Summer's Promise

by Irene Brand

  It had been so long since she’d gone any place alone that Summer felt conspicuous when she boarded the bus in Asheville. Without a traveling companion, Summer was asked to take a seat behind the driver which was a bit crowded for two people. She was glad to sit alone for she didn’t want to talk to anyone. She kept remembering her departure from The Crossroads. Both Timmy and Nicole had cried and clung to her when she left, and Pete had barked and raced after the car until she sped up and left him behind.

  “What if you don’t come back like our other Mommy?” Nicole cried, and Timmy begged, “Don’t go. I’ll miss you.”

  The students from The Crossroads had grouped outside to watch her early-morning departure, and Summer’s eyes misted over.

  “Maybe I’d better not go,” she’d said quietly to David, who stood beside the open car door.

  He drew Timmy and Nicole away from her. “Listen, kids. Summer’s going to unwrap the gift I gave her for Christmas. You wouldn’t want to have a gift you’d never opened, would you? Be good now. I’ll look after you while she’s gone. She’ll be home in four days.”

  “Promise you’ll come back,” Timmy said.

  Summer darted a quick glance at David and lines of concern appeared between her eyes. She thought of the deaths of Bert and Spring. They’d intended to return to The Crossroads, too. She’d kept her promise to her sister, but how could she make another promise she might not be able to keep?

  “God will take care of your Auntie,” David said to the kids. “Go on, Summer. They’ll be all right.”

  The memory of their worried faces had been in her mind all the way down the mountain. She’d been touched by the children’s crying—so much that she hadn’t wanted to leave them.

  The first stop was at Cherokee, North Carolina, located on the Cherokee reservation, where the tourists viewed a Native American village as it would have looked in the eighteenth century. In the craft shop, Summer bought two dolls in traditional costumes for Nicole and Timmy.

  After lunch, the bus continued across the steep mountain road into Tennessee to the inn where they would stay for two nights. The inn was located on a wooded mountainside overlooking downtown Gatlinburg. Summer’s room had a private balcony, and before going to dinner, she sat outside and enjoyed the cold air. She heard the sound of traffic in the town below, but otherwise, all was quiet. How long had it been since she’d had any peace and quiet? In the cabin, even after the children were in bed, there was sound as the children turned in bed or Pete snored noisily at the foot of her bed. And Summer was always listening for Timmy’s nightmares. Well, she had the solitude she’d been wanting. Nothing would disturb her tonight.

  She glanced at her watch—seven o’clock. Supper would be over in the cabin, Timmy and Nicole would be vying for a coveted place on the floor in front of the television and Mayo and Skipper would be coming to watch the game shows. And David? What would he be doing? Probably helping Anita clear away the supper dishes. With a sigh, Summer went into her room to change her clothes before dinner. She took a framed photo from her suitcase and set it on the table by her bed. David’s mother had taken the picture of Summer and David and the children on Christmas Day. Summer hadn’t paid much attention to the framed photo when she was at The Crossroads, but when she’d packed her suitcase, she’d included the picture.

  The next morning, in small buses, the group took a tour of the national park, and everyone cheered when a couple of black bears ran across the road in front of them. The guide said they were fortunate as these were the first bears he’d seen this spring. In the afternoon, they took a tour of Christus Gardens, enjoying the realistic scenes portraying the life of Christ, as well as the colorful floral settings.

  The pace was leisurely, with long lunch stops and bountiful dinners at good restaurants. Normally, the unhurried pace would have suited Summer’s tastes, but she’d become accustomed to the hectic activities at The Crossroads, and the days passed slowly for her. On the day before their return home, the tourists visited shops in Pigeon Forge.

  She bought perfume for Anita, a doll for Nicole, a cuddly black bear for Timmy, a brown tie that reminded her of David’s eyes and even a plastic bone for Pete. Since she couldn’t afford to buy anything individually for the rest of the students, she settled for two large cans of cookies.

