How She Became Strong

It was a Thursday, not sure if it was morning or night for the doctors had given the woman much medication already. It was cold outside because it was November. After what seemed like forever it happened, the sound of a baby crying was heard from the delivery room. Roanoke Memorial Hospital in fact is where this all took place on what seemed like a normal Thursday. The baby is a girl and she was given a mouth full for a name. Katt Mae Marie Ayers the first name after an actor gone with the wind. Marie's name is Katt's mother’s best friend's Sharon middle name.

Katt’s mother was a drug addict and her drug of choice was crack/cocaine. If you are unaware of the drug life then let me fill you in with the short and to the point general info. Addicts with a major addiction will put the drugs above all else, that includes above their children, homes, and even their own life. Katt was put in foster care twice while still an infant due to neglect from her mother. Katt at the age of three had a brother, a random boyfriend of her mother’s got Lace pregnant. Lace Dawn Ayers was Katt’s mother, not telling the father Lace had a boy on September 25, 1998. Lace named the boy Zane Lynn Ayers.

Vernon Cola Bird was Katt’s father, a hard working man, and a military man. A jack of all trades if you will, had many jobs as Katt grew up. He always managed to keep a job and make sure he provided for his dearest daughter. Mary Elizabeth Bird was Vernon’s mother and she watched little Katt while her daddy worked and raised her. Mary was Katt’s monarch. Lace was always gone doing drugs and chasing whichever boyfriend she had at the time. Vernon has gone overseas or worked two jobs. Both parents being gone left Katt lonely and craving attention. Mary was there as her mother, friend, and father.

Katt was helping raise little Zane by the age of four. Helping watch him and make sure he ate while her mother slept and won’t wake up. Lace had a bad habit of dropping off Katt and Zane at her sister’s or her mother’s house. Lace got with a man named Don who she married and had another child with whom she named Laken Nichole Hodge. Laken was six years younger than Katt and three years younger than Zane. After six years Don and Lace got divorced due to Don finding out Lace was such a drug addict who also cheated on him with a man named Safford. Lace took Zane and Katt with her to live with Safford, while laken stayed with her dad.

Safford was a drug addict and was weirdly nice to both Katt and Zane. Of course, Lace didn’t notice due to being messed up most of the time. One particular night Katt slept on the floor of the living room vertical with the coffee table. At her feet a few feet away Zane lay on the floor horizontally to the coffee table. Safford was asleep on one couch and Lace asleep in the bedroom.

Safford got up and lay hovering over top of Katt, she could feel him breathing heavily. Too scared to open her eyes she laid very still, she felt something being put in her hand. Safford then started to kiss on Katt’s face. The situation escalating, Katt kept her little eyes closed tightly. Katt felt her PJ bottoms being pulled down, she felt something else on her now. She tried to cry out for help, but a hand was tightly put over her mouth. Almost unable to breathe she had tears rolling down her cheeks for it hurt. Fortunately, the act was over quickly, but to Katt, it seemed like forever. Safford heavily breathing stands up and walks to his room and lays next Lace as if nothing happened.

Zane still asleep, Lace sound asleep, Katt lay there scared and traumatized. Unsure of what to do she laid there and tried to go back to sleep. That weekend Katt went to her fathers and told her grandma Mary about what happened. Mary told Vernon about the situation and they decided to take it to the court and get Katt away from that situation. Vernon took Katt to the hospital to get looked at and the doctor told him the very thing he already felt in the pit of his stomach. His daughter had been violated and he wanted to kill the man that did it to her. Vernon called Lace to inform her of what had happened while their daughter was in her care. After two days of trying to get in touch with her and he finally got to talk with her.

Lace was very defensive about the situation and took Safford’s side of the situation. Not surprised Vernon informed Lace that she would be seeing him in court in the next week. On the day of court, the judge granted Vernon primary custody of Katt. Lace stood up and before she left the courtroom she raised her voice to say “That little whore tries to sleep with all my boyfriends and take them from me.” this was said towards the judge. At that time the judge said “excuse me, that child never asked for such things to happen to her, and you are a very unfit parent and don’t deserve to have any children in your custody. I will be sending a letter to child services to pick up you other child and put him in a home with someone who will take care of him and be sure he is not to be put back in your custody until this investigation is over with the authorities, and your home is considered safe.”

Lace stormed out of the courtroom, passing by Katt. Katt got up out of her chair to hug her mommy and Lace jerked the girl off of her leg. “You are a little liar and I didn’t want your ass at my house anyway, I wish I’d never had you.” Lace yelled aggravatedly towards Katt. Katt started to cry, why didn’t her mommy love her? The twelve-year-old child was confused and heartbroken. How could a mother be so cruel to their own child? Katt watched as her mother walked away from her as if she didn’t mean anything to her. Katt cried until she was sick.

