Kristy sat at her desk, working on her English homework. She was so into it that she didn't hear David Michael knock at her door, and was startled when he came up from behind her and tapped her on the shoulder.
"Dinner's ready Kristy," He informed her.
Kristy set down her pen on her notebook, and turned around in her chair. She smiled. "Thanks buddy, what are we having?"
David Michael shrugged. "Watson is making something. Mom says that we are supposed to come down right now."
"Okay," Kristy said. "Tell mom that I'll be right down."
David Michael ran out of the room, and Kristy stood up slowly from her chair. She wasn't really too thrilled at the concept of a family dinner. Though the last few days had been calm, most of the time she was unsure of weather or not people were acting real, or pretending for the benefit of some sort of happy family act.
Kristy walked downstairs. To her surprise, the rest of her family was already seated at the table, talking and laughing. She took her place quickly and helped herself to the bowls of food that were being passed around. After a few minutes, that camaraderie subsided, and something like silence descended on the kitchen as everyone became focused on the task at hand.
"Enjoy the peacefulness," Elizabeth said smiling. "Things are going to get a little crazy in a few days when Karen and Andrew move back in."
"I'm tired of Karen," David Michael grumbled. He perked up. "But Andrew is fun."
"When is that happening again Mom?" Sam asked, his mouth full.
Elizabeth shot David Michael a look, then turned to Sam. "We're going to pick them up Friday. They'll be here when you return from your dinner with Patrick."
"We're going out to dinner with my dad?" David Michael squeaked.
Elizabeth slowly shook her head. "Just Charlie, Sam, and Kristy, honey. You're going with us to the airport to pick up Karen and Andrew."
"But I want to go out to dinner!" David Michael exclaimed, throwing his silverware down on his plate.
Watson cleared his throat. "Your mother and I talked about it, son. We just feel that you are a little too young."
"We can take care of him, you know," Kristy posed.
"Yeah," Sam added. "It's not a big deal. He should come if he wants to."
David Michael looked over from his mother, to Watson, and his mother again. "Please," he begged, his eyes shining.
At this point, Kristy felt horrible for her little brother. Sure, she didn't think that Patrick was that great, but at least she had the opportunity to see him a few times a year. And she couldn't blame David Michael for wanting to know his dad. She just didn't really understand why no one wanted him to go. She didn't think that it wouldn't be that big of a deal.
"I'm sorry David Michael, but you're coming with us to the airport, and that's final," Watson said firmly.
David Michael crossed his arms, and Kristy could tell that he was trying not to cry. She looked across the table to see her mother and Nannie having a silent conversation between them, while Watson excused himself to pour another glass of whatever he was drinking. Kristy sighed, and put down her fork. Suddenly, she wasn't so hungry anymore.
"I'm going to Abby's," Kristy said suddenly.
"That's fine honey," Elizabeth said absently as she attempted to console David Michael.
Kristy walked across her yard and into Abby's, wishing that she had thought to grab a jacket before she had left. Her fall leaves sweatshirt wasn't enough for the cool November evening.
The Stevenson's garage door was open, and Mrs. Stevenson's Lexus wasn't inside, so Kristy followed the usual protocol of walking in through the front door without knocking, and followed the light into the kitchen, where Anna and Bart were laughing and making something in the blender.
"Hey Thomas," Bart said.
"Abby's upstairs," Anna supplied.
Kristy grabbed an apple that was in a bowl on the counter, and ran up the back staircase. "Thanks," she called over her shoulder.
Kristy opened the door to Abby's room, and found her sitting at her desk with headphones on, drumming with her pencil and pen on her history textbook.
"Well it looks like you're getting a lot of work done," Kristy said, glancing towards the blank page of Abby's open notebook.
Abby grinned sheepishly. "I just can't get into this. I mean, who really cares about storming the beaches at Normandy or whatever?"
Kristy shrugged. She knew from experience that there was no point in arguing with Abby over some things, and the educational system was one of them. "So guess what?" she asked.
Abby took her headphones off and let them hang around her neck. "What?" she asked.
"Patrick's in town for business or something. We're going out to dinner with him on Friday."
"You don't sound too excited," Abby remarked.
Kristy bit nervously on her lower lip. "It's Patrick. I can't let myself get excited over him. He's let me down too many times."
"Still, it's nice that he's taking you out to dinner. At least you get to see him," Abby offered.
"I guess," Kristy said, sinking down into Abby's soft carpet. She pulled the sleeves of her sweater over her hands until she could only see the tips of her fingers. Maybe she should be more excited about seeing Patrick. Sometimes she tried to get excited, but this was always coupled by a sinking feeling in her stomach that reminded her of all the times he had let her down. Getting her hopes up wasn't really worth it at this point.
Abby closed her history textbook with more force than necessary. "Maybe you should be happy that you have a dad to take you out to dinner"
Kristy was taken aback. "I'm sorry Abby," she muttered softly.
Abby narrowed her eyes. "You think that everyone should feel sorry for you because your father left you when you were little. At least he's trying to be back in your life. And last time I checked, you had two dads. "
"It's not like that, and you know it Abby," Kristy said softly.
"I see what I see," Abby said, shrugging her shoulders. She turned around in her chair and opened her book again and began reading intently, even though she had just closed it, and she hadn't been studying when Kristy had walked in.
"Abby…" Kristy said, her voice faltering. She wanted to say more, but she couldn't find the words.
"Bye Kristy," Abby said without taking her eyes off her book.
Kristy sighed and left the room, running swiftly down the stairs and out the door. Once on the sidewalk, she realized that she didn't know where she was going. She had left her own house in frustration just a half hour before. She really had never had to think of where to go after Abby's before.
She hugged her arms to her chest in a futile attempt to keep warm. Shannon Kilbourne waved to her from across the street, and Kristy waved back, but neither of them said anything. They used to be really close, but their friendship had kind of tapered off after the Babysitter's Club had disbanded. Besides, Shannon had spent the whole summer at an expensive camp in Maine, and had come back with a deep tan and a C cup. Now she was even more perfect than before.
Sighing, Kristy turned and started walking to her house. She went around into the backdoor, and ran up the stairs to her room without being noticed. Closing the door firmly behind her, Kristy ran to her bed and curled up into a ball, clutching a pillow for comfort.
Maybe Abby was right. It wasn't really fair of her to complain about going out to dinner with her father, when Abby's dad was dead. Still, Abby's dad had been great to her, and she had every right to miss him. Her own father had abandoned her, and even though Watson lived with her, he wasn't exactly making life easy for any one right now. In away she almost envied Abby. She'd had nine years with a father who adored her. That had to count for something.
The phone on the night stand next to the bed rang, but Kristy made no move to answer it. It was probably Stacy calling for Sam anyway. A few seconds later, her mom opened the bedroom door without knocking first.
"Mary Anne's on the phone for you, kiddo," Elizabeth said.
Kristy held the pillow to her even tighter. "Tell her I'm busy."
Elizabeth furrowed her brow, and then did what Kristy had asked. "Is everything alright?" she asked Kristy.
"I had a fight with Abby."
"Don't worry about it honey. Abby is your best friend; I'm sure you'll work it out."
"Oh I'm sure everything will be fine," Kristy muttered under her breath. "Right mom?"
"That's my girl," Elizabeth said, closing the door.
Tears streamed down Kristy's face as she clutched the pillow even tighter. It was the only thing that she had to hold onto.