When Kat Came Back

Chapter 50

Christmas was coming and the Stumph family was getting into the spirit. That is, everyone but Ashlynn. For the last three weeks, Ashlynn hadn't said a word. She came home from school, went up to her room and tended to stay there. She rarely came downstairs for dinner.

Patricia kept trying to get her daughter to open up, but Ashlynn seemed to be so deep within herself, Patricia was wondering if she'd ever get her back.

Meagan had tried taking her out shopping and for lunch, just the two of them. Ashlynn had refused to go. She just refused to leave her room. She lay in her bed, curled up.

Kevin had invited her to come over for a movie night with his family, and Patrick and Elisa tried picking her up from school and bringing her to their house for dinner one night after school. Ashlynn had run back into the school and wouldn't leave until Patricia came to get her.

She'd gotten into the car, and as soon as she'd gotten home had gone straight upstairs. Patrick had followed Patricia home and the two sat in the kitchen talking.

"Is she eating? She's lost a lot of weight," Patrick said to Patricia. "And she was tiny to begin with."

"I don't know if she's eating at school, she won't say, but she doesn't eat dinner with me very often. Usually she comes home goes to her room, presumably does her homework, because I haven't heard otherwise, and by dinner time is usually asleep. I'm getting beyond worried, Patrick. She isn't doing well and she's not getting better. She's going to the therapist twice a week. I'd consider three times, but she already spends the hour not talking."

"I have an idea," Patrick said. "I know who she might talk to. Let me see if I can get Andy to come out here. She spoke to him in New York. Maybe she'll speak to him."

Patricia sighed. She would do anything to make her daughter feel even a little bit better.  She told Patrick to see what he could do.

Once Patrick left, Patricia went upstairs and looked in on Ashlynn. She was at her desk, staring at her textbook.

"Ash, honey? Are you hungry?" Patricia asked. Ashlynn didn't respond. Something seemed... different. Patricia went up to Ashlynn. She was just staring. She wasn't reading. Her eyes were unfocused and glassy. Patricia touched Ashlynn's shoulder. Ashlynn jumped and literally fell out of her chair. She scuttled back. Away from Patricia. Fear was in her eyes.

"Ashlynn, honey, it's me. It's Mom," Patricia said, reaching for her daughter. Ashlynn moved back farther until she was up against her bed.

"Ash, honey, what's the matter? What's got you scared? It's Mom. You're okay, honey. You're okay."

Ashlynn stayed cowering against her bed. She was staring at Patricia, but Patricia didn't think Ashlynn was actually seeing her. Patricia pulled out her phone and texted Patrick.

"Ash is worse. Please come. She's terrified and I don't know why."

Patrick responded he'd be right over.

"Ash, your brother is coming over. He's going to talk to you, too, okay?"

Ashlynn made no sign she heard Patricia.

Patricia got up and went to wait for Patrick. Tears fell unbidden from her eyes. Her daughter was so traumatized and nothing anyone could do or say was helping. She was losing her daughter again and Patricia couldn't fix this or make it better. She'd lost her daughter once as a baby, and almost twice since getting her back. Now she felt like she'd lost her again. Even though she was right upstairs.

Patrick arrived twenty minutes later with Elisa.

"Hi, Patricia," Elisa said. "Patrick thought I could keep you company while he tries to talk to Ash."

Patricia hugged her daughter in law and her son.

"Thank you. I'm at my wit's end. She's been getting worse but today, I don't know. I went to check in on her, make sure she was okay, see if she was hungry and she was just staring at her book. When I touched her shoulders she jumped, fell out of her chair and is now just cowering against her bed. I don't know what to do."

"Well," Patrick said. "I called Andy. I told him it's critical. Because this sounds critical. And he's coming in tonight."

"I hope maybe he can help her. Because she's just so... I don't know," Patricia said.

Patrick hugged his mom again and headed upstairs to Ashlynn's room. He knocked on the open door and saw Ashlynn curled up against her bed, fear in her glassy, unfocused eyes.

"Ash? It's Pat," he said. She didn't acknowledge him. She didn't look up. She didn't react to the sound of his voice.

Patrick attempted to approach her but she curled up as small as she could. So she could see, but what was she seeing? Who? Did she think Patrick was her attacker? Was she reliving that horrible day?

Patrick sat down in the floor across from his baby sister. He murmured to her in a quiet and soothing voice. She didn't react. She didn't relax. Patrick wasn't giving up.

His phone beeped. It was a text from Andy. He'd landed in Chicago and was on his way to Patricia's house.

"Ash? Andy's coming. He wants to check in on you and maybe talk?"

Ashlynn didn't react.

Patrick sighed, stood up and told Ashlynn he was heading downstairs and did she want to come with? She curled up even more. Patrick shook his head and walked down the stairs.

"Anything?" Patricia asked as he came into the kitchen where Elisa and Patricia were having coffee. He shook his head.

"Andy's here. He's on his way over," he said.

"I hope maybe he can help," Patricia said. Patrick agreed. He poured himself a cup of coffee and sat down at the table with his mom and his girlfriend. He put his face in his hands.

"I wish I could take all the pain and fear from her. She hasn't said anything? Not a word?" He asked his mother.

"Nothing. Not a sound," Patricia said.

Patrick shook his head, sad for his baby sister, worried about her and wishing he could fix the world for her.

Half an hour later, the doorbell rang. Patrick went to answer it and saw Andy at the door, a large duffel bag on his back.

"Don't take this the wrong way, but... how long are you planning on staying?" Patrick asked his friend.

"Until Ashlynn is speaking again. Until she feels better."