by Harmon, AJ
Janie smiled and was about to say something when the doorbell rang.
“I’ll get it,” yelled Katy as she ran to the door.
Matt gave his wife one more kiss and released her to greet his parents as they entered the apartment.
“Katy! Lovely to see you,” Maureen said as she drew her into a hug.
“Hello Maureen,” Katy said, a tad shocked at the loving embrace.
“Oh, you are looking much better then when I saw you last,” Maureen said as she admired Katy in her skinny jeans and red sweater.
“Mom!” Matt said.
“Oh Matthew. Really! She is looking better. I was giving her a compliment. Katy, I meant that as a compliment.”
“I know, Maureen. Thank you. And I feel better too.”
“I’m sure you do. That bastard is still in jail right?”
“Mom!” Matt said again. “Come get a drink.”
Peter, Matt’s father, took his wife’s coat and smiled at Katy.
“It is nice to see you looking well, Katy. I am glad you are spending the holidays with us.” He gently patted Katy’s arm as he threw the coats on the chair.
“Thank you Peter. You too. And I appreciate your kind invitation to spend the day with you tomorrow.”
They made their way into the living room and Matt handed his dad a drink. Janie had distracted Maureen by asking her advice on how to serve the food. Matt was completely smitten with his wife. Not only did she complete his life, she loved his mother and handled her like a pro.
“Good woman you got there,” Peter said to his son.
“Don’t I know it?” Matt chuckled.
Next to arrive was Andrew, another of Matt’s younger brothers, and his husband, Rory. They had gotten married in the spring and spent many weekend evenings joining Matt and Janie for dinner. Then Ben and Tim, the two youngest brothers, arrived together and the noise level was at a mild hum. Janie’s sons, Adam and Tyler appeared from the family room, it being halftime of the Knicks/Lakers game. Ben and Tim wanted to watch the highlights and so they all headed back to watch the second half until dinner was ready.
A short time later, with Maureen rearranging the ornaments on the Christmas tree, David arrived. He was the black sheep, so to speak. He was the middle son that hadn’t really decided what he wanted to be when he grew up.
“So what are you doing now?” Matt asked his younger brother.
“Well, I’m thinking about investing in a new cool opportunity. It’s something I really think you might be interested in,” David began.
“And what would that be?” Matt asked wryly.
“Water filters that fit onto your faucet and you don’t have to replace the filter, just clean it every month. It’s gonna be big, bro. Real big!”
Matt rolled his eyes at the latest scheme David was in to. It was always something that he was sure would be his big break. Matt understood that it was probably difficult living in his shadow. He had achieved the kind of success most people only dream of, but David needed to grow up and actually get a job and move out of his parent’s house. Being thirty-three, jobless and living at home was just embarrassing.
Matt was saved from having to further discuss water filters when the doorbell rang. Mark and a tall leggy blonde stood on the other side of the door. Matt gave her the once over and was totally dumbfounded. She looked a lot like Katy. This should be interesting, he thought.
He took their coats and Mark introduced Sandra, his date, to his brother and Janie, as she appeared at his side.
Mark escorted Sandra and began introducing her to his family.
“Shit!” Janie mouthed. “What the hell?”
“I know,” Matt frowned.
*****
Katy pulled the massive roast beef from the oven to let it rest. She could hear the laughing coming from the other room and was anxious to see the brothers. She really liked Matt's and Mark's family. They were everything she wished she had as a child. Her friends used to tell her they would have loved to be an only child, and even though Katy knew her mother loved her unconditionally and spent as much time with her as she could, she always felt lonely, until she met Janie, and then her extended family grew exponentially with a second mom, in Patty, and Janie's younger sisters.
Now here she was in New York with Janie and her new extended family. She was enjoying this Christmas. If Derek was with her it would have been perfect. She put the oven mitts back on their hooks and washed her hands. Walking into the great room she could see Maureen at the tree. She laughed as she realized she had rearranged all of the ornaments.
