Jim digested the information for a moment, watched the waitress put sodas in front of him and Ryan, and then watched his friend intently. “That’s rough,” he said finally. “I mean, that woman and her sister likely pulled up stakes and left everything behind, looking to start fresh. And you, my friend, are about to pull the rug right out from under them.” He laughed without humor. “Right up your alley.”
Ryan’s eyes widened. The remark hurt, but he recovered quickly. But not quick enough.
“Hey, you’re a terrific friend, a good man, and you care deeply about, well, the people you care about, but buddy, when it comes to business, you have to admit, you’re a shark.”
“Yeah, well, my teeth aren’t as sharp as they used to be.”
“Really? Why?”
Jim leaned back in the seat and remained silent for several long moments. He knew better than to push. Ryan would talk when he was ready.
Finally, he spoke, “I saw more than I bargained for on the trip. I guess it’s cliché, but I saw so much human suffering, it…” He sighed. “I guess it changed me—maybe my priorities, though that remains to be seen, I guess.”
Jim nodded. “Maybe that’s a good thing. That land has been in your family for years…”
“Goes back to my great, great, great granddad,” he said.
“Annabelle has a real affinity for it, doesn’t she? She wants to keep it?”
“Yep.”
“I understand she wants to build a stable and arena and so forth.”
“Yep.”
“But you’re not interested?”
He sighed. “I don’t know. It would require my undivided attention. I don’t even know if I want to stay in this area.”
“Really? You heading to India to care for orphaned children?”
Ryan glared at him. “I just might.”
“Hey, I’m just messing with you. But, you know what they say, ‘When in doubt, don’t.’”
“Since when am I so full of doubt?” Ryan wondered aloud. “All I do is doubt…”
“There’s a verse in Psalms that comes to mind…” Jim began.
“Jim…” he moaned.
“I’m just telling you what helps me,” he said. “The verse is, ‘Be still and know that I am God.’ Be still,” he repeated, smiling serenely. “That’s what I do when I’m uncertain. I become ‘still.’ I wait for God to speak to me.”
“I’m not good at being still, and if God is speaking to me, he’s isn’t talking loud enough.”
Jim shook his head, but smiled. “Regardless, God speaks to you. You just have to learn to listen.”
Ryan felt relief when their pizza was put in front of them. “Good timing,” he murmured beneath his breath.
“I’m starving,” Jim declared again. “It’s been a long day.”
“Yeah, I’ll say,” Ryan concurred, as he reached for a slice.
“I’m always here if you need me,” Jim said, and then aimed a glance heavenward. “So is He.”
Chapter Twelve
The following morning, Holly was surprised to find Brianna up early to see her off to work. “Well, isn’t this nice?” she said cheerfully. “And you’ve even made coffee.”
“I thought I should set my alarm, in case you slept through yours. You were home late. I figured you could use the caffeine.”
“I know. I’m sorry I woke you when I got in. I didn’t expect to have to stay at work until after two a.m. I’m exhausted.” To add emphasis to the statement, she yawned loudly.
“I bet,” Brianna commiserated. “I’ll try to have dinner ready when you get home, so you can go right to bed.”
“Hey, I have a chair to paint.”
“It can wait,” Brianna said, sounding mature beyond her years. She perked up. “Hey, I wanted to tell you that Ryan stopped by last night.” She grinned smugly. “He wanted to talk to you,” she added in a sing-song voice.
“I wonder what he wanted.”
“I don’t know.” She smiled at the memory. “He’s a nice guy,” she observed, still smiling.
“How do you know? He seemed nice, but do we really know anyone?”
“Well, we don’t really know him yet, but I was thinking it might be nice for you to get to know him.”
Holly laughed. “I don’t think so. But I still wonder what he wanted.”
“To ask you out, maybe,” Brianna suggested.
“Good thing I was working.”
“Too bad you were working.”
Holly chuckled as she bit into her toast. “Did he have anything else to say?”
