The Long Ride Home

by Marsha Hubler

  Mr. Nicholson gestured toward a brown plaid sofa. “Please have a seat.”

  Skye and Mrs. Chambers sat on cushions that almost enfolded them in softness. Skye leaned forward, clenched her sweaty hands, and rested her arms on her knees.

  Mr. Nicholson sat in a fluffy cream-colored recliner and mirrored Skye’s posture. “Skye, I don’t know where to begin. I’ve rehearsed this moment in my mind for years, planning exactly what I’d say to you when I finally found you, and now—well—since you found me, I’m speechless. I guess the best thing I can do is let you ask questions.”

  “Hello?” Mr. Chambers yelled in the opened front door.

  “Come right in, folks,” Mr. Nicholson said.

  “Thank you!” Mr. Chambers came in carrying Morgan. He walked into the room and placed Morgan next to Skye.

  “Mr. Nicholson,” Mrs. Chambers said, “this is my husband, Tom, and our other foster daughter, Morgan Hendricks.”

  “Hi,” Morgan said.

  “Nice to meet you,” Mr. Nicholson said.

  “We’re very pleased to meet you,” Mr. Chambers said as the men shook hands.

  “Please sit down,” Mr. Nicholson offered.

  “Thank you,” Mr. Chambers said, sitting in a chair next to the sofa.

  Mrs. Nicholson came in carrying a tray with pretzels and six glasses of iced tea. She placed them on an end table next to Mr. Nicholson’s chair. “I’m sure you folks would love something cool,” she said as she handed out the drinks.

  “Thank you,” they all said, taking the glasses.

  “Ruth, slow down a minute so I can introduce you,” Mr. Nicholson said. “Folks, this is my wife, Ruth.”

  Mr. Nicholson grabbed a glass and then passed the pretzels. “Help yourself,” he said, smiling.

  Skye never took her stare away from the man.

  “Thanks.” Mr. Chambers took the bowl, grabbed a pretzel and passed the bowl to his wife.

  Mrs. Nicholson opened a folding chair, placing it next to her husband. She sat, sipped her tea, and gave a warm smile. Almost in unison, the Chambers family did the same.

  “Now that we’re all settled,” Mr. Nicholson directed his attention toward his daughter, “go ahead. Ask all the questions you’d like.”

  As the others sipped tea, Skye chewed on her lip. Desperately, she tried to sort out dozens of questions that had her brain tied up in one big knot, searching for the one question that meant more to her than anything else in the world. Finally, as though one determined question crowded its way to the front of a busy line, Skye took a quick breath. “Where’s my mother?”

  Chapter ten

  God forgive me,” Mr. Nicholson lamented. “I was hoping and praying that you could tell me where Rita is. What I put that woman through—”

  Ruth gently grasped her husband’s hand. “Hon, that was a long time ago and a part of your other life.”

  “Other life?” Mr. Chambers asked.

  Mr. Nicholson patted his wife’s hand, relaxed into his recliner and took a deep breath. “Before I say anything else, I’d like to know how you folks found me.”

  “The Internet,” Mrs. Chambers said.

  “Well, partly,” Skye said. “By accident, we met Millie last week. I never even knew your name, or my real mother’s name, or that I had an aunt. We went into a restaurant, and this waitress, Millie, overheard my name, asked who I was, and said she’s my aunt. She works at the Cozy Cupboard near Charleston.”

  Mr. Nicholson leaned forward as his eyebrows peaked. “You met Millie?”

  “Jacy’s been looking for her for years,” Ruth said. “I hope you have her address.”

  “Oh, we do,” Mrs. Chambers said. “And her phone number.”

  Ruth hurried toward the kitchen. “I’ll get paper and a pen so we can write that down.”

  “And I’ll call her today,” Jacy added. “No wonder I couldn’t find her. I still had her Pennsylvania address and phone number.”

  “Do you know—oh, I guess you don’t—that Denny’s in the Marines, and Emma’s going to college next year?” Skye asked.

  “That’s wonderful,” Mr. Nicholson said. “I can’t believe those kids are that old. Time sure flies by. What were you folks doing in Charleston?”

  “We volunteered at a special-needs ranch with our four horses,” Mrs. Chambers said. “It was only God’s perfect timing that we met Millie. She told us all she knew about you.”

