Chapter 10
Rebecca
“Do we have to go see Ms. Katie today?” Cat shoved her backpack onto the floorboard of my car, then climbed inside. “I just wanna go home.”
“But you told me yesterday that you wanted to go. What changed your mind?”
“I don’t know. I just don’t wanna go.”
“Well, it’s too late. We have an appointment for this afternoon, and we aren’t going to miss it.” I motioned for her to buckle her seatbelt. “Besides, there are things you two need to talk about.”
“Yeah.” A pout crossed her face as she muttered, “Like Daddy?”
“Yes, like your daddy, and other stuff, too. Whatever you want to talk about.” I pulled away from the school and drove towards Katie’s art therapy studio. “And like I told you last night, she’s going to talk to me, too.”
“Are you going to draw a picture?”
“I might.” I hadn’t really thought about how the session would go.
When I called to make the appointment, Katie had mentioned that she’d also like to speak with me.
I had no idea what she wanted to discuss but hoped she’d have some suggestions on how to help Cat and me through this rough patch we were going through.
I glanced over at my precious daughter and smiled.
“I guess we’ll have to see how it all goes. ”
“Okay.”
Cat settled back in her seat and remained quiet for the rest of the ride. When we arrived, she was quiet as we got out and headed inside. She seemed a little uneasy as we walked through the front door, but as soon as she spotted Katie, her eyes lit up, and she smiled. “Hi, Ms. Katie!”
“Hi there, Ms. Catty Cat.” Katie was close to my age with short blonde hair and pretty blue eyes.
She was very artsy and always wore long, drapey sweaters with unique clogs or fuzzy boots.
Her wrists were covered in bangles, her fingers covered in rings, and she wore sparkly earrings that always matched her outfit.
A warm smile crossed her face when she asked, “How ya doing today?”
“I’m good.”
“That’s great.” Katie looked over to me. “What about you, Mom? How are you making it?”
“I can’t complain.”
“Great. Why don’t you two come on back?”
When Katie motioned us forward, I led Cat down the hall, and we both followed Katie into her office.
With the small tables and art supplies, the studio looked more like a daycare than a therapist’s office, but with all the vibrant colors and throw rugs, it felt warm and inviting.
Katie knelt down in front of Cat as she said, “I’m going to talk to your mom for a bit, so why don’t you go over to the back and break out the Play-Dough. ”
“Really?”
“Mm-hmm.” Katie pointed to the back. “Just be sure to put on your apron first.”
Cat nodded, then darted towards the back of the room and started putting on her apron. Once she had it on, she pulled out the various boxes of Play-Dough and placed them on the table. As soon as she was seated, Katie turned her attention to me. “Why don’t we have a seat over at the drawing table?”
I followed her over to the table, and as I sat down, I asked, “Am I going to get to do some art today?”
She grinned at me, then said, “I don’t think that’ll be necessary for what we have to discuss today.”
“Okay. What exactly is on your mind?”
“Over the past few weeks, I’ve noticed a little change in Cat. It’s subtle, but she seems more withdrawn lately and is a bit more reluctant about opening up like she once did. I was wondering if you’d noticed the same behavior.”
“I have.”
“Do you think the change has something to do with the situation regarding her father and grandmother?”
“Yeah, I’m pretty sure that’s it.” I let out a deep, aggravated breath.
“We’ve talked about it, and she’s made it clear she doesn’t want to see her father.
And to be perfectly honest, I don’t want her to see him either.
I think the whole thing is absolutely ridiculous.
The very idea that her father would want her to go to that prison after what he did to her is insane to me. ”
“Has he ever mentioned seeing her before?”
“No. This is the first time either of them has mentioned it.”
“What kind of relationship did he have with Cat when she was younger?”
“There was no relationship.” I shrugged. “He was too worried about getting his next fix to spend any time with her, but that suited me fine. I didn’t trust him to be alone with her. Now, she doesn’t really remember him. She was so young when he was sent to prison, and she hasn’t seen him since.”
“So, why do you think he has this unexpected interest in having a relationship with her now?”
“I wish I knew, but I can assure you that it has nothing to do with him missing his beloved daughter. Needless to say, this whole thing has us both concerned. Very concerned.”
“Understandably so.” Katie raised her eyebrow as she admitted, “I don’t feel like a prison is a place for a young girl like Cat.”
“I feel the same way.”
