First Impressions by LD
Danny Jackson shivered in the thin protection of
his blue flannel pj's. His arm and head still hurt. He
wished Trina, his social worker, would hurry up to come
get him. He truly hated hospitals.
"Hey Danny" He jumped at the sudden intrusion. He
hadn't heard Trina slip into his room. He smiled shyly
at the diminutive redhead. "You ready to blow this
joint?"
"A quick nod from Danny made her grin. He was one
of her favorites and she let him know it. She helped him
change into his jeans and a t-shirt. He looked at her
trustingly and slipped his small hand into hers. She
kneeled in front of the solomn five year old and finger
combed his hair.
"Ok Kiddo, I think I have a plan of action here,
but it's gonna be tricky." Blue eyes gazed at her
questioningly, but as usual Danny didn't utter a word.
She sighed and held him close. "I'm gonna be straight
with you Danny. You've been to four foster homes in six
months. I don't want to see you hurt again, and to be
honest, there aren't a whole lot of people I trust to
take good care of you." She traced the bruise covering
the right side of Danny's face."There is one place
Danny, but it's gonna take some fancy footwork to get
you in there. You're gonna have to help me out ok?"
Danny nodded.
"Can you do puppy dog eyes?"
Dark blond brows drew together questioningly. Trina
grinned.
"Close enough. Now, if I can just keep her from
killing me we'll have it made."
Somehow Danny wasn't at all sure he liked the sound
of this new home.
Trina's Mustang roared along the long private
drive. Danny looked up at the huge brick house in front
of them. Trina saw the fear in his eyes.
"It'll be ok Danny. You'll like Kat, she'll like
you. It's me she's gonna kill. Don't worry, her bark is
tons worse than her bite. Just be yourself and
everything will be ok."
Danny stood silently beside Trina as she rang the
bell. There were a few moments of silence then the heavy
oak door was flung open.
"What the hell do you want Katrina Walker?
Danny drew back fearfully, but Trina held him
gently.
"Now Kat, is that any way to talk in front of a
child?"
"Don't tell me you brought some kid here. I told
you..."
"Knock it off Kat. Danny's been through enough. He
doesn't need one of your temper tantrums. Besides your
getting a little old for them."
The angry face softened slightly as deep blue eyes
gazed at Daniel. For just a moment Danny thought he saw
a flash of pain on the classically beautiful face. Kat
sighed and reached down to gently touch the bruised
cheek."
"Aw hell Kid. Who did this to you? Are they in jail
yet Trina, or did you just kill them and hide the
bodies?"
Trina grinned knowingly. She'd caught her, now she
just had to reel her in. "I'm still working out the
details on that one. But for right now I need a safe
place for Danny."
"And you thought of me? I think you'd best go get
your head checked. I quit the program. No more kids !
Remember."
Danny looked up with tears trembling in his eyes.
Kat kneeled down in front of him and with tears of her
own drew him to her.
"I'm sorry Kid. I didn't mean to hurt you. I
just...I'm not mother material."
Danny's small hands clutched desperately at her
shirt, his tears soaking her skin. She lifted him
effortlessly and carried him into the house. " I hate
you Trina Walker, and I'll never forgive you for this."
Danny heard her growl. He looked over Kat's shoulder at
Trina's unrepentant grin.
"I know Sis, I know."
An hour later and exhausted five year old had cried
himself to sleep in his new bed. His new foster mother
unpacked a ragged bunch of clothes. She fingered the
holes in the jeans she was holding.
"Shit kid." she murmured softly, "hasn't anyone
bothered to take care of you? They must all have been
idiots."
The tiny figure in the bed stirred slightly. Kat
sighed and reached up to the top shelf of the closet to
pull down a thick blanket. Gently she tucked it around
the sleeping child.
"I guess you'll need some clothes and such. We'll
go shopping in the morning."
Danny awoke to a comfortable warmth. He looked down
at the furry body surrounding his feet. A huge Siamese
cat blinked back at him sleepily. He reached down and
gathered the cat to him as he looked around the
unfamiliar room. He was riveted by the large amounts of
toys and was especially thrilled with the shelves of
books lining the walls. He climbed out of bed and stared
at the books longingly, but several months of foster
care had taught him he had no rights to anything
anymore. Still, he reached out his hand, near but not
touching.
"It's OK Danny." He turned to find Kat in a
recliner, a blanket drawn around her. "They're yours
now. Enjoy."
