Ch 1

Gina sat on the bed and looked around. Katie and Mia were cuddled up tightly against her, and she knew that she should be happy. She knew that the tears in her eyes still go back to her parents and how they were not just lost to her they were taken. They were not just taken they were taken by someone who was trying to steal the company that her dad had made. But what made it worse for her was the fact that Katie's dad actually played a part in the deaths of her parents. Katie was like a sister, and they had tried to steal her future as well.

Gina drew a little comfort in the fact of knowing that at least they had been locked away for their crimes, but just because they were being punished didn't bring her parents back. Or help Katie live with the fact that her father was part of it all.

As Gina sat there, she knew that there were still a lot of things that she was going to have to deal with. She looked over at Katie and saw her tormented sleep. Gina was saddened to see that Katie was even crying in her sleep.

Gina knew that she was going to have to help Katie fix the things in her heart so that she could be happy again. Gina knew that Katie was still missing Jake and that was going to be the easiest part for them to fix.

The thing that was not going to be so easy to fix was the way that she looked at Gina now. It seemed like Katie was ashamed of herself, and Katie had betrayed her. Every time that Gina saw Katie looking that way, she couldn't help her and that hurt Gina's heart. Gina knows that Katie could not help what her dad did.

Gina knew that Katie had to be getting worried about what was happening to her mom, sisters, and brothers. Even if they had not treated her all that well lately, that didn't mean that Katie was not worried about them especially with her dad in prison now.

Gina knew that she was going to want to see her family that was a given but was she going to want to see her dad? Gina had watched as Katie went off on him. Pounding him in the face letting out all her anger and pain that he had caused her.

Gina thought about it and knew that Katie would need her with her if she did go and see him, but Gina didn't know how she could face him after everything he had done to her and her parents. There were times that Gina had seen how jealous Rodger was of her parents. Because of the way they had welcomed Katie into their family so easily and were treating her as well as they were treating Gina herself.

Then Gina looked over at Mia. She was now almost as close to Gina as Katie was. Was she going to come along with them as they went to deal with Katie's family and how was that going to affect Miss Kathy? Gina had accepted Miss Kathy as something more than a parent.

Gina loved Miss Kathy too and part of that was because she had taken away so much of the pain that Gina was going through. When the three girls go, will Miss Kathy want to come along with them? If she doesn't go, will she want them to come back, since they are leaving her and the other girls? Gina didn't know what she would do if Miss Kathy didn't want her to come back.

Just the thought of Miss Kathy not wanting her back made Gina tremble. She had lost so much that she didn't know how she could deal with it if Miss Kathy didn't want her anymore. She was hoping that she wouldn't have to face that, but she was not sure how Miss Kathy could leave everything that she had going on now to go along with them.

As Gina sat there thinking, looking at Katie. Gina wondered what Katie thought of Miss Kathy. Katie seemed to be happier now that she had been there for a few weeks, and she was getting used to the routine of everything. Gina could tell how much Katie loved working with the chef it was almost as much as she did.

There was something else that Gina was thinking about, they were going to have to go back and deal with the company. They had been put in charge of her dad's company and it was up to them to keep it going. Not that she had any idea of how to run it. To be honest the only thing she knew for sure was where the building stood, not even sure what they did there. Her dad was planning on teaching them the business once they had finished school letting them stay children as long as they could.

Gina knew that Miss Kathy had told her that everything was going to be better. Gina was trying not to worry about it, but things didn't seem to her like they were getting better, not that she was complaining about it. She saw how much Miss Kathy had improved her life. Miss Kathy even got Katie to be with her. She didn't know how she could have ever managed to get her there without Miss Kathy's help. Not to mention the fact that Stan Boulder was now in prison because of Miss Kathy and her attorney.

Gina thought about how Miss Kathy and the attorney had pulled Katie and her aside. They told them that the company was going to be put in both their names. When they found the real will that her dad had left. The company was not to be turned over to his old partner like the fake will that they had originally heard said.

Gina was confused about what to feel about Katie's dad. She had heard how he had been forced to do everything by Stan. He had said that Stan had forced him, by threatening the lives of him and his family. There was no doubt in her mind that Rodger had been threatened, but just how was she supposed to feel about him now? Looking at everything that he had done, she knows that it was not all forced. It might have been encouraged, but he had done some disgusting things like looking at her in the tub that she couldn't forgive.

Looking over at Katie she knew that Katie still loved him. Even when she saw that he was being nasty and mean to them both. Katie was ashamed of him and what he was doing, but there was still love there. She knew that Katie still believed him when he told her things. Even if they were not true, as long as there was a chance that it could be true, she wanted to believe in him and what he was telling her.

In a way, Gina knew just what she was feeling, she had to admit deep in her heart she wanted to believe the best in him. It's just so hard for Gina to think of a person being so bad that they want to hurt other people. That was nothing but nice to them just because he was jealous of them.

Gina was no fool, and she had heard the mean things that Katie's family had said about her and her family. She had always acted like she hadn't heard them. It was the only way that she was going to be able to have her best friend Katie in her life. She knew that when they moved there, she had lost the only friend that she had.

Having Katie live right next door they instantly made a close bond. Gina and her family could tell that it was meant to be. Gina's parents made sure to tell her that Katie's family was not as well to do as they were. So, she needed to be extra nice, and make sure that she shared whatever she could with her.

Gina knew that part of the reason that Katie's family was so jealous was the fact that Katie was getting so much more than the other kids. It did make her act a little differently and once they started dressing alike the way that they treated Katie really got bad. Gina saw how that looked to Katie's dad and it was like Katie was more a part of her family than his. But what was she supposed to do about it not give her the things that were making her happy? Gina wondered why wasn't he just happy that his daughter was being loved, and taken care of better than he ever could.

Gina realized at that point it was not really what they were doing for Katie, it was that he was jealous that they were not giving everything to him. It would not have mattered that he would have had to give it to her or the other kids he wanted it all just to be given to him for himself. Gina couldn't believe that any man would have been that way let alone the father of her best friend.

Gina shook her head. In a way, she wanted to love him like Katie did. Even though they treated her badly she still wanted them to like her. Thinking that if she just kept treating them well eventually, they would change and like her and her family. Instead, he is part of what ruined everything in her life.

Gina knew that it was not going to be that long before they were going to have to go back and sign the papers and face their past and Katie's family. Gina cried thinking of the house and the smiles that she saw on the faces of Katie's parents as they sold off all the possessions that they had, including her stuff. Her heart sank even further as she saw the house was listed and there was nothing that she was going to be able to do about any of it. Now that they had the money, they could reclaim everything, but did she want it now that they were making a family with Miss Kathy and Miss Snow?

Gina just sat there unable to sleep more. She wished that Katie would awaken so that they could talk, and she would see what Katie wanted to do.

 There was one thing that was for sure at this point. She didn't want to be separated from her again even if she wanted to talk to her dad in prison before the trial.