The Four Stages of Loving Dutch Owen

by Debra Kayn

  She hated chicken.

  The different offering made her stomach to growl. She picked up her fork.

  "Do you go to Langly, Katie?" asked Dr. Conner.

  She nodded, picking up the sharp knife at the side of her plate. Her hunger overrode the need to look to her mother to see if she was supposed to reply. It was a yes or no kind of question.

  "Katie, answer Dr. Conner," said her mother.

  Dr. Conner cleared his throat. "She did."

  She glanced up, surprised that he would stand up for her. The doctor continued to cut his steak, giving her a chance to look at him without him seeing.

  He hadn't picked up his wine glass. The amber fluid went halfway up the glass where she knew Ann, the cook's helper, always filled to a pretend line. While Dr. Conner concentrated on eating, it took his attention away from her mother.

  She glanced at the head of the table. Her mother pouted, barely touching her food. She twirled the stem of her wine glass in her hand and pressed her back against the chair.

  Katie lifted a piece of steak to her mouth. She knew to hurry, or her mom would order her away from the table before she finished.

  Several minutes later, the internal warning making her stomach hurt signaled that the mood had shifted when she picked up her fork to tear apart the lobster tail. She looked up, glancing from her mother to the doctor. The hair on her arms cautioned her not to make a move.

  Instead of waiting for her mom to drop a bomb of an announcement, she looked at Dr. Conner, curious to know how he would react when her mom finally broke her silence. Would he put a stop to her mother if she got yelled at or sit there and let her mom send her to her room?

  "Once school is out, Dr. Conner is going to come to the house on Tuesdays and Fridays at three o'clock. You must spend an hour with him." Her mother paused, narrowing her eyes. "I will be gone for the next month, and it'll be your responsibility to make sure you see him on those days. Ms. Gray will be here to remind you."

  She sat up straighter. A month? "Where are you going?"

  "I'm going on a much-needed vacation to a small island called Anegada. There's a lovely area there called Loblolly Bay, where I will get much rest and sunshine." Her mother sat forward and raised her brows. "Ms. Gray will—"

  "No, mom. Please, let me watch myself this summer. You promised when I turned twelve years old, and...and I'm big enough to take care of myself. Betsy will be here, and I'll stay in the house. I won't go anywhere. Please—"

  "You're too young." Her mother waved her hand in front of her as if shooing a fly. "You need supervision."

  "But, Mother—"

  "Do you want me to cancel my vacation?" Her mother's voice warned her the discussion was over.

  Her eyes burned. She ducked her head and stared at her plate, no longer hungry. Just once, she wished her mom would pay attention to her and realize she was growing up.

  Stunned that her mother was leaving again, having only been home a week, she refused to ask why she needed to see a doctor. She wasn't sick.

  A clap of thunder contaminated the silence around the table. Taken back to the night her father died four years ago, she closed herself off. It was her fault her father hadn't been home. It was her fault that her dad had died.

  "I believe the family who lives on B circle, one street over from you, have a daughter who is twelve years old." Dr. Conner's low voice broke through the terror of her memories. "If I remember correctly, her mother has mentioned in passing that her daughter is going to be babysitting this summer."

  Her mother scoffed. "My child doesn't babysit others. That's what nannies are for."

  She tried to peek at the doctor from behind her hair. Curious to know if the girl he talked about went to her school. Having never been able to explore in the gated neighborhood, she wasn't aware of another kid her age living close by. And babysitting?

  Catching Dr. Conner's dark-colored gaze, she eagerly looked at him. She had so many questions. How had the girl received her parents' permission to get a job? Did she spend nights with the baby she was watching? Alone? Was she scared? Was it fun?

  "Twelve is the normal age when parents give their child more independence. It's prudent to growing up and being self-reliant." Dr. Conner put down his fork and picked up his napkin, wiping his mouth. "I can evaluate Katie's maturity level during our appointments."

  Evaluate? She glanced at her mom. Evaluate how?

  Afraid if she asked, the focus would come back on her. She stayed quiet, wanting to know what her mother thought about Dr. Conner's suggestion on letting her stay by herself.

  "I'll see her twice a week like planned. Ms. Gray can come at dinner time and stay in the house until morning because every woman should have someone near at night."

  She swallowed, no longer interested in dinner. He called her a woman.

  Finally, having someone supporting and sticking up for her, she wanted her independence more than ever.

  "What do I do when I'm in a different country, and something goes wrong, or Katie changes her mind and wants her nanny during the day?" Her mother's lips pursed. "I will not come back and baby her. She's not ruining my vacation."

  "If Katie changes her mind, she can let Ms. Gray know, and the nanny can stay twenty-four/seven." Dr. Conner looked at Katie and lifted his brows. "Acceptable?"

  She nodded enthusiastically.

  "Perfect." He tossed his napkin on the table. "Now that I've met Katie and she's aware of her summer schedule, I'll expect her ready for our talk on Tuesday. I'll see myself to the door."

  "But..." Her mother stood from the table. "Won't you stay and have dessert?"

  Dr. Conner dismissed the offer and walked out of the room. Katie gawked at the bravery of standing up to her mother. She'd never met anyone strong enough to leave her mother speechless. Not even her father had won every argument.