By Summer's End (Christian Fiction) Read online

  The truth was, she had contacted her father multiple times each year, begging for the opportunity to know her sister. He had systematically rejected each request, citing every manner of excuse as to why they couldn’t get together. Finally, in frustration, Holly had told him that when Brianna was eighteen, she fully intended to track her down and offer her the opportunity to know her.

  She wondered now why her folks hadn’t made any provisions for Brianna in the event of their deaths. Her dad, an electrical engineer for a local power company, should have earned an ample income. Yet, he’d left nothing for his daughter. He and his wife had rented an executive home in a gated community and had driven luxury models vehicles. Brianna had been enrolled in a private school. As far as any bank accounts or life insurance policies, the girl had been left destitute. Her father and his wife hadn’t even drawn up a will, citing who should care for Brianna should they pass away. She suspected her father and his wife would be rolling over in their graves if they knew Alex’s oldest child had assumed responsibility for his youngest.

  Finally, Holly spoke, choosing her words carefully. “Brianna, I’ve always wanted to know you—to be a part of your life.”

  “Well, you have a funny way of showing it,” the girl said angrily. “You really do.”

  Chapter Two

  The following day, Holly rose early. She hadn’t slept well. It had broken her heart the evening before when Brianna had accused her of not caring about her. However, she feared doing irreparable damage to Brianna if she told her the truth about her parents—that they had shut Holly out of Brianna’s life—that they had denied Alex’s firstborn a father’s love.

  If not for her stepfather, Don, who had no children of his own, Holly could only imagine how heartbroken she would have been. As it was, her stepdad had spoken to her often, assuring her he loved her like his own and that her father’s abandonment had nothing to do with her, and everything to do with his own character. Don had been a godsend and a blessing and she would forever be grateful for the love and stability he’d provided until his untimely death. She missed him every day. Someday she hoped to find a man as wonderful as him and often prayed to God to send someone like him to her when the time was right.

  Holly sighed. If only her parents were still with her, but then, God had called them home and only He knew his reasons. She took comfort in the knowledge that someday she would be reunited with them.

  When Brianna stepped out of her bedroom, dressed in all-black, her blue eyes lined with thick black pencil, she nearly cringed. It was nearly summer, sunny outside and the ensemble was a stark contrast to the sunlight streaming into the apartment through a small window in the kitchen.

  Holly opted to ignore the girl’s makeup and attire and asked, “Are you hungry?”

  Brianna wrapped her arms around her middle and shook her head. “No.”

  “You really need to eat something. There’s yogurt in the fridge.”

  “I’m old enough to know when and what I want to eat.”

  “Okay,” Holly said crisply, trying desperately to keep the frustration from her voice. She breathed deeply. “Listen, Brianna, you and I have some things to talk about. I’d intended to talk to you last night but…”

  “Whatever,” the girl interrupted, and then checked her cell phone. “I don’t have much time. I have things to do.”

  Holly was taken aback. “What … do you have to do today?”

  “You mean…” she enunciated carefully. “What could you possibly have to do? You’re new to this town. You have no friends…”

  “No, I mean…” Holly suddenly felt like crying. Trying to talk to Brianna typically left her bone-weary and feeling sad. This conversation was no exception. It was such a shame.

  “I’m going,” Brianna said stiffly.

  “No, actually, you’re not. I do have to talk to you about something.”

  The girl gave a dismissive wave. “Who are you kidding? I’m sure whatever you think is important has nothing to do with me. Besides, you don’t care what I think anyway.”

  “I do care,” Holly asserted.

  “If you cared, you would have let me live with my friend. Her parents didn’t care if…”

  “That’s the problem” Holly cut in. “Her parents didn’t care! Brianna, I saw how they lived!”

  “You’re judging them! You don’t know them.”

  “You’re … right. I shouldn’t judge them. I’m sorry. I don’t know them, but I know what I saw. What I didn’t see were parents at the home. I did see many, many people who likely didn’t belong there, but who stayed for reasons I can certainly speculate about.”

