Growing Up A Stafford Book1 Kat Meets Billy

Chapter 2 - Coming Home

A soft high-pitched whisper roused Kat from sleep. She didn't understand the words at first, she waited so long to hear them.

"Kathryn, wake up, you're going home."

Kat rubbed her eyes, shaking the muddled blanket of sleep from her consciousness. Was she really being told she was going home or was it a dream?

All at once, she processed it. She was really going home. Her eyes shot open. She blasted out of bed, and raced around the room, tearing open drawers and ripping shirts from their hangers in the closet. One more moment in this foster home was too long.

"Here is your suitcase, Kathryn," Mrs. Sanders said. Mrs. Sanders lifted the large black cloth bag and placed it across Kat's bed.

"Okay, thanks," Kat mumbled, continuing to tear through the room like a tornado. One thing she definitely wasn't going to miss was being called 'Kathryn.' She detested that more than almost anything. Back at home, she was just plain Kat. Exactly as it should be.

She finished tossing her belongings into the suitcase and forced it shut. Then she scurried down the hall to the bathroom and sped through her morning routine. Her hair looked like a bird's nest and she didn't even bother with makeup. Her only goal was to get out of this house.

She wanted to get back in her own bedroom. She wanted to be back in her own life. She didn't care if she brought anything home, she just wanted to dart for the door and never look back.

Less than ten minutes later, she was standing downstairs, ready to say her goodbyes. Her roommate a look of sadness in her eyes, one that Kat could tell she was trying earnestly to hide.

They both knew the truth. Jen's stay was going to be long. There was even a chance that Jen would never leave.

Kat's heart ached as she pulled Jen into a tight embrace, and they stood there together like that for several lingering moments. When Kat pulled away, her eyes welled with tears.

"Congratulations." Jen whispered, forcing a smile. She blinked in an obvious attempt to hold back her tears.

"I'll miss you," Kat said. She swallowed hard and clenched her eyes shut. She wasn't going to cry, she promised herself. She was going to miss Jen.

Jen had been in the system since she was young and took Kat under her wing. They started high school together and shared what few personal things each had. They became as close as sisters.

"Kat, it's time to go." Mrs. Sanders put her hand on Kat's shoulder. Kat stepped back and waved.

"Bye." Jen said as she hid her face, wiping away a tear.

Kat hugged the three younger children of the house. Kat had spent the past three months protecting them from the bullying teenage boys in the house. She now sported a jagged scar on her forearm; an unwanted trophy, for her troubles. They were absent from her send off, and she didn't care. But took comfort knowing Jen would shield them.

She truly was in disbelief that this day would come. For good or bad, these three months had changed her. She was a different person now; a person who had seen just one of the many shadowed corners of society, the abandoned and damaged children of abusers, drug addicts, and criminals. A place she never wanted to see again.

Kat's house slowly came into view as the red sedan rounded the corner. The familiar chipped white painted brick, broken grey shutters that hung crooked, and Sean and Steve's Mustangs; birthday presents from their father, before he passed away, were parked out front.

A tall, broad male figure was pacing the front lawn. It was Steve. Kat smiled, seeing his drawn face and his arms crossed tightly in front of his chest anxiously awaiting her arrival. That was just like him. She felt a warmth rising in his chest. She couldn't wait to see her brothers again. But quickly, this emotion was overshadowed by a flash of bitter resentment for leaving her there for so long.

Steve's head jerked in the direction of the road. He met the car as it rolled up to the house. Timing it perfectly. Kat's door opened and Steve put out his hand.

"Kat! I'm so glad you're finally home! Here, where is your suit-..."

She felt her face burn. Kat wrenched to her feet pushing past him. Angerly dragged her suitcase behind her, digging her nails into the handle. Her teeth clenched.

Steve stopped mid-sentence, his mouth dropped and flashed her a bewildered look.

Kat scowled, and without a she marched across the front lawn and straight into the house, letting the front door slam behind her. She was absolutely not going to let him help. There was no excuse for waiting three months to be brought home and he was going to know it.

"Kat, hey!" Sean jumped to his feet. Kat stormed past him and Scott in the living room. He looked as if he'd been waiting inside to welcome her home. But Sean, the one who started all of this mess. She was just supposed to say hello, as if she were just on a pleasant three month vacation? No way! She bolted up the stairs. She was so angry her hands shook.

It was a long grueling two hour ride from some hickville town in rural Pennsylvania and she was exhausted.

Kat pressed her feet into her fluffy purple bedroom carpet. She released her grip, dropping her suitcase on the floor inside the door. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath of the familiar smells of her room.

Steve's voice floated up the stairs, asking where she was, snapping her into consciousness. His footsteps thundered up the staircase. Kat turned as he reached the landing. Predictable Steve, rushing to check up on them, making sure everyone was ok. She would have been better if she were home three months ago.

"Hey kitten." He said softly as he stepped cautiously toward the entryway to her bedroom. The only time he used that nickname was when he felt guilty. She avoided his caring brown eyes, knowing she would lose her anger for him and that was not going to happen, not yet.

"Hi." She gave a short greeting and grimace.

"How are you?" Steve gave her a warm smile and wrapped his sturdy arms around her shoulders. His arms were much bigger and stronger than when he left months ago. He had obviously gotten bigger from working out at football training camp at college.

"I'm tired." Kat said with arrogance. She pulled her shoulders away from him, walked to her bed and dropped on the edge, leaving Steve at her doorway. Another blatant attempt to show her frustration.

He stood with a blank face. Which made no sense. Where was he? And where was her mom? How was she getting off scott-free with no responsibilities to her children? Her anger was boiling over. 

"Did they tell you about me?"

"Yeah. You're in charge."

"Did you want to ask me anything?"

"No." What was there to know. Steve was officially in charge now. Taking us in as official guardian. But at least things would fall back to the way they were before he went to college, which was fine. But he better apologize.

"Mom's moved out, so I moved into her room. Are you ok with that?"

"I don't care." Kat snapped. Who cared where he slept? No one cared where she slept for three months.

"Ok. I'll be downstairs if you need anything. Get some rest." He gave an awkward pause, then spun around, heading back down the stairs. She would deal with him later. Truth was she more than tired, she truly was exhausted.

Kat fell back on her bed. The mattress felt exactly the same as when she left three months ago. She fanned her arms out feeling the soft comforter. She found the one plastic thread that had unraveled last year when it got caught in Dee's jacket. She twisted the thread between her fingers.

Dee, her best friend, had started high school without her. They had so many plans together for high school: starting the first day together, parties, boys, clothes. She wondered how Dee faired without her.

Kat rested her head on her rainbow print pillow, propped her throbbing arm on a spare pillow and let her exhaustion overtake her. She hadn't realized how tired she was until she was back in her own bed. The last three months were tough, living at a strangers house, under their rules, with bullying boys. Next, to fix her life, back to normal.