  The tour included a farewell meal at a large steak-house, where the guests were entertained by a violinist. Summer was sorry when they boarded the bus to go back to the inn to face another night in an empty room.

  She undressed and put on a nightgown and robe. She sat on the side of the bed and picked up the photo of her family. Her family! Had she started thinking of them as her family? She ran her fingers over the image of Timmy’s fair complexion, dwelling a moment on his small, rounded nose. Imaginatively, she smoothed back Nicole’s hair that was always falling over her forehead. Her hands caressed David’s features. She lifted the picture and kissed each of the smiling faces before her.

  She laid the picture beside her pillow as she got into bed and turned out the light. This trip hadn’t turned out at all as she’d expected it to. David had purchased the tour so she could have a few days of the solitude she’d liked. Had he suspected how the trip would affect her?

  She had been lonely for three days. She could have made friends with other tour members, but it wasn’t just anyone’s companionship she craved. She wanted David and Nicole and Timmy. Had these three people wrapped themselves around her heart and emotions until she needed them to have a complete life? It was a frightening thought. Would she ever be content to be alone again?

  School was being dismissed for the day when Summer drove into the compound parking lot. Remembering how disturbed she had been when she’d seen the compound for the first time, she couldn’t believe how good the area looked to her today. She turned off the engine and eagerly stepped out of the car.

  A shout reached her ears and she turned to see Timmy running down the steps of the elementary school. He should have had his coat on, but without scolding, she reached down for him and swung him into her arms.

  “Auntie!” he shouted. “We’ve missed you.”

  His welcome had alerted the area, and several of The Crossroads’ students rushed into the parking lot and gathered around her. Nicole pushed her way through the students and put her arms around Summer’s knees. Summer set Timmy on the ground and hugged his sister.

  Summer was overwhelmed by the warm homecoming, but something was missing. She looked around. David? Where was David? Then he appeared at her side.

  “Hey,” he said, “it’s my turn for a hug.” He pulled her close in a possessive gesture, and under cover of the general hubbub, whispered for her ears alone, “It’s not the same when you’re gone.”

  Timmy tugged on her hand. “Let’s go home. I want you to fix supper. Uncle David and Anita don’t know how to cook.”

  She exchanged amused glances with David, remembering a few months ago when Timmy hadn’t liked her cooking.

  “And Pete wants to see you, too. He’s been whining ever since you left,” Nicole said.

  “Wait until I get my things out of the car.” She put the two tins of cookies in the hands of Mayo, thinking he was the most likely student to see that the sweets were equally shared. David picked up her suitcase, and Timmy and Nicole carried some of her packages as they walked along the narrow path that would take them home. Home! Had this place really become home to her?

  Pete was chained to his house to keep him from running off to look for Summer. She reached down and unchained him, and he ran into the house before the rest of them.

  The children were so excited to have her home, and pleased over the gifts she’d brought that she had difficulty getting them settled for the night. It was after ten o’clock before Summer and David had the cabin’s living area to themselves, and they sat together on the sofa.

  “Thanks for the Christmas gift in April,” Summer said. “It was a well-planned tour. My room at the inn was a
beautiful place, and all of the meals were fabulous.”

  She became silent, and David watched her face closely as she talked about the places she’d seen.

  “I learned a lot of things on this trip that surprised me, things I’m not sure I wanted to learn.”

  Gathering her into his arms, David murmured, “Tell me.”

  She pushed back a strand of wayward hair from David’s forehead. “I had the solitude I’ve been thinking about for the past six months. I sat alone on the bus. I roomed alone. I didn’t make any friends. Most everyone had a companion, and while several people asked me to join them, it didn’t appeal to me. And I was lonely, David. I kept thinking how much more fun I’d have if you and the kids were with me.”

  “Maybe we’ve become a habit with you.”

