Criminal Minds: KRP: A Kid Jail program Story

[robehouse]

Jessica listened to Robyn and nodded. She walked with her down to the tv/ adult playroom. She had rarely watched tv addy home and wasn't into pool. 

" How much free time will we have? Will we be going to school and doing other things?" Jessica asked.

 

Brenda brushed Anna's hair, putting it in ponytails, using pink ponytail holders. She heard Anna say something but couldn't understand her. She wished there was a way for them to understand each other. When Brenda was finished, she gave Anna another hug. 

"All done. Anna looks pretty." Brenda said. 

"Lets go look at the house okay?" Brenda said, touching Anna's shoulder and walking with her out of the room. 

 

Imelda nodded as Adam talked to her as he dressed her. When he said he would watch her pee her face turned red. 

"Wait! You're going to watch me pee!  I'm a girl!" Imelda sputtered. 

[Ishigreensa]

"Of course, you will have school almost like before," Robyn told Jessica.  "And you will have some free time in the evenings and on the weekends, but most of the time, we'll keep you busy with stuff so you don't have time to get in trouble."

She turned the television on to a children's channel for the girl to watch.

"How about you watch TV for a minute?" Robyn asked her.  "Of course if you have any more questions, I'll answer for you."

 

Adam smiled at Imelda and gave her a shy down cast face.

"I know.  It's the rule though.  We can't leave you alone even for a moment, so yeah, I have to watch you no matter what, and even bathe you."

 

Anna didn't understand her big person, but when she reached for her like the way she led her from the bathroom to the bedroom, she knew that the big person wanted her to follow, so she did.

She looked around in awe at stuff as they came out of their room and she saw the big living room and the big's play area for the first time.

 

 

[robehouse]

"I see." Jessica said. 

When Robyn turned on the TV, Jessica sat down to watch it. She saw it was a show that children younger than her would like and sighed. At least it was better than nothing. 

 

Imelda shuddered. 

"I guess I understand, but I still don't like it." Imelda said,

Imelda tugged nervously at her skirt. She was used to wearing jeans or pants. 

"So now what? Are you going to go over the rules or something? like what we can and can't do?" Imelda asked. 

 

Brenda took Anna into the TV room and smiled when she saw Robyn and Jessica were there. Brenda took Anna over to where Jessica was sitting and pointed to the TV. She liked up at Robyn and shook her head. 

"This is going to be a tough assignment. Anna doesn't know any English so she really doesn't understand me. I don't know how to convey any of the rules we expect them to follow. I barely was able to wash her and get her dressed." Brenda sighed. 

[Ishigreensa]

"Well, we have to work with what we have," Robyn told her sympathetically.  "I have the more dangerous kid, if you wanted to trade... but I don't think Adam thinks you can handle her if she gets violent.  You are such a sweet person, that this one would probably just walk all over your rules, Brenda."

She sighed.

"If you just stay with her and show her everything, you should be fine.  Even if I tell this one the rules, I can't expect her to automatically follow them.  I have to stay with her just the same, so maybe communication about the rules is not as important as just watching the kids to make sure they do what we need them to."

Robyn looked over at Jessica to make sure she was watching the cartoon.  While she didn't think the girl should be blamed for attacking an adult when that doesn't normally happen, and she was sure it had to do with something about what she said earlier, she still didn't want to take any chances that Jessica might have flipped after whatever happened with her mom, and might be willing to attack any adult in the room.  Not only that, she also was told that Jessica had stolen money, bullied other kids before, and was basically a troublemaker even at school.  She had not been told that the troublemaking at school was really the man that saw her mom, and him making things out to be problems that were really little accidents or misunderstandings a couple of times until the school and the kids around her believed that she was picking on smaller kids on purpose.

 

Adam put a hand on Imelda's head and he smiled at her.  

"Basically, the main rule you need to understand is that someone will need to watch you no matter where you are or what you are doing until further notice.  No going off on your own, even to a little corner of the room if it's out of sight.  In time, when we can trust you, then I'll let you in  on the rules, and you'll know how to stay out of trouble, honey."

He started to lead his dressed little girl out of the room and towards the children's play area first to show her around....

