What They Missed (Private with Ishigreensa)

[Ishigreensa]

Susan looked over at David.

"David, honey, I think your sister wants Sprite.  She's pointing it out to me.  Would it be okay if we change her orange for Sprite?"

David looked up at Susan suspiciously and then looked where his sister was pointing on the placemat.

"Evie, do you want that one?" he asked where her finger was.  "If you do, then I'll tell Susan it's okay.  I think they are trying... to understand... us."

He looked over at Dean and smiled when he said that they could both get water, too.

Susan looked at Dean.

"Do you want to order one extra Orange and a Sprite, and then we can let the kids decide what they want, and I'll drink the other one that they don't want?" she asked him.  Honestly, it doesn't matter to me what I drink."

David heard his sister's tummy, or thought he did, and he patted her hand softly.  

Susan didn't notice, but she knew the kids were hungry.  She looked over to see where the waitress was, and hoped the kids' food would come sooner rather than later.

[lebeau13]

Evie nodded at David when he asked her if she wanted Sprite. She says quietly “yeah, want that one.”

Dean smiled as David and Evie were talking about the drinks. He can see a spark of courage and independence in her eyes as she talks with her big brother.

”I think order what you want and let them make up their mind.”

The waitress is waiting to be called over to take their orders, she can see it’s taking the kids awhile to make their choices so she doesn’t want to interrupt them since they look so fragile.

Dean calls her over and she comes carrying a pad and pencil. He can see her name tag says Holly. 

“Welcome, May I get you some drinks while you look over the menu?” She asks Dean

“I think we will all get water to start.”

Holly writes it down and smiles, “of course. I will be right back with 4 waters.” She leaves to get the drinks.

Dean smiles and says to Susan or rather the table “there now that we all have water ordered, it gives us some time to see what the kids want to drink without any pressure.”

[Ishigreensa]

David smiled and looked up at Dean.

"Can we change Evie's Orange for Sprite?  She really wants that one," he said his voice very low and submissive in tone.  "Sorry I didn't want you touch her before."

He put a protective hand back around his little sister.

 

Susan smiled and nodded at the wisdom that Dean seemed to show.  Though she felt like the kids really needed to be treated normal and in a routine matter from the start, she did know that getting them used to things would take time, and while she didn't want them to feel hurt from the start, she also didn't want to confuse them with acceptable behavior, and letting bad behavior pass just to make the kids like them.

Still, what could she really do?  There was nothing really wrong with what Evie had done.  Her choking her was accidental, after all, and she was just trying to get attention like any little kid would do.  That's why she tried to explain to her how to do it properly, but apparently, even talking to the kids about what was proper was still a little scary for them.

[lebeau13]

Dean smiled as he looked down as David asked him about the drinks. “Of course we can change it. We haven’t ordered it yet” he says brightly, Dean leans down “it’s okay you don’t want me to touch her right now. I understand you are protecting her from us since you don’t know us yet.”

Holly returns with a tray full of waters, 2 adult glasses and 2 plastic cups with lids. She brings over a selection of curly straws and shows the kids them on her tray.

“Pick what straws you want. You can each take whatever color you want.”

There is every color in the rainbow plus pink. 

Evie smiles and looks at all of them she picks a pink one and pulls it back to her placemat. She has a smile on her face.

Once David has chosen his straw she puts her tray down and picks up her pad. “Now, what can I get for your family?”

Dean starts off “We would like a kids Sprite, a kids Orange, I would love a cup of sweet tea,” he turns and looks at Susan “what would you like darling?”

 

Dean knew that there would be time to develop a routine, but in order to treat the kids like normal kids they need to earn their complete trust. If the kids don’t trust them then any punishments no matter how small would be taken as a form of mistreatment or abuse. Dean didn’t want to harm the kids any more than they have been.

[Ishigreensa]

Susan ordered an adult's orange.

"And let's see...  What was it Evie wanted again," she looked at the children and then showed her the menu again.  "We need four Churos or whatever you call them, those cinnamon stick deserts, and Evie wanted... Ah yes, Que Se Dillas and I'Il have some fajitas, chicken, please,"

She then looked at Dean to order for David and himself....

Susan really wanted to reach over and pat little Evie on the lap, but she wasn't sure if the girl trusted her yet, or even her brother did, so she refrained from it for now.  Then she noticed the cute little shoe she had colored.

"Hey!  That looks just like your friend outside in the car, right?" she asked Evie nodding at the shoe.

