Katie's Angel

by Tabatha Akers

  The drive to the restaurant was long enough for her mom to start asking Katie about what her friends have been up to since school let out. She made up things they were all doing and answered in a vague way as to not raise suspicion on whether or not she had actually been seeing them.

  When they all arrived at the restaurant the smell was so overwhelmingly good that Katie realized that her stomach was growling. She knew she would get her favorite BBQ chicken personal pizza, with a side of ranch, and a side salad, before they were even seated.

  When they were led to their table, the waitress took their drink order and left them to decide what they were going to eat. Mom and dad sat on the opposite side of the table from her and were looking intently at the menu. Dad looked up to see Katie’s menu closed.

  “What are you going to order honey?” dad asked Katie.

  “I am going to get my usual with a side salad. I didn’t realize how hungry I was until we walked in and the smell made my stomach growl,” Katie replied.

  “Good, I am glad you are going to eat more than just a bagel,” her mom replied.

  The waitress returned with their drinks, and took their order. Her mom and dad were going to share an order of Manicotti, and a salad. When the waitress left to put their order in, mom and dad looked at her.

  “I know you both think there is something that I need to talk about, but I am fine,” Katie said before her parents could say anything.

  Dad looked at Katie and grabbed her hand holding it tight. “I know the last few months have been hard, but we all have to start moving on Katie. Jackson would not have wanted any of us to continue to feel like we all do now. It is time for all of us to move on Katie,” dad said.

  “I have been thinking about going to the library again and volunteering to read to the little kids for toddler time again. Maybe I will go talk to Mrs. Smith and see if they have any of the classes open for me to do that with,” Katie said as she picked up her glass and took a drink of her soda. Katie really had not been thinking about doing that, but if it meant that her parents would leave her alone, then she would definitely do it.

  “That is perfect,” dad said with a smile. Katie had not seen him smile like that in the last few months. She realized that for the first time since Jackson’s death she was completely relaxed and honestly enjoying her parent’s company.

  They continued to talk about little things throughout dinner, and after everyone had finished dinner and each had a piece of apple pie with whipped crème on top for desert, they were stuffed. After paying the bill and leaving a tip, they all walked slowly back to the car.

  Chapter 4

  On the drive home, no one really talked, probably because they were all to full to even move. When they got home Katie went to her room to change into her pajamas. She folded the jeans she was wearing and laid them on the back of her chair. She walked over, and turned her covers down, getting ready for bed. She was completely drained from the day, which is nothing new for her in the last few months. Katie walked into the bathroom and wet a wash rag to wash her face. She applied the toothpaste to her tooth brush, and brushed her teeth. When she was done, she grabbed the lotion out from under the sink, and sat on the edge of the tub as she applied it to her feet and legs. When she was done and had put the lotion back under the sink, she climbed into bed and turned out the lights.

  Laying there she thought about what she had told her parents she would do. She wasn’t sure if she could spend time with other little kids, without thinking about Jackson all the time. She just wasn’t sure she was ready for that yet. The thing is if she does not at least try her dad will start trying to talk to her about everything, and Katie just did not want to talk about it. She was fine and she just wished everyone would let her be.

  While she was lost in thought her door opened and her mom walked in. “I just wanted to tell you good night sweetheart,” mom said as she sat on the edge of the bed.

  “Good night mom,” Katie replied as she sat up to hug her mom. “I will go tomorrow and talk to Mrs. Smith about reading to the kids and helping around the library again.”

  “That’s great. I can take you if you would like, and then we could get lunch afterwards,” mom said.

  Katie knew mom was going to say something like that, when she came in. She never comes into her room unless she wants something. “That’s okay; I will probably spend some time there after talking to her. I want to see if I can find a good book to read this summer. I may even start on my reading list for next year to get a head start,” Katie replied.

  Frustrated that Katie is going to such lengths to not talk to her about what is going on, her mom said “that’s fine honey. Just let me know if you change your mind.”

  “Okay mom. I am going to go to sleep now, I am really tired. Good night and I will see you in the morning,” Katie said as she lay back down, and pulled the covers up to her neck.

  As her mom left the room, she said “I love you,” and closed her door; Katie started thinking about the day. She just could not shake the feeling of having someone following her all day. That was just something that she had never felt, and it made her somewhat uncomfortable. She would have to pay attention tomorrow and see if she could figure out who may be following her, and why.

  She couldn’t fall asleep immediately because she could not stop thinking about her day. She rolled over and grabbed her IPOD off the nightstand and put the ear plugs in her ears. She turned it on and listened to it until she drifted off to sleep.

  Katie drifted into a deep sleep, but along with it came a dream that felt so real. She was walking to the park like a normal day, but she kept feeling like she had someone there walking beside her. She looked over and there was Jackson. He grabbed her hand and they walked quietly to the swing. She sat down and he kept pushing her higher and higher. When she was tired of the swing she went and sat on the benches and Jackson sat next to her. She couldn’t seem to stop looking at him. When she looked at him he smiled a big smile with his straight teeth. She always did love his smile. The dimples that everyone loved were so prominent. She wanted to speak to him, but something was stopping her from being able to. She grabbed his arm and pulled him in for a hug, but there wasn’t anyone there to hug as she got him close to her. She looked around to see if she could find him, but he was nowhere to be found.