The cat climbed into her lap, purring loudly.
Danny's hands trembled as he held one of the
volumes. He flipped through the pages, but most of the
words he hadn't learned yet. Kat smiled and held open
the blanket. Danny climbed in wordlessly and handed her
the book. Her voice was surprisingly soft as she read
about a young dragon who saved the prince of the castle
from the evil knights. Danny just closed his eyes and
enjoyed the unexpected cuddle.
Danny frowned as he stood outside Kat's bedroom
door. He had fallen asleep after their shopping trip and
when he awoke his new guardian was nowhere to be found.
After searching most of the house, he had heard muffled
sounds inside this room. Sounds he were sure were Kat
crying.
He pushed open the door and saw Kat lying across a
huge brass bed, a picture clutched to her chest. She
hadn't yet noticed him, but he saw the tears streaming
down her face. He climbed into the bed and laid down
next to her.
"Danny," she whispered softly. "I'm so sorry Kiddo.
This just wasn't one of Trina's more brilliant ideas."
Danny patted her face gently. She sniffled a bit
and held him close. He touched the picture and she
allowed him to take it. In it, a blond haired boy smiled
happily in Kat's arms. Danny smiled. Kat looked so happy
in the picture.
"That was my Jimmy. He was about your age when that
was taken."
Danny snuggled closer. He sensed the incredible
sadness she had.
"He died Danny. Two years ago. We were at the park
when a drunk driver jumped the curve." She sighed and
laid the picture on the bedside table.
"It...it wasn't a bad idea," Danny murmured softly.
Kat arched an eyebrow at him. It was the only words
Danny had spoken since arriving at her home. "Miss
Trina, she knew."
"Knew what Danny?" Kat questioned as she drew him
into a hug.
"Sh...she knew its time."
Kat bit her bottom lip gently as she realized Danny
was right.
"Yeah Kiddo, I think you're on to something. It is
time. We need each other huh?"
Danny nodded solemnly and Kat laughed. She gave him
a tight squeeze.
"How does such a little boy know so much?" She
smiled through her tears. Danny leaned into the cuddle.
This was so unlike all the other homes. He knew somehow
that Kat would never hurt him.
"N...nooooo...Mommy...Daddy...no, please wake
up...Mommy..."
Kat ran swiftly to Danny's room as she heard his
screams. She scooped up the thrashing child as she
rocked him gently. He'd been with her a little over a
month and she'd been awakened many times by his
nightmares.
"Shhh, its ok Danny.It'll be ok. It's all over."
She soothed as she gently rubbed his back. Danny sobbed
out his pain to her. After awhile she felt him relax
back into sleep. She continued to rock him though, tears
of her own falling into his blond hair.
"I'm so sorry Danny. So sorry you had to see that.
I wish I knew how to help." After a little longer she
too fell asleep, the child still held tightly in her
arms.
Trina and Kat sat on a bench outside, watching as
Danny rode his new bike down the long driveway.
"He's talking" Trina marveled, smiling at the happy
little boy.
"Oh yeah, he's talking. Sometimes in several
different languages. He's brilliant Trina. I'm not sure
I can keep up with him."
"I'm sure Kat. In fact I think you're the best
thing that's happened to that boy in a very long time."
"Well, he's the best thing to happen to me, that's
for sure."
"John told me you're writing again. A sequel to the
Princes Dragon book."
"Yeah, its Danny's favorite book.I thought he'd
like a new one."
"Does he know you wrote it?"
"Nah, That would just take all the fun out of it.
He just likes it at bedtime for now. It's enough. I
think I'll do a new series though. He's real into myths
and such. It could be fun don't you think?"
"You never wrote for Jimmy."
"Jimmy was never much of a reader. Danny is." She
smiled at Trina. "Thanks by the way."
"Thanks for what?"
"For the gift you've brought me. I don't think you
know what Danny means to me."
Trina just grinned.
"Kat, I don't think you have any idea what you mean
to Danny."
"Have you heard from his Grandfather?"
"Yeah, he's refusing to give him up. Danny will
stay in the system for now." She looked at Kat with a
smile. "Don't worry big sister, Hes all yours for now
and I seriously doubt that will change. The new laws
prefer long term placements to short term. And I'll be
there to fight for you if anyone tries to get him. "
"Cool. What say we go get my son and go out for
pizza?"
"Sounds like a plan to me."
The end for now.
