Not being able to be in the dining room all morning, because of working with Jess and Avery on some science projects, I was anxious to get back to my post by the time she left to get Lacey from school that afternoon.
I walked into the kitchen to get a soda and found Taylor at the window looking towards Kate's house.
"Not good ,Ike, he's back again today" Taylor stated flatly.
"and they look a little cozy.." I joined him at the window in time to see him kiss her on the top of the head and then walk towards his truck.
""Oh, and she does drive that car, I just saw her drive up in it with him." Taylors voice trailed off as he went down the hall towards the school room.
I continued watching her as she stepped in the house and then back out, and walked off towards the school. Glancing at my watch I smiled,
"Right on time" I thought.

Lying in bed that nite I tossed and turned. The picture of 'Rob' with his arm around her kissing her on the head kept running through my head. It was definitly not a boy friend type expressoin of affection, but she obviously had some sort of a relationship with him--just one more thing I was going to have find out about.
Not getting anywhere near sleep the thought of my walk last nite crept up,
" I'll get some fresh air", I quietly slipped off the bunk and out the door to get Wicket, boy was I glad Zac wanted this dog so bad.
Once again, found myself crossing the street and walking right past Kate's house, Wicket stopped again at the same spot, but no lights were on tonight. Wicket took his time , her trash can was set out for early morning pick-up. As I stood waiting for the tug on the leash, I noticed a ribbon with a small card attached
hanging out from the lid of the trash can. I reached to read what it said and then stopped.
"I'm becoming a stalker!...looking in a persons trash- "help", I laughed at the thought of what I seen on a web page several week ago about a pair of girls who went to our hotel room after we left and gathered souvenirs from the trash cans. This thought however didn't stop me for reaching again for the card, I gave up, I was obsessed. Flipping the card open it said "happy birthday sis", simple as that. Well that was going to do me a heck of a lot of good! Let's add a few more questions to the file...
Dropping the card, I headed back home, this was going to be a short walk tonight.

Chapter 17

The alarm sounding that morning seemed louder than usual. As I awoke , a deep sense of dread filled me and settled in my stomach. It was Monday. The hearing was today, and I would know whether my life was going to take a drastic turn, or I would be declared a legal adult. Hopping out of bed, I decided I need to make things as normal as possible for Lacey. She knew the hearing was today, but she had no idea what implications this could lead to.
Both dressed, fed and somewhat put together, We headed out to school on our morning routine. As I passed by the Hanson house, I glanced up and once again saw one of them in the window with a coffee cup, I smiled to myself and thought about the ddifferent morning rituals going on in all the houses that we passed this morning. I guess I was quieter than usual because as we got to school, Lacey spoke up.
"Kate, I know he hearing is today, you'll do great, just don't put so much pressure on yourself, we can do this together and those people will see that. We've been doing it for over a month, and they have seen that we're fine." She hugged me and kissed my cheek as she ran into the class to begin her day. That meant mine was about to start as well.
I felt like my steps were slower than usual along that same path that morning. I knew that I was prepared, I had done everything they asked, but I couldn't help but shiver as I ran up the steps and into the house.
I had been shopping that weekend and picked out what I considered to be a motherly looking outfit, but something I could make look like me when I was done I pulled the grey ribbed swaeter and a black slim skirt from the closet and slipped it on, With the charcoal nylons and the black loafer pumps on, I looked at myself in the mirror.
"Not half bad if I do say so myself" I grinned and twirled around.
I felt 25 if a day, Now if I could just portray that to the judge.
It was still early, the hearing wasn't until 10:30 and the courthouse was only ten minutes away....looking at my watch, that meant I had....blah, 45 minutes to blow, before I should leave, and that was generous. Walking home, it had been such a beautiful day, I decided I would take my coffee on the porch to sit and watch the world go by for awhile, as I rarely had a chance to do that.
I finished the dishes and took my coffee to the porch, made sure the car started, and then settled down with the morning news. The morning sun seemed to melt that lingering sense of dread, and within minutes I was feeling confident and cheerful about what lay ahead.

