KASE STUDY

KASE STUDY   By Tessa Harvey     Belle was astounded to find that their dog had had a secret life. His puppy had been born at a neighbouring farm and the children were allowed to keep him. He was adorable and looked so much like his dad. The children called him Fred!     Belle was going through some of Rosa's old correspondence. She found a sheet of computer paper. The Lord's Prayer was printed on part of it and there were notes next to the verse that said "forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us." The notes read that unforgiveness is a quest for control, binding those who refuse to forgive in the past, the frozen past.     There were also hospital appointments for Rosa. Apparently there was an inoperable brain tumour. Luke came in just at that point. He gasped, reading Rosa's notes. "She told me it was minor women's problems." He looked pale and sweat had broken out on his forehead. "Rosa wanted you and dad to go so there was...

KASE STUDY   By Tessa Harvey     Belle woke up feeling she was not alone. The sun was streaming through the windows. She glanced round the room and her heart skipped a beat when she saw her three grandchildren clustered around the edge of her bed.     Silver and Willow were dressed in what they called distressed jeans with rumpled tops that looked slept in.     Felix was hiding the fact that he was sucking his thumb, a sure sign of his distress. Belle has woken from a dream of a small boy in brown, gold and blue clothes. Felix was dressed exactly like the child in her dreams.     She wondered what this meant. She was tired and her head ached.           "Guys," she said somewhat croakily, "what gives?" "Mum has gone with the police," Willow replied, her voice soft and uncertain. "Can you look after us, with dad?" "Grandad doesn't need you now," added Silver. "We will be good." "And I want to come too," whispered S...

KASE STUDY  By Tessa Harvey     Belle tossed and turned in the small guest bedroom. The funeral had been harrowing. The children had all cried, almost inconsolable and her son was visibly upset.      The minister had spoken warmly of the faith her husband had maintained through all manner of difficulties, including war. He had quoted Kase when he had once remarked: "My life is a Kase study for God!" One or two friends had smiled, but she remembered how he had suffered - the trauma of war in desperate nightmares, the agony of a broken shoulder, when he had slipped, felling a dead tree, his immense love for her, for his family, for his God, his work and his dog far more faithful than his own flesh and blood.     No, she could not forgive. If it made her hard and bitter, still she would not forgive her son and his wife.     They had hurt her husband physically and emotionally, alienated his grandchildren and severely damaged their special d...

KASE STUDY  By Tessa Harvey     Again Belle dialed the emergency services as she stumbled, crying, to the nearby house. She roused her son with difficulty - he had been drinking. She had never known him to be a hard drinker before.     "Our house is burning! Get dad out!" In desperation, she yanked his bed covers off. Belle found a wet flannel in the ensuite and dripped very cold water over him. "Get your dad out," she repeated in desperation, "but don't lose your own life. Kase is dead."     Remembering, she went to rouse Rosa. Here the smell of petrol overrode the stench of drink. What was happening here? she thought, but there was no time. The two girls peered round the doorway, afraid. "Don't hurt our mum," Willow whispered. It's too late for that, Belle thought wildly. Rosa has already damaged herself and so much more. So many more.     Already she could hear sirens. The ambos and police and firies were almost here. They must hav...

KASE STUDY  By Tessa Harvey     Rosa lay in bed, seething, staring at the darkened ceiling. How dare her husband defy her? Where she lived, all was as it should be. Women ruled. Full stop. That's it. A matriarchal society.     Why should his parents hang around? Allowing them to live here was their duty. Also they all had helped to build the small house. It should be theirs too. The old man had something disgusting, called blood cancer. They had relatives overseas. Well, they could go there to die.     Not only her husband was against her, but now the children! Their duty was to obey.     Luke had even said to her: "If you cut off the kids from the grandparents, they will also do the same to you one day. What goes around comes around."     How ridiculous! When her children were grown, even before, it was their duty to look after her.     Then a wonderful idea occurred to Rosa. It was brilliant! It would only cost a little ...

KASE STUDY   By Tessa Harvey     What was happening here? Then he remembered pushing his father and guilt stirred his spirit. "Let's go visit nan and pops!" The girls looked delighted. Felix looked wary, almost happy, but worried. "Hey mate, High Five!" Luke reached out his hand, remembering just in time not to be too rough.     He hadn't been a good father, he thought, nor a good son.     Belle opened the door cautiously. "It's fine," Luke reassured her. "I owe dad an apology. Wordlessly, Belle opened the door wider. Kase stood up, his pose combative and watchful. There was a large bandaid on his chin. Had Luke made his own dad bleed? Suddenly he saw him as the old warrior he was. Once he had fought in Vietnam for his country, training dogs to track and protect in the jungle. And his country had treated these brave, battle-scarred heroes with disdain, returning them home quietly as though ashamed. "Dad, I'm sorry." His voice...

