Chapter One
Kathleen knew she would never forget this day. It had started out as any normal day of summer vacation………
Kathleen- or Katie as her friends called her-was playing with her dolls in the backyard. Suddenly her younger brother Richard-or Ricky-called out "Look out Katie!" Kathleen looked up just in time to see a small softball land in the middle of where her dolls were having the 10th Annual Summer Festival.
"Ricky! Watch where you hit this thing!" Kathleen shouted as she threw the ball back to where her brother was standing with a bat. Then she turned back to her fallen dolls and began standing them up.
"Sorry!" Ricky called back as he started tossing the ball up and down, practicing catching it with one hand. "Oops." He muttered as he dropped the ball.
He really needs to practice which direction that ball goes. Kathleen thought practice, which reminds me I have an Irish dance competition this weekend. I should probably work on that jig that's been giving me so much trouble. Kathleen picked up her iPod and turned it on. She shuffled through the songs until she found the one she was dancing too. She put on her headphones and hit 'play'. As Kathleen danced she concentrated hard on matching her movements to the music, coaching herself in her thoughts. Point your toe. Jump higher! Keep your hands at your sides. Her shiny auburn curls bounced as she moved swiftly through the dance and her green eyes were shining. She finished the last steps and bowed before turning off her iPod and slumping down on the grass. She stared at the sky just in time to see Richard's ball fly over her head and over the fence.
"Oh no!" Richard who was still standing had seen where his ball had gone. "It went through the open window of Mrs. Andrew's car."
"Well we'd better go get it." Kathleen said as she stood up.
"Mrs. Andrews is still in the car. She had just driven up! And there's a girl in the front seat. Wonder who she is."
"Come on." Kathleen said ruffling her little brother's blond hair. The two children approached Mrs. Andrews car.
"Hello Katie, Ricky." Mrs. Andrews greeted them cheerfully. "Lose something?"
"Yes Mrs. Andrews." Richard said blushing. "My ball."
"Here it is." Mrs. Andres said handing him his ball.
"Thank you Mrs. Andrews!" Richard said just before he bolted back towards his yard. Kathleen turned to follow him but Mrs. Andrews stopped her.
"Katie this is Lucy." She nodded towards the girl Richard had seen. She was standing quietly by the car looking shyly at Kathleen.
"Hi Lucy! I'm Kathleen McKenzie, my friends call me Katie." Kathleen greeted enthusiastically. "Are you visiting Mr. and Mrs. Andrews?"
"No Katie." Mrs. Andrews said. "She's living with us. Lucy is our foster child."
"Oh." For a minute Kathleen was silent as she looked more closely at Lucy. Lucy had shoulder-length pale blond hair. Her skin was pale too. Lucy was wearing blue jeans, a purple t-shirt and sneakers. But it was her eyes that struck Kathleen most. Big and blue they had an expression of sadness and pain Kathleen knew she would never forget. Finally Kathleen found her voice. "Well, Lucy I hope we're going to be good friends. How old are you?"
"13." Lucy said shyly.
"I'm 13 too!" Kathleen said "What grade are you in?"
"9th."
"Me too! We'll probably be going to the same school. Right, Mrs. Andrews?"
"Yes Katie." Mrs. Andrews said smiling. She knew that Kathleen would do all she could to make Lucy as happy as she was.
"Do you want to come over to my house tomorrow?" Kathleen asked Lucy. "It's the big yellow house right next door."
"May I Mrs. Andrews?" In her heart Lucy longed for a friend and she found herself drawn to Kathleen's bubbly personality.
"Of course Lucy and I told you. You don't have to call me Mrs. Andrews. That goes for Mr. Andrews as well. You're living in our home. Aunt Jayna and Uncle Robert OK?"
"OK Mrs.-I mean Aunt Jayna." Lucy said smiling for the first time.
"Goodbye Katie." Mrs. Andrews said "It's time to start dinner."
"Oh!" Kathleen exclaimed. "I have to get home and set the table. Goodbye Mrs. Andrews, bye Lucy it was nice meeting you! You can come over tomorrow about 1:00." Then she turned and ran towards her house. Mrs. Andrews watched her until she walked inside then she turned to Lucy who was holding her suitcase of belongings.
"Come on dear. Let's go start dinner."
Kathleen ran into the house calling excitedly "Mom, Mom! You'll never guess what happened!"
