Sierra Jensen Collection, Vol 1

by Robin Jones Gunn

  “Peach is a nice, neutral color. Green, on the other hand, doesn’t match anything. What a disaster that night was! You know what, Sierra? If I knew in high school how much fun I was going to have in college, I wouldn’t have been so paranoid about trying to get a boyfriend. Enjoy yourself, and don’t make any bad memories with a guy just for the sake of having a date.”

  “I’ll remember that,” Sierra said.

  “Whoa,” Katie said, getting into position on her board. “Here comes the one we’ve been waiting for.” She began to paddle furiously, and Sierra followed right behind. Katie was faster—she caught the wave, stood up, and rode to shore. It all seemed symbolic to Sierra as she watched and waited for the next decent wave. Katie was older, so of course she was ahead of Sierra and deserving to catch the wave. Somehow it didn’t bother Sierra, being the one to watch and wait for romance.

  She had more opportunities to watch and wait that night when everyone gathered around an open fire pit at the beach. Christy led them all to a certain fire pit she’d picked out of all the open ones on the beach. The group spread their blankets, and the guys started a fire. There was some teasing of Todd, telling him to stand back and have a beach towel ready in case the pit blew up. Sierra didn’t think the jokes were funny, having been at the house and seen the accident. But the seriousness seemed to have passed now that Todd was doing better and Bob had come home from the hospital. He had gone right to bed, Christy told them. But he had invited everyone over for breakfast the next morning, so he must be feeling better.

  The sun was making its grand exit as they gathered around the fire pit, and Sierra was glad she had worn her sweatshirt. She sat next to Christy, who offered her the other half of her blanket and said, “Anyone want to roast marshmallows?”

  A chorus of cheers echoed from around the campfire.

  “Then you get to untwist your own coat hanger,” Christy said, pulling a handful from a bag and passing them around.

  Todd, who was sitting on the other side of Christy, was right in the path of smoke. He sat there about two minutes before coming around and sitting on the other side of Sierra.

  “Would you like me to move so you can sit next to Christy?” Sierra asked.

  “No, this is fine. Pass me a couple of marshmallows, will you?” He took them from Sierra and slid them onto his coat hanger. “Okay,” he challenged. “First one to brown a marshmallow nice and even without burning it is the winner.”

  Sierra promptly untwisted her coat hanger, grabbed two marshmallows and entered the competition.

  “What’s the prize?” Antonio asked.

  “The knowledge that you’re the victor,” Todd said.

  “You Americans are so contemplative,” Antonio said.

  “You mean ‘competitive,’ ” Katie said.

  “Oh, you’ve noticed it, too?” Antonio grinned at her.

  For apparently the first time, it occurred to Katie that Antonio had superb command of the English language and had been teasing her all along. “You’ve been having a good time with me, haven’t you?” she said.

  “Of course. I thought you were having a good time, too.”

  “I mean with your words. You’ve been mixing things up just to—”

  “Just to win your attention. And it’s worked nicely, hasn’t it?”

  Before Katie could toss him a quick retort, Doug and Tracy, with their arms around each other, approached the group. Doug was carrying a guitar case, and Tracy had a plastic grocery bag.

  “Marshmallow reinforcements!” Doug called out.

  Todd reached across Sierra and grabbed some marshmallows from Christy’s bag. “Excuse me,” he said, and before Doug could see where they were coming from, Todd pelted him with flying marshmallows.

  “Stand back, Trace,” Doug said, holding his guitar case in front of them. “I’ll protect you!”

  “Oh, you guys, look!” Sierra said, pulling her twirling stick from the fire. “We almost have a winner here.” Her marshmallows were nearly brown all the way around. Now came the tricky part of toasting the sagging underside before it oozed off the coat hanger and into the fire.

  “We may have an early winner, folks,” Todd said, sticking his marshmallow back into the fire. “But not without some competition.”

  Christy, who had been quietly roasting her marshmallows, now pulled her hanger from the fire and said, “Did you say competition?” As she said it, both her nearly perfect marshmallows began to droop beyond rescuing. She quickly grabbed them with her fingers. The sticky goo dripped down her hand as she tried to get it into her mouth. Christy’s eyes grew wide, and she pointed to the fire. Sierra looked in time to see her own two perfect balls of sugar bursting into flames.

