The next day, at the lunch table, nobody spoke. Mike and Gina knew what was going on, but since Kitty had already talked to them, they didn't say anything.
Kitty then got up. "Mike, can I have that phone number please?"
All the kids looked up. Mike nodded. "Sure, here." He said, handing over a piece of paper.
Kitty saved the number into her mobile and handed the piece of paper back. She called the number, putting her phone up to her ear.
"Hello?" Joseph's voice said into her ear.
"Hi Dad." Kitty said, seeming not to care that Mike was gesturing out of the room. She shook her head at him, indicating that she didn't mind that her so-called friends were listening.
"Kitty! What can I do for you?" he asked.
"Listen, I'm sorry about the other day. I don't hate you." She said quietly.
"I know, sweetheart, you had every right to be angry. I've been a terrible father to you." Joseph said.
"Can we meet?" Kitty asked.
"Sure, where?" he asked.
"The park, at about 2:00 ish." Kitty said.
"See you there." Joseph said.
"Bye Dad." Kitty said, hanging up and putting her phone away.
Mike put a hand on her shoulder. "I'm proud of you." He said.
Kitty smiled up at him, before turning to the others. "I don't hate you guys, either." She said. "If that's what you thought, you were wrong. I'm just a bit annoyed at you." She said, before leaving the room.
Just before Kitty left to go to the park, Elektra walked over to her. "I'm sorry. It's just…well, our opinions got a little out of order." She said. "Whatever happens, I'm going to support you all the way." She continued, and then gave Kitty a hug.
Kitty was surprised, but she hugged Elektra back. "Thanks, Elektra."
"Here's my number. Call me if you need anything, okay? Not just today, I mean whenever, wherever you are." Elektra said, saving her number into Kitty's phone. Kitty put her number into Elektra's, waved at her, then set off towards the park.
Kitty found Joseph sitting on a bench at the park. She sighed and walked over, sitting down next to him.
"Kitty, hi." He said. He handed over a piece of paper, which was actually a certificate.
"Congratulations to Joseph Markham, our top patient, for giving up drugs and alcohol, and completing the anger management classes." Kitty read, before looking up at Joseph. "When did you get this?"
"About three weeks ago. You can keep the certificate, if you want. Point is... I'm straightening my life out, Kitty, I'm really trying. I've got a girlfriend now, and things are pretty stable." Joseph explained.
"What's she like?" Kitty asked, putting the certificate in her bag.
Joseph pulled out a picture of a woman. Kitty examined it. She had beautiful blue eyes and a very pretty smile. Her hair was long, loose and brown. She looked around the same age as Joseph.
"She's really pretty." Kitty said, handing the photo back. Joseph put it in his pocket.
"Her name is Maria. I've told her all about you, and she said she'd like to meet you someday." Joseph said.
"I'd be glad to meet her too, Dad." Kitty said.
"So, I've been thinking…once we get it all straightened out with the social workers, we can take things slow, but maybe we can work on getting you to come and live with me and Maria at our flat? If that's what you want, of course." Joseph said.
"I'd love that. Come to the Dumping Ground tomorrow, and we can talk to Mike. You should probably bring Maria, too." Kitty said.
"The Dumping Ground? Is that what you call the care home?" Joseph asked.
"Yeah. It's okay, though, I quite like it there, apart from the fact that everyone was fighting about whether I should see you again or not." Kitty said.
Joseph laughed. "Did you sort it out with them, though?" he asked, his face turning serious.
"Not yet, but when I go back, I'll make sure to." Kitty said.
She spent a good hour with her dad, just talking, before heading back to Elm Tree house.
Kitty entered the living room. Everybody was talking, including Mike and Gina, but they stopped when they saw her.
"Before you guys ask any questions, can I just tell you all I'm sorry for shouting at you, and I hope we can all be friends again." Kitty said. "You guys mean a lot to me and I don't want to fight."
"Of course, Kitty!" Carmen said.
"You mean a lot to us, too." Elektra agreed.
Everyone else said the same thing.
"Okay, good. Mike, my dad and his girlfriend, Maria, are going to come in to talk to you tomorrow, if that's okay?" Kitty said.
Mike smiled and nodded. "That's great, Kitty."
"There's one more thing I want to do before I tell you all what we talked about." Kitty said.
She grabbed Carmen by the hand, and led her over to Johnny, putting Johnny's hand into Carmen and letting go, letting them hold hands.
"You two…you shouldn't have broken up for me. You love each other, right?"Kitty said.
Carmen nodded slowly. "Of course." She said quietly.
"Always." Johnny replied.
"Well then." Kitty said, gently pushing their heads together to make them kiss. They broke apart and smiled.
"I'm sorry." Carmen said to him.
"Me too." He said, and the two hugged. Everyone gathered around the sofa, and Kitty began to explain exactly what happened with her dad.