"I'll get it!" Jessi called as she ran to the front door.
Ike and I were watching t.v when we heard the same soft voice from the telephone call a few days earlier.
'Great...' I thought 'She's here.'
"Hi, Im Jessi, you must be Kaitlin."
"Yeah, Im sorry I didn't call from the airport. My plane got here early so I just came here in a taxi," Kaitlin replied and Ike and I looked at each other with a smile.
"Come in Kaitlin. Welcome back to Tulsa," Said my mother as she came into the foyer.
I saw the two women exchange hugs and I was shocked. Kaitlin was nothing like Ike described her. She was a red head full of large curls. She didn't wear glasses and her skin was a light shade of tan.
"Wow..." I said under my breath, which Ike must have heard because he gave me a nudge in the side.
"Let's go say hey," He whispered and went into the room where the others were.
"This is Avery, Mac and Zoe...oh and you remember Isaac," My mother intruduced her to my siblings as I still sat there on the couch. "And that's Zac. Come on hon, don't be shy."
My mother urged me over and I slowly walked into the foyer. Feeling suddenly nervous and embarrassed at being called 'shy' I turned to face Kaitlin.
"Hey," I replied in a low voice and she simply smiled.
"Well, dinner is ready so why don't we get you settled and then we can eat," My mother said and Kaitlin followed her up the stairs.
"Well, she's certainly changed," Isaac said after they left and he went back into the living room.
"Oh yeah," I said and felt Mackie tug on my arm.
"Come on Zac. Dad want's you in the kitchen to help set the table," He said and I let my little brother drag me into the next room.
At the table we sat at our usual places, except with Kaitlin sitting across from me in Jessi's usual seat. Jessi was in Taylor's seat since he was on his honeymoon.
"Would you like more peas Kaitlin?" My dad asked and handed her the bowl.
"Thanks Mr. Hanson," She said and took another spoonful of butter beans. "Where's Taylor?"
"Oh great. Here we go," Ike said under his breath in my direction, but thankfully Kaitlin didn't seem to hear.
"Oh He's on his honeymoon. In the Bahamas on a cruise. Didn't Ike tell you?" My dad replied and took to bowl of peas back from her.
"He got married?! I didn't think he'd get married for at least a few more years. He's just 19 right? Cause I turned 18 in March too," She said with a strangely excited voice.
"Yes he's just 19 but he really loves Natalie and she loves him. They decided to start their life together early. Natalie's a real nice girl and her family seems to really like Taylor," My mom said and gave Kaitlin a smile.
"Oh.." Kaitlin said with less excitement in her voice this time.
Suddenly the phone rang and Avery got up to answer it.
"Hey Tay!...Are you having a good time...Tell Natalie we said hey," Avery said and handed to receiver to my mom.
She talked a little more about his stay and Kaitlin interjected. "Can I say hello?" She asked and got up from the table.
"I told you she was going to be all excited to see him," Ike said to me again and I just watched Kaitlin.