 

Anna just looked at the television not really knowing what else to do.  She didn't understand anyone.

 

October's eyes opened.  She had slept maybe ten or twenty minutes when she just lifted herself from the bed.  She looked over at Jason to see what he was doing, not knowing what she should do.

[robehouse]

 Brenda nodded as Robyn talked to her. 

"I know and I wouldn't question Adam's choices. I just wish I could talk to her. But it's only the first day. We'll have to see how it goes. I don't want to see Anna go to prison." Brenda said. 

Jessica kept her eyes on the tv as well. 

 

Imelda nodded.

"That makes sense."

Imelda walked with Adam out of the bedroom curious about the rest of the house. 

 

Jason was laying on his bed watching October sleep. When she sat up and looked at him, he smiled at her. 

"Did you have a nice nap? Before I start showing you the house do you need to use the potty?" Jason asked, standing up. 

 

 

[Ishigreensa]

October blushed when he asked her if she had to use the potty, but she nodded slowly hoping he was going to let her go.  Ordinarily, her stepdaddy asked her that before he would check her pants, and if she was dry, he would take her, but if she was wet, or he felt a poop staring in the seat of her panties, then he would make her finish in her clothes, telling her that she had already started, and that it was bad to pretend that nothing happened while she was already going in her pants.

She parted her legs partly anticipating him needing to check her, but parting her legs always made it harder to hold it, so she hoped he would hurry and check before she peed any in her pants.

 

There were some toddler toys in the children's area, but there were also some things that big kids like to do as well there.

"When we have final exams in our classes, your bigs are going to need to study a lot, so you kids will be spending a lot of time in this area.  You might as well get used to knowing what toys are around here."

He pointed out some baby blocks to her.

"You can build stuff here, and basically have a good time without cleaning up.  This corner of the house, we expect to be messy, so you never have to put things in this area away, but the rest of the house has to stay clean, honey."

 

Anna looked over at the ladies talking not sure what to expect from them.  The cartoon was getting boring because she really didn't understand what they were saying, and sometimes, the actions were not exactly predictable.

 

Robyn smiled at Brenda.

"Don't worry.  You'll figure it out, but until you do, just try to keep her by your side.  She can't get in trouble if she is close by, right?"

She looked over at Anna and then pointed at the TV.

Anna looked at the TV not sure if she was supposed to listen to her, too, or not, but if she pointed, then maybe she had to obey her, too.

[robehouse]

Jason smiled and lifted October off the bed, not paying attention to the way she was sitting. He led her to the bathroom in room, then took off her skirt and tugged down her pull up. He lifted her onto the toilet. 

"There you go honey. Go ahead and pee." Jason encouraged. 

 

Imelda looked around the playroom. She blushed a little when he pointed out the baby blocks. She hadn't played with them since she was a toddler herself. 

"I guess we girls will be doing most of the cleaning?" Imelda asked. 

 

Brenda smiled. 

"Don't worry, I'll watch her like a hike. I'll have to figure out a way of knowing when she needs to use the toilet, or keep her in pull ups or diapers and take her often. 

 

Jessica yawned a little, being a little tired and the show was boring. She kept her eyes on the tv though, afraid that either Robyn or Brenda would get on her. 

 

[Ishigreensa]

"Well, I'm going to leave Jessica in a diaper for a couple of days anyway just so she gets the hint that I'm mommy, and she does what I say because of her record of being rebellious and stuff in her past.  I don't know about her attacking an adult outright.  I think there's more to it than her just attacking a full grown man with a pair of scissors because even if she is rebellious, I don't see an eleven year old getting that kind of courage for no reason at all, but still....  I can't have her thinking I'm a push over just because I'm on her side, right?"

Robyn smiled at Brenda.

"It won't hurt for you to do the same with Anna, keep her in diapers until you know she won't disobey you, and then when you let her wear panties, she'll know it's because you let her and she'll be grateful and if something happens where put her back in diapers, she'll realize you have the final say."

Robyn sighed.

"The girls are here because of being disobedient regardless of their crimes, right?"

 

Anna looked over at the adults talking again wondering what they were talking about, that is, when she thought Brenda and Robyn were not paying attention....

Everything was so scary!