"They weren’t symmetrical," Maureen smiled as Katy walked to the tree.
"You've done a lovely job," Katy grinned. There was no malice or intent in Maureen's actions. Janie absolutely loved her new mother-in-law and had told Katy many times of her 'helpfulness'. Maureen was beside herself with joy at finally having a daughter to enjoy and Janie gave her free reign to enjoy all she wanted. Once again, Katy was thrilled for Janie, but also wished good fortune like that would rain on her.
"Well, thank you," Maureen patted her arm and took her hand in hers. "Come say hello to my sons!"
Both Andrew and Rory gave her a hug. David was talking to his father about water filters, and as they turned to the tree, Katy caught a glimpse of Mark. He looked good in his black suit. He wore a pale mauve dress shirt with the collar open. He's very secure in his manhood, she thought and grinned. He was talking to Matt and as she started to take a step towards him, she froze. He stood next to a blonde woman, his hand on her back. She was laughing and looking at him like she was a cat about to eat the cream.
"Are you okay, dear?" Maureen asked.
"Um, yes, thank you. I need to check on the roast." Katy turned and all but ran to the kitchen, heart beating against her ribs.
This is ridiculous! she thought. I have no claim on him and he obviously isn't interested in me!
Janie followed her into the kitchen and saw her leaning against the pantry door.
"You alright?" she asked.
"Yep!" Katy smiled. "I just wanted to see if the beef was ready to carve."
Janie lifted the aluminum foil off the meat. "Looks delicious. Let's eat." She called for Matt and he arrived with his mother and they began delivering the platters of food to the table. Peter went to get the men watching the basketball game, and in just a few moments everyone was seated around the table drooling over the spread laid out in front of them.
"Looks like Janie is going to give you a run for your money," chuckled Peter to Maureen.
"Nonsense!" Janie spoke up. "Maureen is a fabulous cook. I hope this is half as good as hers."
Matt winked at his wife from the other end of the table and everyone held hands as he said grace. The food platters began shuffling around the table and Matt wondered why they couldn't all go one direction.
“For Pete’s sake!” he said as food was coming at him from both sides.
Katy was scooping brussels sprouts onto her plate as she looked up and caught Mark watching her from across the table and down a few chairs. She attempted a weak smile and went back to focusing on scooping up the little bacon pieces. Janie watched the quick exchange and frowned as she wondered what was going on.
The food continued around as plates were piled high and the chatter lowered as the eating began.
"This is delicious Janie," Mark commented as he took another bite of the scalloped potatoes.
"Thank you," Janie smiled. "But Katy did the potatoes."
"Well then, this is delicious Katy," Mark said.
Katy tried to smile and looked down at her plate.
*****
After dinner, the family gathered in the family room in front of the massive television to watch ‘It's a Wonderful Life’. It was one of Janie's traditions that she wanted to keep. The movie started and Janie grabbed her box of tissues. Several people laughed at her but she didn't care. She loved the movie and snuggled into Matt to get full benefit.
/> Mark and Sandra shared the loveseat and Janie noticed Sandra place her hand on Mark's thigh. His reaction was not one Janie had expected. He cleared his throat and offered to bring everyone a drink and jumped from the couch and headed for the kitchen. Janie turned back to George Bailey.
Katy was in the kitchen folding a dishtowel as Mark entered.
"Oh," she jumped. "I thought you were watching the movie."
"Just came to get some bottles of water," he said. "Can I help with something?"
"No, thanks," Katy replied. “The roasting pan didn't fit in the dishwasher, which is surprising seeing as though they have two!" she chuckled. "I just figured I'd get it done now instead of waiting ‘til morning."
"So, how've you been?" Mark asked.
"I'm good."
Mark tilted his head.
"No, really. I am," she insisted. "I am actually enjoying my therapy and work is good."
"I'm glad," Mark smiled.
"So, Sandra? How did you guys meet?"