“Oh, yeah. He told me to go inside.”
“Why?”
“It was getting dark and he didn’t think it was safe for me to be outside alone.” She made a guilty face.
“What, Brianna?”
“Well, I guess I essentially told him where you were working, how long you’d be working, and what time you’d be home. I basically told him I was all alone and for how long, too.”
“And why would you do that?”
“I wasn’t thinking, I guess.”
“I guess not.”
“Well, Ryan must be a good guy because he pointed out that it wasn’t a good idea for me to divulge too much information to a virtual stranger, in case he happened to be a bad guy.”
“Which he isn’t,” Holly added bemusedly.
“Right, because…” Brianna spread her hands. “I’m still here.”
“So, he was worried about you?”
“And you, thanks to me.”
“Okay, well… Okay. But he doesn’t know us, so he really shouldn’t worry about us. We’ll have to be on our guard.”
“Maybe he’d like to be your bodyguard,” she grinned.
“Oh, stop.”
“He also suggested we get a big dog. I think it’s a good idea. I figured I’d check out Craigslist while you’re at work, maybe make a few calls.”
“I’m thinking not. We have Dave.”
“He isn’t a dog.”
“Yes, but he has a man’s name. If we get worried, we’ll call for Dave.” She chuckled at Brianna’s frustrated expression.
“Holly, you won’t let me have a horse. May I please have a dog? Just think about how much companionship a dog would offer me during all these long days when I’m all alone and you’re at work and some weirdo happens to see me and get ideas into his head and…”
“No dog, but…” She raised a clarifying finger. “I don’t want you out front after dark when I’m not here. You’re a beautiful girl and some weirdo could get a look at you and… Well, you get the drift.”
“But I can go out back after dark?”
“No! Why would you want to?”
“Well, I probably wouldn’t, but you said I couldn’t go out front. I figured out back might be okay.”
“You figured wrong.”
Brianna broke into a wide smile. “You really care about me.”
“I really do.”
“It’s nice to be cared about.”
“Right back at ya.”
Holly rose from the table, toast in one hand, travel mug in the other. She kissed her sister on the top of the head. “Wish me luck. It’s going to be a long day.”
“Good luck.”
“Thank you. I’ll call you during my break, and then at lunchtime. Please answer. When you don’t, I get scared.”
“Okay.”
***
Holly steered her small car along the road into town. It was a beautiful day, the sun shining bright on the countryside. She took in the sight of the rolling pastureland that reminded her of a patchwork quilt. The pastures gave way to a forest of tall Evergreens that lined the roadway. Sunlight shone through the gaps in the trees, twinkling on the windshield of her car. Soon, the trees thinned and she passed several homes along the road. Just past the homes, she spied a field of cows, and then a large farmhouse standing alone amidst a wide clearing.
She suddenly braked to a stop. At the end o
f a gravel roadway, she spotted a piece of furniture. She couldn’t quite discern what it was until she got out of the car, since there was a large paper sign draped over the top identifying the item as ‘free.’
She tugged the sign away and gasped. It was a wooden rocking chair. She bent and ran her hand along the piece. Although there were gouges in the wood and a good deal of wear and tear, she just knew she could refurbish it easily enough. She imagined it sitting in her great room, a plump pillow on the seat and a throw blanket draped over the back.
She rose and glanced around. Could she stow the rocker in the trunk of her car. The trunk was large, considering the car was a small sedan…
She put the sign aside and reached for the rocker. It was much heavier than she’d anticipated and she set it down and stepped back to assess the situation. Discovering it was heavy and well-made was terrific news, but made it that much more difficult to handle.
Taking a deep breath, she grabbed both arms and hefted the chair. She groaned under the weight of it as she awkwardly moved toward the back of her car. Once there, she set the chair down carefully.
She stepped back to eye the chair again and then moved to stare at her trunk. She checked her watch. If she didn’t pick up her pace, she might be late to work.