They put her in a van for over thirty minutes, made her and the other girls wet themselves more than twice, took her straight up to show her a new room without taking her potty and made her poop her panties this time, and then put her in a diaper and now had her in front of the television and too scared to get up and look around by herself.

 

October let Jason take her to the bathroom, and she kept her hands down the whole time letting him pull her clothes down and letting him put her on the toilet as though she really were a toddler.  It wasn't that she was a toddler, but she knew that she was stupid and that everyone saw a big baby, so it was just normal to expect this.  She really wanted to show she was a big girl, but she just didn't know how to do that.  

She knew if she fought him or she didn't let him undo her skirt or panties, he could make her come with him somewhere, and then she'd be forced to shame herself like what happened at home.

"If you didn't have to go potty, you would have saved me time if you just said so," her stepdaddy said pulling her pants up straight a couple of years ago only to have her pee in the store about twenty minutes later through her pants.  Then he told everyone that she couldn't help it because she was like a baby.  He picked her up and carried her for a while, and finally, he set her down to pay and made her walk to the car in her soaked pants.  He took her to the park, made her play like that while she was there, and didn't take her potty until they got home by which time, after another five hours, she had peed again in her pants....  It was never a good idea to stop someone from undressing her so she could pee, so she just let him.

 

Adam smiled at her and shook his head.

"There will be cleaning that you will have to do, yes," he told her.  "But there will be things that are too dangerous or too hard for little girls to do, and we adults will take care of that, honey."

He walked over and took her hand.

"Let's go down stairs.  I hear people talking."

He took her to the living room, and he took her over to his usual seat and put her between his legs for the moment standing.

"It's about dinner time, isn't it?"

Robyn nodded.  "Yeah.  It's Brenda's and my turn to do it.  I can have Jessica help, but Anna...."

Adam looked over at Brenda.

"Do you think you can get Anna to behave while you are cooking, or do you need me to watch her for you?"

[robehouse]

Brenda nodded as Robyn talked. 

"Yes, it's better to be safe than sorry, and the girls need to learn who's in charge and that they can't get away with anything. They were convicted of a crime and even though they aren't acting like criminals now, you never know what they're capable of." Brenda said.

Jessica shifted in her seat, tired of sitting for so long. 

 

Jason watched October, not really expecting her to do anything, but it was his job. 

"When you're finished, I'll show you around a bit. It's almost time for dinner." Jason explained. 

 

Imelda nodded her head as Adam said the girls wouldn't be doing the hard stuff. She was glad. 

Imelda took Adam's hand and walked downstairs to the tv room. She saw Jessica and Anna watching TV.  She stayed with Adam, as he didn't tell her to sit. She listened to Adam discussing about dinner. 

 

"I really don't think Anna would be much help. Since she doesn't understand me, I would be spending a lot of time trying to get her to do things and dinner would take longer to make. So it would probably be better if she stayed with you." Brenda said.

[Ishigreensa]

Adam nodded and pointed Anna out.

"I want you to sit next to Anna, honey," he told Imelda.  "She doesn't speak any English, but if you just watch TV together, then maybe that will be good enough."

It didn't occur to him that Imelda could speak Spanish because she grew up in America, and she had been speaking English all this time.

 

Robyn reached out her hand for Jessica.

"Come on, Jessie.  We're going to make dinner.  Chores are assigned by room, and it's the ladies' rooms' turn to make dinner."

She waited expectantly for the child to take her hand.

 

Anna saw people starting to stand up, and she started to stand up feeling like something was going to happen.

 

October eventually started to pee, as she usually did, she was pretty good at peeing on command, unless she had just peed herself a little while ago, but the last time she peed, was in the van about three hours before.

When she was done, she looked hopefully up at Jason hoping he wouldn't tell her that she had to sit there until she pooped, because she didn't think she had to.

[robehouse]

Imelda nodded and walked over to the couch and sat down. She smiled at Anna and started watching TV.

 

Jessica stood up when Robyn told her they were making dinner tonight. She walked over to Robyn and took her hand. It felt good to stretch her legs. 

Brenda shook her head at Anna. She pointed at the couch. 

"Not you baby. Stay here." Brenda said. 

