“Maybe God has a better plan,” Danny said.
“But Mom’s being totally unreasonable.”
“Maybe she’s worried. Mothers do that a lot, you know.”
“No kidding,” I said, recalling Mom’s number-one reason for calling the whole thing off. Absurd!
The gondola began to sway. Not daring to peek down for a minute, I stared out my window at treetop level. Towering pines pointed to the blue sky, and Copper Mountain rose before us in all its splendor. Inside this tiny compartment, I felt uptight about being up as high as the birds, dangling precariously above jagged rocks and forested canyons.
“Nervous?” Danny asked.
“A little.”
“It won’t be much longer,” he said, gazing out the window behind me.
Slowly, I turned to look. Approaching us, steadily, was a steep cliff. As we came closer, the cables veered up, up, up! Swallowing my bubble gum, I looked away from the terrain beneath us and back at Danny.
“We have to come back down that cliff, don’t we?” I said.
He nodded. “But we could sing our favorite songs from choir tour to keep your mind occupied.”
It was then that I realized Danny wanted to ride back down the mountain with me.
“If we sing in two-part harmony,” he said, “it might be easy to forget the distance between us and the ground. We’ll concentrate on the distance between our pitches.” He laughed.
So we sang. And sang.
By the time the gondola reached the top and swung onto another wooden platform, I felt better. We climbed out carefully and took the steps from the platform down to the ground. Since we were among the first to arrive, we had a little time before the whole group gathered. A short talk was scheduled once Pastor Rob arrived, then a group hike, followed by the sky ride down.
A walkway made of wood chips led to five hiking trails, and a sign pointed the way to a nearby lookout site. “Let’s wait over there for the others,” Danny said, walking toward the lookout.
The lookout sat atop a large, flat rock, ringed with an iron fence. We stood at the fence and looked down. Far below, Dressel Hills snuggled in its peaceful, boring valley. Surrounded by shining mountains, the village seemed to taunt me. You’re stuck here for the summer. This is as far away as you’ll ever get.
The sound of laughter announced the arrival of the other kids. In a few minutes we were gathered around Pastor Rob as he shared his thoughts on the awesomeness of God’s creation.
Afterward, Andie and I headed for the outhouses near the crest of the hill.
“How are you and Billy getting along?” I asked.
She tried to act sophisticated—not an easy task for Andie. “We rode up together. That’s something, I guess.”
I pinched my nose shut as we came within a few feet of the girls’ outhouse. “Whew,” I said. “It stinks.”
Andie said she’d guard the door while I went inside. It was an old wooden outhouse, with a toilet lid built into a box. Flies buzzed around deep down inside the opening. Smelling the stench was enough to make me change my mind about using this facility.
“It’s nasty in here,” I called through the door. “I’m coming out.” I pushed on the wooden door.
Stuck.
I pounded on the door. “Andie, get me out of here!”
“What’s wrong?” she called.
“The door’s jammed.” I tried again. No luck.
The door jiggled a little. “I’m trying,” Andie said outside.
More door jiggling and groaning.
“Guess you’re trapped in there for the summer,” Andie said. “I never would’ve picked this option, but it’ll sure work to keep you in Dressel Hills.”
“Stop it, Andrea Martinez,” I hollered. “You know I’m not going anywhere this summer. Besides, the smell in here is making me sick.”
“I’m doing my best to open the door,” she called.
“Get some help if you can’t do it yourself.”
“I think I see Danny and Billy. They’re waiting near the trailhead.”
“Just please get somebody up here,” I said, dying for a whiff of fresh mountain air.
“Wait here.”
“Right, like I can actually leave,” I muttered.
Stranded on the top of Copper Mountain, stuck in a stinky old outhouse was not my idea of fun. This had to go down in my journal as one of the most embarrassing moments of all time.
Fearful thoughts nagged at me. What if they couldn’t get me out before dark? What if I had to spend the night up here…alone?
Then I heard them. Footsteps and voices. Thank you, Lord.
I peered through the splintery cracks in this wretched excuse for a rest room. Couldn’t see a thing.
Don’t freak out, I told myself, trying not to think about the insects and snakes and who knows what else lived in this miserable place.
Danny called to me, “Still in there, Holly?”
“Where else would I be?”
I heard laughter.
“There’s only one other way out of there,” Andie said.
More laughter. Was the whole youth group standing by the door?
“Get ready to pull…hard.” Danny was in charge.
“Don’t knock the old thing over,” Andie said. “We want Holly out of there alive.”
I heard a creepy sound over in the corner. But it was too dark to see. I covered my mouth. Should I scream? Andie would be yelling her head off if she were stuck in here. I knew that for sure.
Something tickled my head. Was it a black widow spider?
Remembering the giant June bug crawling around in my hair, I was too freaked to reach up and touch my own head. I froze.
SECRET SUMMER DREAMS
Chapter 14
Just then the door of the outhouse flung open wide.
I squinted into the brightness. “Who’s next?” I said, stepping out like my being cooped up in the smelliest, creepiest place in the world was a cakewalk. But I really wanted to reach up and kiss the sun.
