The Lucky Paw

Chapter 9

 In the night, Katy woke herself up. She was eager to read more of the diary, and the only time available was at night.

She picked up her flashlight from her nightstand, and quickly raised the tile, allowing herself to adjust to the cool temperature, musty odors, and bumpy, uneven wood before hoisting herself up.

Once there, Katy wasted no time in getting to the old journal. She settled in, then began to read.

December 7, 1996

We have been very busy. Mike works hard at his job, and me at mine. Father's illnesses come on and off. Sometimes they are rather severe, and I worry constantly. However, Christmas is on the way, and that dims my worries somewhat and lights a spark of hope and happiness in my heart. I took a few days off of work to decorate the house. Our decorations are festive, and we celebrate Christmas as a time of joy, happiness, contentment, peace, and hope. Those decorations smell so much better than my attic room! I think this room was around before my time, because it smells of old, the way my grandmother did before she passed. I am so blessed to have such wonderful family. Katy is growing fast. Soon she will become a toddler. I love having a child to raise and love. Katy is sweet and kind-tempered. She adores me, as I adore her. I cannot imagine what my life would be like without Katy. But as much as I would like to spend every waking moment with my baby, work has to be done. Paintings and clothes need to be made and sold, and Father's health condition needs to be watched and monitored. But of course, I have to watch him without him realizing that he is being watched. Father does not like to be coddled. He says that I shouldn't concern myself over his welfare, that he is perfectly fine, but I cannot rid myself of worries that he might disappear from my life forever. He is becoming older, and so is Mother, although her health does not dwindle as much as Father's. I worry. I can't help it. But aside from his sicknesses, things are going fairly well in our new family. I am worried, but very happy.

Katy put down the diary, lost in thought. She remembered her mother's kind face, looking down on her when she was four.

She had managed to put on some of her mother's high heels that day, and was lurching around the living room in shoes much too big for her. She recalled her mother picking her up, hugging her, and teasing her.

Another thing Katy remembered was that Chandler always smiled. She smiled at everything, even when Katy got herself into mischief.

Oh, how she missed Chandler. She had been such a loving, devoted mother. Although Mrs. Patterson was really her parent now, and Katy loved her dearly, she still missed her own mother, because no one could replace her. Katy sighed, wiped away a few stray tears, and opened the old journal once more.

January 7, 1997

Everyone passed the New Year with acceptance and no problems. Christmas came and went, with the usual festivities and grace. Now everyone is back to their daily schedules. Working, eating, sleeping,and caring for Katy makes up all of my days. The days, weeks, and months run together like cream in coffee. Every day is the same. But I do not mind. What I do mind is not being able to spend much time with my parents and Katy. We make a steady income now, but we can't stop working. Our money that we have will not last forever. Father falls ill more frequently now, and I confide that I am getting very worried. People do not just become sick all of the time for no apparent reason. I worry that he might have a weakened immune system, and this thought frightens me very much. Besides that, he has contracted pneumonia several times this month, each time harder on him. I am afraid that if this keeps up, the repeated cases of pneumonia will kill him. Mother confided in me that she has had many of the same worries. But I am worried about Mother also. She has recently been falling ill frequently too. If Father does pass, Mother will not handle his death well, I know. She cares a great deal for him, as do I.

Katy looked at the time. She yawned, but decided to read one more entry before going back to sleep.

March 7, 1997

I have had no time to write recently. Of course I had to keep working, but something much more frightening has happened. Mother and Father have both fallen ill. The virus is influenza, or so the doctors believe. They are both doing all right, but the doctors say that after the influenza has run it's course, their immune systems could be weakened a great deal from battling with the disease. This could cause more frequent infections. I was already worried enough about Father's immune system. Now Mother's, too? How will they survive that, so soon after contracting the flu? They are already weak, and will be weaker by the time that the antibiotics work and cure them. I am so worried about them being susceptible to any illness that comes along whilst they are recuperating. I am very afraid for my parents, and I cannot take their illnesses off of my mind.

Katy did not remember when her mother's parents had died, but she remembered that, no matter what, Chandler always smiled. Even through hard times, she never lost her joyous smile.