Calista, raised solely by her hardworking mother in Seattle after her parents' divorce, unexpectedly encounters her father and stepsister, Lisa, during a picnic. Despite initial conflicts and her mother's objections, Calista gradually forms a bond with her father and Lisa. After a series of confrontations and reconciliations, Calista learns the truth about her parents' separation from her father. As her mother falls ill, Calista experiences the care from her father's family, leading to her mother's realization and apology for keeping Calista away from her father. The story concludes with the family coming together to support each other.
Here are the facts extracted from the text:
1. The narrator's name is Calista, and she is from Seattle.
2. Calista's parents are divorced, and she does not remember her father.
3. Calista's mother got full custody of her and moved to Seattle to start over.
4. Calista's mother worked hard to take care of her and never had time for herself.
5. Calista had no other family and made sure to love her mother enough for everyone.
6. When Calista was eight years old, her mother took her to a picnic in a nearby park.
7. At the picnic, a girl (later revealed to be Lisa) came and sat next to Calista, and they got into a fight.
8. The adults arrived and separated them, and Calista's mother was scared when she saw the man (Calista's father).
9. Calista's father introduced himself and Lisa as his daughter, but Calista's mother was angry and took Calista away.
10. Calista's father tried to contact her again, but she refused to talk to him.
11. Calista's father sent her gifts on Christmas and her birthdays, but she hid from him.
12. Calista and Lisa were in the same school and had a difficult relationship.
13. Calista's mother was worried when she found out that Calista's father had picked her up from school.
14. Calista's mother was angry and threw away the gifts that Calista's father had given her.
15. Calista and Lisa got into a fight at school, and their parents were called.
16. Calista's father was more concerned about Lisa than Calista.
17. Calista's mother was angry and didn't want Calista to have anything to do with her father or Lisa.
18. Calista and Lisa were forced to work together on a school project, but they still had a difficult relationship.
19. Calista and Lisa went on a school camping trip together, where they continued to fight.
20. Calista saved Lisa from drowning in a lake during the camping trip.
21. Lisa apologized and thanked Calista for saving her life.
22. Calista and Lisa started to become friends after the camping trip.
23. Calista's father invited her to spend Christmas with him and his family.
24. Calista's mother was hesitant but eventually allowed her to go.
25. Calista had a good time with her father's family and realized that she wanted to be with them.
26. Calista's mother was angry and stormed off when Calista told her that she wanted to spend time with her father's family.
27. Calista's mother refused to talk to her for several weeks.
28. Calista's mother had a nervous breakdown and was hospitalized.
29. Calista's father took care of her while her mother was in the hospital.
30. Calista's mother apologized for keeping her away from her father and promised to be better.
31. Calista's mother acknowledged that her father cared about her and that it was nice to have someone to help take care of them.