When reaching her last note, the crowd went wild. The entire audience stood, clapping and cheering for her. She didn’t know how to react, so she turned and walked off stage, happy to share her song.

“Congratulations,” the first contestant said as she walked backstage. “You sang from your heart and sounded fantastic!”

The rest of the contestants joined in, forming a circle around Katie. Even the spoiled child with clothes from New York shook her hand.

“Would all the contestants return to the stage?” the judge said into the microphone.

Everyone filed out, with Katie on the far end. The judges conferred for a few minutes over the entrants until finally, the third judge, the nastiest of the three, faced the crowd of entrants.

“We didn’t get a chance to talk to Katie Johnson, the last of the contestants, because she walked off-stage. However, it’s not a problem.”

Katie knew at that moment, she’d lost the contest, but at least she’d gotten to share her song, which was all she really wanted to do.

The judge read off the list of three runner-ups to the winner, but Katie’s name wasn’t mentioned. Standing at the edge of the stage, she felt an urge to slip behind the curtains.

“And the winner is…”

Katie lowered her eyes and sighed. At least she’d tried. She’d taken all her cash and borrowed money from her four brothers to pay the entry fee. Now she had to figure out a way to pay them back.

“…Katie Johnson!”

Her mouth fell as she sucked in a breath and looked up, her face turning pale. She’d won? How could that be? She didn’t have the fancy training everyone else in the competition had.

“Katie, would you step center stage so we can talk to you for a moment?” the third judge asked with a smile. He hadn’t smiled at any of the other contestants the whole time, making her dumbfounded.

She approached the microphone. “Yes, sir?”

“We have a few questions for you. First, where did you find that beautiful song?”

She leaned forward and studied the eyes of the people in the crowd. “My father wrote it for me, the day before my parents were killed in a car accident.”

Mumblings through the crowd had her confused. Some of the women covered their mouths and wiped their eyes. Had she said something wrong?

“So who’s your legal guardian now?”

“My grandmother.”

“Is she here?” the female judge asked.

Katie lowered her eyes. This was it. They wouldn’t let her win without her legal guardian. “No. She’s at work so she can support my four brothers and me.”

“How did you get into the competition?” the third judge asked. “Pope, Wisconsin’s singing contest has rules, and minors have to have someone sign for them. I highly doubt you’re eighteen.”

“You’re right. I’m only twelve.” She turned and began walking off-stage.

“Wait!” A voice from the crowd stopped Katie. The old woman with the walker hobbled past the judges and took a microphone. “I’m her guardian in this contest, and I’ll vouch for her.”

“But Mrs. Pope, you have no family left,” the female judge said. “You can’t possibly be related to her.”

“Not by blood, but I adopted her right before this competition. My family founded this town as a friendly place. We’ve always welcomed newcomers as if they were our family. This young girl is no stranger to me, and I’ll vouch for her.”

The janitor walked forward from backstage. “I’ll vouch for her too.”

“As will I,” came a voice from the back of the auditorium. Others joined in, and within a few minutes, the entire auditorium had all declared themselves to be Katie’s guardian.

Mrs. Pope opened her purse and took out her wallet. “As a matter of fact, I’m going to match the five thousand dollar award.” Pulling out a wad of cash, she placed it in front of the judges, then turned to the rest of the crowd. “If you enjoyed Katie’s angelic song, feel free to add to the ten thousand dollars so she can share her voice with others.”

People began walking to the judges’ table, plunking down dollar after dollar. Katie stood on the stage, dumbfounded at the generosity of her new hometown. She approached the microphone, thanking everyone over and over again and enjoying hugs from all around her.

Katie may have been poor and without parents, but that day, she inherited a whole town of friends who’d called themselves her relatives. All she had to do to touch their souls and make them dream was to sing her father’s song.