Crossing her arms over her chest Kai glared at her sisters retreating form. “That’s just like you Kasey, taking the first escape route you can find. Still a coward I see.”
Kasey paused briefly her stride faltering before she continued forward joining Del and heading out with her partner.
Jenny waited until Kasey was out of sight before she turned to the young girl. “Kasey is not a coward and I would appreciate it if you wouldn’t call her that. I can tell you a number of occasions that she placed herself in front of me when I could have been killed and protected me. She had to get back to work right now or she would have stayed and finished this discussion. She had no idea that you were in this group or she would have made arrangements to be here earlier so that you two could talk.”
Sighing in frustration Kai ran her hands through her hair in much the same way her sister had a few minutes earlier. “You know she used to tell me everything? I used to think her and Daddy were super heroes. Now I don’t even know who she is anymore. “
“She’s your sister who is afraid of disappointing you. She wants to be close to you again but doesn’t know how to go about it. You both need to be willing to give a little and you will get back a hell of a lot.” Jenny smiled. “Why don’t we walk around and you can tell me about yourself.”
Kai looked at her with narrowed eyes for a moment and then nodded shoving her hands in her pockets as they walked. “There’s not much to know really.”
“So Kasey said that you liked art. Do you draw?” Jenny asked as they strolled through the house, passing through the library into the computer room.
Kai looked over surprised. “Yeah, I do. Charcoal and watercolors are my favorite. It was the only class I did well in during school. That and history. Kasey was actually the one who kept me at it. Whenever I got frustrated she would come into my room and cheer me up by drawing something for me. Let’s just say art is not her strong suit. It always worked though.” Kai smiled wistfully.
“Really! What kind of things would she draw?” Jenny was curious about Kasey’s childhood as she never talked about it much.
“When we were kids she mostly drew Daddy chasing some bad guy. As we got older she’d just try to doodle whatever it was I was working on to cheer me up. She said that if she could do it no matter how bad it looked, then so could I.” The younger Spaulding chuckled.
“Yeah, Kasey is really good at encouraging people. What do you like to draw? Anime, action, or what?”
“People. It started with the whole anime phase, but then I somewhat out grew it. When Daddy died I started going to the local parks to get away from the house and eventually I began taking a sketchbook. I usually end up drawing whoever is there,” Kai said quietly remembering back on those first few trips when all she could think of was the overwhelming grief and loss.
Jenny smiled. “I hear that your dad was quite a guy. I know that Kasey looked up to him a lot and that he’s the reason that she got into law enforcement.”
“Yeah. The truth is I was furious when I found out she’d applied for the Bureau. I’d already lost Daddy and I didn’t want to lose her too. Then on top of that it was just one more thing she had to connect her with him and I will never have the grades to get into the academy.” Kai shook her head, knowing that the current distance between her and her sister wasn’t entirely Kasey’s fault.
Stopping, Jenny turned to face the younger woman. “Do you really want to be in law enforcement or is there something else that you would rather do? You don’t have to follow your father’s example. I’m sure that he would encourage you to do what you wanted.”
“No, I don’t want to be a cop. At the time I just wanted to be closer to Daddy. I want to be an artist, but Mama says it will never pay the bills and that I should have a career that would make me some money. She’s right you know, only a lucky few musicians or artists ever make a name for themselves,” Kai replied, grinning when she’d noticed that they’d arrived in an art room.
“Yeah well I was always told that I shouldn’t be a musician but that’s what I love so I’m doing it. Have you ever thought of being a police or a court sketch artist? That’s one way of combining your love for art and being in law enforcement. It’s something that you might want to think about. I can ask Kasey or Delaney to find someone you could talk to,” Jenny suggested.
Pausing next to an easel, Kai looked back at Jenny. “No, I’ve never actually thought about it. Maybe I should look into it. Thank you,” she offered the other woman a smile. “So, you mentioned teaching some of us piano. I take it that’s your instrument of choice?”
