When Kat Came Back

Chapter 16

"She's so skinny," Patricia said to Patrick.

"She, they didn't let her eat much," Patrick said. Patricia shook her head.

"All these years she was alive and we never knew."

"They moved around a lot. And I guess eventually the case got cold enough they weren't running so much as staying untraceable."

"Is she okay, Patrick?"

"That depends. She's not had it easy, Mom. Karen was brutal to her. She has mental health issues we're going to need to address. And she struggles to eat because she wasn't allowed to eat whatever whenever."

"My poor baby," Patricia said.

"You won't believe this, though," Patrick smiled.

"What?" David asked.

"Do you remember that beat up copy of Runaway Bunny you 'made' me give to Kat - Uh - Ash - when she was born, and I drew a blue P on it?"

Patricia thought and then nodded.

"She still has it. In all these years and in all the moves, she never lost track of that book."

The family smiled.

The social worker and lawyer spoke with Patrick's parents about next steps and what to expect. The Summerlins would likely be extradited from California to Illinois, as that's where the initial crime took place, and it was possible they'd have to testify or write victim impact statements. Or both.

"Ashlynn should testify," the lawyer said. "Her story needs to get out."

"I can't put her through that," Patricia said. "Would you allow your child to face the people who took her from her family, and treated her so horribly?"

"The jury will need to hear how Ashlynn was treated and what happened in the 15 years she was missing."

"But does Ash have to sit in a courtroom with the two people who made her life miserable and tell a room full of strangers the things they did to her? She's traumatized enough," Patrick said.

"We'll have to see when the time comes," the lawyer said. "It's a high profile case so it's possible this will be expedited."

"She's been through enough, don't you think?" Patrick said. "Does she have to physically testify?"

"Why don't we ask Kat, I mean Ashlynn, what she wants?" Kevin said. "She may not want to see them again. Or she may want to give them a piece of her mind. But why don't we let Ashlynn decide?  I'd think she feels like enough is out of control for her. Maybe let her be a part of this discussion."

"Where is she, anyway?" Megan asked.

"She's unpacking in her room," Patricia said.

"She had one half-full duffle bag. How long does that take to unpack?"

"Megan, this is all new to her. She needs time and space," David said.

"I'll go check on her," Patrick said. He knew what Ashlynn could get up to if left alone with overwhelming thoughts.

He made his way up the stairs to Ashlynn's room and knocked on the closed door. There was no answer. Patrick began to worry. He knocked again, a little louder. Still nothing.

"Ash, I'm coming in," he said as he opened the door. At first he didn't see Ashlynn. Then he looked over at the bed and saw her curled up on her side fast asleep, her face stained with dried tears. Patricia had put a quilt at the end of Ashlynn's bed. It was a quilt she'd had made from all of Kat's baby clothes.  Patrick carefully covered his sister with the quilt and smiled as she sighed and pulled the quilt around herself.

He very quietly closed her door and went downstairs.

"Well? Where is she?" Megan asked.

"Is she okay?" Patricia asked.

"She's fine. She's asleep. Poor kid cried herself to sleep."

"Cried? Why? She's home," Patricia said.

"Mom," Patrick said. "This isn't home for Ashlynn. Not yet, really. She doesn't remember ever living in Chicago and she certainly doesn't remember being born here. She doesn't know this house and to her, we're all still pretty much strangers."

"We're not strangers," Patricia insisted. "We're her family."

"Mom, she doesn't know us,"  Megan said. "And we only know baby Kat. We don't know Ashlynn."

Patrick nodded. Patricia sighed.

"You're right. Poor kid," Patricia said.

"We have to find a way to make this better for her," David said.  "We have to get to know her and let her get to know us in a way that won't overwhelm or traumatize her."

"I don't think getting to know us should be traumatizing," Patricia frowned. "Overwhelming, maybe. But not traumatic."

"We don't know what she's feeling beyond overwhelmed and we don't know what she's thinking," Kevin said.

"Guys, she's really smart. And funny. Just get to know her the way you'd get to know anyone. She doesn't have the memories we have, so as long as we're careful not to continuously draw attention to her absence for the past 15 years, we should be fine. She should be fine," Patrick said. "I'm sure she wants to get to know all of you, too. Just remember that we are all still pretty much strangers. We got to know each other fairly well in LA. She was getting comfortable with me. I'll spend as much time here as I can, but I do want to go home to Elisa."

"Of course you do," Patricia said. "You've already been away too long."

Patrick said he'd stay through dinner. Elisa knew what was going on. He'd promised to be home tonight but that he also needed to help Ash settle in. Elisa understood.

The family sat and spoke with the lawyer and the social worker, setting up visits and meetings. When they left, Patricia started making dinner.

"What should I make? What's her favourite food?"

"Mom, just make something simple. Like spaghetti or something."

"We should order in. Something nice. Something to celebrate Kat, I'm sorry, Ashlynn coming home," Patricia said. "Why didn't I think about that?"

"Is ordering in, to this house, today such a great idea?" Patrick asked.

"Pat has a point," Kevin said. "There's enough going on outside, any delivery driver is going to take off when they see all the press. Or they'll try to get their 15 minutes of fame."

Patricia sighed.

"I guess we'll have to celebrate that Ashlynn is home when all this dies down."

In the end, Patricia decided on making spaghetti and meat sauce. She asked Patrick to go wake Ashlynn up.