It was a very normal summer day at my dad’s farm house. My dad wasn’t a farmer, but it was our family’s house that we were living in at the time. It was late in the afternoon, and I was waiting for my dad to get home. When I was about nine years old when my dad’s dirty car pulled up our stone driveway. Once he parked the car, he didn’t get out alone. My parents had recently divorced, and I was not accepting of anyone my parents had tried to date. When he came out of the car, a woman came out with him. She wasn’t the tallest, and she had long curly brown hair. She also seemed a little weird because she wore skirts, but I didn’t really mind. My dad walked up to me and said, “ Veronica, this is Katrina.”

I could hear it in his voice, and he was hesitant, and I knew what that meant. I was so mad I thought I would become fire, but I was being nice and answered reluctantly, “Hi.”

After that awkward moment, we all went inside to find my little brother. I wasn’t home alone with my little brother. My older brother, Shane, was there with us. When we went inside, my dad introduced Katrina to Shane and Coltin. Then we had a pretty normal night. I don’t remember the reason why Katrina stayed that night, but I’m pretty sure it was because her friend needed her car, and she didn’t want my dad to drive her home because he had a few beers that night.

Coltin had his own room, but it was harvest season and his allergies really messed with him, and  he had become as sick as a dog. When this season came around, he would sleep downstairs on the couch because he would puke up phlegm. Of course, Coltin had to get sick this time. He tried to get to the bathroom, which was on the other side of the kitchen. The poor kid tried really hard, but he ended up puking phlegm all over the kitchen floor. By this time Coltin was crying, and Shane was awake and on his way to the bathroom anyway when this happened. Shane was taking care of Coltin’s puke, and I had to go get my dad. I ran up the stairs and stood in front of his door and said, “Dad.”

He answered back almost right away, “Did Coltin get sick again?”
“Yes,” I answered, “Shane is cleaning it up, but Coltin wants you.”
“Okay, give me a second,” my dad answered back very tired.

I know I woke up Katrina, and my dad told her he would be back. This is when I actually started to like her.
She said, “Hold on, Craig. I’ll help you.”

I was amazed. I was happy. No one ever wanted to help with a sick kid, and she did want to help. I was so confused that night. She sacrificed her sleep to help us, and that’s what I liked about her. When Coltin was sick like this, anyone was lucky to get a few hours of sleep. Once everyone was downstairs, Katrina and my dad helped Coltin get back to sleep. Coltin slept the rest of the night without trips to the bathroom.

In the morning Katrina made breakfast and it was nice. She made eggs, bacon, and toast. My dad probably would have gone and bought us McDonalds because sometimes he was as lazy as a sloth.

When she was getting ready to leave, I was sad. I didn’t know what it was about Katrina, but it just felt right for her to live with us.

My “wish” came true. Several months later, I found out they were getting married. After they were married, there was peace in my life, and it just felt right for that peace to be there.