  She continued as if she hadn’t heard him. “So I’ll have to reassess my priorities. I apparently can’t be satisfied with my life as it used to be. Were Spring and Bert right? Am I finding at The Crossroads what I’ve been searching for? For months I’ve worried that I’ve been doing the things I do because I thought it was my duty. I know now that love not duty has motivated me. It’s frightening not to be the person you used to be. I hardly know who I am anymore.”

  David’s embrace tightened. “I know who you are—the most captivating woman I’ve ever known. This place has been like a prison while you were gone. The minute you get back, I’m enthusiastic about my work again.”

  He kissed her cheek, but Summer’s thoughts were still on the change in her attitude. “And while the bus made its way toward Asheville, I kept thinking, ‘I’m going home.’ Has The Crossroads really become my home?”

  “I learned something while you were gone, too. I’m not satisfied at The Crossroads unless you’re here.”

  “So it looks as if our decision is becoming more complex rather than easier.”

  David agreed, kissing the soft hair resting on his shoulder. “I’ll have to go back to the dorm now, but I’d much prefer to stay here.”

  Summer let his remark go without an answer. She knew what David meant, but she wasn’t ready to deal with anything that complex right now.

  Chapter Seventeen

  The rest of April passed rapidly, and graduation ceremonies were planned for the five seniors. To Anita’s relief, David received permission from the mission board for her to work at The Crossroads for a year with a small income until they could make arrangements for her to attend college.

  The mission board had also arranged for David to take a week’s tour to churches in Virginia and North Carolina during the first week in May, to report on the work at The Crossroads and to enlist their support for future projects. The monthly newsletters had paved the way for the requests that he intended to make—new kitchen equipment, a computer lab, a gymnasium, office equipment and a piano.

  “Do you actually think you’ll get commitments for all of that?” Edna asked as they sat in their monthly staff meeting the last week in April.

  “No,” David said, smiling. “But we sure won’t get it if we don’t ask. I’m also going to ask the board to approve an open house at the beginning of the school year, so people can see what we’re doing.”

  As Summer listened to David’s enthusiastic plans, she knew he’d found his place. He intended to stay at The Crossroads. The next decision was up to her. Would she stay with him? If so, in what role?

  She’d missed part of the conversation while she’d been woolgathering, but she paid attention when David said, “I’ve considered taking Mayo and Skipper with me. The boys sing well together, and if people hear a demonstration of Mayo’s talent on the piano, perhaps they’ll be more generous. I’ve seen a big change in attitude and spiritual growth in those boys in the seven months I’ve been here. They’ll be a good advertisement for the school.”

  “You certainly have my permission,” Edna said. She turned to Summer, “Can you manage the office alone while David is gone? We can probably get a volunteer to come in and help.”

  Summer didn’t want David to leave, but not because of the extra work she’d have to do. “I’ll manage all right,” she said. “Anita is handy with the copier and other equipment, so I’ll call on her if I need any extra help.”

  They closed the office when the meeting ended, and David walked back to the cabin with Summer.

  “So this time I’m going and you’re staying behind. Do you realize that, except for the few days you went on your tour, we’ve been together every day since the first week in October?”

  “I’m going to miss you, but a few days of separation might be good for us—maybe give us a new perspective on…on things. I depend on you too much. This will be a good time to see if I can handle the household by myself.”

  David left early the next morning, with the whole Crossroads student body on hand to see him off. Skipper’s wide smile lit his features as he anticipated the journey before him. Mayo’s expression seldom betrayed his inner feelings, but as he carefully stored his banjo in the back of the van, Summer noted a gleam of excitement in his eyes.

  Summer and David had said their goodbyes before he left the cabin last night. A warm glow colored her face and her mind burned as she remembered the depth of their ardor. She was embarrassed in David’s presence this morning, wondering just how much her response had revealed to him.

  David bent to kiss Nicole and Timmy on their foreheads, squeezed Summer’s hand, and stepped into the van that moved rapidly out of the parking lot to the concerted cheers of the students.