Mark shuffled his feet a little, not wanting to talk about Sandra. If he had known Katy was going to be here he would have never asked her to come with him. He had all but choked when he'd seen her talking to his mom. But it was too late now. All he told Katy was that he’d met her on his flight from Sydney and that she was all alone for Christmas so he’d invited her over.
Katy nodded and put the towel on the counter. “Always a gentlemen, aren’t you?”
"Well, let's get those waters, shall we?"
*****
Mark hailed a cab and took Sandra back to the Holiday Inn by the airport. They'd had a nice evening. Janie had outdone herself with dinner and the movie was much better than he had expected. He paid the driver and escorted her into the lobby.
"You're coming up, right?" she asked.
"Sure. For a bit," he replied.
The elevator let them off on the fourth floor and Sandra opened her door and let Mark inside. She took off her coat and draped it on the empty spare bed.
"Make yourself comfortable," she said as she unzipped her boots.
Mark took off his coat and the scarf wrapped around his neck and laid them next to Sandra's. He wasn't comfortable at all.
Sandra straightened and closed the distance between them. She undid the button of his suit jacket and placed her palms on his chest, over his silk dress shirt and slid them upwards to his shoulders. She pulled him down to her lips and he responded automatically. It had been a while and his body reacted to the warm lips and tongue invading his mouth. Mark wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her to him, deepening the kiss. She tasted good and her mouth was inviting. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the moment and then abruptly pulled back.
Sandra looked surprised. "What is it?" she asked.
"I can't stay," he shook his head and picked up his coat and scarf. "I'm sorry Sandra. Have a good flight back to Sydney."
Mark strode to the door and was gone leaving Sandra dazed and confused.
As Mark exited the hotel, he hailed the cab dropping off a gentleman in the driveway and jumped in the back. He gave the driver his address in Manhattan and leaned his head back.
What the fuck was I thinking? He closed his eyes and had the same vision he’d had while he was kissing Sandra. He had taken off his wetsuit and was climbing on top of Katy; his dream in vivid color.
"Shit!"
"Everything okay?" the driver asked.
"No, it's not."
*****
Katy woke on Christmas morning tired and frustrated. She had dreamt all night and had tossed and turned continually. The dreams were not of Danny. She had dreamed of Mark. She had dreamed of him finding her tied to the bed, naked and frightened. He had looked at her and she could see the disgust in his eyes. He had turned and left her there, and she had woken in the middle of the night sobbing.
She grabbed her robe and went in search of coffee. It was still early so she was surprised to find Matt sitting in the kitchen.
"You're up early," she yawned.
"I'm always up by now. Well, usually," he grinned.
"I do not want to hear anymore," Katy growled.
Matt laughed. "Coffee?"
"Please," she said sliding onto one of the stools at the breakfast bar. "Black."
"Bad night?"
"Not any worse than usual."
"Sorry," he said, handing her a mug of the steaming brew. "Anything I can do?"
Katy shook her head and sipped from the cup.
"Merry Christmas," he said and stooped to kiss her on the cheek. "Thank you for spending it with us. Now I'm going to wake up my wife." He wiggled his eyebrows and Katy groaned.
As he left the kitchen she smiled. Matt was a terrific guy and he’d made Janie incredibly happy.
"Dr. LaVaughn is wrong," she muttered. "Someone can make you happy."
*****
The Lathem family brownstone was smaller than Matt and Janie's apartment. There were a lot people crammed into the space and Katy was feeling a tad overwhelmed so she slipped out of the house onto the back patio. It was cold outside but she needed the fresh air, the quiet, and the open space. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and tilted her head to the sky. She’d only been out there a few minutes when Mark joined her.
"We are kind of loud, huh?" he chuckled.
Katy smiled but didn't speak.
"Merry Christmas, Katy."
"Thank you. And to you too."
"I didn't know you were coming to New York."
"Me either but Janie insisted and I'm glad she did. It's a beautiful city." She shivered.
