Fool Me Twice

60

Courtney was already at work when Jesse arrived.

“She showed up early,” Molly said. “You’re sure this is the right thing to do?”

“Can’t hurt.”

“She’s still unrepentant.”

“But a work in progress nonetheless.”

Jesse found her dusting the squad room.

“You ready,” he said.

“Yes.”

She put the cleaning equipment away, and together they walked to the parking lot and got into Jesse’s cruiser.

They headed for the downtown recreational center.

“Why are we doing this again,” she said.

“Part of your community service.”

“I know that. But why this?”

“I thought it might be interesting.”

She didn’t say anything.

They arrived at the center, parked, and went inside.

It was Family Day, and the place was packed.

Jesse was on the lookout for Pastor Charles Tompkins, who turned out to be a burly man in his late thirties, pink-skinned and balding, wearing oversized blue jeans and a heather-gray sweatshirt that read, “If You’re Not the Solution to the Problem, Step Aside.”

“Jesse,” he said, a big grin lighting up his face.

“Pastor,” Jesse said. “I want you to meet Courtney Cassidy.”

“Pastor Chuck,” he said as he grasped Courtney’s hand. “Jesse’s told me a lot about you.”

Courtney looked at Jesse.

“All good,” Pastor Chuck said. “All good.”

He smiled.

“I’m glad you could make it on Family Day. We hold one every month. The neighborhood turns out in droves for it.”

As the pastor spoke, he led them on a tour of the center.

“We offer all kinds of organized activities. Arts and crafts, computer study, exercise classes. We have a small library facility and a story time. We provide them a wholesome lunch. We keep a special eye on the children. We monitor how they interact with the other members of their family, and in this way, we come to understand the family’s dynamic. If the children act out, we see it, and can try to figure out why. We’re always on the lookout for families that seem troubled. When we feel it’s necessary, we intervene. We’ve been able to provide anticipatory aid to a lot of people.”

Courtney and Jesse followed Pastor Chuck as he made the rounds. People greeted him warmly as he passed. Children raced to hug him. He seemed to know everyone’s name.

Pastor Chuck noticed that Courtney seemed attuned to the tension that existed in some of the families. Different from the ease and joyousness of others. These differences were palpable. He invited her to join the activities. When she agreed, he gave her an apron, introduced her to the director of food services, and asked her to assist in serving the lunch.

“I’ve never done anything like this before,” she said to the pastor. “It makes me nervous.”

“Don’t worry about it. You’ll do fine.”

The families began to move through the service line. Courtney was put in charge of the desserts. There were three of them. Chocolate pudding, brownies, and fruit salad. She soon got caught up in the rhythm of serving, and she performed earnestly and well.

Afterward, Pastor Chuck invited her to sit with two families that turned out to be related. Each of them had three children. Only one had a male parent present.

She watched how the children all clamored for the attention of their parents.

In the family with both parents present, they each tried to give equal attention to their children.

The single-parent family didn’t, and as a result, the two older children were dominant. They jousted with each other over the attentions of their lone parent, each child more demanding than the other.

The youngest child couldn’t compete. She was withdrawn. She sat alone. She didn’t seek attention.

Jesse noticed Courtney watching the little girl.

After a while, Courtney slid over to her and whispered in her ear.

“I’m Courtney,” she said.

She offered the little girl her hand.

The little girl looked up at her. Then she took Courtney’s hand and shook it emphatically. She didn’t say anything.

“What’s your name,” Courtney said.

“Ariel,” the girl whispered.

“That’s a nice name.”

The girl was silent.

“Who’s this,” Courtney said, pointing to the stuffed animal that the girl was holding tightly to her chest.

The girl relaxed a bit and showed the animal to Courtney.

“This is Arthur,” she said.

“Arthur’s a nice name, too.”

Ariel nodded.

“May I see Arthur?”

After a while, Ariel hesitantly handed Arthur to Courtney.

Courtney made a show of shaking one of Arthur’s paws. She held him up for everyone to see. The other children stopped what they were doing and watched. Then Courtney handed Arthur back to Ariel, who clutched him proudly. She was all smiles.

Courtney looked at Jesse.

He smiled at her.

Later, on their way back to the station, Jesse mentioned the incident.

“What made you do it,” he said.

“Do what?”

“Talk to her.”

“I understood how she felt.”

“How so?”

“I know what it’s like to be alone in the middle of your family.”

Jesse didn’t say anything.

“That’s pretty intense, huh,” she said.

“It is.”

“I’d like to do this again.”

“You mean go to Family Day.”

“Yes. Pastor Chuck said it comes around once every month.”

“It does.”

They pulled up in front of the station. Jesse turned off the motor.

Courtney looked at him.

“This was good,” she said.

Jesse didn’t say anything.

“You’re not so bad.”

“Don’t jump to any sudden conclusions.”

She smiled.

She opened the door and got out of the cruiser.

Then she leaned back in through the open window.

“Thank you,” she said.

He smiled.