  “I’m still in,” Sierra said. “Second try. Somebody hand me a marshmallow.”

  For the next half hour, the gang roasted all the marshmallows in Christy’s bag and Tracy’s two bags. There were plenty of flaming marshmallow balls dropped into the fire, and in the end, Tawni was the winner with the most evenly roasted marshmallows. Sierra realized she shouldn’t have been surprised. Tawni had the diligence to stick to it and wait patiently. Diligence and patience were two of her sister’s good qualities that Sierra had never noticed much.

  “You’ve kept us in suspense long enough,” Christy finally said to Tracy and Doug. “When’s the wedding? Did you set a date?”

  “After spending the whole day with both mothers, you better believe we did,” Doug said. “August 22, and you’re all invited.”

  “This August?” Heather squawked.

  “That was the only day all summer we could agree on. And if I go to graduate school,” Doug explained, “we don’t want to wait until next summer or try to squeeze in a wedding during Christmas break.”

  “Wow!” Todd said. “Wow!”

  “I think it sounds perfect,” Christy said. “I’m really happy and excited for both of you.”

  “Good,” Tracy said, “because I have a favor to ask. Actually, Doug and I have a favor to ask you and Todd. Christy, will you be my maid of honor?”

  “And Todd,” Doug picked up, “you’re the best man—okay, dude?”

  “Wait a minute, wait a minute,” Todd said. “This isn’t like auditioning for parts for a school play. This is your wedding we’re talking about. With all your family and all your friends, are you sure you want us?”

  “Of course. We’ve already talked it through,” Tracy said.

  “With both mothers,” Doug added. “So you know the arrangement has been sanctified.”

  “I’m honored,” Todd said. “Of course I’ll be your best man.”

  “And I’d love to be your maid of honor,” Christy said.

  “We haven’t agreed on all the other attendants yet, but we’re going to figure out a way to have all you guys in our wedding somehow. If nothing else, we really want all of you to be there.”

  “We wouldn’t miss it for anything,” Heather said.

  “So, Doug,” Todd said, poking the logs in the fire and watching them tumble, shooting off dozens of tiny red firecrackers, “exactly what does the best man do?”

  “Isn’t he the guy who kidnaps the groom the night before the wedding and has him dyed fuchsia all over?” Larry said.

  “Wait a minute,” Doug said. “I’m not planning on being kidnapped. Todd, as my best man, you’re supposed to protect me from maniacs like Larry.”

  Sierra couldn’t picture Todd’s having much control over Larry, or anyone being able to stop him—except perhaps Gisele. She appeared to be his soft spot.

  “That’s the beauty of it,” Larry said. “No groom ever plans to be kidnapped. Consider it a parting gift from us bachelors.”

  “I don’t know,” Doug said. “My idea to elope is starting to sound better and better.”

  “Can you believe you guys are getting married?” Katie asked. “I can’t.”

  “Well, try to imagine it,” Doug said. “Because we are.” He put his arm around Tracy and
squeezed her tightly. Tracy’s face looked radiant in the glow of the campfire.

  Sierra gazed into the warm embers and made a wish. Inside her heart, she wished that one day she would be as deeply in love as Tracy and Doug and that her love would be as pure as theirs.

  seventeen

  WHEN THE GROUP gathered for breakfast the next morning, they found everything set up for them in the formal dining room. A caterer had been hired to serve the large group wedged around the table.

  “Don’t look so shocked,” Katie said as she took a seat next to Sierra. “This is pretty typical of Marti. I’m sure it’s her idea of a welcome-home party for Bob.”

  “It’s pretty fancy, don’t you think?” Sierra whispered back.

  “Of course! The flashier the better in Marti’s book. You should see the place during Christmas.”

  Bob sat at the head of the table, looking pale, but smiling. The gauze bandages came up his left arm and covered half of his neck and ear. Sierra knew he must be in pain. With Marti’s help, he was bolstered up in the chair, making a rather regal appearance despite the handicap.