  “Then you know I’ve been in prison.” Mr. Nicholson’s face morphed into a look of shame.

  “Yes,” Skye said, “but that doesn’t matter to any of us. Before I went to live with Mom and Dad Chambers, I had a record as long as a flag pole and was headed for lockup.”

  “But that was your other life.” Mr. Chambers gave Skye a warm smile then addressed Mr. Nicholson. “We’re Christians, and when Skye accepted Christ, he changed her life completely.”

  Morgan’s freckled face beamed a smile. “And Jesus has helped me deal with my cerebral palsy. Because of him, I learned to cope.” She worked on a pretzel and sipped her tea.

  Skye smiled at Morgan and thought, I’m glad she finally said something. It’s not like her to be so quiet.

  Mr. Nicholson asked Morgan, “Young lady, how long have you been a member of the Chambers clan?”

  “For three years, sir,” Morgan said. “And I’ve loved every minute of it.”

  Mrs. Nicholson came back and handed a pen and pad to Mr. Chambers.

  “One moment,” Mr. Chambers said. He sandwiched his glass between his boots and took the paper and pen from Mrs. Nicholson. He pulled out his wallet from his back pocket, filtered through a pack of cards and pulled out a folded paper. “I can’t really tell you when to try to contact Millie,” he said while he copied Millie’s information. “She works all kinds of crazy shifts.” He handed the paper to Mr. Nicholson.

  “We’ll keep trying until we do,” Mr. Nicholson said, studying the paper. “Ruth, wait until you hear this. These folks are Christians.”

  “Well, praise the Lord,” Mrs. Nicholson said as she sat down.

  “We’re Christians, too,” Mr. Nicholson said. “I came to know Christ as my Savior in prison, and it’s best thing that ever happened to me. Ruth worked with a prison evangelism ministry, and I met the Lord through her. I got out of the pen two years ago, and then we got married at a little chapel in Gatlinburg. We liked it so much here we decided to stay. I’m an auto mechanic at a big car dealership here in town, and Ruth is a beautician at the Smoky Mountain Mall. I can’t begin to tell you how good God’s been to me after all the rotten things I’ve done.” The man wiped his eyes and released a heart-felt smile.

  “Mr. Nicholson, God’s in the business of saving rotten folks like us,” Mrs. Chambers said. “We’ve all done things we’re not proud of. Thank God, we know Jesus as our Savior, and those things are forgiven and forgotten.”

  “That sure is the truth,” Mr. Nicholson said. “And folks, please call us Jacy and Ruth.”

  “All right,” Mrs. Chambers said, “but only if you’ll call us by our first names, too.”

  “It’s a deal, Eileen,” Ruth said, then took a sip of tea.

  “And Skye,” Jacy said, “you’ll have to decide what you want to call me. It’s up to you.”

  “I’ll definitely give it some serious thought,” Skye said, smiling.

  “Now, Morgan,” Jacy said, “you were about to tell me how you got hooked up with these folks.”

  “I really don’t want to hog Skye’s time with you—“

  “Don’t worry about that.” Mrs. Chambers gave the girls a sly smile. “When Skye’s mouth starts moving, it won’t stop until midnight.”

  Everyone chuckled.

  “Oh, Mom,” Skye said, giggling.

  “Go ahead,” Mr. Chambers said to Morgan. “Fill the man in.”

  “Well,” Morgan pushed her hair behind her shoulders, “there’s really not much to tell. About five years ago, my father took off and headed to Calif
ornia with another woman. Mom had three other kids besides me. Since she’s never been a very stable person, she couldn’t cope with all my special needs. She had to put me into foster care, and I got bounced around for two years until I came to live with Mr. and Mrs. C.”

  “Do you ever see your parents?” Ruth asked.

  “Nah.” A look of regret swept over Morgan’s face. “I don’t even know where Dad is now. Mom lives near my Aunt Martha somewhere in Philly, but Mom’s so busy with three kids and working, she hardly ever calls. Last Christmas I saw her for a few hours, but we just don’t keep in touch. I consider Mr. and Mrs. C. and Skye my real family. I love them a whole bunch.”

  “And we love you, Morgan,” Mrs. Chambers said.

  “She’s just like a real sister!” Skye gave Morgan a thumbs-up.

  “I want to know so much about all of you, but I don’t know where to start,” Jacy said.