David looked up at Dean and watched him carefully, waiting to see if he remembered what he wanted.

He still had a protective arm around his sister though.

[lebeau13]

Holly writes every thing down, “4 churros, one kids quesadilla, one adult chicken fajita... do you want a cheese quesadilla or one with chicken?” She asks for clarification

Evie looked up at Susan as she orders for her, she was happy she got it right. She took a breath and put out her fist for a fist bump. Maybe this is a way to bridge the gap since she didn’t want to be touched right now.

Dean smiles and takes the hint “I would like 3 fish tacos, and my son would like a fajitas.”

He then turns and asks David “David, would you like chicken or steak fajitas? I don’t want to get the wrong thing.”

Evie looks up at Susan as she finally sees Lilly on the paper, she nods happily. “Lilly” she says to her in a low voice. She takes her finger and starts to let the boot on the paper, she really misses her shoe. Usually she wears her shoe, no matter how bad it hurt so it’s with her during hard times. Not having it really bothers her and she doesn’t realize it, or if she does she doesn’t vocalizes it to anyone.

[Ishigreensa]

"Oh, I didn't realize you could get two different kinds," Susan frowned.  She looked down at Evie.  "Do you like chicken or just plain cheese, honey?"

She reached down and patted her lap.

If she shrugged her shoulders not knowing what she got before, then Susan would ask: "Is there an option to get both on the same plate?"

Susan thought that her little one looked really uncomfortable.  She knew that the little one most likely wanted her shoes, and figured it would make her happy, so she stood up after the waitress left.

"I need to go out to the car for something," she told Dean.  "Can you watch the children for a  minute?"

 

David saw Susan put her hand on his sister's lap, and he frowned looking up at her.

"Did Evie do something bad?" he asked.

"No, hon, she didn't."

"Then please don't touch her right now.  She's uncomfortable."

Susan nodded.

"Okay, I'll be right back, children.  Please stay here with Dean, okay?"

David nodded that they would.

[Ishigreensa]

When Susan left outside, David finally realized that they were trying to get his attention to answer them on what kind of Fajitas he wanted.  He smiled and nodded.

"Can I really have steak?" he asked.  "I never had steak kind before.  Everyone always said steak was adult food, and I wasn't ready for that for some reason."

He looked up at Dean.

"Steak then?"

(Sorry, I got distracted, but decided to make it seem that David got distracted.  LOL)

[lebeau13]

When Susan asked her if she wanted cheese or chicken, during ‘cheese’ she nodded her head and when she said ‘chicken’ she shook her head no. It was apparent to anyone what Evie wants.

Holly nodded and said “one adult orange one adult sweet tea, one kids sprite and one kids orange, one kids one cheese quesadilla for the little princess. One chicken fajita for the Mrs., 3 fish tacos for the Mister, and for the young knight a fajita in...” she waits for his selection, “and don’t forget the 4 churros.” She smiles as she waits for the young mans decision, she didn’t want to rush him since he seemed so focused on the Mrs.

As Susan reached over to pat her lap, Evie held out her hand for a fist bump. She didn’t want to be touched on her legs right now. If Susan continues to go for her legs Evie scrunches up net face waiting for pain but if she first bumps her little fist she smiles at her, maybe this lady won’t be so mean after all.

 

Dean watches his wife stand up and tells him to watch the kids “of course I can watch our kids. Why wouldn’t I?” He smiles down at his little ones, would they try and overtake him or would they just be calm he wonders.

Evie as worried, what did she do? Why was lady going outside, was it to get a hairbrush to spank her in the bathroom? Was it to get a bib? She was scared and wrapped her arms around David’s waist and leans her head on his arm.

 

Dean watches David as he looks up at him and realizes he is being asked something, he smiles “of course you can get steak, you might like it. If you want to get both you can always do that, just in case you don’t like the steak. It’s your choice.” Dean takes a chance and rubs David’s back slowly and gently, he wants to comfort his new son and put him at ease..

[Ishigreensa]

Susan smiled as she held out her fist for a fist bump, and she touched her little hand instead.

"Alright, sweetheart.  Pound it," she winked.  "Mommy will be right back."

Susan went out to the car and got the shoes, both of them, and brought them into the restaurant, and then over to the table where she showed Evie the one with the same color hair she saw in the picture she had colored.

"Here, you are, honey.  I'm sorry that you got scared when mommy was just trying to explain about being more careful when you grab me or other people.  But maybe your shoesies will help comfort you."