“Yeah, I’ve loved it as long as I can remember. I actually got accepted at Julliard but I decided to stay here instead,” the older girl admitted.
“You turned down Julliard? What on earth made you do that? That’s a musician’s dream school,” Kai asked surprised as they continued their tour through the estate. She was enjoying getting to know the woman who was apparently going to be her sister in law.
“Yeah well, I thought that after everything that the town had been through that they would need help getting back on their feet so I felt that I should stay. Besides, Kasey was here and that’s all the better.” Jenny grinned.
“So you’re going to marry my sister huh?” Kai asked. “How did my dork of a sister manage to get someone like you?” she teased.
Biting her bottom lip, Jenny debated on telling the young girl exactly what happened. “Why don’t you ask Kasey about that? I’m sure that it’s something that she would rather that she’d tell you.”
“You think she’d tell me? I probably pissed her off pretty bad. I didn’t mean to, I was just caught off guard. I’m sorry about what I said,” the brunette said as they headed down the back stairs.
Stopping to let Ryan rush past them, Jenny laughed and said, “In all of the time that I’ve known her, I can’t really say that I’ve ever seen her mad. All you can do is ask her.”
Raelin met them at the bottom of the stairs. “There you are. Did you get some lunch yet Kai?”
“Not yet, we were just on our way.” She smiled at the brunette.
“Good, we don’t want anyone going hungry. So what do you think of the place?” The witch was interested in what the younger Spaulding thought.
“It’s amazing in here. I’m surprised at the attention to detail. I’ll probably spend most of my time in the art room I found, but it’s comfortable here and is going to help a lot of people, I think.” She smiled. “Listen, you are both pretty close to my sister right?”
Both women looked at each other and then nodded.
“Is she happy?” the younger Spaulding asked looking between the two women.
“Um, I’ll bow to my older and wiser Aunt, plus I’m biased,” Jenny joked.
Raelin reached out mentally to see if she could feel the reason for the girl’s question, and smiled. “Yes, I believe that Kasey is very happy here. She’s able to be open with who she is doing a job that she loves and being loved back by this imp here. Your sister is okay.”
“That makes me feel better. Thanks for taking care of her. She lost a little of her light when we lost Daddy. She grew up so she could take care of me I think and then I just pushed her away.” Kai shook her head to rid herself of her melancholy thoughts and smiled at the two other women. They headed for the cafeteria together. “So, soon to be sister in law, where’s that ring? My sister better have chosen well,” she teased as they walked.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
“Michaels! Where did you put the paperwork for running over Mrs. Grassi’s rose bushes? We have to account for the money spent to replace them?” Kasey called out. She was searching on her desk under a mound of files.
Del watched from her office for a few minutes as Kasey went on a warpath through the bullpen, with Michaels taking most of the abuse. When she started tearing apart half her files and most of the things on her desk Del decided an intervention was needed. “Spaulding!” she called through her open
door.
“What?”
“My office. Now,” Del said shortly, walking back around her desk and taking her seat.
Sighing, Kasey sat at her desk for a moment before she got up to head into Del’s office. “Yeah Boss. What’s up?”
“Close the door and take a seat please,” she waited as her deputy and partner did as she was asked and looked at her for a few long moments. “What’s going on with you? I’ve just spent the last five minutes watching you rip apart anything within arm’s reach and Michaels looks like you kicked his dog.”
The Deputy slumped in her seat and closed her eyes for a moment before she took a deep breath and opened her eyes. “Seeing Kai threw me for a loop. I feel like I let her down by not being there for her and then I didn’t have the nerve to at least tell her that I was a lesbian. I just feel like I am a disappointment to her and I’m over compensating here.”
“Wait, you mean that girl you and Jenny were talking to at the Foundation?” the Chief asked.
“Yeah, that’s my kid sister Kai,” Kasey admitted.