Katt moved in with her dad that day. He told her that he already had her signed up for school. A new school means having to make new friends. Katt didn’t really want to make new friends, what if nobody liked her at her new school? On Monday she started school. Troutman Middle School did not sound like a great place. Already Katt was concerned and very nervous. Early that morning she walked to the end of the driveway to wait on the bus. On the bus, she sat towards the back. A few stops later, a cute blonde haired girl got on the bus and walked to the back of the bus, Katt scooted over so there was room. The girl sat and looked at her as she walked by, she sat next to Katt. “My name is Brook Young, you haven’t been on the bus before are you new?” the girl asked.

The start of a new friendship started with just those words. Katt and Brook talked the whole way to school. Brook showed Katt the way to the cafeteria they got in line to get something to eat. After they ate Brook showed Katt to the office before the bell rang. At the door, Brook hugged Katt and waved her good-bye. Katt surprised by the hug she waved awkwardly bye. In the office, Katt was handed her classes and the guidance counselor showed her to her first period. Happily, Katt saw Brook sitting at a group of desks in the far left of the back of the classroom.

Ninety minutes later the bell rang. Second period she didn’t share with Brook. English with Mrs. Edwards, she was seated when Katt walked into the classroom. Katt was shown to her seat quickly as Mrs. Edwards noticed she was new. Katt was seated in the middle of the second row of desks, behind a girl who had very long brown hair. During roll call, Katt watched as children raised their hands and said here as their names were called. Faith Riffle was the name of the girl who sat in front of her.

As the bell rang Katt got her things and walked out into the hallway. Brook walked by as she stood there unsure where to go. “You got the first lunch or second? Brook asked as she walked up to Katt. Katt held up her pointer finger to show the number one. Brook grabbed Katt’s hand and pulled her to walk with her. “ I have that one too, come with me we can sit together” Brook stated as they walked down the hall. Why is she grabbing Katt’s hand? They held hands the whole way down the hall. What exactly is this relationship?

In the lunch line, Katt was wondering about these two questions. “ Are you okay, you like something is on your mind” Brook questioned. Katt nodded her head yes, “Are we friends?” Brook smiled “of course we are friends, girlfriends! You're okay with being my girlfriend right?” Katt was very unsure but was attracted to the girl. Does that mean people would call them gay? What would her dad think about this? Quickly Katt nodded her head yes. What did she just agree to? Katt ran those questions through her head over and over again. Having no answers made Katt uneasy.

On the bus, Brook told Katt that her mom taught her to be honest and to take what you want in life. Brook then informed Katt that she thought she was very beautiful and that she wanted her as her girlfriend before some guy asked. At Brooks' stop, she gave Katt a hug and kissed her quickly on the cheek, and walked off the bus. Katt held her hand on her cheek. It was warm and slightly wet where Brook had licked her lips before she kissed Katt. For some reason, Katt felt warm inside and kinda happy. Katt had never had a girlfriend before, how does it work if you are dating a girl and not a boy?

At dinner that night Katt told her dad about her first day at school. Informing him of what classes she had and how her day went by so fast it seemed. Katt told her father about making a new friend but she left out the part about having a girlfriend. Katt wasn’t so sure how that would play out. Vernon was a very religious man and spoke about the bible a lot. Katt knew that in the bible it says a man is not to be with a man, her maw-maw had told her that once. Does that mean a girl isn’t supposed to be with a woman? It doesn't say that in the bible or at least Katt didn’t think it did.

That night Katt laid in bed awake. Unable to sleep because she was thinking about everything that happened today. Too many things to think about at once made her start to stress. Finally, Katt drifted to sleep after a few hours of tossing and turning. While she slept her unconscious mind thought about the traumatic event she went through not long ago. A nightmare of the monster that hurt her coming after her again caused her to cry and scream out in her sleep. Hearing the screams Vernon runs to Katt's room to see she is still asleep. Waking the child she starts to kick and scream thinking the monster in her dream has got her.

Cuddling her in his arms tightly Vernon rocks back and forth while rubbing Katt’s back. Telling her everything is okay that it was only a nightmare. Katt cried in her daddy’s arms while telling him about the monster in her dream. Uneasy and in tears himself Vernon rubs her hair and soothes the child. Rocking back and forth he sings he a lullaby.

“Be still my child for I am with you always”

“Nothing can hurt you in my arms”

“Daddy's will protect always”

“Little girls and boys”

“From dreams of monsters or the worst”

“Stop your crying for I am with you always”

“Nothing Can hurt you in my arms”

“Daddy's will protect always”

There is no greater fear than this, being scared to go to sleep. Everyone sleeps. It's a natural thing the body does to function. Now Katt wanted nothing to do with sleep but the question is how do you stay awake forever? The next morning Katt was very shaken up and needed a friend to talk to. Brook was smiling ear to ear and looked beautiful. Katt couldn't help but smile.

By the time the bus got to school, Brook had given Katt four hugs and two kisses on the forehead. Brook sat up straight and looked into Katt's eyes, "What happened to you wasn't your fault, so don't feel bad. That man was a monster."Brook said looking at Katt worriedly. When things such as this happen in your life you never forget it, you may try to block it out but it will always be there in the back of your mind. When you close your eyes you see it. All the girl could do was learn to live with what has happened, and move on in her life. That is exactly what she did too.

To be continued…