  “We feel the same way,” Mr. Chambers said. “But at least God has brought us together, and we can start at the beginning.”

  “How long are you folks going to be in this area, and where are you heading next?” Ruth asked.

  “We came specifically to find you,” Mrs. Chambers said. “I guess we’ll stay a day or two yet; after that we’ll head back to Pennsylvania.”

  Jacy took a bite of pretzel. “How is the good old Keystone State? Ruth and I miss some parts of it, but not the nasty winters.”

  “The good old Keystone State is doing fine,” Mr. Chambers said, glancing at his wife. “And lately, we’ve been having mild winters. I’d say we’ve probably averaged only about twenty inches of snow each of the last few years.”

  “That’s right.” Mrs. Chambers nodded. “And the frigid temps have been staying north of us. Our last few winters really haven’t been that bad.”

  “Jacy, did you know there are two other Jacy Nicholsons in this area?” Morgan asked.

  “Yeah,” Jacy said. “I’ve seen their names in the phone book. I guess I should have my name listed, too, but when I first got out of prison, I was a little skittish. You know, I really should get my name in there. There’s no need to be unlisted.”

  “We’re in our church directory,” Ruth said, “and almost all of our friends are from church, so we didn’t really see the need—until now.”

  “Skye, there are so many questions I have to ask you,” Jacy said. “Can you folks stay for supper?”

  “Can we, Dad?” Skye asked Mr. Chambers, and then her face turned beet red as her glance darted from Mr. Chambers to Jacy. “Oh, sorry. I guess I’ll have to make it clear which dad I’m talking to. I’ve really got to think this through.”

  Jacy chuckled and gave his daughter a warm smile. “It’ll take some time, Skye. There’s no rush. So folks, how about staying for supper?”

  “Oh, please do,” Ruth said. “We have some cold cuts and I’ll whip up a quick salad. It won’t be anything fancy, but we’d love to have you.”

  “We’d be glad to stay,” Mr. Chambers said.

  Ruth glanced at her watch and stood. “There’s no time like the present to get it moving. I can have the food ready in a jiffy. Hon, should we eat at the picnic table in the backyard?”

  “What’s your pleasure, folks?” Jacy asked.

  “We love picnics!” Skye said.

  “Then a picnic it’ll be,” Ruth said, turning toward the kitchen.

  Mrs. Chambers stood. “Ruth, I’d love to help you. That way we can get to know each other.”

  “Sure.” Ruth gestured for Mrs. Chambers to follow. “I’d love the company.”

  “Let me know if you need any more help,” Jacy yelled after his wife.

  “There’s not much to do with cold cuts,” she yelled back. “We gals can manage. You just enjoy getting to know your daughter.”

  As Mrs. Chambers left the room, Jacy focused on Skye and shook his head. “I still can’t believe this is true. Skye, just start from scratch and tell me all about yourself. Maybe with your Aunt Millie’s help, we can track down your mother. Rita was scared to death of me when they sent me up. She divorced me, changed her name, and went into hiding. But that’s all I know. I need to find that woman and tell her I’m not the man I used to be. I have no hard feelings against her at all. I’m just so sorry about everything that has happened. I need to apologize to her for all the pain I’ve caused her.”

  “With God on our side I think we will find her somehow,” Skye said. “I just hope she’s still alive.”

  “Why’d you say that?” Jacy asked. “Did Millie say Rita was sick or something?”

  “No, Aunt Millie doesn’t know anything about her,” Skye said. “But all my life I’ve wanted to get to know my real mother. I just hope she doesn’t die before I find her.”

  “I don’t even know where to begin,” Jacy said, “but I’ve got to help find her and make things right.”

  Chapter eleven

  At 7 a.m. Thursday morning, after a tearful farewell and promises to keep in touch with the Nicholsons, the Chambers family and their four horses headed toward Pennsylvania. In about eleven hours, they pulled into Keystone Stables, and an eager welcoming committee greeted the travelers home.

  Chad, with his dimpled smile, and the two Westies, Tippy and Ty, waited anxiously in front of the barn. Lucy and Peanut, the two horses left behind, were stretching their necks over the corral fence.

