Melody 5 - Rising Stars

5 (iii) - Kat

--- KAT ---

“Happy Birthday to You

Happy Birthday to You

Happy Birthday dear Katya!

Happy Birthday to You!”

Kat welled up as her Auntie Vi walked out of the café’s kitchen carrying a birthday cake with 17 candles.  All the friendly faces around her were beaming – Maria, Tomasz, Dani, and her little brothers - Stefan and Lucas.

“Can I blow out the candles with you?” squealed Lucas.

“No, it’s your sister’s special day,” said Vi.  “Let her do it.”

“I don’t mind,” smiled Kat.

“One, two, three, blow,” said Maria.

Kat and Lucas blew with all their might.

“Did you make a wish?” asked Dani excitedly.

“Of course,” grinned Kat.

“What was it?” asked Stefan.

“She can’t tell you, stupid!” said Dani.  “Otherwise it won’t come true.”

Kat wished with all her heart that it would.  She wanted to be a singer.  A successful singer so she could pay for a big house for Dani and her brothers to live in.  She’d even let her Auntie Vi come and live with them.  After all, they’d need someone to look after them while she was away recording and touring.

“Can I have a piece?” asked Lucas, bouncing up and down excitedly.

“I’ll get a knife from the kitchen,” said Tomasz.

“Here’s a present from me,” said Maria, handing over a gift wrapped in pretty pink paper.  “It’s not much, but then if I got paid more…”  She let the statement hang in the air as she looked over at Vi, but Vi pretended not to hear.

Kat opened it.  It was a lovely bottle of perfume.  “Thanks Maria,” she smiled, as she hugged her work-mate.

“Now, you won’t smell of chip fat,” said Tomasz, returning with the knife.

“Shut up!” said Maria, playfully whacking him.

“And here’s a card from me,” said Vi.  “Don’t open it now.  It’s for later.”

“That sounds very mysterious Auntie Vi,” laughed Dani.

“I am a woman of mystery,” said Vi, making a rare attempt at a joke. 

“And one of your teachers dropped by,” said Maria, as she handed Kat an envelope.  “Asked us to give you this.”

Kat quickly opened the envelope and card and saw it was from Ms Johnson.  She’d written – Happy Birthday Katya.  Be bold.  Be brave.  Be you – just as you are.  Best wishes, Lucy Johnson.

Kat gave a shiver.  What was Ms Johnson trying to say?  It felt very cryptic for a birthday card.  Before Kat could dwell on it further, Vi yelled, “Now Tomasz, cut the cake, before the children starve.”

As everyone huddled around, desperate for their slice, Kat looked around the group and for the first time in ages, felt blessed.  Although her life, wasn’t exactly how she wanted it to be, she realised she still had lots to be thankful for - like the fact that Vi had closed the café half an hour early, to host this little gathering for her.  As she took a slice of cake, she was determined to count her blessings everyday rather than worry about what she didn’t have.