Prologue

Monday

Kate Anderson had finally done it. She had finally found an escape from the small farming town of Glendale, Wisconsin. After months of applying, she had gotten an acceptance letter to the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Chicago, Illinois. Not only would she be busting her butt to fulfill her lifelong dream of becoming a doctor, specializing in pediatrics, but she was also escaping the slow hum-drum ways of Glendale. A nice town, if you had no dreams or expectations in life and were okay with the same stuff, every day, day in and day out. Not Kate. She dreamt big, and had every intention of fulfilling those dreams, no matter how hard she had to work for it.

The days had dragged by, but finally today was the day. Kate was packing the last of her things to take with her to college. She would be leaving in the morning and flying into Chicago's O'Hare International Airport. Her father had left a couple days ago in a U-Haul to take down the bigger stuff. By tomorrow afternoon, she would officially be an adult on her own, ready to conquer the world. She was so excited to be a part of the hustle and bustle of busy city life, she could barely sleep that night.

****

The next afternoon, as Kate slid into the backseat of a cab, there was no way she could wipe the huge smile from her face. She was on her own. She was starting her new life. And she was ready! She was now officially a 'city girl.' Nothing could stop her now. That is, nothing except one decision that would drastically change her life -- and plans -- forever.