 

Jason saw that October had finished peeing and tore a couple pieces of toilet paper off the roll and handed them to the girl. 

"Go ahead and wipe yourself, then I'll get you dressed and you can wash your hands." Jason ordered. 

 

[Ishigreensa]

Anna looked at Brenda for a minute as Brenda pointed at the sofa, and then she sat back in it again.  That's what she was saying, right?  She wasn't sure, but she wasn't reaching for her, but actually pointing at her or the sofa.  She hoped she was guessing right.  There was no telling what would happen next if she disobeyed someone.  She wasn't ready to find out yet.

Anna looked at Imelda who sat next to her, and she gave her a small wave with four fingers wondering if she only spoke English like everyone else.  It was so hard to be there, not understanding anyone at all!

 

Robyn patted Jessica's bottom lightly to make a point of feeling if it seemed a bit warm or heavy, but she didn't feel anything through the skirt and had decided not to embarrass her further by pulling up her skirt and showing off the diaper to the others in the house.  She would tell Adam or anyone of course that Jessica was diapered if they wanted to know and it was their business.  There was nothing to hide.  She was teaching Jessica who was in charge.

Then she led the way to the kitchen to look and see what they had to make for dinner....

 

October looked up at him not used to being allowed to wipe by herself.  She put her hands on Jason's hand, but she didn't take the toilet paper.  She just stared up at him.  Surely, she was too stupid to even do that right like her stepdaddy said.  He would have to wipe her, wouldn't he?  Why was he telling her to do it?

A tear started to form in her right eye.

She sniffled and rubbed at her eyes a few minutes later, if Jason wasn't holding her hands....

 

Adam, now being the only one in the living room with two little girls, decided that they needed to play.  

He walked over and reached for their hands.

Anna looked up at him not sure if she should get up or not.  Brenda told her to sit there.  Who was the main boss?  She wished she understood what was going on!  She looked up at him and shook her head.

Adam sighed and bent down and lifted her up to carry her, and then he held his hand out to Imelda.

Anna realized that he was going to take her anyway, and there was really nothing she could do about it, so she let him hold her without fighting him.

[robehouse]

 Brenda smiled as Anna sat down again and waited until Robyn finished with Jessica and walked down to the kitchen with them. 

 

Imelda smiled and waved back. She looked over at Adam and want sure if she was allowed to talk to Anna in Spanish or not. She started to watch the TV when Adam came over to get them. She saw Anna pull away from Adam and get picked up. She stood up and took Adam's hand. 

 

Jason sighed as October refused to take the toilet paper. He waited a few minutes, then wiped her himself. He stood October up and dressed her before taking her to the sink Ann's washing their hands. He took October's hand and led her from the bathroom. 

"Alright, let's go see the playroom." Jason said, leading October out to the hall. 

[Ishigreensa]

Adam took the girls back up to the third floor where the play room was and smiled at the two girls.

"Go play," he told Imelda putting Anna down next to her.  "Take Anna with you so she knows it's okay."

Then he sat in a chair not too far away so he could see what happened.

 

October again, did not fight Jason when he wiped her, but let him do it.  When he seemed done, she looked up at him wondering if he had done it right.  It didn't feel the same as when stepdaddy did it.  Did he get her clean?  She was a little too scared to say anything about it though and just let him pull up her pull up and take her to wash her hands.

She was scared that if she said anything that he did wrong, he might scold her for talking back to adults.

 

In the kitchen, Robyn told Jessica to start by pealing some pototoes while she found some macaroni and cheese, some chicken, and some corn.

"Do you want to be in charge of the sides or the chicken?" Robyn asked Brenda.  Robyn was definitely putting Jessica in charge of the mashed potatoes, so much as she could without letting her near the stove, that is.  She would boil the pototoes and drain them herself so that her baby didn't accidentally get scalded.

[robehouse]

 Imelda nodded when Adam told her Imelda to take Anna and play with her. Imelda smiled at Anna and took her hand. 

" Come Anna, let's go play." Imelda said in Spanish to Anna, leading her over to where some dolls were at.

 

Jason led October up to the playroom. 

"This is where you'll be spending you're free time, with the other girls, playing. You'll notice there are toys for toddlers but also toys for older girls. You can either go play with Imelda and Anna or play by yourself. I want to talk with Adam for a few minutes." Jason said. 

