Chapter Sixteen: Helsinki:

And now we go next door to Finland. Let’s see what sweet little Katie is up to. Can’t really be much. It is morning after all.

Katie adjusted her scarf. She smiled to herself. Daisuke sent her a text last night. She didn’t see it until morning. Katie typed a quick reply and hit send.

“Katie! Are you ready to go?” her mother asked. The girl looked up.

“Coming!” she shouted. She raced over to join her family. Her uncle patted her on the head. Katie perked up. It was her idea to go to the Christmas Market. Her parents weren’t too sure about that.

“Please?” Katie pleaded. “I really want to go.”

“But you don’t like to shop,” her mom said.

“I just want to look around,” the girl said. “Please? We don’t have to buy anything. Please? Please?” The parents looked at each other. It took a while, but Katie managed to win them over.

The market would open at nine. Katie smiled as she walked between her parents. Her aunt, uncle, and three cousins followed behind. Even they were surprised that she wanted to come out to the Christmas Market. Usually, she just wanted to stay home and do nothing. Katie really must have missed home.

“So what are we doing today?” she asked. Her mother looked down at her.

“I don’t know sweeties,” she said. “What do you want to do?” The girl shrugged and shook her head.

“I don’t know,” she said. She hadn’t really thought much about that. Brooke wasn’t around to throw ideas at her. Daisuke wasn’t there to push her to lead either. She was just alone. Wow. That felt scary now that she thought about it.

A hand rested atop her head. Katie looked up to see her father smiling at her.

“Don’t worry,” he said. “You have all of Christmas and New Year’s with us.” Katie smiled back at him.

“Okay,” she said. Her father was right. She would have time to figure it out. This time, her family would be the ones to guide her. The girl held her parents’ hands. Yeah, Katie was going to be alright.