  “Whatever,” Brianna said, her voice filled with contempt. “You ruined my life by bringing me here.”

  Holly took a deep breath and counted to ten. “I’m sorry you feel that way. I hope that someday you’ll feel differently.” She gestured toward the kitchen. “Have a seat at the table,” she said firmly. “And you are eating something. I’m your guardian and it’s my responsibility to take care of you. And … you will do me the courtesy of showing me some measure of respect.”

  The girl made a face but walked into the kitchen. She pulled a yogurt from the fridge and dropped into the chair with a thud. “What?” she demanded.

  As much as Holly wanted to address her sister’s tone, she decided to choose her battles. “Listen,” she began, “it seems… Well, you’re probably not going to believe this…” She paused. “I, uh, got the shock of my life yesterday, when…”

  Brianna watched her through narrowed lids. “Huh?” she said.

  Holly laughed. “Sorry. I guess I’m still having trouble believing what happened yesterday. It’s like a … miracle.”

  To Holly’s surprise, she seemed to have her sister’s attention then. The girl, formerly slumped in the chair, rose up taller in the seat. Her eyes widened and were full of question.

  “Did you ever hear about our Uncle Benjamin?” Holly asked.

  Brianna furrowed her brow. “I … think so. He’s Dad’s uncle, right? Our great uncle.”

  “That’s right. Do you remember ever meeting him?”

  Brianna shook her head. “No. I think he called Dad once, but Dad wasn’t interested in talking to him. Dad said he was kind of strange.”

  Holly remembered her short visit with her great uncle at the family reunion. He hadn’t struck her as strange. Quiet. Kind. Decent. Certainly not strange.

  “Anyway, what about him?” Brianna prompted.

  Holly caught her gaze, surprised the girl suddenly seemed animated and engaged. “Well, it seems Uncle Benjamin has left me a house. Us,” she amended.

  Brianna’s mouth dropped open. “What do you mean he left you a house? Do you even know him?”

  “I’ve met him once,” she said.

  “When?”

  “I was young—maybe twelve or thirteen.”

  Brianna digested the information. “What…? I mean…”

  Holly smiled. “I know. It’s hard to take it in. I don’t know anything at this point, other than Uncle Benjamin sent me a key and said I’d be hearing from his executor. As yet, I haven’t, but I suppose I may soon.” She shrugged.

  “Where is this house? Around here?” Brianna asked.

  “No. It’s in Washington State. I’m not certain where, although he did list the address in his letter.”

  “Get the letter,” Brianna said.

  Holly gave her a quizzical glance but retrieved it from the kitchen drawer. She passed it to her younger sister. Brianna pulled out her smart phone—which Holly certainly couldn’t afford—but that Brianna’s parents had prepaid for the duration of the year. She typed in the address. “He lives in a place called Battle Ground,” she informed. “I guess it isn’t far from Portland, Oregon.”

  Holly digested the information. “Wow. I’ve never heard of it.”

  “It sounds … small,” Brianna said. “Are you going to move there?”

  Holly stared intently a
t her sister before answering. “The question is, are we going to move?”

  The girl appeared about to argue, but seemed to think better of it. Apparently her curiosity outweighed her desire to be contrary. “Is the house in the country?”

  “I don’t know anything at this point,” Holly told her. “The truth is, I guess it really doesn’t matter. I doubt I’ll ever be fortunate enough to be willed a house again, and I suspect any home would be better than this place—particularly since the apartment is so tiny. And we’re not in the best of neighborhoods here. I’m not thrilled with the school system, either. I worry about you walking to the bus stop all alone…”

  Brianna let out a disbelieving gasp. “You worry about me walking to the bus stop?”

  “Yes. You start school so early, but since I leave for work before you head for the bus stop, I’m always afraid…”

  “Something might happen to me?”

  “Yes.”

  Holly expected a sarcastic retort in response, but none was forthcoming. She was downright surprised.

  “When would we leave?” Brianna asked, seemingly genuinely interested. “Soon?”