She feared the trunk was just too small and wasn’t sure she wanted to find out. If she managed to lift the chair into the trunk and it didn’t fit, she was going to have to tug it out. It wouldn’t be easy. She glanced along the gravel road and toward the farmhouse. Did she have time to walk over to the house and request that they hold onto the chair for her?
Her problem was seemingly solved when a large pickup truck pulled behind her. She didn’t have to see the driver to know who was behind the wheel.
Ryan was beside her in a heartbeat. He grinned her way as he lifted the chair and carried it to his truck. He gently set it down on the gravel just long enough to open the tailgate and then put it in the back. It happened so quickly, Holly could only watch after him, surprised.
He soon returned and smiled. “I guess you’ve found chair number two.”
“Thanks to you, I guess so.”
“Where are you headed?” he asked.
“To work.”
He appeared disappointed. “I should have assumed… I’ll, uh, take your chair by your place for you. May I leave it on your front porch?”
“That would be so great. Thank you, thank you,” she said. “You’ve already done so much.”
“It’s not a problem,” he assured her, and then held her gaze for several long seconds. “Uh, may I stop by when you get off work? There’s … something I need to talk to you about?”
“Sure. That would be fine.” She smiled. “Thanks again, and I’d better scoot. I don’t want to be late for work.”
“You’re welcome, and I’ll see you this evening.”
Holly climbed into her car. Her spirits were buoyed from her find. In her mind’s eye, she could envision her sister rocking in the chair with Dave in her arms. She smiled as she glanced in her rearview mirror.
Ryan had already climbed into his truck and was apparently waiting for her to drive off, since he didn’t start his ignition until she’d pulled onto the roadway. She gave a wave in her rearview mirror and saw him lift a hand and wave back.
It was a surprise to have him show up when she needed him—he seemed to have a knack for it. She smiled. God was good. She had prayed to Him to help her to be able to provide for her sister’s needs, and adding a chair to their furnishings was a real boon.
“Thank you, Father,” she said, glancing heavenward. “I can always count on you.”
As she drove, she thought about Brianna and the incredible progress she’d made since their move. It was as if she were a different teenager. “Thank you for that, as well, Father,” she said.
Her heart swelled just thinking about how far she and her sister had come in such a short time. Brianna was flourishing in her new home. Holly was so proud of her, since she’d never compared her former luxurious home to her present home—except to gush about how much she loved their cozy little place. Like Holly, she had many plans for it—specifically her bedroom. She was eager to get her desk refurbished and ready for the start of the school year.
Once again, Holly felt a burst of pride. Brianna was obviously creative and could see a piece of discarded furniture and envision what it could become with a little tender loving care.
Holly felt a sense of peace descend over her. The move to Washington had been a good one. Her world suddenly felt full of possibilities.
Thinking about ‘possibilities,’ Holly’s thoughts were drawn to her Good Samaritan, Ryan. She remembered him asking if he could drop by to see her that evening. She wondered what reason he’d asked to visit. Could Brianna be right? Was he … attracted to her?
She abruptly scoffed at the idea. Brianna was a teen—prone to romantic musings. She was reading far too much into Ryan’s limited involvement in their lives. He was probably a good man who saw two women in ‘distress’ and had simply come to their aid. It was good to know there were chivalrous men in the world.
And … as attractive as he happened to be, the last thing she needed was any sort of romantic entanglement at the moment. Brianna was her focus and it was critical she remain such. Unfortunately, at the moment, she seemed unable to focus on anything, other than the picture of Ryan’s handsome face in her mind’s eye.
Chapter Thirteen
After Holly had left for work, Brianna set about tidying up the house. She was glad to help out, eager to make a contribution.
Holly was always so grateful to her for any small act of kindness and she felt a surge of love for the sister she had known for such a short time. It was nothing short of miraculous to her that they had bonded so well since the move.
