Dedicating Every Day to You

Chapter Two

Sitting at the dinner table, our heads are bowed and hands held together. We are an inseparable link, all of us the same entity of hope and happiness and love.

"...and please let God bless Kathryn in this new year of her life. Please protect her from her falls that we all know she'll take, and keep her safe as she lives her wonderful life. Amen."

We sit up and reach for our forks. I'm too pumped on the adrenaline aftermath from my fall to be really hungry, so I play with my macaroni and cheese and immerse myself in the buoyant dinnertime conversation.

"Mr. Darcy is so dashing," Livv, our romantic, swoons, smiling bright. "What I wouldn't give to be Elizabeth Bennett."
"Your name is Olivia Benson," Emmy points out, laughing and flicking a pea at Livv's head.
"Yeah, and your name is something right out of a romance novel, lucky."

Miss Falcon pushes her plate away. "Kathryn, I got some news a few weeks ago. I waited to tell you, but now that it's been finalized I can't wait any longer."
I sit up a little straighter. "Did I get accepted to Odom Performing Arts School?" I sent in my application six months ago, but their application process is notoriously slow.

"I actually never sent in your application, honey. Because, well...a few months ago on the adoption website, a family expressed interest in you."

Utter silence fills the room. Everyone is frozen right where they were. Martin has a forkful of macaroni halfway to his mouth. Livv is halfway through turning a page. Jacob was flicking a pea at Martin, and his pea drops out of his spoon, but he stays still. Emmy is just staring at me, but her eyes aren't meeting mine.

"I met them when I was up in New York two weeks ago on business. They seem like really nice people, and they seem so thrilled to have a kid." Miss Falcon breaks the tension in the room.
"What picture did you use for my profile?" I don't blame anyone for their awkward quiet. It's really hard to watch your best friend, your sister, get everything she's ever wanted but not get what you want.
"The one from your twelfth birthday, right before you broke your pinky."

I love that picture. I'm standing on the branch of a tree, my arms outstretched. The sun is behind me, making my kinky hair into a wild halo. My face is illuminated, and I'm pointing it up at the sky, eyes closed. I'm up on one toe of my Converse, and my dress is blowing out like wings behind me. I've got flowers in my hair and a huge smile on my face.

I mean, thirty seconds after Miss Falcon took this I fell out of the tree and broke my pinky in three places, but the picture? Totally worth it.

"And you're getting picked up tomorrow."
I snap out of my reverie in about a millisecond. "I'm sorry, what?"
Emmy takes my hand under the table. "Your whole life changes tomorrow, Kat."
"What time am I getting picked up?" I'm extremely nervous now. This is impending now.
"Not until four in the evening. They wanted you as soon as possible, but I knew you'd want to spend your birthday here."

I can't believe it. In twenty two hours, my world will never be the same. Tomorrow, I'll have parents and aunts and uncles and cousins and maybe a little brother or sister. Tomorrow, I'll have a room to call my own and a real family, a forever family.

Emmy jumps up and runs downstairs, her chair pushed back with a crash. She's going to our shared room in the (finished) basement. I don't blame her one bit.

I finish dinner, brush my teeth and then gather on the couch with everyone to watch Tangled on Disney Channel. I'm deliberately avoiding the basement, trying to give Emmy the space she needs. Normally, we'd be up here sprawled on the floor together, laughing at the corny jokes and heckling our favorite characters.

After the movie, I walk downstairs carefully, then crawl into bed.
"Good night, Emmy."
No response.
"I'm sorry Miss Falcon made a big deal out of it. I know how you're feeling."

When the room stays silent, I roll over in bed and try to sleep. But as I drift off, I can hear the gentle sound of Emmy crying.