Holly's Heart Collection One (27 page)

She was probably thinking about him not having a mother, and wanting to fill that void. What she really meant to say was that he needed a
mother’s
touch.

“Holly, how do you feel about my going?” She touched my hand.

“I’m glad Zachary will have you there,” I said. “You have what he needs, Mom.”

My tears welled up again, and Mom wiped them away. “Come here, you angels.” She smothered us with hugs.

While Mom called her former college friend in Denver, Carrie and I sat on the bed, listening. Afterward, Mom let Carrie punch in Grandma’s phone number. She talked for a while, then it was my turn.

“Haven’t had a letter from you, Holly, for quite some time,” Grandma said.

“Sorry, Grandma. I’ve been real busy. But school’s out now, and I’ll have more time to write.”

“When are you coming to see us?” she asked.

“I don’t know. Here’s Mom.” I handed the phone to her. It was time for Mom to tell Grandma about the plan.

Shortly, we heard Mom say that Grandma would be delighted to come and stay with her beautiful granddaughters. Then Mom was silent for a long time. Grandma must have something else on her mind.

In the middle of the silence, Mom pointed to the door, which meant Carrie and I should exit and give her some privacy. “Shut the door,” she mouthed to us.

In the hallway, we stood, not breathing, trying to hear Mom’s side of the conversation.

Nothing.

“What do you think’s going on?” Carrie whispered.

“Let’s wait in my room,” I said. “See this?” I led her to my window seat—my heavy-duty thinking spot. “When life gets too hard to figure out, I sit here and talk to God. Sometimes I think first, then I pray. But telling Him everything is real important.”

“Like what kind of things?” Carrie asked, squeezing in beside me on the window seat.

“It’s different for everyone. Sometimes I pray about my school grades.”

“Does that help you get
A
’s?”

“Praying
and
doing my homework does.” I reached for a brush and began brushing, then braiding her hair. “But being close to God is the best part. I don’t always ask for things. Sometimes I just like to share with Him. It’s like talking to a good friend, the best friend in the whole world.”

“Like you and Andie?” she said.

“Closer than that.”

“My best friend is Zachary,” she said. “Tonight he told me that people think he’s dying, but he’s going to fool them.”

“I hope he does,” I said, standing up. “I wonder if Mom’s still on the phone.” I brushed my own hair, getting it ready for a lookalike braid with Carrie.

“I’ll go listen in the door crack.” She grinned.

Carrie headed down the hallway. I couldn’t help but peek around the corner and watch as she squatted near the door and put her ear to the crack. Her head bumped the door, making it squeak open. Carrie hurried back to me. “Mom said we should go to bed. She says we’ll talk tomorrow.”

“What do you think Grandma’s telling Mom?” I asked without waiting for Carrie’s reply. “Maybe catching up on family news?” I said, very curious at the long conversation. “Night, Carrie.”

She scampered off to her room.

I turned the light off and slipped under the sheets, propping Bearie-O up close to me in the darkness.

What
was
going on? I hoped Mom and Grandma weren’t talking about something concerning Grandpa’s health. That’s
all
we needed…more sick people in our lives.

Suddenly, I was hungry. Skipping supper was not my style. I went to search the kitchen for a snack. Peanut butter and crackers would do. And a glass of milk. There were celery and carrot sticks in the fridge, too. They’d be cold and crunchy. Perfect.

I turned the light off in the kitchen and sat at the bar, my eyes slowly getting used to the dim room. Goofey nuzzled his furry body against my bare legs. I reached down to pet his head. “You need some lovin’?” I asked.

He purred his answer.

“Come here, little one.” I picked him up and put him on my lap. He curled into a ball, relishing the late-night attention. “Mommy’s busy upstairs. You miss snuggling on her bed?”

Pur-r-r. Sure do,
he seemed to say.

Curling up on Mom’s bed was a treat. When I was sad or sick, that’s where I wanted to be. One night I had slept with Mom all night. Carrie too. It was the night Daddy left.

The queen-size bed had been crowded. Carrie had insisted on bringing Goofey into the bed with all of us. I clung to Bearie-O all night, sobbing whenever I woke up. Mom got pushed to the edge when I had a bad dream, and Carrie’s knees were in my back. So Mom and I ended up sleeping on the floor in sleeping bags. I remembered snuggling next to her as Goofey purred his kitty song above us in Mom’s bed.

I was so hurt and confused. I loved Daddy and never thought anything could go wrong with his love for us.

