Life as we know it

Chapter 1: The Kent Family

When most people wake up they usually hear beeps or talking but not me. I wake up hearing horses, dogs, cats, and whatever other animals we have. Hi, I'm Courtney. I have blonde hair down to my shoulders; and I also have brown eyes. I live with my dad in a small town in Georgia. My dad is a zoologist. He studies animals habitats and their life. We have lots of animals. But my favorite is my horse, Blue Jean. I don't really go to school my dad usually home schools me. But one day I wake up with all the animal noises in my head, I get dressed in an old tee shirt, Boot cut Levi's, and my dads old cowboy boots. I walk down the hall of our make shift log cabin and grab a cup of orange juice and a bagel. I head out of the door and go to Blue Jeans stall. "Hey girl!" I say. She sits up at the hearing of my voice. I go in the stall feed her a little hay and I ride her for it feels like minutes but it turns out I rode her for 4 hours. My dad is in the barn cleaning the stalls. "Hey dad?" I say. "Yeah Court?" He said busily. "Who's my mom?" I said. He paused for about 5 seconds and he took a deep breath. " I knew you were going to ask me soon enough." He whispered. "She was my best friend. We did everything together. She was a city girl. We fell in love and we got married and had you. But she just couldn't handle the country and she left." He looked like he was about to cry. "Wow, Dad I'm so sorry. It's all my fault." I said. "No!" He snapped. "It's not your fault she left! Now go feed the chickens." He softly said. I left and headed to the chicken cop. After I finished cleaning the chicken cop I went in the house and listened to my favorite broadway musical, Wicked, I just lay on my bed and listen to the clear tone of their voices. I sing along when my dad's out working. People tell me I have a great voice but I don't know. I hear my dad yelling my name and I go down stairs and study the civil war. Ugh! My dad is outside working on the roof. I hate it when he does stuff like that. I'm studying and then I hear a deadly scream. I jump up from my chair and I run out to my dad "Dad!" I scream. "Courtney!" He yells. I call the ambulance on his cell phone. "911 what's your emergency?" says the 911 dispatcher. "My dad just fell off the roof of our barn, I'm really scared and he's in a lot of pain." I nervously say. "Okay, where is your dad?" Says the dispatcher. "He's laying next on his back next to the barn." I say. "Okay, where are you and your father?" She says. "We're at 3991 Old Farm Road. We are in the back next to the big red barn." I say. "Okay, I will be with you the whole time." She says. "What is your fathers name?" She says."Jason Kent" I say. "Okay, and what is your name?" She says. "Courtney" I say. "Okay, stay calm." "Aahhh!" He yells. I see the ambulance pull in the driveway I wave them towards my dad. "Are the medics there yet?" Says the dispatcher. "Yes, Thank you so much!" I say. "Your welcome,sweetie!" She says . I hear the phone click, meaning she is off of the line. The medics ask me all of these medical questions and they rush my dad to the hospital.

CHAPTER 2: Hospital Time

After about 3 hours in the hospital room with my dad, the doctor walked in he said "So Jason, bad and good news." "Oh goodness, just tell me the bad news first, Doc." My dad said. "Okay well, the bad news is that your going to need surgery for your back because you broke it, and the good news is you only need rehab for 4 months." Dr. Nelson says. The only thing running through my mind is 'who am I going to stay with?' Well my dad answered that pretty quickly "Courtney, me and Doc need to talk. Go call Paula." He said. Paula is my moms best friend and she travels a lot so I rarely see her. "Is she traveling this week?" I say. "I don't know? Just call her cell " Says my dad. I go out into the hallway and try her cell. After about 3 rings she answers. I tell her everything that happened and she says that it will all be ok. Later that night,

I went back in after the doctor leaves and my dad said "Courtney, I love you and you know that but I just can't take care of you and the animals when I'm in rehab. The neighbors and some of the of my coworkers at the science facility are going to help take care of the animals. But your only 13, you can't take care of yourself for 4 months and Paula can't take care of you because she travels a lot. After Dr.Nelson left Paula called and we discussed your living situation."He pauses for a few seconds then says "Courtney, you are going to have to stay with your mother." My jaw just drops! "My..mom?!" I said. "Yeah. Your mom." He said. "Tell me about her!" I said. He told me everything about her. She has long blonde hair that she always puts in a sock bun. She has hazel eyes. She lives in New York City. She is 33. She has a gorgeous voice and she is on Broadway. She is in Wicked, I don't know what part but I know she is. "Oh My Gosh! I have been listening to my mom on my iPod my entire life and never knew it!" I say. "Yep." My dad says.I talked to Paula and she got in touch with your mom you're leaving tomorrow. I look at my watch, it's 7:30,it was getting late."Her name was Beth Kent. But she went back to her maiden name and she is known as Elizabeth Franklin."We talked and talked and my dads mood just changed he was sad that I was leaving but he was happy that I would get to meet my mom. "Now go on home. Mrs. Johnson from next door is fixing you dinner and will be keeping an eye on you.You have a big day tomorrow. I love you call me before you go to bed." As I leave I get really excited and I run to my bike.I get on my bike and pedal home ready to see my mother, the woman I have dreamed about.