couldn't she be spared the horrors of the war? Eventually she cried herself dry. I began settling her back into bed but she resisted and clung to me. You're ok. Bed safe. I signed. Ever so slowly, she released her grip on my shirt and I lay her back down and tucked her back in. I turned off the light but the whimpering started as I closed the door. I gave her what seemed like an eternity, but in reality was only several minutes before opening the door again.
Stay. Please stay. Safe. Stay. She was signing to me. I picked her up again and we went to Cressida's bedroom. The first thing I noticed was that Cressida had a comforter with large flowers adorning it complete with matching sheets. Flowers! Cassie signed making a happy noise while pointing to the bed. I chuckled to myself. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine I'd be sleeping in a flowery bed to comfort a little girl who was soon to be my daughter.
Yes. Flowers. Cressida likes flowers. I explained. I lay her down and lay down beside her. Note to self. I thought. Kindly suggest new sheets for our bed for after we're married.I stay awake long after Cassie fell asleep. I would drift off before I'd feel her move or make a small noise. At one point I actually did fall asleep.
I became aware of a little hand on my cheek. I woke with a snort which was followed by a little finger prodding me up my nose. I sat up and looked at Cassie. She was looking at me wide-eyed. Good morning. I love you. I blinked back tears of joy. She was so cute.
Hungry. Milk? Cassie replied. I laughed and got out of bed. I tickled a small foot that was sticking out from the blankets.
Help in kitchen, please. Cassie giggled and followed me downstairs. I held Cassie on my hip and let her stir the hot cereal and milk mixture in a pot on the stove-top. She was supposed to do some fine motor activities such as grasping as some areas of her brain that controlled her limbs were still healing. Soon Cassie and I were at the table eating breakfast when the door opened. Cassie let out a squeal of delight and jumped down from her chair. I chuckled as she left a trail of hot mash behind her.
Cressida POV:
I was so happy to be home early in the morning as opposed to spending another day in Thirteen. Plutarch had his meeting late in the meeting and we got everything done. I opened the door and was met by a small squealing ball of energy that was dripping hot cereal off her face. "Pollux!" I called. "I'm home!" Cassie was pulling on my pant leg. "Hi, Cassie! Were you eating breakfast?" I asked looking down and smiling.
Breakfast! Pollux cook! Cassie signed giggling.
Pollux came into the living room and we hugged. "I missed you." Pollux's lips met mine. Just then, Cassie began tugging on my arm in earnest and her noises sounded more demanding. "And I missed you too." I said picking her up. "If you two left any breakfast for me, I would love to join you!" I quipped laughing as Cassie kissed me on the cheek plastering the side of my face with cereal. Pollux laughed hysterically and pointed at my face as I sat down. "Thank you, dear." I said to him as he went to the kitchen and got me a bowl of hot cereal. I grinned looking around at the table. One day very soon, we would be sitting together like this every day as a family.
After breakfast, we decided to just go about our regular routine. I was running low on bread, so we stopped at the Mellark bakery. Cassie tagged along alternating between walking with us and riding atop Pollux's shoulders. Aside from going to the Mellark wedding, neither of us knew how much of District 12 Cassie had seen. We went into the bakery and the first thing Cassie saw was the display of cakes with elegant frosting designs. She squealed and pressed her nose up against the glass. "Hi there." Peeta said cheerfully from the table behind the display shelf. He was working on decorating another cake. "Those look good, huh."
Pretty! Look pretty! Cassie signed while made happy noises.
"Cassie, do you want to watch Mr. Mellark decorate that one?" I asked. She nodded eagerly. I held her up and she watched Peeta work. "He paints those cakes with frosting." I explained. Pollux was at the cashiers' counter chatting with Katniss. She handed him a loaf of bread and a bag that had butcher paper sticking out of the top of it. I grinned. I guess I'm getting fresh meat today. I thought chuckling to myself. We left and went to The Town Hob and got some random odds and ends. I chuckled when Pollux gently told Cassie, 'Not today. Later.' to Cassie as she would pull him over to an aisle to look at everything from buttons to drawing paper to ribbons to candy. I stopped at the Coal Cafe to discuss catering for our wedding while Pollux and Cassie went back to the Mellark bakery to take another look at Peeta's cakes.
As I watched them looking at the window, I wondered if I would be as close to Cassie as Pollux was. I knew she trusted me, but I also knew that they had a special bond as two people navigating the world using alternate means of communication. Pollux wondered how he would do as a father, and I knew that he would do wonderfully. I wondered if years from now Cassie would ever tell me that I didn't understand what life was like for her. I wouldn't know exactly, but I hope that I could try my best to understand.
"Ok, Pollux, Cassie, are we ready to head home?" I asked. Cassie tugged at my hand grinning. "What do you need, honey?" She signed C-R and then put her hand to her heart. "Is that my sign?" I asked. Cassie took her other little hand and wrapped my hand around hers as she signed the same thing again. With both of her little hands, she put my palm over her heart. I smiled and tears came to my eyes. "Oh - Cassie, that is a beautiful sign! I love you too, honey!" I picked her up and held her tightly. Pollux came around and wrapped both of us in a hug.
"Ok, lovebirds. Knock it off! You three are officially sickenly cute." Sae repremanded jokingly as she came out of the Mellark bakery with several bags of dinner rolls. She winked at us as she made her way to The Hob. We all chuckled - well, Pollux and I did. Cassie had fallen asleep in my arms. We walked home and Cassie finished her nap in her room. After she woke up, we walked her back to Primrose House in time for their dinner. She gave us a small wave before sitting down next to one of her friends in the dining room.
"I can't wait for her to come home for good." I whispered to Pollux as we left. He hugged me and smiled.
I know. We both love our little Cassie.