Over the top of the newspaper a few minutes later, I noticed some movement across the street, and looked up to see one of the Hanson boys heading across the street in my direction.
"Which one" I wondered as I put the news down to get a better look.
"Ahh, Ike", I thought to myself as I noticed the little mop dog attached to a leash. At first I thought he was just going to walk past without a word, but he looked up from under his curly mop of hair and we caught each others eyes.
"Good Morning " I said loud enough for him to hear the 12 feet or so to the curb. This made him pause and smile.
"Good morning to you too" you could hear the smile in his voice.
I put the news down and got up to greet him, he moved up the walk towards me.
Looking at him smiling, my heart skipped a beat, He was much more handsome than I had originally thought.
"So, you headed to work this morning" Ike said, motioning towards the skirt and stockings.
"Um, well, no", I responded "I have to go to court to settle some of.... my grans estate stuff"
"Oh, uh, you look, um, nice" I was kicking myself inside,
"Yeah, nice" I thought to myself, "nice, a matronly old housewife, nice"
I looked up at him again, he was still smiling.
Well, good luck" and with that, he turned heel and was headed out with his little mop in tow.

Three hours later, coming out of the judges chambers, I was fairly doing cartwheels. The judge had said I had greatly exceeded his expectations and he had no problems granting my emancipation...I was a free woman! It was only noon, but I had to tell someone, so I took off to Rob's shop to fill him in.

Chapter 18

Standing at the window ,as was my normal routine for the past two weeks, I watched as Kate and Lacey head off down the street to school. I could swear at one point I saw her look up towards the window, but I must have been mistaken. I noticed that the usual bounce in her step was missing, she must be tired, I thought.
I sat down with my books and before I knew it Taylor was walking in for his 9:30 cup of joe. She looks like she might be headed to work this morning...Taylors voice came as he entered the kitchen. This shook me out of the daze I was in and I looked out the window, to see her at her sitting on the porch chair reading a paper...this was not part of her morning routine, and before I could even realized I could think it, I had grabbed the leash and was whistling for Wicket. Taylor laughed as he headed back to his studies.

Faster than I thought imaginable, I slipped on my shoes and headed out the door, silently thanking Zac again for his wise choice. I headed across the street boldly and approached the front walk, I wanted to say something but hesitated, then she caught my eye from over her paper.
"Good morning", came her voice from the porch as she rose.
I watched her head toward me and was nearly speechless when I saw her. She looked...amazing, dressed to the teeth in a sweater and skirt, and she had stockings on, I hadn't seen a girl in stockings in a long time, let alone a girl this attractive. She had makeup on too, just a little, but enought to make her already attractive features more so. Feeling like I had a stupid grin on my face, I answered.
"Good morning to you, too" She looked so...good, I couldn't wipe the grin off my face. not being able to think of anything else to say-
"So , you headed out to work this morning?" I asked, motioning to how nice she was dressed.
Um, well, no", I have to go to court to settle some of my gran's estate affairs" she answered looking back up at me.
" Oh, uh, you look , um nice" These words were just coming out of my mouth, I wasn't thinking them, they just came flying out. Now I was a little embarressed, so I took this as my cue to leave.
"Well good luck" I said as I turned and headed off on my fake dog walk with Wicket.

The next two weeks passed, no flew by. It was almost as if a new person appeared at the house across the street. She was out alot more, not on any schedule, except for her morning and afternoon to and from school trips. She had evidently started up Ketterman's Catering again, as I saw, two or three times, her in a white uniform, loading the truck and heading out.
One Saturday afternoon, I watched from the window in the studio downstairs. I had come down here to work on a melody that was nagging me, but stood watching her and Lacey play basketball in the drive. Zac snuck up behind me and gave me a good start as he spoke.
"Jeez, Ike, you're getting as bad as our fans, she has you completly consumed"Zac laughed
" Just go ask her out already"
He started tapping a zulu beat out on his drums, as he sat looking at me.
"Can't" was the only word I said, as I went upstairs . Dad had asked me to mow the lawn, and I figured I had better get it done, beside it would be a way to get a better look at her.