Then she handed her the other shoe.

"Just please don't forget them when we leave, okay?  I don't want a sad little princess because she left her favorite things behind."

Then she turned to Dean.

"I really didn't know what else to do to cheer her up.  She was so happy just before, and I want to make her as happy as we can make her."

 

David held onto his little sister when she grabbed him.  He could feel her shaking as though she was scared she was going to get hit for being in trouble, but he didn't dare ask her why she thought she was in trouble.  If Dean overheard them whisper, and she did something that might make him spank....  He decided to wait until later to ask Evie why she was scared of being in trouble.

He flinched when Dean first touched him, but as Dean started to rub his back, he relaxed and sighed.

"I can get both?" his eyes growing the size of silver dollars though his eyes were much bigger than his stomach!  "Really?  Can I?  I... I want both."

He smiled up at Dean.  Even if Dean was tricking him, like so many times, he had endured, it was still worth hoping that he could get a taste of the steak one, and have the chicken one to go back to if he didn't like the steak one.

[lebeau13]

Dean bends down “of course you can get both David, I wouldn’t want you to not eat because you didn’t like it.” He rubs his son’s back as he finishes up the order.

“one kids fajita with both chicken and steak for the young knight” he tells Holly. She nods and takes the order down.

”I’ll put the order in right away and bring the sodas over.” She smiles, turns and walks away back to the waitresses stand.

 

Dean and Evie watch as Susan comes back to the table. As Susan holds up her Lilly shoe Evie smiles and reaches for it, Lilly is really the only one she wanted anyways.

When Susan tries to hand her Moe she doesn’t even see that she brought it in and ignores Moe. Evelyn is in her own world and is catching Lilly up on what happened since they they were separated.  Only her and Lilly can hear the conversation and at one point she laughs at her shoe and agrees with Lilly. She doesn’t hear a word Susan says about remembering them when they leave, but she knows not to forget her shoes. 

Dean smiles down at Evie and then nods “I know and I think this is a great way to make her happy. I mean. Just look at her little happy face now, but I don’t think she heard you.”

 

Holly comes over to the table to brings their soda pops over, she puts two bendy straws down for the kids, one pink and one green and both are sparkly, and two normal straws for the adults. She sits the cups down where they are supposed to go and then quickly leaves as to not disrupt the family’s conversation.

[Ishigreensa]

Susan shrugged and nodded.

"Well, as long as she is happy.  That's all that really matters at the moment.  I can try to explain things again later, maybe when she is in a better listening mood."

She nodded at the waitress as she dropped off the sodas.

David smiled really big when his soda pop came.  He looked up at Dean and then at the class, and then back to Dean.  He wasn't sure if he was allowed to drink any yet or not.

"It's kind of sad that her favorite play thing is an old shoe," she whispered to Dean.  "But it's good that she at least has something she likes and has been able to hold on to.  I wonder if those shoes came from her real parents before they were put in the system.  I mean, you should have seen how small it was on her feet.  I'm surprised she doesn't have blisters all over her feet from as small as it was."

[lebeau13]

Dean took the straw out of the paper and showed David as he looked up at him. Dean grabbed David’s cup and brought it over to where he could reach and handed him the green sparkly bendy straw, “here is your drink for whenever you are thirsty. You can drink anytime you want.”

Evie heard that Dean said it was okay to drink and looked up at Susan to see if she was going to get her drink for her too. She was super thirsty.

Dean nods when Susan says that it’s sad that she only enjoys her old shoe “it wouldn’t surprise me if it’s her only connection to them. I’m surprised that her feet aren’t deformed from them if they are as small as you say they are.”

He continues taking with his wife. “Maybe we can take these cups with us since any we would get today would need washed before they can use them.”

[Ishigreensa]

"I've never taken cups from a restaurant before," Susan said.  "How do you find out if it's alright or not?"

Susan reached over and got Evie's drink, and made sure the lid was on it good so she couldn't spill it, and then put the straw in, and then she reached her hand towards her.

"You don't have to give me your shoe," she said.  "But can you put it somewhere safe, so that you can hold your cup with both hands?" Susan asked her.  She almost went on about how they didn't want any accidents, but then thought better of it, and closed her mouth after opening it.  She wouldn't want Evie to fear having an accident or to get upset if she did accidentally drop the cup.