  Once the orange juice had been poured into the crystal glasses, Bob tapped on the side of his with a spoon. Then he held up the glass, inviting a toast.

  Everyone grew quiet, and Bob said, “Guess I missed most of the party this week. Sorry about that. I was probably looking forward to it more than you all were.”

  A ripple of laughter moved down the table.

  “This makes up for it,” Larry said from his position at the other end of the table. Sierra noticed his plate was heaped with eggs, sausages, and pancakes. Gisele sat on his right with only a few slices of fruit and a pineapple muffin on her plate. It reminded Sierra of a picture in her nephew’s nursery rhyme book of Jack Sprat and his wife, only in reverse.

  “I wanted you all to be together so I could make an announcement. I wish Margaret would have stayed,” Bob said, looking at Christy. “You tell your mom and dad everything I say, okay?”

  Christy looked solemn and nodded. Sierra wondered if this was going to be some big announcement about the family inheritance. She felt as if she had stepped into a remake of a Gothic mystery movie. All they needed was a change of wardrobe, a rainstorm with lightning, and a silver candelabra on the mantle.

  But it wasn’t that kind of atmosphere at all. The morning sun flooded through the front windows, piercing the crystals on the chandelier above them and sending dozens of ballerina rainbows across the table. The centerpiece bouquet was laden with large white gardenias. The fragrance floated through the air, intoxicating each of the guests with the sweetness.

  Bob, sitting majestically before them, spoke with a lightheartedness that fit the joy permeating the room. Clearing his throat, he said, “What happened a few days ago caused me to take my life more seriously than I ever have before. I did a lot of what you would probably call soul-searching and have come to a decision. That is, I’ve realized … or, rather, it seemed the right time to …” His voice faltered. “What I mean is …”

  “ You got saved!” Katie blurted out.

  All eyes were on Bob, waiting for his response. A wide smile broke across his face. “Thank you, Katie. That’s what happened. I got saved.”

  Bedlam broke out. Christy, Todd, Katie, and Doug shot up from their seats like rockets, shouting and laughing and trying to hug Bob without disturbing the bandages. Marti was frantically trying to keep them from touching him. Larry was standing at the end of the table applauding and hooting like a football fan whose favorite team had just won the Super Bowl. Tracy and Heather got in line to hug Bob, while Gisele and the others joined Larry in clapping and cheering.

  Sierra sprang to her feet and went over to hug Bob, too, even though she barely knew him. She realized how long Todd and Christy had been waiting for this day, and she shared in their excitement. She couldn’t help but feel a part of it.

  Tears were streaming down Bob’s cheeks. It was rich to see a man cry over his welcome into the kingdom. When Sierra hugged him, she impulsively planted a little kiss on his cheek. Her lips tasted the salt of his tears. “Welcome to the family,” she whispered.

  “And now the toast,” Larry said in his booming voice. He stood at the other end of the table with his juice glass lifted in the air.

  Bob struggled to stand up, with Todd supporting his one arm and Sierra bracing the other. Bob lifted his glass. Making eye contact, one by one, with each of his guests, he said, “My brothers and sisters in Christ, here’s to eternity.”

  Everyone cheered—except Marti.

  She stood at the appropriate time, but Sierra noticed that she used the opportunity to step to the corner of the room and issue instructions to the woman serving the breakfast. A moment later, the server returned with a fresh basket of muffins and walked around trying to offer them to everyone.

  No one accepted. Everyone was too busy cheering and talking.

  Bob sat down and told how the men from the morning Bible study had come to visit him in the hospital, one at a time. “None of them said what I thought he would say. They each just came and sat with me, and most of them asked if they could pray with me. I kept thinking about things Todd had told me over the years, about needing to repent and yield my life to Christ, to ask Him to be my Savior. I never thought I needed a Savior before. But when your life is almost taken from you, I guess you stop believing in luck, and start hoping there really is a Savior.”

  “Oh, there is,” Christy said, her eyes still brimming with tears. “And you found Him, Uncle Bob.”

  “Actually, I think He found me.”