“Oh, I didn’t know you had a sister. Let me guess, your well-meaning fiancée introduced herself as just that? She’d shout it from the top of city hall if we let her,” Del replied.
“Uh huh, jumped in with both feet. That’s my Jenny. God, I do love her.” The younger woman snorted.
“So, your fiancée outed you to a sister you already feel as though you’ve let down?” Del clarified. “Let me tell you something Kasey Spaulding. You are one of the most honorable, loyal and loving persons I’ve ever met. No one has any right to feel disappointed by you. Were you close as kids? Did she say she was disappointed in you?”
“She looked up to me before my father died, but after that things changed. It wasn’t just her that changed we all did, but she took it worse than the rest of us. Kai withdrew into herself and into her drawing and it was almost impossible to bring her out,” Kasey explained.
“That’s not your fault Kasey. I know you wouldn’t have given up on her. She’s here now so the best you can do is spend time with her, get to know her. Let her be a part of your life again. Do you know how she took the engaged to a woman news?” Del asked.
Rubbing her face the raven-haired woman answered, “It didn’t bother her at all. What bothered her was that I had kept it from her. I had let her and Mama think that I was dating a man a while back just because it was easier to let them believe that than to dash my mother’s dreams.”
“Would being a lesbian upset your mother that much? You don’t strike me as someone who would hide yourself like that,” Del said gently.
Kasey hung her head. “After Daddy was killed Mama got religion and you know how that can be. She wants both of us to marry a nice Christian man and have a couple of kids.”
“How did you lose your father? If you don’t mind me asking?” Del asked. She wanted to know more about her friend to be able to understand where her deputy was coming from.
“He was a Houston police officer and was caught in the crossfire when a drug deal between two rival gangs went bad. He never had a chance he was outnumbered and his backup was too late,” Kasey said quietly.
“I’m sorry Kasey,” Del said coming around the desk to sit in the chair beside her partner. “Do you need to take the rest of the day off?”
“Yeah would you mind?” Kasey quietly asked.
“Not at all. Take some time to get your head back together and I’ll see you tomorrow. If you think you need more time than that let me know and I’ll make the arrangements.” Del nodded, giving her friend’s knee a pat.
“Thanks Boss,” standing up Kasey nodded her head and left the office. Walking over to Michaels she placed a hand on his shoulder. “Sorry about that. I took my bad day out on you and you didn’t deserve it. It won’t happen again.”
“It’s okay. Happens to the best of us.” He smiled at her.
Nodding her head at the young man Kasey straightened up her desk and assigned Michaels the work she needed done. When she was finished she headed back to the house sighing when she walked in the door and its familiarity surrounded her. She headed up the stairs and pulled a small shoebox from the top shelf of the closet. She opened it and lovingly removed a small frame sitting on top.
She carried the frame and the box to the bed where she took up a cross-legged position in the middle and started looking over the items. By the time she was done various mementos of her father were spread around her; medals, badges and newspaper clippings. Her attention however was fixed on the picture in her hands of her sitting on the shoulders of her father as they celebrated July 4 one year. She choked over a sob her tears falling on the glass of the frame as she cried.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Waiting until they were pulling away from the Foundation Raelin glanced at her friend. “How do you think that the day went? I thought it went pretty well.”
“I’d say it was a success. The kids seem really happy with the estate. You’ve done a lot of good up here.” Jenny smiled, rolling down the window and letting in the warm breeze as they drove.
“So, Jenny Montrose is an interesting name? When did this happen?” The witch was grinning so her niece knew everything was okay.
Jenny whipped her head around so fast that she winced as a few joints in her neck popped. “Oh well, I told you about the whole visit I had with Amelia right?”
Raelin reached out. “Are you alright? Yeah, you told me.”
“I’m fine, you just surprised me.” Jenny chuckled. “Well, I was so angry at her afterwards that I couldn’t stand even having her name. So I decided to change it and there was no way in hell I was going to take my fathers. I took your name because Quinlan was more of a mother to me than Amelia was anyway. I hope you don’t mind.”