 

Brenda watched as Robyn assigned Jessica to peeling potatoes. Brenda wasn't sure about letting Jessica have a potato peeler, but she guessed it was alright sounds there were two adults if Jessica were to try anything. 

"I guess I'll take the chicken. How should I fix it?" Brenda wondered. 

 

 

[Ishigreensa]

"Make the chicken anyway you like," Robyn shrugged.  "You're in charge of it.  I need to keep a close eye on my baby to make sure she doesn't hurt herself or do something else.  They said she was kind of dangerous, but I don't think she's going to do anything with a potato peeler especially with both of us watching her, unless she tried suicide."

She looked over at Jessica just to be sure that Jessica wasn't thinking of something strange.  Then she started to get the Macaroni and the corn ready to be heated up.

Once she had them ready to go, but knowing they would only take a few minutes, she decided to sit next to Jessica and help her peel potatoes.

"I'm sorry," she said to her.  "I know how it feels to have people talk about you with you sitting right there.  But we are just worried because your records said that you were violent and rebellious at school, too.  While I don't think you would have stabbed that full grown man with scissors without reason, we also cannot ignore your record either, honey.  So we're just being careful.  You might not understand that, but in time, you will."

 

October had always been taught that it was impolite to take toys without asking, and it was impolite to ask for toys that others were using.  While two people could only play with so much at a time, October still wasn't sure what they were playing with, and she didn't want to be rude or make Jason mad or do anything else dumb.  While another kid might easily guess what they were playing with, October knew that she was stupid, so didn't trust herself to know what to ask for.  They were there first, after all.

She just stood there and watched the other girls.

 

Anna smiled when she spoke in Spanish!  Finally!  Some one she could talk to!

She held out her hand and walked with her new friend to the toy area to find something interesting to play with.

"Did they take you away from your mommy and daddy, too?" she asked Imelda now that she knew that Imelda spoke Spanish.  "Everything happened so fast in the last month, that I'm still confused about why I'm here and without my mother."

 

Adam looked over at Jason when he said he wanted to talk to him to his little girl.  He wondered if October had already given him some trouble, and while it seemed out of character for that to have happened with what he had already seen of her, he knew that they were dealing with criminal minds, so maybe these kids were good at faking innocence at one turn and then do something else the next?

[robehouse]

"Alright,  I will. I agree that we don't have to worry much about Jessica as long as we keep an eye on her. We've only seen her today. She might just be putting on a show for us,  but I doubt it." Brenda said. 

Brenda started washing the chicken before frying it. 

 

"I wouldn't hurt anyone here, not even myself, mommy. I promise." Jessica answered, continuing to peel potatoes.

 

Jason saw that October wasn't playing and went back to her. He led her closer to the other girls and picked up another doll, handing it to October.

"Sit down and play, honey." Jason told her. 

He walked back to Adam. 

"Something is wrong or different about October. She doesn't act like a normal fifth grader. She didn't  try to fight me when I dressed her or took her to the bathroom. I gave her toilet paper to wipe herself but she refused to do it. I ended up wiping her." Jason explained.

Imelda nodded. 

"All of us girls were taken from our mommies and daddies because they said we did something bad and sent us here instead of to prison. We have do what our guardians tell us and they do everything for us." Imelda explained.

 

 

[Ishigreensa]

Anna made a disgusted face and then shook her head.

"Do you know what they put on me?" she asked her sounding a little mad about it.  "It feels like toddler training panties!"

She didn't really see what it was because she had been crying when it was put on her, but it definitely didn't feel like fifth grader underpants.

"And if that's true, then I wonder what I really did." Anna said.  "No one told me I was in trouble.  They just took me from my mommy and daddy, and the next thing I know, I'm in jail, and now, I'm here with people force dressing me.  I didn't mind getting out of those wet pants, but I wasn't allowed to touch at all!  The woman cleaned me up and everything, almost as if I was a baby or something!"

 

October looked up at Jason and then down at her doll.  She looked at the other girls who were talking, and then she just sat down and started to comb the doll's hair with her fingers.

 

Adam shook his head.