  When Skye saw Chad, every fiber of her being wanted to run into his arms and give him a great big hug. It wasn’t just his dimples and his brown eyes with long curly eyelashes that Skye admired, or even his blond curls that peaked out of his black Stetson. Besides his dreamy looks, Chad Dressler was the coolest Christian guy Skye had ever met, and if Skye wasn’t so young, she’d believe in her heart that she loved him. But for now, he was just one of her best friends, someone with whom she could share her deepest cares. So, until they were both old enough to date—and Chad said they would—Skye was perfectly content to call him “friend.”

  Mrs. Chambers and Skye jumped out of the truck as Chad and the two dogs hurried toward them. On the driver’s side, Mr. Chambers got out of the truck, retrieved Morgan’s wheelchair from the cab, and steadied it on the driveway in front of the barn. He then gently transferred Morgan from the truck to the chair.

  “Chad!” Skye yelled, “I have so much to tell you!” The dogs squealed and wiggled, vying for any attention they could get.

  “Hi, Chad!” Mr. Chambers and Morgan yelled from the far side of the truck.

  “Hi, guys!” Chad said, then gave Mrs. Chambers and Skye a warm embrace. “Man, it’s great to see you all. And, Skye, ever since you mentioned your dad on the phone the other night, I could hardly wait to hear the whole story.”

  Gulp! Skye’s face turned red hot and her heart did back flips. My “friend” Chad just gave me a hug. This moment will be cherished forever! She quickly reached down to pet the dogs. “I met an aunt in Charleston that I didn’t even know I had,” she said as she stared into Chad’s gorgeous eyes. “Her name’s Millie Eister and she told me all about my dad. His name is Jacy Nicholson. Then we drove to Gatlinburg and found him. We spent all day yesterday with him and his wife, Ruth.”

  “I think Skye was ready to stay with them,” Morgan piped in.

  “Nah,” Skye said, “but it was great getting to know my dad.” Now, why would Morgan say something like that? “Chad, he and Ruth are Christians!”

  “Hold on a minute, honey,” Mrs. Chambers said to Skye, fussing over the dogs. “You’ll have plenty of time later to fill him in on all the details. Chad, it’s good to see you. Anything new around here?”

  Mr. Chambers rushed to Chad’s side and shook his hand. “Well, well, how’s our house-sitter doing? Were you bored to death for the last few weeks?”

  Chad released a hearty laugh. “Mr. C, you’ve got to be kidding. Two horses to ride, two dogs to play hide-and-seek with, a pool table, and three computers with scads of video games and you’re wondering if I was bored? This place is
a teen’s paradise.”

  Morgan wheeled herself next to Mrs. Chambers. The dogs rushed toward her, greeting her with squeals and tail wags. She reached down and pet the dogs. “Well, I’m glad to be home.”

  “Welcome home, Morgan!” Chad gave Morgan a welcome hug.

  “Did you take good care of Lucy and Peanut?”

  Chad poked his Stetson back off his forehead and punched his thumb over his shoulder. “Those two horses were treated like royalty. I rode them every day, brushed their coats until they sparkled, and gave them double oats. I think they’ll be sorry you guys came home.”

  Everyone laughed as Mr. Chambers said, “Did anything happen since we called you this morning, or is all well?”

  Chad blew on his fingernails and then squared his Stetson. “Everything is A-OK. This place ran like a well-oiled machine. Oh, two more customers called. They’re crying the hard-drive-crash blues. And, Mrs. C., Sherry Watson called from the town library and wanted to know if you’d serve on some kind of committee this coming school year. Other than that, things were hot, humid, and in slow motion as they usually are in the summer around here.”

  “Well, down south,” Skye said, “it was hot and humid, but everything was in fast motion, and my head’s still spinning. I can’t wait to tell you all I learned about my real dad.”

  “And wait until you see all the ribbons we won in the horse shows,” Morgan said.

  She keeps changing the subject, Skye reasoned.

  “I’ve got all night,” Chad said. “Skye, how about filling me in over a game of pool?”

  Mr. Chambers patted Skye on the shoulder. “First we have to bed down the horses, grab a quick bite, and unpack.”

  “I’ll be glad to help any way I can,” Chad said with his heart-stopping smile.

  “After we get settled in,” Mrs. Chambers said with a smirk, “Skye’s all yours.”

  And I’d love to be yours, Skye dreamed, now and forever.

  Motor-mouth-Skye told Chad every detail of her three-week trip, including meeting her Aunt Millie and her dad and how she felt about the whole thing. But her rambling didn’t stop with Chad.