Chapter Two
"Kathleen! Richard! Time for breakfast!" Kathleen's eyes jerked open at the sound of her father's voice. She sleepily got out of bed and shuffled over to her dresser. She selected a pair of jeans and a t-shirt and changed into them. She made her bed and started on her hair. After brushing it through she pulled it into a ponytail and grabbed a headband. She shuffled down the stairs following the smell of pancakes and strawberries.
"Good morning sleepyhead." Dad greeted her.
"Morning Dad." Kathleen said yawning and reaching for a pancake. She slathered it with butter then poured a couple spoonfuls of strawberry sauce over the top. "Hasn't Ricky come down yet?" Kathleen asked after she dug in. As if in answer they heard loud footsteps on the stairs as Richard came galloping down.
"Slow down young man." Dad said as he sipped his coffee.
"Where's Mom?" Richard asked looking around.
"She went to breakfast with some of the ladies from church and then she had some shopping to do."
"Oh."
"Which means I'll be making lunch." Kathleen said finishing her pancake. She set her dishes on the counter while she unloaded the dishwasher. "I wonder what I should make. We have breaded chicken patties….I'll make chicken sandwiches. Everybody likes those right?" Kathleen asked as she put the soup pot away.
"Of course!" Richard and Dad answered at the same time.
"Haha. OK I'll work on that later." Kathleen walked over to her desk and turned on her computer. She quickly checked her email then pulled up iTunes. "Nope, nothing new I'd listen too." Kathleen closed down the site and went back up to her room to grab her iPod. She turned it on and shuffled to The Rubyz. Singing along as she flopped onto her bed with her book. She read page after page of "Sleeping Murder" following Gwenda as she tried to figure out why she was remembering things that couldn't have happened. Suddenly someone's hands slid over her eyes covering them. Kathleen shrieked as she tried to break free. Then she heard Dad's laughter.
"I scared you good! You should have seen your face." He laughed.
"Dad! Don't do that when I'm reading Agatha Christie!" Kathleen scolded slipping her bookmark into the book. She looked at her clock and gasped. 12:30! Where had the time gone? Kathleen ran downstairs and turned on the oven. She placed 4 chicken patties on a baking sheet and stuck them in the oven. She set the timer for 20 minutes and sighed with relief before turning to the fridge to grab the vegetables. She peeled off some slices of lettuce and cut some tomato before putting them back in the fridge to keep cool. She set 4 places at the table and added a pitcher of water. Now I can relax. She thought turning again towards her computer. She spent ten minutes surfing the web before
the timer beeped. Kathleen pulled out the chicken and flipped them over before putting them back in for another 5 minutes. Then pulling them out and placing them on a plate on the table along with the lettuce, tomato, buns and mayonnaise.
Lucy arrived at 2 minutes to 1:00. She knocked softly on the back door. Please open the door. She thought. The longer I'm out here the more time I have to lose my nerve! Kathleen opened the door with a smile.
"Hello!" She said. "Come on in. Lunch is ready, I just have to call Dad and Ricky." She ran to the stairs and called up. "Dad! Ricky! Lunch!" Ricky instantly came galloping down the stairs with Dad at his heels. "Dad, Ricky. This is Lucy. Lucy this is Ricky and my father Mr. McKenzie."
"Hello." Lucy said softly looking at her feet.
"Well, shall we sit down?" Kathleen said. The foursome quickly sat. After passing the food around and everyone had taken a bite of their sandwich, Ricky was the first to break the silence.
"So Lucy." He said. "Where are your parents? Don't you have any relatives?" Lucy's face fell at the questions.
"My parents died eight years ago." She said softly. "I'm not sure if I have any relatives."
"Oh". Richard was silent for a while as he tried to imagine what it would be like to not have parents or relatives.
"It's not so bad." Lucy looked at him. "Mr. and Mrs. Andrews are going to try and help me find my relatives."
"That's good. I hope you find an uncle, and an aunt and lot n' lots of cousins!" Richard said cheering up.
"Me too." Kathleen added smiling at Lucy before steering the conversation away from Lucy. After lunch Lucy insisted on helping Kathleen clean up and as the girls talked and worked Lucy began to smile. Soon she was laughing right along with Kathleen. After they finished the kitchen they went up to Kathleen's room. Kathleen showed Lucy her dolls and her book and CD collection.
"I love The Rubyz!" Lucy exclaimed when she saw Kathleen's CD. "I heard some of their songs at my last foster home. One of the other girls there had the CD. I love their song '13'."
"That's my favorite too!" Kathleen said putting the CD in. "Here we can listen to it." The girls talked, laughed, listened, and sang along with the CD. Suddenly Lucy seemed to remember something and asked.
"What time is it?" Kathleen checked her watch.
"Almost 4:00. Why?"
"Oh my gosh. I'm sorry Katie but I have to go. Mrs. Andrews-er Aunt Jane was expecting me by 3:15."
"Oh that's OK." Kathleen said as the girls walked back downstairs. "I'll see you in church tomorrow."
"OK. Bye!"
"Bye."
Lucy ran down the steps and into the Andrews house. Kathleen watched until she was inside then closed her door. I really think Lucy and I are going to be friends! She thought. We're certainly off to a good start.
"I'm home!" Mrs. McKenzie called as she walked in the door arms full of groceries.
"Mom!" Kathleen said from the living room where she was reading. "I started dinner. I'm just warming up the stew from last night."
"Excellent Katie." Mrs. McKenzie said putting away groceries. "How was your visit with Lucy?"
"It was great! I really think we're going to be friends. I got her to smile." Kathleen said stirring the stew.
"That's good dear." Mom said. "Good you set the table. Where are Ricky and your father?"
"Playing with Ricky's soldiers up in his room."
"Aha, I figured they'd be up there. Looks like you can call them down for dinner now."
"OK. Dad! Ricky! Dinner!"
"Charge!" Came Dad's voice as the two of them thundered down the stairs. Kathleen and Mom laughed as the family sat down to dinner. I can't wait for tomorrow to see Lucy again. I hope she likes me as much as I like her!
As Lucy sat down to dinner with Aunt Jane and Uncle Robert she reflected on the day. I think Katie and I are off to a good start as friends. I can't wait to see her tomorrow!
The next morning Kathleen and Lucy were able to sit together at church. They shared a hymnal and Kathleen discovered that Lucy had a very lovely voice. I wonder what other things I'll find out about her?