Placing her hand on Jenny’s Raelin grinned. “Not at all. Momma and I are honored to have you in our family even more than before. Wait...Does this make me your sister AND your aunt I wonder?”
“Oh God, as if our families weren’t a soap opera already.” Jenny laughed. “I guess it’s kind of moot now though. I’ll be a Spaulding soon enough. Or at least I think I will be, Kasey and I haven’t really discussed the details yet.”
Concentrating on a tricky section of the road the witch bit her bottom lip before asking, “Are you sure that you’re ready to get married Jenn?”
“I don’t think anyone is every ready for marriage. I was thinking about this last night before I fell asleep. We live together like any normal married couple does. We keep up a house have our own careers and come home to each other at night. We might as well be married already. Besides that, I can’t even imagine my life without her, Raelin. I was so scared when everything started winding down that she was going to go back to New Orleans and forget about me. It was the worst possible thing I’d ever felt, and I can’t even describe the feeling when she told me she was staying. I don’t want to be without her Rae, not now, and not ever. To me, it doesn’t matter if we get married tomorrow or years from now as long as she’s right there beside me when I wake up in the mornings. That being said, I like a little convention every now and then and this is one of those ways Kasey is trying to give it to me. Besides, you aren’t one to talk; I believe you got married after what? Two months or so?” She said, teasing her aunt.
“I know. I never ever thought that I would find anyone who would accept me and my abilities like Delaney did. Even at the beginning, she just accepted me and everything. There was no way that I was going to let her get away. She’s amazing in every way.” Raelin grinned.
“Then you see where I’m coming from. Kasey is my Delaney. If that makes any sense.” Jenny laughed. “Where you heading from here?”
“I am going home to have a very long soak. My feet are killing me from standing up so long. What’s on your agenda?” The witch pulled up in front of Jenny’s home.
“I was going to do some work on a new melody that popped into my head. Maybe finish the one already on the go but
Kasey’s truck is here. That’s odd,” Jenny said, her brows furrowing together as she noticed the truck in the yard.
“Hmm, maybe Del decided that since Kasey dealt with all the officials at the Foundation she deserved the afternoon off. Well, have a good afternoon.” Raelin wiggled her eyebrows.
Walking inside, Jenny heard a noise from upstairs that sounded like crying and she headed in that direction. Taking one look at her fiancée she walked over to the bed and carefully moved some of the items until she could take the older woman into her embrace. “Shhh, it’s gonna be alright. Everything is going to be alright.”
Kasey felt over heated and suffocated in the uniform she hadn’t bothered to change out of but she didn’t have the energy to get up and change instead she sunk into her lovers arms and let the sobs take over letting all of her grief, sadness, and frustration out. Eventually, she was all cried out but her chest still hitched every so often as she tried to calm herself down. Her head pounded and her eyes burned from all the sobbing but she got herself together enough to speak to her fiancée knowing she was probably worried. “I’m sorry for falling apart like that,” Kasey whispered into Jenny’s shoulder, her voice rough from her crying.
“Why are you apologizing to me? You’ve been with me through worse. I love you and I’m not going anywhere.” Jenny ran her fingers through silky hair as she had unbraided it while Kasey had been crying. Moving her fingers lower along her lover’s scalp she massaged her neck and shoulders.
“I’m not sure why this hit me so hard or why I needed to dig all of this stuff out. I haven’t cried like this in a very long time. Thank you for being here.” She made no move to sit up or leave Jenny’s arms and moaned as the smaller woman hit a particularly tense spot on her neck. “I didn’t mean for you to have to hear all of that with Kai.”
“It’s okay babe. We had a really nice talk after you left. She just wants you to be happy. She’s not upset with you. Just a little bit hurt,” Jenny reassured her lover.
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