"You gave her the option of wiping herself, and she wouldn't do it?"

He sighed.

"Well, maybe it had something to do with why she stole the money.  Maybe she... I don't know..., maybe abused in a strange way?  Did you see any marks on her?"

 

Robyn looked over at Jessica and smiled.

"Well, I'm sorry honey, but the only way we'll know that for sure is by seeing how you do, sweetie.  If you continue to obey mommy like you have so far, then I will not have any reason to doubt you, will I?"

She looked over at Brenda.

"Do you know she even let me dress her and put a diaper on her without fighting too much about it?  Yes, she squirmed a little just like any normal fifth grader would have done if you tried to force them into a diaper, but she didn't try to fight me.  That's the point.  Do you think there is a chance that some of the things we heard about our kids is just speculation or completely wrong?"

[robehouse]

 Imelda blushed. 

"I'm wearing one too. I don't think they trust us to tell them when we need to pee or poop. I guess it would be really hard for you since Brenda can't understand Spanish and you don't know English." Imelda said. 

"I don't know what you did either. Maybe you can ask Brenda or my guardian Adam, since he's in charge, I think. You better get used to Brenda taking care of you like that. At least you have a woman doing it. Adam dressed me and he takes me to the toilet. He doesn't even let me wipe myself." Imelda shuttered. 

 

Imelda looked over at October and smiled. 

"Hi. You're October, right? Do you want to play with us?" Imelda asked. 

 

"Yes, I know we aren't supposed to let them do anything for themselves, at least at first,  but I didn't really want to do that for her. She just sat there though so I had to do it anyway. She didn't even flinch when I was wiping her. I didn't see anything other than what a typical kid would have." Jason explained. 

 

Jessica nodded as Robyn talked to her. She wasn't planning on fighting Robyn or the others. 

"No mommy." Jessica said. 

 

"Wow, that's the complete opposite with Anna. I guess a lot of that is the language barrier. I  sure that some of the things we heard is wrong." Brenda said. 

 

[Ishigreensa]

October crawled over where they were when they invited her, and then she sat down.

She looked from Imelda to Anna, somewhat intimidated by the fact that Anna spoke Spanish, and Imelda could speak both languages.

"I'm October," she said.  "Some people just say Oct-y though."

She blushed.

"Are you here because you're stupid, too?" she asked Imelda not meaning to insult her, but just thinking that's why they weren't in real jail.

 

Anna frowned at the idea of Imelda having to have a man wiping her, and that he put her in a diaper and everything!  

When she saw Imelda ask October over, she smiled at the blond girl.  She didn't know what Imelda said to her, but she must have invited her over because October came over after they talked a minute.

"Well, it's not like they make it easy," Anna told Imelda when she mentioned about them not trusting them to say if they had to use the bathroom.  "At home, I'd just go on my own without anyone having to know.  Even my dad and mom were not taking me to the toilet, and last year when I told them I was going, my mom laughed and said it was too much information.  She said I'm not a baby anymore, and to just go if I'm at home or near a toilet."

 

Robyn frowned.

"Well, I would have been happier, I think, if Jessica had fought me.  It would have shown me that she really was what the records say about her, but what little trouble she gave me... I just don't get it!  How could she be that violent somewhere else, but let me clean her up, put her in a diaper, and dress her?  That just doesn't seem right, you know?"

 

Adam frowned.

"She just sat there and let you wipe her?"

He looked back at Imelda.  Imelda had seemed to be going along with what he made her do, but she still squirmed her legs some and didn't seem to like him wiping around her privates at all, which he thought would be normal.

"She did at least try to close her legs and you know, stop you from wiping her with her body, didn't she?"

He knew though that Jason wouldn't be this concerned if that was the case.  He was just wanting to make sure.

"I think we better go through the records as house adults again and compare what we see with what is happening... maybe tonight after we put the kids to bed."

[robehouse]

"I'm Imelda and this is Anna." Imelda said.

She frowned when October asked if she was stupid. 

"None of us are stupid. Oct-y. We're here because they say we did bad things. Now we have to obey these people and let them treat us like toddlers or something." Imelda answered. 

Imelda looked at Anna,.

"This is October, but says to call her Oct-y." Imelda explained in Spanish. 