  Skipper stuck his head out the window. “See you next Monday,” he shouted.

  Monday seemed a long way off, Summer thought as she watched Timmy and Nicole climb the steps to the elementary school, and she turned toward an empty office.

  Mindful of their limited budget, David didn’t telephone until Wednesday morning. Summer was pleased to report that all was well.

  When the auditor arrived at the office early the next morning, Thursday started out on a sour note. She spent the entire day providing files for him, and although everything was in order, Summer was edgy, fearful that she hadn’t kept the financial records to suit him. The man didn’t leave until four o’clock, and by that time Timmy and Nicole would have been at home for almost an hour. She never left them alone in the cabin, and she was anxious to get home.

  Nicole was seated at the kitchen table doing her homework.

  Summer kissed her, asking, “Where’s Timmy?”

  “Outdoors playing with Pete, I reckon,” Nicole said.

  “I didn’t see Pete or Timmy. I’d better check on them.”

  After calling for Timmy several times without any response, Summer stuck her head in the door. “I’ll go back to the compound and look for him,” she said to Nicole. “Don’t you disappear while I’m gone.”

  Engrossed in her homework, Nicole nodded her head.

  Summer wasn’t much alarmed because Timmy liked the playground equipment, but she didn’t see him or the dog with the other children. Outside the administration building, she met Stonewall Blackburn, hobbling along with the aid of a heavy walking stick.

  “What’s happened to you?” she said.

  “I was fixing the siding on the cabin, and hit my knee with a hammer,” he said. “Can’t hardly walk.”

  “I’m sorry about that. Have you seen Timmy? He’s not at the cabin, and I don’t see him around here. He was playing with Pete the last time Nicole saw him.”

  “Nope! I ain’t seen the boy, but he might have followed the hound into the woods. Pete’s big enough to want to hunt. After that rain last night, if he took one of the trails, I ought to be able to find some tracks. I’ll walk back with you.”

  “Oh, you shouldn’t do that, not with a sore leg,” Summer protested.

  Heading toward the cabin, Stonewall said, “It’s good for a sore joint to exercise it—I’ll go see what I can find.”

  Summer wanted to rush ahead, but she slowed her pace to match Stonewall’s labored steps. I
f there were any signs to Timmy’s disappearance, Stonewall could spot them easier than she could.

  When they entered the glade, she went first to the overlook—she’d always feared one of the children might fall down that mountain. She tried to remember what Timmy had worn today. She was sure he had on his blue jacket, so that would be easy to see if he and Pete were in sight, but there wasn’t a sign of either of them.

  She joined Stonewall at the trail head, and he pointed to tracks in the muddy spot where the path entered the national forest.

  “He’s gone that way,” Stonewall said, “and the dog was in front of him. Probably Pete ran away, and Timmy went after him.”

  The spring foliage wasn’t full-leafed yet, and Summer walked along the trail a short way, hoping to see the boy.

  “Timmy! Timmy!” she called several times, but he didn’t answer. She went back to Stonewall.

  “I’ll go after him as soon as I let Edna know what’s happened and get Anita to stay with Nicole. I’m worried.”

  Stonewall thumped her on the shoulder with his beefy hand.

  “Now, missy, no need to worry. It’s a long time ’til dark. Pete will head for home soon, and the boy will be along.”

  Summer shook her head. “I’ll go look for him.”

  “Sorry I can’t help, but this leg wouldn’t hold me up for long.”

  “Thank you. It’s my responsibility. Like you said, he’ll probably come home on his own, but I’ll feel better if I’m doing something.”

  “You go on—don’t wait for me.”

  Summer stopped in the cabin. “Nicole, he’s gone into the woods, and I’m going to find him. You come with me, and I’ll see if Anita can look after you until I get back.”

  Nicole started to protest, but perhaps sensing Summer’s worry, she closed her book and came to the door. As they hurried along the path, Nicole said, “Just like that mean little boy to pull something like this. He ought to have a spanking.”