"Here," Mark shrugged out of his suit coat and slipped it over her shoulders.
"Thank you," she smiled.
They stood in silence for a few minutes until Katy spoke.
"So, where's Sandra?"
"Probably at her hotel. Katy, we, I mean it's not..."
"You don't have to explain anything to me Mark," Katy cut him off.
"Yeah, but..."
"Really Mark. You don’t owe me an explanation. I hope you find someone special, somebody that can make you happy."
Katy handed him back the jacket and went inside.
8.
Two weeks later, Katy back in Portland, she sat with Sarah at the little cafe across from the courthouse.
"It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be," Katy told Sarah. She had just been interviewed by the Public Defender representing Danny. "Once he heard what happened, he really didn't ask many more questions."
"It really is a mostly open and shut case," Sarah told her.
"What do you mean mostly?"
"Well he'll be found guilty, I just don't know on which counts. You can never make any guarantees when you present a case to a jury."
"I see," Katy sighed. She was gearing up for the trial which was supposed to start in ten days. Matt and Janie would be in Portland in a week and Mark was coming too, she assumed, but she hadn't spoken to him since Christmas Day. The image of him with the flight attendant still haunted her dreams. She really did want him to be happy. She cared for him, more deeply than she wanted to admit.
"What is it?" Sarah asked.
A tear escaped Katy's eye and fell from her cheek.
"Katy?"
"He didn't just take away my security, my freedom for those thirty hours," she said. "What if he took my future too?"
"Your future?" Sarah asked.
"What if he also stole from me the man I could have been happy with? The man I’ve been searching for all these years?"
Sarah didn't know exactly what Katy was speaking of, but from her own personal experience she knew how devastating rape could be.
*****
There was a bad virus going around and several nurses had called in sick. Katy’s supervisor asked if she would mind covering in the ER for the day.
“Of course not!” she replied, and happily made her way down to the first floor.
It was busy. Unusually busy for a Thursday. The
re were several vomiting children, a really bad bicycle accident, and two car accidents… and that was only the first forty-five minutes. It had been a few months since her last rotation in the department and she had to catch her breath after a couple of hours. But it was also exhilarating. She really did love her job and the time was flying by, which was an added bonus.
About an hour or so before her shift ended, the call came in that the ambulance was bringing in a young woman who’d been beaten pretty badly. The crew put on new gloves and face masks and waited for the EMT’s to arrive. As they wheeled the girl in through the doors, despite the blood and swelling on her face, Katy instantly recognized her from Dr. La Vaughn’s office. She froze for a split second and then her years of training and experience took over. She put on the blood pressure cuff and helped to cut off her clothing and get her covered in blankets and a hospital gown. She took the girls’ hand and tried to calm her sobs.
The police arrived just minutes later and wanted to question her but the doctor told them to wait outside. As Katy left the room to get the portable ultra sound machine, she came face to face with Officer Robbins. He was the policeman who had been one of the first to arrive at Danny’s house. She had spoken with him several times after as well.
“Katy!” he smiled. “It’s great to see you looking so well.”
“Hi,” she said. “Are you here for her?” Katy pointed to the girl behind her.
“Yeah, how is she?”
“I don’t know yet, but she doesn’t look good.”
Katy grabbed the machine and pushed it into the room where another nurse took it from her.
“What happened?” Katy asked.
“A family friend. I think this time he will actually stay in jail.”
The doctor yelled for Katy so she turned and ran back into the room, doing whatever she could to help this bruised and scared girl.
*****
She didn't leave after her shift was over. Katy stayed by the bed of Shelby, the fourteen year old who had been both sexually and physically abused by her mother's boyfriend who was now sitting in jail. Shelby's mother was also sitting in jail on charges of child endangerment. It sickened Katy to think of a mother allowing that to happen to her child. Her heart had broken for Shelby and she couldn't leave her; she wouldn’t leave her alone.