"Yes, I think all of us were the same way. My mom stopped taking me to the bathroom at home by the time I was in kindergarten. She still goes with me in a public bathroom, but I take care of myself." Imelda said. 

 

"No it doesn't seem right. Maybe once she learns to trust you then you can find out why." Brenda said. 

Jessica finished peeling the potatoes and looked at Robyn. 

"I'm finished with the potatoes, mommy. What's next?" Jessica wondered. 

 

"Not really. If anything, she spread her legs wider to make it easier for me." Jason said. 

Jason nodded in agreement with Adam. 

 

 

[Ishigreensa]

October frowned.

"That's what stepdaddy said.  He said that we were put here because we are stupid babies that didn't know what we were doing, and he said that when we learn what we did wrong, and maybe become smart and not be babies, they will let us come back home again."

She looked down.

"My stepdaddy always tells me when I do stupid things so I can try to keep from showing how stupid I am in public and making people laugh, but you're here, too, so you're the same as me, right?"

 

Anna didn't understand what October said, but something about her attitude and the way her tone was upset her.  She frowned at October and looked over at Imelda.

"She's upset," she whispered to Imelda.  "Of course, we are all upset because we're here, but she's... I don't know... depressed?"

 

Adam sighed and looked over at the children.

Wait!  Were Imelda and Anna talking to each other?

He tried to listen in!

If Imelda speaks Spanish...!  Doh!  Brenda could have known a lot sooner how to communicate with Anna, at least sometimes, if he had paid much attention and figured out to put Imelda with Anna sooner!

 

Robyn smiled and patted Jessica's head.

"Good girl, honey.  Mommy is going to put them on the stove now, so just wait here until they're done, and then you can add some butter and milk and mash them up, okay?"

Robyn put the potatoes on the stove and she started the mac and cheese and the corn.

 

Robyn shrugged about maybe letting Jessica get comfortable with her and then asking her about it.  She already thought she knew why the girl had attacked the man.  It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out a child would not just attack a grown man for no reason.  He had have done something that upset her!

[robehouse]

 Imelda frowned when October kept calling herself stupid. 

"That's not true!  None of us are stupid!  You're stepfather is wrong!" Imelda said

Imelda listened to Anna. 

"Yes, I think October is broken, or something. She needs help." Imelda replied in Spanish, 

 

Jessica smiled and nodded. She sat there waiting for the potatoes to cook. 

 

[Ishigreensa]

Adam walked over to Imelda and Anna after a few minutes of listening to them.

"Imelda, can I ask you to do something for me?  You don't have to do it all the time, but it would be nice if Brenda could explain her rules to Anna.  After we eat dinner, can you translate for Brenda and Anna?"

 

After a while, dinner was ready, and Robyn had had Jessica do the potatoes completely by herself except for draining the hot water of course, and boiling didn't really require anything but testing the potatoes to make sure they were soft and ready to be mashed.

Robyn took Jessica by the hand and knelt down to her.

"We are going to set the table and get things ready while Aunt Brenda goes up and gets the rest of the house, okay?"

Then Robyn started to gather some plates while she pointed out the cups for Jessica to get.

 

Adam had just heard October say something about being a stupid baby, but he didn't hear the whole thing, so thought nothing of it since the girls weren't fighting.

[robehouse]

Imelda looked up at Adam as he talked to her. 

"Alright, if it will help. Maybe it will help Anna be less anxious if she knew what was happening and what exactly is going on. Let me know when you want me to do this." Imelda said. 

Imelda told Anna what Adam had said. 

 

Jessica finished the potatoes and washed her hands at the sink. She nodded when Robyn told her they were going to set the table. She waited for Robyn to give her the plates and  cups and silverware and set them around the table. 

"Am I going to have to wash dishes too? Jessica asked.

 

Brenda walked up to the playroom and over to Adam and Jason. She saw Anna playing with Imelda and October.

"It's nice to see the girls play together despite the language barrier. Anyway,  I was sent up to tell you that dinner is ready. Jessica has been a big help." Brenda said.

 

Jason walked over to October.

"Time for dinner, baby. Put your doll away for now, please,  then we can wash our hands and go eat." Jason said.