Andie backed away. “I’ll wait.”
“Me too,” said another girl. “Let’s get outta here.”
The line of waiting girls vanished rapidly.
When no one was looking, I grabbed Andie. “Look in my hair.”
“What for?” she said.
“Is there a spider?”
She looked. “There’s this.” She held up a splinter of wood.
“I want it,” I said, pushing it into my jeans pocket. “The perfect souvenir.”
Pastor Rob called everyone to join him. “I’ll blaze the trail,” he said.
We started down a narrow, twisting path. Danny fell in step behind me. “That was some weird experience you had,” he said.
“Nothing like that has ever happened to me.” I could laugh about it now that I could breathe the smell of pines and could turn to see Danny’s smile.
The beauty of nature surrounded us as we walked. Trees seemed to sparkle with the sunlight, providing a shady retreat from the heat. Birds flew overhead, chirping and warbling, creating a pictureperfect setting for a walk with my youth-group friends.
But, sadly, the hike had to be cut short, because so many of us girls needed to use the rest rooms. None was brave enough to set foot in the only other option: the boys’ outhouse.
Before too long, Danny and I were back on the gondola, heading down the mountain, skimming over the tops of trees. Bumpity-lumpity-thump. The gondola did its thing with the terminal overhead. Holding my breath for a while as we drifted down, I couldn’t wait for the ride to end.
It was getting close to suppertime, and Grandma Meredith would be waiting at home, having arrived from the airport already, anxious to greet me. I wondered if she knew Mom was worried that I might want to live with Daddy. Was that something Mom would share with her former mother-in-law?
“You’re too quiet,” Danny said, his eyes searching mine.
“Just thinking.”
“Feel
like singing again?”
I didn’t really, but Danny looked so eager.
“Remember our theme song for choir tour?”
“Sure—‘Everybody Sing Praises to the Lord.’ ” The song was a favorite of mine. Danny’s too. I sang as he harmonized with his clear tenor voice, almost forgetting how high we were off the ground. Almost forgetting about California until Danny mentioned it.
“I hope you won’t take this wrong, Holly,” he said. “I’ve been thinking a lot about your California trip.”
“Really?” I was surprised.
“I agree with your mom. You shouldn’t go.” His face was serious.
“What do you mean?” I felt terribly hurt. “How could you say that?”
“You should obey your mother, regardless of your feelings, and stay home,” he said.
Not only did he sound like a much older brother, but there was definitely a trace of snootiness in his voice.
“You have no right, Danny. Don’t tell me what to do.”
“Holly, please…don’t be upset at me,” he said. “This is just how I feel.”
“Well, you’re wrong, and so is my mom.”
He looked a bit startled at my response. But I didn’t care. Danny had no business interfering.
After the sky ride, I hurried over to Mrs. Martinez’s car without saying good-bye to Danny. Andie was waiting inside. When we had pulled out of the parking lot and I was pretty sure Andie’s mom wasn’t listening, I poked Andie. “I have to talk to you. It’s about Danny. He’s a pain.”
“Like how?”
“He said I shouldn’t go to California.”
Andie smiled slyly. “What’s so wrong with that?”
“He has nothing to say about my life. Zero. It’s not like he’s my boyfriend or anything. Even if I were lots older and he and I were dating, well…I’d still do what is best for me.”
She studied me for a second. Then she said, “But if you were going out with Danny, you’d be mad at him for being too possessive. Right? So it doesn’t really matter, does it? You want everyone to see things your way or not at all.”
“Whatever,” I said, pulling on my hair stubbornly. We didn’t talk for the rest of the short ride home.
I trudged up the steps and into my house. Grandma Meredith was waiting inside with open arms. “Hello, my dear girl,” she said, reaching for me.
Tears spilled down my cheeks.
“Why, honey, whatever is wrong?” She hugged me close. “Come, Holly-Heart, it’s time for us to catch up on some things.” She led me downstairs to the family room, and once we were seated together on the couch, I poured out my frustrations.
“What do you think about praying for something you want really bad, Grandma, and it looks like the answer is yes? But then God doesn’t let it happen like you thought. I was all set to go to California, nearly dying to go, and then Mom changed her mind.” I paused to breathe. “All because Carrie didn’t want to go, too.”
Grandma’s face was solemn. “Remember, dear, it’s not easy for grown-ups to set their youngsters free, especially to parts unknown.”
“Oh, Grandma, can’t you get Mom to change her mind? Please?”
“Your mother is making the best decision she can, based on the circumstances.”
“Yeah, right,” I whispered. “Where is she now?”
“Upstairs, packing for Denver.”
I didn’t want to think about the Denver Children’s Hospital and Zachary Tate’s dire illness. I didn’t want to think about anything except that my very special grandmother was here, her understanding nature shining through her eyes.
“We all long for that first taste of freedom, Holly-Heart,” she continued. “But now you must think of your mother. She’s thinking of you.”
“Mom is letting Carrie’s decision change everything. It’s not fair.”
“Well, it’s not really your sister’s fault, is it?”