“I figured you did.” Katie thought for a moment, then said, “Well, I think Cat has picked up on that worry, and that’s why you’ve seen the sudden change in her behavior.”
“Oh?”
“I think she’s picked up on your anxiety.
” Katie’s words hit me hard as she continued, “Children tend to feed off of the emotions of the people closest to them. When you’re happy, she’s happy.
When you’re sad, she’s sad. It’s a natural thing, especially with mothers and daughters, and I believe that’s what’s happening with you and Cat. ”
“Oh, God. I don’t know why I hadn’t thought of that.” My heart ached as I looked over at my sweet daughter. “Cat’s so intuitive. She picks up on everything.”
Katie smiled as she replied, “She’s a smart little girl with a very smart, strong mother, and you’ve done a fabulous job raising her. Whatever happens with her father, she’s going to get through it just like she’s gotten through everything else. And so will you.”
“I really hope you’re right.”
“I am. I’m sure of it.”
“Thank you, Katie. I truly appreciate all you’ve done for Cat and me. I don’t know what we would do without you.”
“I’m glad I can help.” She glanced over at the clock, then said, “I have a little time left. If it’s okay, I’ll go over and talk with Cat for a bit.”
“That’s more than okay.”
“Great.”
Katie got up and walked over to the back of the room, and Cat’s face lit up when she saw Katie had come to sit with her. I watched as they talked back and forth, and it was clear that my daughter was crazy about her—and it was easy to see why.
Katie was an amazing therapist.
We’d had just a brief session, but it had opened my eyes to so much.
Once they’d finished, Cat and I left and headed home. I used the time to talk with her and assure her that everything was going to be okay. I reminded her that alone we were both strong, but together, we were unstoppable. And I meant it. My daughter gave me strength I never knew I had.
Over the next day or so, things seemed to be going great.
Cat’s mood had improved dramatically, and she was opening up to me more and more. Work was going well, and Celeste and I had planned a shopping spree later in the week. I was feeling pretty upbeat about things.
Unfortunately, one crazy day took all that goodness and tossed it right out the window. I dropped off Cat at school like I did every morning and then went to work. As soon as I made it into my office, Delilah walked in and announced, “We have a new hospice patient this morning.”
“Oh?” I went over and sat down at my desk. “When are they coming in?”
She handed me the file as she answered, “Sometime later in the week.”
“Thanks for letting me know.”
“No problem.” She gave me a smile as she said, “I haven’t seen much of you lately. You been making it okay?”
“I’m good. I’ve just been crazy busy.”
“Girl, me, too.” She rolled her eyes as she grumbled, “I’m going to need to take some time off from this place or I might never get to see Hawk.”
“Yeah, you’re definitely up for some time off.”
“We both are.” She leaned towards me and giggled. “We might just have to take ourselves a mini-vacation.”
“I would be up for that.”
“Well, I’ll let you get to it.” She gave me a quick wave. “Let me know if you need anything.”
“Will do.”
As soon as Delilah walked out, I opened my new patient file and discovered he was suffering from terminal cancer.
Since there was nothing more the doctors could do for him, they had decided to move him into hospice care.
Most of my morning was spent preparing his room and going through his medical records, then, later on, getting to know the family.
When I was done, it was time to pick Cat up from school. I grabbed my things and headed out to my car, completely unaware that my day was about to take a terrible turn.
I arrived at Cat’s school and pulled up to the car rider line like I always did, then waited for Cat to come rushing over to my car.
I waited.
And I waited.
But she never came.
I was starting to worry when Sue Ellen, the school’s principal, came over to my car. I rolled my window down and smiled. “Hi, Sue Ellen.”
“Hi, Rebecca. How are you today?”
“I’m good.” I looked around at the last few remaining kids who were waiting to be picked up. “I’m here to pick up Catherine. Have you seen her?”
“No, I haven’t. Let me call into the office and see if Janet has any idea where she might be.”
“Okay, thanks.”
My stomach churned as I watched Sue Ellen take her school radio and call into the office. I could hardly breathe as I listened to her, “Hi, Janet. Do you know where I might find Catherine Rosewood? She’s a first grader, and her mother is here to pick her up.”
My heart sank when she answered, “Oh, I’m sorry. There must’ve been some mix up. Catherine was already picked up by her grandmother.”
“By her grandmother?” I gasped. “Which grandmother?”
“Can you tell me exactly who picked up Catherine?” Sue Ellen asked her.