David held his cup mostly with just one hand, but from time to time, he supported it with his other hand to make sure it didn't fall all over the place.  He really wanted to show these people that he was not such a little kid, and could do things big kids could, like hold a cup of soda without spilling it.

[lebeau13]

“We can always ask Holly when she comes back with our food if we can take the kids cups with us. What is that you always say to me... oh yeah, never hurts to ask.” He smiles at his wife and then winks at her if she meets his gaze.

Evie was looking at Susan while she was getting her cup ready, she nodded her head when she asked her if she could put it somewhere safe. She brings her leg up and puts her shoe on her foot for safe keeping, like she always does since it’s the safest place she knows. 

Once she has her shoe on her scrunched up foot she reaches for the cup with both hands held out open waiting for her cup.

Dean watches David with his cup and smiles knowing that he is trying his hardest to keep his cup under control, “you are doing a great job David!”

[Ishigreensa]

Susan really didn't like the idea of her putting it on her foot, but she also knew that taking the shoe away from her was not going to go well either.  She looked at Dean.

"Yeah, we can ask the waitress if you want."

David looked up at the man and smiled.  He liked being praised, but it was sort of new to him, so it made him blush a bit.

[lebeau13]

Dean smiled down at David and saw him blush. He knew that this must be a new experience for his son so he just keeps a watchful eye over him.

Soon the waitress appeared and passed out the food, she gave everyone the correct orders. As she sat down Dean’s plate he asks her “is it possible to take the kids cups with us?”

She responds in her usual bubbly personality “of course you can take them with you! That’s why we give you plastic ones! Anything else I can help your adorable family with?” She looks towards both Susan and Dean to answer the question, he shakes his head no, “nothing from me. Susan?”

[Ishigreensa]

Susan shrugged.

"I think we are fine, thank you."

David leaned over and put his hand on his sister's shoulder for a minute as he whispered to her.

"Remember to try to eat everything," he reminded her.  "We don't want to make them mad at us like the others used to get when we left anything on our plates at restaurant, right?"

He thought he was whispering, but as young kid, he still didn't have complete control over his voice, and so Dean and Susan could still hear him if they were paying attention.

He then straightened himself and looked up at Dean to make sure it was alright before reaching for his food to eat.

Susan smiled at him and she looked at Dean.  What should they tell them?  She didn't want to discourage them from eating, but she also didn't like the fact that they thought they had make themselves sick, if they got too full from eating.

[lebeau13]

Holly nodded “if you need anything just holler.” She turns and walks away to go tend to other customers.

As the food was handed to them Evie’s eyes were huge. It is exactly what she wanted, she claps her hands a little bit after she sat her cup on the table.

She is about to grab a slice of her quesadilla as David puts a hand on her shoulder, she listens to him as he reminds her to eat all of her food. She looks down at her plate and it’s an awful lot of food for her to eat but nods to her brother that she will try to eat it all. She doesn’t want to make the grown ups mad at her for not eating all, she looks up worried but sighs and nods again that she will try “I try” she tells him.

Dean isn’t sure what to say to the kids; he didn’t want them to over eat and be miserable. Maybe if/when the kids look like they are slowing down and getting full he will tell them that they don’t have to eat all of it so it doesn’t seem like they eavesdropped on their conversation.

As David looks up at him he nods his head “it’s alright to eat David, do you or Evie need a booster seat to see the table better?”

[Ishigreensa]

David nodded.

"Evie does.  Only no one usually pays any mind to it.  They always make her sit on her knees to eat at the restaurant, so if you don't want to bother the waitress, she can just do that.  She's used to it," David told him.

Truth be told though, even David could use a booster seat because his arms seemed to stick up from somewhere below the table to reach for his food, too.

David nodded when Evie said she would try.  He knew it was hard for her to finish at the restaurant sometimes.  And since Dean did get David both chicken and Steak Fajitas, it was going to be too much for him, too, but he wouldn't admit it because he was afraid of making them mad.

[lebeau13]

Dean listened and then looked at David himself, maybe he needed a booster seat too since he can’t see real well and asks his young son “are you sure you don’t need one too? It’s okay if you need one. It’s better to see what you are eating than just feel for it.”

He motioned for Holly to come over and when she approached he asks “can we please have two booster seats for the young’ens”

Holly smiles “sure, no problem; I’ll be right back.” She bounces off and comes back with two brown booster seats, on one side the chair part was lower than the other. 

