Last night's celebration was wonderful. In ways it reminded me of the time I was adopted into the family.
It was a celebration of the return of a long lost daughter. We ended up staying over at the Walker's last night. Case, Ethan, Bri, Therese, Trina, Mario– the whole family.
In the morning we slowly began to wake up and get ready for the day. It was a lazy progression, but we managed.
I felt bad about not going to church, and yet– I've always felt closer to God out here than I ever have in the city... I guess its because I'm closer to the world he created, and somehow– isolated from the world man has created from it.
As people woke up, they drifted into the kitchen until Mom Walker kicked us all out of her domain, muttering about not being able to lift a spoon let alone get anything done.
Then she dumped out the soy-caff and proceeded to make real coffee.
It was a nice leisurely day– and a continuation of last night's celebration. Sometimes that's what life is...
Sgt. Saunders stopped by my office this morning with a summary of the police calls for the past three months and their resolution. We talked for a while, catching up on the news and such and then he headed back to records.
After he left I started entering the calls and color coding them. I know I should have been working on the week's reports, but I've been dying to see the results.
There wasn't really a pattern, not at first anyway– not when you had all the calls listed at once, but then I set up the report to draw the combined calls on the screen in the order they were received, clearing a call once it was 24 hours old (in the simulated time frame)... they came in waves of activity and color.
Robbery and Vandalism gave way to missing persons and calls for psychiatric teams then turned back to odd calls that nobody could explain. A lot of the MP cases involved either the homeless/SINless or children.
I definitely didn't like the pattern. I was about to call Case when he knocked on my door. Ethan was with him. Seems Ethan had an idea for an internship– where he could help me out with the reporting and help me analyze the data.
It wasn't exactly nepotism since it wasn't a paying job– but it did give him the all important experience he'd need to get a job when the time comes.
It only took me a few minutes debate on the whole issue. I know Ethan– I know his curiosity can rival mine sometimes... and with the reports I'd just been reviewing– the more help I had with the mundane stuff the better.
I ran the simulation by Case and Ethan and they saw the pattern as well. Case took a copy downtown and I prepared one for PC– looks like something big is coming down and what we've seen is just the beginning.
It's amazing how quickly things change. Yesterday I was planning out my week, next I'm scrambling to keep things covered.
Case was called in for protective duty and we'd just recovered from that when Jenny called.... Dad had been in an accident.
Next thing I know, I'm on a Red eye flight to BWI with Bri in tow.
I've been meaning to go back for a visit, but the time has never been right... guess sometimes those decisions are made for you.
If circumstances were better, this would have been a great trip. The autumn leaves are at their peak, the air is fresh and crisp...
If circumstances were different....
Dad's been in and out of consciousness and emotions are a higher and more unstable as I can remember them ever being.
Bri has been cheerful and outgoing and managed to win over my brothers.
Its odd to say that... my brothers.
We ended up getting reacquainted, but it was strained. It usually is with my family.
Bri and I visited with mom and Jenny and spent the night at Dad's place.
I don't know how much more of this any of us can take.
Dad came around this morning.... cantankerous as ever I'm pleased to report.
We actually talked for the first time in what seems like eons. Really talked...
He said he was sorry about the boys, glad that I hadn't thrown my life away on some idealistic quest– that my decision to stay in Seattle was based on what I wanted and not some misplaced sense of guilt or honor.
We smuggled Bri in so she could meet her granddad– she won him over in a heartbeat.
I've never seen my dad cry before.
He told me that I better do right by her and to not make the same mistakes he'd made.
That blew me away. All this animosity– all this distance– because he thought he'd made mistakes. We all make them– its how we deal with them and what we do with them that really matters.
I guess it just takes some people longer than others.
Security caught us with Bri this morning.
The whole thing was rather humorous thought– the security guard was doing his level best to look stern when Bri just smiled at him innocently and gurgled at him.
If you don't believe that being cute is a survival trait... just watch the child in action.
I'll let you in on a secret I've learned– a stern 7'2" troll, is no match against a happy toddler.
They let dad out today– none the worse for wear. But I think he understands now why I live the way I do– why I do the job I do.
I know he has a new found respect for paramedics. Funny– he knew what the job entails, but– I'm his little girl and he'll always remember how I always wanted to do everything– and how quickly my goals would change when I saw something new and exciting.
Me– I found out that the distance between us wasn't the miles or the years– or hatred... just an oddly misplaced sense of concern.
To be honest– I think dad was surprised I'd even come. Jenny wasn't– just goes to show you how much you really know about people sometimes.