Free With Wings I Soar by Norah Simone Page A

just talked to my lawyer and found out that you definitely need to be present when the judge decides how we'll split custody of you, so we need to go buy you some nice clothes to wear to the courthouse.”
    “Thanks, Mom.” Tabitha was nervous at the prospect of going to court, but glad that she'd get to wear something nice and new. She was even more glad that she got to hang out with Katie a little bit longer before being thrust into the reality of the divorce again.
    “Love you, Sweetie. Remember now, you come right home after the movie.”
    “Okay.”
    Tabitha hung up the phone and shoved it back into her pocket just as Katie was walking back into the room.
    “Your mom?” Katie queried, setting down a tray of treats.
    “Yeah,” Tabitha glanced at the food and felt her stomach growling. Katie had prepared popcorn, chocolate chip cookies, peanut brittle, marshmallows, and apple slices for their movie-time treats. “She just wanted to check on me because I forgot to call her earlier.”
    “Uh oh, are you in trouble?”
    “Nah, she was kind of understanding, but I can only stay for a little bit.”
    “Okay, well, at least you get to stay here at all. You know, some moms would ground their kids for pulling a stunt like yours.” Katie winked at Tabitha jokingly.
    “No kidding. I guess she just feels bad because of the divorce and stuff. I get the feeling that Mom really wants me to like her. I don't really understand it but it's like our relationship is altered. Now, she doesn't really boss me around a lot. Instead, she kind of tries to be really friendly and act like we're buddies.” Tabitha bit into a chocolate chip cookies as she spoke. Its chocolatey goodness melted onto her tongue and tasted like heaven.
    “This is delicious,” was all Tabitha could say until she finished chewing. “I think sometimes that Mom still loves me and cares about me, but she's really afraid I'm going to end up living with my dad instead of her, and that would break her heart.”
    Katie nodded and handed Tabitha a napkin.
    “You have chocolate on your nose.”
    The two girls laughed as Tabitha tried unsuccessfully to wipe the chocolate off of her face. Finally, Katie spit on the napkin to moisten it and began to scrub Tabitha's nose.
    “Ew, gross,” Tabitha protested loudly, but allowed herself to be cleaned. “I feel like a baby kitten being washed by its mother.”
    “Well, maybe once you're a big girl I won't have to take care of you anymore.”
    The front door slammed loudly and both girls turned to see Kenny standing in the doorway.
    “I've got movies and pizza!”
    The girls both cheered as he tossed the pizza boxes on the coffee table next to the cookies and popcorn.
    “I know we were going to order in,” he explained to Katie, “but Molly was working today and said she'd give me a discount if I stopped by.”
    Molly was a girl Kenny liked. The two had been friends for over a year and both displayed signs of romantic interest, but Katie thought they were each too shy to make the first move.
    “Those two are the most ridiculous things I've ever seen,” Katie rolled her eyes toward Kenny.
    Tabitha only smiled. She was thankful for the pizza and glad to get the movie started. Kenny produced a brightly colored video and started playing it. As the trio settled onto the couch, pizza in hand, the opening credits for the movie began to play.
    The words were all in Spanish.
     

Chapter 17
     
    The pizza was so delicious that Katie and Tabitha barely noticed the fact that neither one of them could understand the movie. Kenny laughed and guffawed loudly throughout the entire film and constantly paused the movie to explain funny scenes and jokes to the girls. Before the movie was over, the teenagers had eaten two entire pizzas and all of the snacks Katie had prepared. When the film ended, their bellies ached from laughing and eating.
    "I should go,” Tabitha said, standing up. “But your house is so warm and