  Katie woke up straight out of a dead sleep and she was sweating, something she has never done before. She rolled over and put her IPOD on the nightstand. “That was a weird dream to have”, she thought. She closed her eyes, since it was only 1130 pm, and hoped to sleep the rest of the night without waking up.

  Katie woke when the sunlight drifted in through her curtains. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and threw back the covers. She got up and went to the bathroom, and turned on the shower. She thought she would go to the library today like she told her parents. She really didn’t think that she was really up for it but she didn’t have anything else to do since it was the summer time. When she got out of the shower she put on a pair of jeans and a blue t shirt with Jackson and her handprints on it. She thought it was a great way to preserve a part of him, and they decorated it together a few weeks before he passed away. She put on a pair of flip flops and walked down stairs to the kitchen to grab a bagel.

  On the counter there was a note from mom that said, “Katie, I will be home early from work today. I thought we could go do a little shopping today. We both could use a little time away from the house. I will be home by 330 and we can leave shortly after that. Have a great day. I love you! Love, Mom.”

  Katie laid the note back on the counter and glanced at the clock. It was 930 and she had plenty of time to get to the library and talk to Mrs. Smith. She grabbed her bagel and her keys and walked out of the house closing the door behind her; still shaking from the dream she had the night before.

  Chapter 5

  Katie walked down the driveway to the sidewalk and took a right. She started towards the library to talk to Mrs. Smith. She co
uld use something to do to keep her mind off the odd things that have been occurring in her life since Jackson left. She just couldn’t bring herself to say that he died. It just seems way to final by saying it that way.

  Katie walked to the end of the block and turned to the right. She could see the library straight down the street. It wasn’t very far, and Jackson and Katie used to go down there every day during the summer. They loved to spend hours trying to find the right book. Jackson was only eight but he always was an exceptional reader. He would read autobiographies and true inspirational stories that she had never heard of. Katie liked to read mysteries and love stories. She never could get into the true stories, because it was just too boring for her.

  As she reached the front door of the library, she reached for the door and stopped. She couldn’t bring herself to go inside. She hadn’t been there since Jackson left and she found it was much harder than she expected to go in now. She went to the bench on the front walk and sat down. She got the feeling that there was a hand on her shoulder again. She looked around and didn’t see anyone, so once again she brushed the odd feeling off. She just attributed it to the dream she had last night.

  She couldn’t believe how real that dream felt to her last night. It was like Jackson was sitting on the bench next to her and she was able to reach out and feel his touch. She reached for his hand not really realizing what she was doing, and was surprised when she felt her hand touch another hand. She pulled hers back so fast she almost fell off the bench. She was snapped back to reality when she heard a voice say “Hey I don’t even know you and you’re trying to hold my hand.”

  Katie looked over and saw what she could only describe as probably the best looking boy she had ever seen. She had seen him in school last year a few times. She could not believe that she had just grabbed his hand. She looked away trying to hide the fact that she was very embarrassed.

  “Sorry, I...uh didn’t mean to do that,” Katie said in almost a whisper. She didn’t even want to look at him because she knew that he must think she is an absolute weirdo.

  “It is ok. Usually it is me making the first move with a girl and that isn’t until we go on our first date together,” he replied, looking at how embarrassed she was, and stifling a laugh. “My name is Jack Mullens,” he said as he held out his hand.

  Katie lifted her hand to his, as she stared at him in amazement. Jackson always preferred to be called Jack until he got into second grade and was tired of correcting everyone. She shook Jack’s hand, without uttering a word. When she let go of his hand she was still staring at him.

  Jack lifted his hand to his face and started to wipe it off. “Do I have something on my face?” Jack asked as he continued to wipe off his face.

  Katie couldn’t speak, she just shook her head.

  “Then why are you staring at me like you have seen a ghost or something,” Jack asked her.

  Looking away finally, she said “I’m sorry it’s just that you remind me of someone. Someone who I was really close too and it was just a little disturbing at first, I didn’t mean to stare at you.”

  “Are you going to tell me your name, or do I have to guess?” Jack asked Katie, with a smile on his face.

  “Oh yeah, sorry my name is Katie. Didn’t you start school here the last two months of the year?”

  “Yes, we moved from Denver last year. My dad wanted us to be closer to my mom’s family,” he replied.

  Katie kept looking at him. There was something different about him, but she could not figure out what it was. “So they just up and moved and you went willingly? No one comes from a big city like Denver to a small town like Maroa, Illinois, without having an opinion on it,” she said.

  Jack chuckled and said, “No I didn’t come here without a fight. I grew up in Denver and that is where all my friends are, so I didn’t want to leave.” He stopped talking and looked around at the city that he had honestly really grown to like. It was so easy going here. In Denver everyone seemed to always be in a hurry to do something, go somewhere, and see someone. This town couldn’t have been more different. However, he wouldn’t dare let his parents know that he actually did like it here.

  “Do you often come to the library to sit outside?” he asked her.

