Page 15 of Who We Think We Are
K ate wakes up early and watches the sunrise over the buildings outside her hotel window.
The ancient church tower and the high-rise both glow in the rising sun.
As she looks at the old buildings and cobblestone streets, she imagines a teenage Oma walking through the city, defying her family and choosing to have a baby for Hitler.
There is absolutely nothing Kate can summon in her own life or in her relationship with Oma that can help her understand that same person she always knew making that choice.
I have to keep going. I have to understand and know what happened .
She can’t really explain it rationally, but she knows she won’t stop now until she uncovers the whole truth, or at least everything she can possibly find out.
Now, she has to go and tell Kelli they need to stay here longer.
When she gets on the train, she checks her text messages.
Kelli texted her last night to say she was sleeping on the boat.
I’m glad I didn’t see that last night, or I wouldn’t have slept at all.
Kate arrives at the houseboat before Kelli is awake. She makes them tea and French toast. The smell of the French toast baking in the oven wakes up Kelli, who shuffles into the kitchen wrapped in a robe, her hair messy. Kate loves to see her children that way, so innocent, unpolished, and trusting.
“Good morning, pet.” Kate gives Kelli a kiss on top of her head and puts a mug of hot tea in her hand.
“Hi, Mom. You got here early. How was your research day?”
“Enlightening. How was your day hanging out with your cousins?”
“So much fun! I told them you and I went to the red-light district in Amsterdam.”
“You didn’t! They’ll think I’m a horrible mother!”
“They thought it was cool. They said there was something hilarious that I needed to see: where the red-light district used to be in Utrecht. Don’t worry; it’s not the red-light district anymore.
Hang on, I took a picture of it.” Kelli scrolls through her phone to find the picture.
She shows Kate an image of a street sign. The street is called Hardebollenstraat.
“You’ve got to be kidding,” Kate laughs. “Hard Balls Street. That is hilarious!”
“Right!? Mmmm, this French toast is good, Mom. What are we going to do on our last day here?”
“Thanks. We’ve got to go and visit de ooms. But Kelli, there’s something I need to tell you.”
Kelli sighs and looks out the window. Then she looks back at Kate. “What, Mom? I hate it when you say that. It’s never good news.”
“We need to stay in the Netherlands longer. I have to do more research.”
Kelli sits straight up on the bench. “I figured that might happen. One day for research isn’t that long. You can stay, but I’m going home.”
“But I thought you might want to hang out here more.”
“No, Mom. We agreed to come here for a week. You were right. A change of scenery was good for me, but I don’t want to try to keep myself busy while you’re off doing whatever you’re doing. Doing your research is for you, Mom. Not for me. I’m ready to go home.”
“You’re right, Kelli. I’m sorry. I’m being selfish. I’ll go home with you. I can try to do my research from there.”
“No. I want to hang out at home with Dad and see my friends. You’ve got a lot going on, Mom, and you don’t want to talk to me about it.
I know you’re trying to protect me; I don’t know what from, but you are super intense, and there is a lot of drama.
No offense, but I just need to hang out and have peace and quiet so I can figure out what I want to do next. ”
“Have you talked to your father about this already?” asks Kate, pretending she isn’t hurt.
“No, Mom. I literally just found out you want to stay longer.”
“Don’t call him. Let’s go home tomorrow as planned. I want to talk to Suze and Grandad, and I can tell him in person about my plans to come back here.”
“That’s what I mean, Mom. Drama. But OK.”
Kate calls Tamara to tell her she and Kelli are going home tomorrow and arrange to get the whole family together for dinner. As a thank you, Kate will order Indonesian food for everyone.
Tamara says, “Alright, Kate, we’ll have dinner at my house. It has the most space.”
“Thank you, Tamara. I appreciate that. Kelli and I are arranging everything: dinner, dessert, wine, and beer. If you could just have coffee and tea, that would be wonderful.”
“You’re not planning any surprises, are you?” asks Tamara.
“What do you mean?”
“You know very well what I mean, Kate. Don’t play dumb. I’m talking about the research you did in The Hague. You’re not planning on pulling some nonsense with the whole family there?”
“No, Tamara, I am not, I promise. Kelli and I just want to get together with you and say thank you.”
After Kate hangs up, Kelli asks, “Are you planning to spring something on them, Mom?”
“Oh, ye of little faith. No, I’m not. The next phase of my research has nothing to do with them. I won’t be returning to Utrecht, so there’s no point in discussing it with them.”
Tamara doesn’t know anything, and de ooms want to live inside their secrets. Who am I to stop them? I will get to the bottom of this, but they are not the ones who will help me.
“Are you ever going to tell me, Mom?”
“Yes, but not yet. I want to find out more and share the story all at once. I know, drama! But you need to trust that I think I’m doing what is best. Now, let’s go get stuff for dinner.”
“Do we have to have Indonesian again? We just had it.”
“Yes. I’m addicted. Plus, it’s good for feeding a group.”
They have a perfectly delightful dinner with de ooms and Tamara and her family. Kate is true to her word; she doesn’t bring up any surprises or nonsense. Even she is a bit surprised.
The following day, Kate and Kelli fly home to Vancouver.
Jake is there to greet them when they exit customs. “It’s so good to have both of my girls back,” says Jake, putting an arm around each of them as they walk toward the car.