Chapter 19

After the judge declared I was a legal adult, I felt as if a ten ton weight had been lifted from my shoulders.
We had a celebration to end all celebrations that nite after the hearing. I knew Rob was relieved, that the backup plan we had didn't have to be used. He liked his freedom, but we had decided, that he would declare himself as legal guardian if they wouldn't let me do it. I knew he was proud of me too, I could tell by the way he looked at me.
The catering jobs had been a success to say the least, and I had several more booked as a result. Life seemed to be on an upward swing.
Lacey was so enthralled that the Hansons lived right across the street from us, that is all she could talk about. She came home one day, with a CD.
"This is the latest one" she handed it to me. I looked at it and turned it over. Live from Albertane...
"Where the heck is Albertane?"(Authors note: ha, ha --just had to do that! ) Their pictures looked different from the boys I had met in the street, they looked, almost like....well, rock stars...
Slipping the CD in the player that evening, I sat back to listen to this phenomenon called Hanson.
One song glided to another, with some shouts to the crowd. The songs seemed like they had a wisdom to them, and I picked up the case to see who the writer of the lyrics was. I was shocked to find that on nearly every song, with the exception of a couple of old re-mixes, that they were listed as the writers. The more I listened , the more impressed I was, and then a song with a beautiful piano intro came on and a single voice belted out lyrics, that seemed to have some from a man who knew what it was to be in love. About halfway through this song that seemed to melt my insides, I picked up the album case and pulled the liner to find out which brother this was, that had this incredible voice. Reading through, I came to it
"More than Anything ...Isaac Hanson vocals." It said. So his full name was Isaac, not Ike. I hit the repeat button on the song and settled in to listen to this particular song several more times.

The next Saturday, Lacey and I got the house cleaned in record time and went outside to play basketball, it had been months, since before dad had passed, that we had the chance to do this. Darting around the drive, keeping the ball from Lacey, I thought to myself,
"I finally feel sixteen again" Lacey grabbed the ball from me and I ran over and laid down on the lawn laughing. Lacey collapsed beside me as we heard a lawn mower start across the street and we both looked up to see one of the boys walking it across the lawn in rows.
Lacey looked over at me with a big goofy grin.
"It's Issac"
I noticed two younger girls off in the corner of the yard taking turns on the swing.
"Who are the girls" I directed the question at Lacey..
"Well, they have 4 other brothers and sisters, so I would guess that they are their sisters."
"Do they go to school with you?" I continued"
"No, all of them are homeschooled by their parents" They have to, cause they spend alot of time on the road.
"Why don't you go introduce yourself to the girls, they look like they might be around your age." I said to Lacey, she looked at me, and her eyes brightened.
"Would that be okay?" she sat straight up and started to brush herself off as she made her way to her feet and fairly ran across the street to introduce herself to the two girls on the swing.

Chapter 20

Starting the mower, I watched Kate and Lacey in thier game, I was able to watch quite clearly on one trip each way. They both collapsed on the lawn into a fit of giggles. It was really cool to see another kid with a relationship like I had with my parents. On the next trip back, I looked up to see Lacey darting across the street towards out drive, and Kate getting up off the lawn and brushing herself off.
Lacey flew across the street towards our driveway, I turned the mower off, cause I knew the security system was going to scare her. Sure enough as she crossed the fence it went off. She jumped and then backed up.
"It's okay, come on up," I said and waved to her. It went off again as she started up the drive, and she headed towards Jessie and Avie, playing on the swing in the other corner of the yard.
Starting the mower back up, I watched carefully as she introduced herself to the girls, and they talked. Jessie got off the swing and headed to the front porch with Lacey and Avie behind her. The lawn was almost done and I looked down to Kate's yard, she must have headed inside. I hurried to finish the lawn, I wanted to get inside and listen to what was going on in there.

Racing up the stairsand in the front door, I came around the corner into the kitchen to find all three girls sitting at the table with my mom, laughing.
"Lacey, this is Isaac, my oldest" My mom said as she motioned to me.
Lacey smiled and stood as she held her hand out to me. Taylor and Zac were right, she looked like a miniture copy of Kate, she was cute.
"So there are 7 kids total?" Lacey looked at my mom as she nodded. I got a glass and slowly got a glass of water, making excuses to stay so i could listen.
"I'd love to have huge family like this, It's really quiet at my house most of the time, Kate and are getting use to it though"
I was curious as to why she called her mom Kate, must be one of those young mom things, I'd get shot if I called my mom Diana. And I was an adult.
"Can you guys come over to my house" Lacey asked towards Jess and Avie, they both looked at mom-
"Pleeeese," they both pleaded at once.
I wanted them to stay here so I could listen in, but I knew mom was going to let them go, they didn't have too many frinds their age, and I could tell she was thrilled that Lacey had made the effort to come over.
"Sure"
They all jumped up at once,
" You need to leave me your number Lacey, and girls, call me when you want to come home, It won't be too long before it's dark." My mom looked up at me and smiled, I just shook my head and left the room.