  “That’s what I wanted to talk to you about,” Holly told her. “How do you feel about making a move? Is it too much to ask of you, considering you’ve just made a major move? Are you worried about starting a different school? It’s … a lot.”

  “You’re asking me if we should move?” Brianna clarified.

  Holly nodded.

  “Yeah, right,” Brianna said dubiously. “If I don’t want to go, you’re going to drag me there anyway.”

  Holly sighed. “No, that’s not true. You have a vote in this. I suppose we need to travel to Washington whether we ultimately decide to move there or not. If we choose to stay here, we will need to sell the house.” She brightened. “After, we might be able to rent a larger apartment here. That would be nice. Or who knows? Maybe we could afford a small home of our own, depending on the worth of the Washington home.”

  Brianna considered her words. “You’d really come back here if I don’t want to move to Washington.”

  “Your vote counts,” Holly repeated with emphasis. “So, yes. If you don’t want to move, we won’t. You’ve been through a lot and I don’t want you to experience additional stress. It wouldn’t be fair to you.”

  “If the house is in the country, could I get a horse?”

  Holly was taken aback by the question and smiled when she saw the hopeful gleam in her sister’s eye. “Well, I don’t know. I don’t know anything about horses, or what’s involved in keeping one, but…”

  “I do! Mom and Dad gave me a horse when I was ten. We kept it at a stable not far from our house. I used to visit Wind Song every weekend and most days during the summer. She was my best…” Her words dwindled and the hopeful gleam in her eyes was replaced by a flash of pain.

  “What happened to her?” Holly asked gently.

  “Dad sold her,” she murmured. “One Saturday, I got ready to visit her and Dad told me I couldn’t see her anymore. He told me he’d sold her because I was too attached…”

  “Oh, Brianna, I’m sorry,” Holly said softly, her heart breaking for her sister. She could see she had cared deeply for her horse and had forged a deep bond. “You know, I’ve always wanted a big dog. All my life I had little, tiny ones, and I loved them to death, but I’ve always like the idea of having a big, protective dog. I imagine taking him on walks or even driving in my car with the passenger window rolled down.”

  Brianna actually smiled at that. “I’d love a dog—any size. My parents didn’t believe in allowing animals in the house. Too, they traveled a lot, so they said it would be too difficult to make arrangements for pets when they were gone.” She gave a woeful sigh. “It wasn’t always easy making arrangements for me either.”

  Holly felt her heart breaking in two. She rose and wrapped a gentle arm around her sister’s shoulders. “Brianna, I’m so sor—”

  Brianna thrust her arm away. “I’m fine. Fine! I didn’t need them and I don’t need you either!”

  Holly watched her sister briefly and returned to her chair. She felt tears spring to her eyes. Would her younger sister ever allow her into her life? Would she ever forgive her for perceived wrongs?

  Brianna was silent for along moment. Finally, she lifted a shoulder. “Fine. Let’s move. Washington couldn’t be any worse than this place.”

  Holly was taken aback by her capitulation. It was so out of character for her sister. “Are you … sure? It’s a long way from here, and even farther away from your hometown.”

  The girl gave an unconcerned shrug. “Whatever.”

  Chapter Three

  Holly did a final walk-thru in her apartment. She had given it a thorough cleaning the day before, hopeful of receiving her cleaning deposit back from her landlord.

  As she walked from room to room, her heart gave a tug. This place, though small, had been home for several years. She uttered a quick prayer, asking the Lord to bless her and Brianna’s move to Washington. She also asked Him for strength in dealing with her defiant sister along the way.

  “Are we leaving yet?” Brianna asked in a bored tone.

  “In a moment. I just wanted to assure we haven’t left anything behind.”

  “As if you have much to leave behind,” she said with a callous laugh.

  Holly sighed. She couldn’t deny, her sister had a point. Aside from the tiny dinette set, sofa, chair, and bed, there was little else to move. She had considered taking the items with them to Washington, but decided to sell them to a friend who had recently moved into the same apartment complex. Hopefully, Uncle Benjamin’s house was furnished, but if not, they would just have to make do.