KASE STUDY  By Tessa Harvey     Luke tossed and turned in his sleep. His dreams were vivid and painful. Finally, Rosa dug an elbow in his side. "Out," she whispered, fiercely, "I need my sleep."     Groggily, Luke complied, groping his way to the spare room. He fell into a deep sleep, waking early.     There were faint noises from the nearby kitchen, crockery rustling, food packets. He had left his bedroom door open and saw the gleam of the fridge light several times, and furtive whispers. Slowly, he crept out of the room, wrapping a blanket around his waist, then flicking on the lower beam kitchen light/     A trio of faces looked at him - Willow startled but looking defiant.     Silver looked like a deer caught in the headlights, a bowl of cereal in one hand, a glass of Milo in the other - or rather a glass of Milo with a sprinkle of milk!     Felix was backing away, beginning to cry. This shocked him.Where was his feist...

KASE STUDY  By Tessa Harvey     The diminutive woman bounced into the room, seeming to fill the small lounge and kitchen with her anger. Face set hard, she headed for Felix who was backing away, bent like a pretzel, hands cupped over his privates.     Belle felt angry and disgusted . What kind of mother would hit her son in such an area. The boys fear-filled eyes were focused on his mum. Kase stepped forward.     "Morning, Rosa. Fancy a coffee? Lovely day." He inserted himself between Felix and Rosa quietly, one hand behind him in a signal to get the child out by the kitchen door.     "Your husband pushed me down the steps this morning," Kase continued in a calming monotone though his words were incendiary, successfully diverting the younger woman's attention.     Rosa smiled. "It wasn't pretty, so your son has guts after all." She walked out.     "Exit stage left," muttered Belle shakily, turning to clear the breakfast di...

KASE STUDY  By Tessa Harvey     He sped up the steps to their house followed by a breakfast-hungry dog, panting loudly. There were drops of blood on the top step. Nana opened the door and noticed.     "Pops dropped a bit of blood." The bustling older woman grabbed a wet cloth with one hand, deleting the drops and with the other, pulling the little lad close, all the while glancing around. "You alone, Felix?" He nodded. "Has that blood monster got Pops? Will it get all of Pop's blood? Will he die?" Suddenly Felix did something he hadn't done for a few years, opening his mouth wide and bawling. The noise echoed.     Pops came around into the lounge. "Hey buddy, mate. What's wrong? Cat got your tongue?"     That last remark did the trick. The howls subsided to shaky sobs. "Cat's can't get tongues, Pops. That's silly. They already got tongues. I want to see the pretty colours and the ice and I'm hungry - I crept out,...

KASE STUDY  By Tessa Harvey     It had been wrinkled when they had first plastered it to the wall. Uncertain, they had gone to bed. In the morning, it had smoothed out perfectly. The hand of God marvelled Belle, tousled and sleepy, dark hair unbrushed, patches fluffed or flattened in sleep.      Disheveled from a restless night, Kase reached out for her hand and gazed at the lovely picture.     Belle helped him to a soft lounge chair. Riba raised her head  from her large luxurious dog basket near the fire. She looked at them both hopefully. "Out first, Riba, then food." Obediently, the kelpie stiffly stood and stretched, then headed for the door.     Belle opened it to the sunlight streaming through the new glass windows. The whole family had helped build this place. Willow, the eldest grandchild slid on the plastic wrapped pink batts with her siblings.     Felix crept as quietly as he could back from the big long-beamed l...

KASE STUDY  By Tessa Harvey     The old man teetered on the steps. Agonised, he could feel himself falling, centre of balance altering irrevocably. He swayed and crashed down on the wooden planks, his head hitting each one. He landed in a crumpled heap, shocked and dazed.     Slowly, memory coalesced. His son had pushed him. No, he thought. Never. He is annoyed with us, but not actual bodily harm - yet his son swung lightly around him, using the rail they had made together to vault over Kase.     Without a word, and without a glance, he headed to their old home over the wooden bridge.     As the elderly man tried to roll and stand, a voice hissed: "Get up, old man. Your grandchildren are coming. Do you want them to see you crawling like a dog?" The brown face of his daughter-in-law swan into focus.     Then Kase heard a car draw up, skidding slightly on the gravel. Despite his pain and discomfort, he grinned. He thought - Belle alwa...