I leaned against Grandma. “It’s just that God was working everything out for me. So now where is He in all of this?”
“The Lord isn’t to blame for things not turning out the way we want them to. There are things to be learned in this life.”
I sighed. Deep down I knew she was right. God had helped us through tough times. And Mom was faithful about relying on Him when she made decisions. I could count on her no matter what. She was my safe harbor in the hurricanes of life. No way could I disappoint her now.
“Maybe I was wrong…about Mom,” I said at last.
Grandma leaned over and kissed my cheek. Then, smelling her delicious and famous beef and barley stew simmering, we both headed upstairs to the kitchen.
Carrie was still in the process of organizing her room when I knocked on her door. “Who is it?” she asked.
“Your fairy godmother, who else?”
“I don’t want any wishes today,” she said.
I laughed at her wit, waiting in the hall for an invitation to enter. “Well?”
“Well what?”
“May I please come in?” I asked.
“What’s the magic word?”
“Aw, come on, Carrie, this is silly.”
“The magic word,” she insisted.
“How should I know? It changes every week.”
“Exactly.”
Hmm, now what could be on her mind?
“What about Zachary? Is that the magic word?” I asked.
“Nope.”
“Summer vacation?”
“That’s two words.”
Exasperating little sister I have. “Ice cream?”
“You’re not even close,” her voice chimed through the door.
“I give up, then,” I said.
“Holly, don’t be mad.” She opened the door. “California. The magic word’s California, and you’re going there all by yourself.”
I sat on her bed. “That’s not funny, Carrie. Don’t you know how badly I wanted to go and you’re—”
“I’m telling the truth. Mommy’s on the phone with Daddy right now,” she said, her eyes wide.
I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry or dance for joy. So I did two out of three. “Give me your hands,” I shouted, reaching for Carrie and swinging her around.
“What’s going on in there?” Mom called from her room.
“Celebration.” Oops, I let Carrie’s revelation slip out.
“I couldn’t help it, Mommy,” Carrie said when Mom peeked around the corner. “I told Holly her good news.”
Mom stepped back into the hallway, her eyes squinting. “You’re happy, right?” she said to me.
I hugged her hard. “Oh, thank you, thank you, Mom. I love you so much,” I cried.
After hugs and kisses all around, Mom sat in Carrie’s bedroom. “Before you and I go off in different directions, Holly-Heart, let’s talk. I’ll be leaving for Denver tonight. Here’s my friend’s phone number in case you need to call me and can’t through on my cell. Feel free to use it anytime and for any reason at all.” She gave an index card to me. “Zachary has already begun treatment for septicemia.”
“Sounds awful. What is it?” I asked.
“His immune system is so weak his body has trouble throwing off germs that cause minor sicknesses in healthy people, like colds and sore throats. It’s a very serious thing for him to get a bug like this on top of trying to fight cancer.”
“Does Zach know what’s happening to him?”
“His father has explained enough to satisfy him without scaring him.”
I pulled on my hair, twisting it around my finger. “Carrie says he’s going to surprise everyone and live.”
She smiled weakly. “I hope he continues to keep a positive attitude. That’s very important.”
“Mom?” I slid over beside her. “Do you think he’ll make it?”
“I’m praying he will.”
“Me too,” I said, still wishing I’d known about Zach from the start.
“I have some last-minute packing to do,” Mo
m said, getting up and heading back to her room.
I tucked my T-shirt into my jeans. Turning sideways, I stared at Carrie’s mirror. Andie was right, I was beginning to develop a little. Had anyone else noticed?
I sneaked over to Mom’s room. Coming up behind her, I gave her a bear hug. “I’m sorry,” I said. “I was wrong about you, Mom. And selfish, too.”
She turned around. “I love you, Holly-Heart. I’m sorry, too. This has been a difficult time for all of us.”
I put my arm around her. “I resented Mr. Tate for taking you away from us. Then when you said Zach was the one taking up so much of your time, I understood better.”
“I’m glad you do, honey.” She stroked my hair.
Grandma and Carrie were standing in the doorway. Grandma’s eyes shone with tears as she pulled Carrie close.
Mom closed her suitcase. “Well, dear ones, this is good-bye for a couple of weeks. I know you’ll have a good time here with Grandma, Carrie. And, Holly, I hope you get to know your father better. Be sweet, okay?”
“I’ll be just fine, you’ll see,” I said. “Thanks for letting me go, Mom. You won’t be sorry.”
The three of us followed her downstairs to the garage, watching as she got into the car and backed down the driveway.
I whispered, “I really love you, Mom,” as she drove away.
It felt good knowing my mother trusted me with the visit to Daddy. If she thought I was grown-up enough, surely Danny would realize how mature I was, too. Now, if he would just stop trying to run my life.
SECRET SUMMER DREAMS
Chapter 15
At church on Sunday, I told Andie and Danny my good news. “I’m leaving for California tomorrow.”
Andie tossed her head back. “Go ahead, just leave me here alone. See if I care.”
“I’ll be back in two weeks, Andie. It’s not the end of the world.”
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