  “Well no,” she said shyly, realizing how ridiculous it would sound that she couldn’t bring herself to go in the building without Jackson.

  Just then she got the feeling that she had been having for a few days now, the feeling that she was not alone. Sure, she was talking to Jack but lately even when someone was there, she still felt alone. She had felt this so much these days that she started to wonder if she would ever feel like normal again.

  Katie was off in her own little world that she had not noticed that he was asking her a question.

  “Um I’m sorry, what did you say?” she asked him.

  “I was wondering if you wanted to go to get lunch at the diner down the street?” he asked again.

  Katie looked at her watch, and realized that it was already twelve thirty. “Where had the day gone?” she thought to herself. “I appreciate the offer but I have to be home in an hour to get ready for a shopping date with my mom,” she replied. “Maybe another time,” She continued.

  “Yes that sounds good to me. I should get home anyways. I have to get the lawn mowed before my dad gets home from work like I promised him. It was nice talking to you,” he said as he stood up.

  “Yes it was nice to talk to you today as well,” Katie said as she watched him walk away.

  She couldn’t believe that she had grabbed his hand and still he had a conversation with her. She was not very good when it came to boys and she was probably the only girl in her school that had never been on a date. It wasn’t like she was one of those girls that was just average. No she had not ever been in pageants when she was little, but she was a very pretty girl with long blonde hair, blue eyes. She could eat anything and everything without gaining any weight. She was the envy of many other girls in school, but she just didn’t realize it.

  Katie got up and turned towards the door of the library again, but as she took one step towards the door, she knew once again that she was not going to make it in there today. No matter what she tried she was not going to have the ability to do this one simple thing today. She turned away from the library and started home again.

  Chapter 6

  When Katie returned home her mom was still not there, so she went upstairs and jumped in the shower. She figured she probably should at least shower if she was going to go with her mom and try on clothes, even if she did not feel the need to.

  She was washing her hair when the bathroom door opened and her mom popped her head in. “Hey sweetie, I just got home. I will be ready in about a half hour.”

  “Ok Mom, I will be ready then as well. You know we do not have to go out shopping we could just hang around the house,” Katie said honestly hoping they would stay in for the night.

  “No I need a few new shirts and I figured you could probably use a few new pairs of pants and shorts. It will be fun and relaxing I promise. We need to have a little bit of relaxation after the last few months,” she replied.

  “Ok I’ll be out in a few then,” Katie replied. Mom shut the door as Katie rinsed the shampoo out of her hair, and applied the conditioner. She let it sit for a few minutes while she let the warm water run over her. After she rinsed her hair out she turned the water off and dried off .She pulled on her shorts and a tank top, blow dried her hair, and combed it out. She pulled it back in a loose bun, and ran down the stairs to the living room.

  As she stepped into the living room the door bell rang. Katie opened the door and was surprised to see Jack standing there with his hands in his pockets.

  “Hi,” she said. “How did you know where I lived?”

  Jack looked back at her and said, “I live down the street at the end of the block, and I realized when I got home that we did not actually decide when we would go get that lunch. So I was thinking
about one o’clock tomorrow at the little diner on Main Street?”

  Katie couldn’t believe that he was standing here in front of her after what happened at the library today. Katie glanced behind her to make sure her mom was not coming down the stairs. “That sounds good to me. I am not doing anything tomorrow,” she replied.

  “Great,” Jack replied with a big smile on his face. He was really intrigued by this girl standing in front of him. He could see that she was in pain, but he wasn’t sure exactly why she had the pain. He was sure he wanted to find out her story, so he was willing to do whatever it took to get close to her. “I’ll pick you up at 1245 tomorrow then?” he asked.

  “You drive?” she asked in a surprised tone.

  “Yes, I am seventeen and have had my license long before we came here,” he replied.

  “Ok, then 1245 tomorrow it is, but how about we walk there instead?” She wasn’t ready for her parents to hear about her being in a car with a boy just yet, especially the one boy in town that has the bad reputation.

  “Ok, see you then,” Jack replied as he turned and walked down the walk. At the end of the walk he turned and waved at her. Katie waved back and closed the door.

  “Who was at the door?” mom asked Katie as she closed the door.

  “Oh it was the wrong house,” she replied. She didn’t want her parents to know about Jack until she was ready to tell them. She knew they would not take the news of her going to lunch with a guy who is two years older than her very well at all. As a matter of fact according to her parents rules she is not to even think about a boy until she is thirty-five. Besides there isn’t anything to tell them, she only talked to him for the first time today.

  “Ok. Well are you ready to go?” Mom asked.

  “Yes, let me just slip on my flip flops and grab my wallet,” Katie replied.

  In the next five minutes they were outside in moms’ car driving to the mall. The drive didn’t take but fifteen minutes since the mall was almost straight down the road from her house. It was a quiet ride with the exception of the radio playing in the background. Katie couldn’t tell you what was on the radio because she was thinking about her day again. She felt that presence again like there was someone there with her. She didn’t want to alarm her mom so she just continued with her thinking about the presence until her mom broke the silence as they pulled up to the mall.