Chapter 410: 1-5

And even though she didn't need to show us support or thanks for staying here with them, she did. The smile alone on my Julia's face was enough, but to know how Oakley wanted to show us her support blew my mind. I knew I wasn't in Pat's shoes, but damn. It was different, so much so that I couldn't understand so many things from back home. 'Oakley just isn't giving Sarah and Amelia a chance Grant...' 'Sarah tries so hard to be there for Oakley and it's like... a wasted effort Grant... I just don't know what to do anymore...' 'You should see the hatred she has for that little girl... I'm trying to be there for the both of them, but they are complete opposites...' 'I just don't understand Oakley, I love her... but I don't understand her and it hurts to say that as a parent...' 'Has no respect for anyone but Ben and I...' 'An immature phase... once she gets a bit older... she'll see the beauty of having a mother...' Comment after comment, after memory all just replaying in my mind, of Pat and the many conversations we had, each time his view and opinion all everyone had to go on really since he was the one in the house with Oakley. Now? I lived with the girl... I'm not sure if he just didn't see her for who she was, or if she'd changed completely but I was waiting for the rude, immature little girl that behaved selfishly to make an appearance. Since November - nearly four months now - and I had yet to see the little girl he described to me. There were some things that I saw, her shyness that led to her being a bit unsure around large groups, but she was never rude to Julia. Spent time with Ben, us, Chelsea... was training to use her gift... was studying when you told her too and reading at all times of the night. She cried quite a bit which I loathed but - "Hey what's got you so deep in thought?" Julia whispered standing and coming to me. Sighing heavily, "Oakley and - and just how this thing with Kieran is playing out right now... I mean she's a walking zombie Julia... and he isn't doing that much better," I purged telling her what I could, but she lived with Oakley... she saw the dark circles underneath her eyes and the smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Do you know what's bothering him?" she asked concern in her eyes for Oakley, and Kieran as well. I nodded, "I just... I have a session with him but I can't push him to allow contact with him..." I shrugged. "I didn't think that he would even consider talking to me," I said as we walked out of the nursery and down the stairs, "I just... I wanted to check on him and he started talking..." I said with a bit of awe. "You sound surprised? You're an excellent therapist," I smiled shyly at my wife, who I truly believed sometimes only saw the good things in me, and then still saw them better than they truly were. "I hate that they're each suffering, but at the same time, I think it's honorable that Oakley is respecting his wishes and leaving him alone..." I said once we entered the kitchen, wrapping my arms around Julia, kissing the side of her head gently. Sighing as I prayed silently that this all worked itself out. And I believed it would... once Kieran learned that he wasn't the monster he saw himself as. Entering the house, muddied and dragging Ben and Oakley nodded toward Julia and I, "How was the training?" I asked them both, a glass of water in my hands, Ben narrowed his eyes, lifted his hand, and the glass shook. Slowly the water lifted and as he bit his lip I saw that the clear liquid took shape but before he could full transform it into what I believe was a triangle it fell to the ground with a swoosh. Chuckling, "Maybe next time it falls back into my glass?" Julia snorted behind me. "Clean that up Grant, I don't want to have any accidents," the order quick and serious. Reaching for the towel, I lifted a brow at Oakley, "I'm not sure mine is safe to use inside the house... it's still not shrinking down... unless you want me shock you for a long period of time until you wet yourself?" she said dryly. With Julia chuckling behind me, I shook my head, leaning down to clean up the water, "I'm okay Oakley." Nodding she went up to her room, Ben and I looking after her. "I'm having dinner at Kayla's tonight," he announced with a goofy smile on his face, "Oh," he bounced back down from the two steps he did take. "Gabriel said the material for our boat is here!" the excitement in his voice, wonderful to hear. "Then, soon, we'll start," I said nodding watching as he blew up the stairs to shower and change. "So it's just Oakley, You and I tonight?" Julia murmured before continuing to tell me all about the knitting Greta and her were working on for the baby until I was preparing to leave to see Kieran and Oakley ran down the stairs. Her face flushed and her skin clean once again, she jumped and swayed from foot to foot, "I uhm - I made this for - Kieran," she pushed out a record player towards me and held one hand back with a piece of paper, her eyes downcast. I waited. "I wrote him this note... I know he can't read it but - can you - will you-" she stammered stopping, her shoulders hunched forward, "Can you read it for him?" she asked her eyes sad. "Sure Oak," I nodded putting my hand out to take the paper. "Thank you," she whispered as I turned and left the house, giving Julia a grim smile over my shoulder, knowing that she would try to offer Oakley some comfort.