  “Did you get everything?” Holly asked, struggling to remain calm and hopeful.

  Brianna nodded. “Yes.”

  “Are you ready for a long road trip?” she asked, smiling encouragingly.

  “Yes.”

  “Well, let’s go then.”

  Holly locked the door behind them and detoured to the manager’s office. “We’re leaving now,” she told the older woman behind the desk. “Also, Josh approved my receiving my cleaning deposit back.”

  “Yes, he told me.”

  The woman retrieved an envelope from a drawer in her desk and passed it to Holly with a warm smile. “We’re going to miss you. Josh had to run an errand, but told me to say ‘goodbye.’”

  “Thank you. I’m going to miss you all too.”

  A moment later, Holly was steering her economy car away from the complex and toward the nearby interstate. As she left the town behind, she experienced a feeling of hopeful anticipation. She glanced over at Brianna, who was staring out the passenger-side window.

  “You okay?” she asked.

  Brianna turned toward her. “I’m fine.” She appeared uncertain but expectant as she asked, “Are you going to let me do any of the driving on this trip?”

  Holly considered the question. “I don’t see why not. We should probably make use of that learner’s permit you were so determined to get.”

  Brianna’s eyes brightened. “Really? You’re going to let me drive?”

  “You don’t expect me to drive all the way to Washington, do you?”

  “Nope,” she said, smiling the first genuine smile Holly has seen on her face. “Let me know when you get tired. I’ll take over.”

  “Will do,” Holly said, glad to see Brianna show some enthusiasm for something—anything. If teaching her to drive meant making some sort of progress with the girl, she’d turn over the wheel in a heartbeat. She’d have to be watchful and assure Brianna learned the rules of the road, but perhaps it could be a bonding experience.

  After several hours driving, Holly yawned. “I think it’s your turn,” she told her sister.

  She had waited until they’d reached a long stretch of highway to relinquish the wheel. She pulled over and parked. After climbing out and stretching her legs a bit, she climbed i
nto the passenger side of the car.

  Brianna had slipped across the divide between the seats and was clutching the wheel. Holly talked her through the process of starting the ignition and entering the roadway. Fortunately, there was little traffic and Brianna did well keeping the car in her lane. She kept to the posted speed and seemed to understand when to accelerate and when to hold back.

  “You’re doing great,” Holly told her. “I’d say you’re a natural.”

  Brianna smiled tentatively. “You think so?”

  “I know so.”

  “Thanks for letting me drive. Dad and Mom wouldn’t let me get my permit. This is my first time behind the wheel of a car.”

  “Wow. I really am impressed,” Holly enthused. “But don’t tire yourself out. Let me know when you’re ready for me to take over.”

  “I will.”

  Brianna continued driving well into the evening. When dusk settled, Holly suggested they find a hotel for the night. When they reached a small town, she did a visual search for a hotel and found one on the outskirts. Brianna carefully parked, following Holly’s instructions, and after paying for a room with two double beds, they deposited their bags inside and then headed for a café across the street.

  “I’m starving,” Holly said.

  “Me too,” Brianna noted, as she perused the menu. She winced. “This place is kind of expensive. Maybe we should share a meal.”

  Holly smiled at her. Brianna could be downright surly and combative, but then, when she least expected it, she showed maturity and kindness.

  Holly gave an unconcerned wave of her hand. “We’ve had a long day. Let’s enjoy a nice dinner. Tomorrow we’ll pick up some bread and peanut butter so we can make sandwiches for our lunch. We’ll grab some apples and bananas too. We can also pick up cereal bars for breakfast.” She grinned. “I haven’t had a vacation in so long. I think we’ll consider this a vacation of sorts and splurge on a meal out at least once each day. Besides, we’ll be in Washington the day after tomorrow. We’ll be cooking at home soon enough.” She flashed a grin. “We’ll be cooking in our own home!”