  “Didn’t take too much for Him to get your full attention, now did it?” Doug said with a laugh.

  Bob tipped his juice glass in Doug’s direction. “You know,” he said, “I tried to explain it to Marti last night and I couldn’t find the words.” He cast a loving glance at his wife.

  Her expression was ice with a painted-on smile.

  “I don’t know what happened, but I am a different man inside.”

  The doorbell rang, and Doug, who was closest to the entryway, went to answer the door. A moment later, he stepped back into the dining room with three large suitcases. “The case of the lost luggage is solved, Tawni.”

  “Oh, that’s perfect!” she said. “My plane leaves for home in two hours, and now they deliver my luggage.”

  Doug carried the suitcases back to the front door, and Sierra noticed Todd casting his silver-blue eyes first at Christy, then at Bob. He leaned toward Bob and said, “What once was lost, now is found.”

  Christy echoed Todd’s ecstatic grin at her uncle.

  Without a word, Bob lifted his glass and clinked it with Todd’s and then with Christy’s. “What once was lost, now is found,” Bob repeated.

  Sierra knew they weren’t referring to Tawni’s luggage.

  eighteen

  ON EASTER SUNDAY, Sierra sat next to Granna Mae on the hard pew in Granna Mae’s old church. Tall white Easter lilies lined the steps up to the altar, their heady fragrance filling Sierra with all the reminders of spring, new life, and the miracle of the resurrection.

  Her heart was full this morning. It seemed so much had happened during the past week that pointed to this celebration of Christ conquering death. On the final hymn, Sierra helped Granna Mae stand, and with passion, Sierra sang alongside her grandmother: “Christ the Lord is risen today!”

  The warm glow of the week and the holiness of the Easter morning service stayed with Sierra all day. She cheerfully helped her mother set the table after church for their big family dinner. Her oldest brother, Wesley, was up from Corvallis, and her brother Cody; his wife, Katrina; and their three-year-old son, Tyler, were there, too.

  When they were all seated at the long table in the dining room, Sierra’s dad stood to pray. When he sat down Sierra popped up and lifted her water glass, “I would like to propose a toast,” she said.

  “Since when did our family start giving toasts?” Wes said.
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  “Since your sister was influenced by a certain wealthy Uncle Bob in Newport Beach,” Tawni told him.

  “I would like to say thank you to God for my family, who are all believers. I don’t ever want to take you for granted,” Sierra said. “Here’s to eternity.”

  The group didn’t jump in as eagerly as the bunch at Bob and Marti’s breakfast. But Granna Mae led the way, holding her glass up to Sierra, saying, “To eternity!”

  Sierra still felt extra cheerful when she returned to school on Monday. Amy was the first person she saw in the parking lot that morning.

  “No fair!” Amy said, holding her arm next to Sierra’s. “You’re so tan. Look at you!”

  “Well, that can happen to a person when she lies on the beach in Southern California for days on end,” Sierra said, enjoying the attention.

  “I want to hear all about it,” Amy said. “I can summarize my Easter vacation for you in two words: BOR–ING.”

  “Are you doing anything after school today?” Sierra asked. “I need to shop for a new dress.” She knew Amy would be a good companion since they had similar taste in clothes. Sierra had never met anyone who dressed the way she did, until she met Amy.

  “You, too?” Amy said, as she and Sierra walked together through the parking lot. “I spent three days shopping with Vicki last week in search of the perfect semi-formal outfit. You know, don’t you, that she asked Randy to go with her to some benefit dinner this Friday? I can’t remember if I told you before you left.”

  Sierra stopped at the last row of cars, her heart pounding. “She asked Randy to go with her?”

  Amy stopped alongside of Sierra and nodded. “The poor guy is such a nervous wreck. He made me go shopping with him last week, too. I finally talked him into renting a tux. You should see him in it. He looks so cute! Like a waiter. I didn’t tell him that, though.” Amy looked closely at Sierra. “How come your tan just left your face?

  “I’m surprised. That’s all.”

  “I thought Randy said he told you. Didn’t he ask your advice on what kind of flowers to buy for the corsage?”