She felt a stab of regret that she’d been so hard on her sister for the months they’d lived together previously. She hadn’t known how much Holly had truly wanted to be a part of her life from the moment she was born. She’d felt so lost and angry and alone… Thankfully, Holly hadn’t given up on her.
She smiled at the thought. She hoped she was a lot like her sister and less like her father and mother. A slice of pain cut through her. She missed her parents terribly. She’d been thinking a lot about them lately and had realized she missed them for what ‘wasn’t’ rather than for what ‘was.’ They hadn’t led by positive example, but had shown her who she didn’t want to be.
It was a sad reality and left her feeling conflicted. She wondered if she should talk to Holly about her feelings, but was having trouble understanding them herself. How could she love her parents so desperately, but know at the same time that they hadn’t been very good people.
Holly, on the other hand, had shown her more attention, compassion, and love in the short time she’d been with her than her parents had during her fifteen years on the earth. Why had they been so distant and outwardly focused, rather than inward and toward what was important—their family.
What was different about Holly?
Brianna knew the answer. She’d realized right away that Holly had a relationship with God—that she spoke to Him all the time. She didn’t understand why, or what she gained specifically from the relationship, but she knew Holly had a sense of peace about her that her parents had never had. Often, she talked about having ‘God time’ in the evenings and early mornings, and referred to God as her ‘Father.’ Maybe He had filled the void left by both her biological father and her stepfather.
It occurred to Brianna that their father had missed out by not remaining in Holly’s life. He had forgone the opportunity to know his own daughter.
When Brianna was little and had asked him questions about Holly, he had been dismissive and told her awful things. Untrue things. She knew in her heart they were untrue. But why had he done that?
Why had her parents been intent on keeping the sisters apart? Why would her father have turned his back on Holly? It
was a wonder that the rejection by her father hadn’t caused Holly irreparable harm. It had to have hurt.
How had she managed to overcome her pain and live a happy life? How had she overcome the loss of her mother and remained cheerful? How had she retained a love for life? How had she been able to love her? Why hadn’t she held a grudge?
Her father, despite his failings, had chosen her over his oldest daughter. He’d remained in her life. He may not have been the best influence, but he stayed.
She walked out to the front porch and dropped onto the top porch step. She sat, pondering the many questions that troubled her, when Ryan drove up in his truck. She rose and watched him curiously.
When he gave a wave, jumped out of the truck, and hurried to the bed and pulled out a rocking chair, she understood why he’d come.
“Your sister found another chair,” he informed as he approached. “Shall I put it on the porch?”
“Yeah, sure. That would be great.”
He set it down and she hurried to have a look at it. As Holly had done previously, she ran a hand over the arms and seat. The chair was fairly beaten up but nothing she and Holly couldn’t handle. “This is nice,” she said. “Thanks for bringing it.” She frowned. “How did…?”
“I spotted your sister on the side of the road, beside this rocker, and looking a bit lost.”
“Yeah, her trunk’s a good size, but not this big.” She smiled. “Thanks again for helping us out. We really appreciate it.”
He gave her an assessing glance. “You’re a nice kid.”
She appeared taken aback. “I am?”
“You are. Most kids your age wouldn’t appreciate an old…” As his words trailed off, he realized he’d essentially diminished a piece of furnishing that she valued. He felt horrible for his stupidity.
She read his thoughts. “Don’t worry about it,” she said. “It is just an old broken-down chair now, but it’s going to be beautiful.”
He smiled. It was sweet of her to let him off the hook so easily. “So…”
“Yeah?”
“You and your sister haven’t known one another for very long…?” He abruptly made a guilty face. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t pry.” He raised a fatherly finger. “And once again, I want to emphasize you really shouldn’t be talking to a strange man…” He grimaced. “I’m not strange, but you don’t know me. Frankly, I probably shouldn’t be here talking to you…”
By Summer's End (Christian Fiction) Page 8