"What is it Kathleen?" Mom answered from where she was standing by the stove stirring something in a big pot. "Hurry now and set the table." Kathleen grabbed the flowered plates from the cupboard and quickly set them in four places around the table.
"The Andrews have a girl staying with them." Kathleen said as she set the silverware around.
"Oh yes Jayna told me about that. A foster child named Lucy, correct? Oh and Kathleen, use bowls instead of plates. We're having soup."
"Yes ma'am." Kathleen smiled as she put the plates back and set bowls on the table. As she arranged the cups and napkins she continued. "Lucy seems like a nice girl. She's my age and she's in the same grade. Mrs. Andrews also said that she'll be going to the same school as me. Oh and I invited Lucy to come over here tomorrow. About 1:00."
"All right dear, but you'd better go bring your poor dolls inside. I believe it's going to rain in a couple hours."
"Oh my gosh!" Kathleen cried as she ran outside and grabbed her dolls. She brought them inside and took them up to her room. She was just finishing putting them in their places on her shelf when she heard the front door open and her father's voice boomed out.
"I'm home!"
"Dad!" Kathleen called as she ran down the stairs. Richard close behind her. They reached their father at the same time and squeezed in for a group hug. "You'll never guess what happened today!" Kathleen smiled. "I'll tell you at dinner."
"Well, then you can tell him now." Mom smiled as she placed the pot on the
table. "Dinner's ready." The family sat down and Dad asked a blessing over the food. Bowls were passed, filled and the family started eating.
"Now Katie what was it you wanted to tell me?" Mr. McKenzie asked after taking a spoonful of the stew. "Mmm, delicious my dear! Beef correct?" Mom smiled with pleasure.
"Correct, but I think you had better listen to what Katie has to say before she explodes."
"Oh, right. What did you want to tell me dear?"
"The Andrews are being foster parents to a girl." Kathleen started. "Her name is Lucy, she's 13 and she's in the same grade as me! She'll be going to the same school……." As Kathleen told Dad all about Lucy she thought about the look she'd seen in Lucy's eyes. She had seemed sad yes, and lonely but there was something else…..something Kathleen couldn't quite put her finger on. "…..and I invited her over for lunch tomorrow." Kathleen finished
"Well, seems you've had an exciting day." Dad noted as he ate the last few spoonfuls of his stew.
"She's probably longing for a friend as much as you are the poor dear." Mom said. "Shuffled around from foster home to foster home. That's no life for a child." She added as she began to clear the table. Kathleen nodded as she cleared her place. She put her spoon and glass in the dishwasher, scraped and rinsed her bowl then put it in too. Mom put the left-over stew in a Tupperware container in the fridge and put the pot in the dishwasher. Richard put his dishes in just as Kathleen poured in the soap. She closed the door and hit start. The dishwasher came to life with it's usual growling noise. Kathleen smiled as she grabbed the dish rag to wipe off the table.
After the family finished cleaning the kitchen they sat in the living room. Mr. and Mrs. McKenzie talked while Richard played with his toy soldiers on the floor and Kathleen read. The clock soon began to chime out that it was 8:00.
"Time for me bonny lad an' lassie to go to bed." Mr. McKenzie said smiling and playing up his Scottish accent.
"Goodnight Mom, goodnight Dad." Kathleen said standing up and yawning. She slowly started to climb the stairs. Richard soon followed, his arms full of 3 inch figures. Kathleen flipped on her room light and closed her door. She quickly changed into her pajamas before flopping onto her bed and pulling her diary from beneath the pillows.
June 2, 2008
Dear Diary,
Today I met someone. Her name is Lucy and she's a foster child. She's staying with my neighbors the Andrews. She seems nice. She's my age and will be going to the same school. We're even in the same grade! I hope we can be friends. I'd really like to be her friend. Will she be mine? I'll find out soon enough. She's coming over for lunch tomorrow.
Love, Katie
Kathleen smiled as she closed her diary and slipped it back under the pillow. She slipped under her quilt and pushed her favorite purple blanket to the end of the bed. She lay back and was soon asleep.
In her room Lucy was thinking about Kathleen. I wonder how many siblings she has. I know she has a brother. What was his name? Ricky. I hope we can be friends. I've never stayed in a foster home long enough to make any real friends. Please God, you're the only real friend I've ever had but I want a friend my own age! Like Katie. Lucy's thoughts faded as she drifted off to sleep.