Bile rose to the back of my throat when Janet replied, "Joyce Rosewood. She came by around eleven and checked her out. I hope that was okay. Joyce was on the checkout list, so—”
I didn’t wait for her to finish her sentence before I snapped, “No! No, it wasn’t okay. She didn’t have my permission to pick up Cat!”
Under normal circumstances, I wouldn’t have an issue with Joyce picking up Cat from school.
She’d done it many times but always had my permission.
This time, she’d gone behind my back and taken Cat without my knowledge, and I knew exactly where she’d brought her.
Hearing the distress in my voice, Sue Ellen quickly asked, “Oh, Rebecca, what do you need me to do?”
“Call the police. Call them right now, and let them know what happened. Tell them to meet me at my house as soon as they can.”
“Of course.”
I didn’t say anything more. I simply pulled out of the parking lot and raced towards home. Along the way, I called Joyce’s number a million times. Of course, she didn’t answer, and I knew why. She’d taken Cat to that prison to see Trevor, and she knew I would be upset with her.
And I was.
I was both horrified and utterly livid. I couldn’t believe that she had the audacity to put my child through that, especially without me there to help her.
When I arrived at the house, there was no sign of Joyce’s car anywhere. Not ready to give up, I rushed inside and called out, “Cat! Cat! Are you here?”
When I didn’t get an answer, I grabbed my phone and called Joyce’s number once again. Still no answer.
I was hanging by a thread, and that thread was quickly unraveling.
I looked down at my phone and started tapping my parents’ number but ended up calling Thatch’s instead. As soon as he answered, I started to cry. “She took Cat.”
“Who took Cat?”
“Joyce, Trevor’s mom.” My voice trembled, making it hard to speak as I explained, “She took her from school without my permission.”
“Why the fuck would she do that?” he roared.
“So, she could take her to see Trevor.”
“You sure that’s where they went?”
“It’s the only reason why she’d pull her out of school without me knowing it.”
“Fuck.”
“I know, and to make matters worse, I don’t know where she could be. Visiting hours were over hours ago, and she still hasn’t brought her home.”
“I’m on my way.”
I’d barely hung up the phone when my back door opened, and Cat came scampering into the kitchen with a police officer at her side. “Momma?”
“Cat!” Leaving the officer standing in the kitchen, she raced into the living room and jumped into my arms, hugging me tightly. I did my best not to cry as I asked, “Are you okay?”
“Mm-hmm,” she mumbled. “Gran took me to see Daddy.”
“She did?”
“Mm-hmm. I didn’t like it, Momma.”
“You didn’t?”
She shook her head. “It was scary.”
“I’m so sorry, baby. Gran should’ve never taken you to that place.”
The officer stepped into the room as he announced, “The grandmother is being questioned outside. It appears she took the child to Riverbend to see her father.”
“I was afraid of that.” I held Cat even tighter as I told the officer, “She did not have my permission to do that. She kidnapped my daughter.”
“I did not kidnap Cat,” Joyce announced from the kitchen doorway. The second officer was standing next to her as she stated, “I simply took her for a visit with her father.”
“You took her knowing that I didn’t want her to go there!”
“She did fine,” Joyce replied proudly. “It was Trevor’s birthday, and seeing her meant the world to him.”
“I don’t give a damn about Trevor or his damn birthday!” I gave Cat one more squeeze, then looked down at her and said, “Why don’t you go up to your room and play for a bit while I have a word with your grandmother and the nice officers?”
“Okay, Momma.”
She didn’t even look at Joyce when she turned and headed up to her bedroom.
I didn’t blame her. Joyce was a conniving, two-faced bitch who put her son’s wants above those of her granddaughter.
As soon as I heard Cat’s bedroom door close, I stepped over to Joyce and snarled, “You had no right to take her there today. You’ve crossed a line, Joyce, and it’s unforgivable.
You will no longer be on Cat’s pickup list. In fact, you won’t be seeing her at all. ”
“What? You can’t do that!”
“I can, and I will!” I turned to the officer. “I want to press charges, and I want an immediate restraining order put into place to make sure she doesn’t come anywhere close to Cat ever again.”
“You sure about that, miss?”
“I’m positive.”
“You selfish bitch!” Joyce shouted. “You can’t keep Cat away from her family. You can try, but we’ll do whatever it takes to make sure that doesn’t happen!”
“We’ll see about that.”