Dean grabbed one from her “thanks so much, I think we can handle it from here.”

Holly nods and bounces off again, her long hair bouncing on her back as she walks away.

Dean is holding a booster seat and tries to hand the other one to Susan “here Susan, maybe you can help Evie with hers.”

After Susan has taken the booster seat from his hands he asks David “can you stand up for me a second son so I can put your chair underneath you and then you can get right back up and start eating.”

[Ishigreensa]

Dean was feeling mixed about the booster seat and Dean getting him one anyway.  On the one hand, Dean was right.  It was hard to eat sitting lower than the table, but on the other hand, it made himself seem more like a little kid, and he couldn't afford to be a little kid.  He had to be the big brother so that he could take care of his sister.  No matter how nice people started out, they always eventually started to be mean, and he had to be on his toes and ready to fill the slot of big brother to protect his little sister, who was still a baby, even if she didn't want to admit it.  Her body was still a baby.  She still couldn't stand up and pee properly, and she always got her clothes wet when she tried to go pee, even when she tried to go in the toilet.  She was a baby.  But he knew she was sensitive about it, and he would never call her one in front of other people and embarrass her like that.  At least not on purpose.

He also told his little sister to do what they told her so that they wouldn't be mad though, so he had to stand up and sit in the silly thing to make Dean happy.  Part of protecting his sister, meant swallowing his pride so that they didn't get mad and hurt his little sister over it.

Susan nodded and took the booster seat, and then she patted Evie on the back.

"Honey?  This is more comfortable than sitting on your knees the whole meal.  Can you let me put this under you so you can reach the table easier, honey?"

She smiled hoping to give off a friendly presence that would encourage her to go along with what she was asking.

[lebeau13]

Dean didn’t want to make David feel like he was anything else than the big kid he was. He could see a change in his face and empathizes with him, as he stands up so Dean can put the booster seat down “David, I know you are a big kid but sometimes we all need help, sometimes I need help scratching that one spot on my back that I can’t reach, and if needing a booster seat to help you like a wall helps me then there is nothing wrong with it.”

Evie was startled and jumped when Susan patted her back. Her pats felt like gentle slaps and it reminded her of some of the bad people from before. She prefers to be rubbed rather than patted.

She nodded and got down standing on her feet waiting to be picked up and sat back down since it’s tall and she can’t get up on her own.

He puts the booster seat down so that David is sitting in the lower seat since he doesn’t need that much help seeing over the table.

“It’s not forever, you will grow and not need it eventually. But I will always need the wall for my itchy spot.” He smiles down at David as he lifts his son into the booster seat. “There, now how is that? Can you see better?”

[Ishigreensa]

Susan noticed that Evie flinched when she patted her back, and she stopped immediately after twice.

"I'm sorry," Susan told her.  "I didn't mean to make you feel like you were going to be hit or something," she said.  "I was just trying to comfort you before I lifted you up.  I wanted to prepare you so you wouldn't be scared, sweetheart."

Susan then reached down and lifted her little girl up and sat her in the seat.

"Is it okay if I run your back, sweetheart?" she asked her once she had her back at the table.  "I'm not going to hurt you, sweetie."

David smiled up at Dean.

David thought Dean's point was way off base, but he still appreciated that Dean seemed to try to make it the same, and that it had nothing to do with how mature he was.

"Alright," David conceded and let Dean sit him in the seat so he could reach the table better.  

If Evie let her, Susan rubbed her back for a few seconds before letting her eat in peace to try to let her know that they were there to take care of the children.

[lebeau13]

Once Evie was lifted back in the chair she was scared, but she could actually see for once and was happy, her food looked yummy.

She nodded when Susan asked if she could rub her back. As Susan rubbed her back she was at first scared but then relaxed a little.

Dean thought of himself as a big kid, which is why he thought he would be a great dad. He could play with them on their level and make fools of themselves. That way they would all have great memories in the future, but he knew that this would take awhile.

She grabbed for her cup and accidentally tipped it over. The lid was secure enough that it didn’t drip out the cup, just out of the straw. The water only got on the table and not on the clothes. 

Evie was scared she would be in trouble and quickly tried to pick up her cup but kept fumbling it around making a bigger mess.

Dean saw the mess happening and didn’t get mad instead he grabbed some paper towels and handed them towards Susan since she was closer to the mess. “It’s  okay Evie, accidents happen. No need to worry.” He reassures her as his hand passes in front of David’s face holding the paper towels.