A few weeks later DeAnna's mom told her and her brothers they were moving. They moved from Garden City into a big house about 20 miles away. It was in Livoina and was a three level home. When you walked in from the front door it was the main level living room. Which was huge. Up the stairs were the bedrooms and down a few steps was the dinning room kitchen and laundry room. It had to be three times the size of the other house. But DeAnna hated it the minute she walked through the door. It felt lonely and empty. Dusty ran all through the house smelling every room she went to. Out back was a pinic table and small pool. It didn't look nothing like their other one. The backyard was large and had a swing set at the back of the fence. AND THERE WAS AN OLD HUNCH BACK HORSE IN THE YARD BEHIND THEM! DeAnna loved horses but felt sorry for this one. It looked so sad.
They finally got settled in. And one weekend grandma came by to visit. Her and her mom was sitting at the bar in the kitchen. And her grandma asked her mom about DeAnna's First Communion.
"Well, we've moved!" Her mom said.
"I can take her over there to make it. It's only a few days away." Grandma exclaimed.
"No!" Her mom said. "She doesn't need to go over their. She can go to the Catholic School here in Livonia."
"But she'll have to start all over with her studies here."
"It wouldn't hurt her none." Her mom yelled out.
DeAnna was so stunned! She could not believe her mom just said that! DeAnna ran upstairs, Dusty running behind her, to her room jumped into her bed and cried. SHE HATED THIS HOUSE AND HATED HER NEW SCHOOL! AND SHE DIDN'T WANT TO GO TO A NEW CATHOLIC SCHOOL! Dusty jumped up on the bed and started licking her face. "Oh Dusty, I wish I was you!"
She knew her mom and grandma didn't get along. Her mom said she was always butting in their business. Another reason why she wanted to move further away from them. But even if they didn't get along, why couldn't grandma at least take her that one day to make her Communion! It was so important to her. Not just about the dress. She loved that place and felt so close to God. That evening DeAnna wouldn't come down to eat. She told her mom she was sick. So her mom let her sleep.
That next day was Sunday and her mom took her to her new Catholic School. It was big, dark and scary. DeAnna hated this place too. Why couldn't we just stay where we were? She thought to herself.
That next day coming home from school, which was now three blocks away, she found no one was home. The house was all locked up and she couldn't get in. She walked around into the backyard to try the back door. But it was locked too. She looked around and didn't know what to do. There was snow all around. So she just brushed off the picnic table and sat down. Cuddling herself in her winter coat. God, it was freezing cold, cloudy and dark.
"DeAnna!" She heard someone's voice call out her named. She looked up and a lady was coming through the backyard gate. "Why don't you come with me. I live next door and I'll make you some hot cocoa, ok?"
DeAnna didn't know her but had been sitting outside in the cold, alone and scared wondering where everyone was. Her mom and dad both worked alot but her Aunts would be there to babysit until they got home.
"Ok!" She said running to the lady who was holding out her hand. They got next door and DeAnna enjoyed the hot cocoa and cookies too!
That night her dad picked her up from the neighbors. "Come here, DeAnna." Her dad motioned her to come sit on his lap. DeAnna crawled up into his lap and he hugged her tight. Dusty came running over to them both jumping up and down wanting to be petted.
"I got something to tell you." DeAnna was getting scared, something didn't seem right.
"Yea, what is it?" She asked.
"Your momma has found you a new daddy." He said as tears came down his face.
DeAnna was shocked! "What do you mean a new daddy? I have a daddy, it's you." DeAnna started to cry too. And hugged him so tightly.
"I know. But your mom wants to leave."
DeAnna didn't know what to think. She has a dad. She didn't want a new dad! That weekend her mom had packed all their things. And took her and her brothers to meet this new dad.