Then, four whole years passed without seeing him. He didn’t even write, other than sending birthday or Christmas cards. And not until the day before my thirteenth birthday—at Aunt Marla’s funeral—did I see him again. He’d looked so handsome, too, wearing a navy blue suit. Saundra, his new wife, accompanied him as we rode together in the limo to the graveside service. Not exactly the perfect place for a girl to reunite and hang out with her longlost dad.

Saundra had worn bright-red lipstick and gloves. Something about her glamorous ways must’ve made Carrie say she wasn’t as sweet as Mom. But it’s hard to beat a mother who’s an angel. Not because she’s perfect or prettier than other mothers—even though, well, she is—but because her beauty is
inside,
too.
No wonder Mr. Tate likes Mom so much.

And Zachary? How could he resist her love?

Goofey jumped off my lap as Mom padded down the stairs in her slippers. Quickly, I flicked on the kitchen light. She didn’t need to know I was sitting here in the dark, pondering my past. “Can’t you sleep?” she asked, stroking my braid.

“Just a little hungry.” I finished off the crackers and milk, hoping to hear about her long phone conversation.

Mom pulled out a barstool and sat. She lifted her hair off the back of her neck and held it there for a moment. “Holly-Heart, I have something to tell you. I’m sure you’ll be very happy.”

I leaned forward on my elbows. “What?”

She breathed deeply, like she wasn’t certain how she should say it. Then the words spilled out. “I’ve decided to let you go to California to visit your father.”

“Really?”
Unbelievable!

“Yes,” she said. “But there are some conditions.”

I was all ears. I leaned forward, almost losing my balance.

“Grandma will arrive here tomorrow afternoon. Then, if it suits your father—she’s phoning him now—she’ll fly to California with you and Carrie on Monday and stay with you there for about two weeks.”

Carrie is going, too!

“Oh thanks, Mom.” I hugged her, feeling like a little kid inside.

“Thank you for changing your mind.”

“I knew how much you wanted to go. This just seemed to make sense, the timing…while I’m in Denver with Zachary.”

There had to be more to this. “Did Grandma help you decide?” I asked.

Mom’s laughter, warm and gentle, touched me. I was right; Grandma had lots to do with the decision. “You know me well, Holly-Heart. I feel much better about your going with Grandma there.”

“And Carrie?”

“Yes, and Carrie,” she said, with resolve. “You’ll watch out for your little sister, won’t you?”

“You know I will, Mom.”

The phone rang.

She got up and went to the desk in the corner of the kitchen. “Hello?” Mom said, answering the phone. “Yes?”

I watched her face.

“That sounds good. Holly is thrilled. Yes…she’s right here.” She turned to me. “It’s your father.”

“Hi, Daddy,” I said, not fully realizing all that had just happened.

“Looks like things are working out for you and Carrie to visit. We’re looking forward to it.”

“Me too.” I tried to picture myself at his big beach house. “I can’t wait.”

“I feel the same way,” he said. “And it’ll be wonderful seeing Grandma again, too. Maybe we should fly Grandpa out and have a family reunion.”

“Maybe Andie could come, too,” I said, joking.

“Who’s Andie?”

“Just kidding, Daddy. She’s my best friend.”

He chuckled. “You’ll have to fill me in on all your friends.”

I couldn’t imagine him being interested in hearing about Andie or Danny Myers.

“This happened so fast,” I said.

“It’ll be great having you girls here. Your stepbrother is anxious to meet you both.”

I’d completely forgotten about him. “How old is he?”

“Tyler’s nine,” he said. “He’s already making plans to entertain you.”

I couldn’t say I was anxious to meet Saundra’s son, especially if he was anything like her. Well, I’d just have to wait and see.

I said good-bye to Daddy, kissed Mom good-night, and pranced off to bed. I wouldn’t get much sleep tonight, but who cared? I was going to California!

SECRET SUMMER DREAMS

Chapter 12

The next morning I woke up early. Life was too exciting to stay in bed. This afternoon I was going to ride up Copper Mountain with Danny, and on Monday I was flying out to see my dad.

God had answered my prayer so fast, my head was spinning with the speediness of it, like getting a return email message from God. I couldn’t wait to tell Danny about my latest miracle.

Sitting up in bed, I opened my devotional book. The Scripture was Psalm 18:30, “As for God, his way is perfect.” No kidding! If I had tried to put the trip together this fast, well…it was obvious who was in charge here.

After breakfast, I phoned Andie. “Can you come right over?” I asked.

“Too early,” she complained. “I’m sleeping in.”

I assured her it was extremely important. “Besides,” I said, “you have all summer to get caught up on sleep.”

After I hung up, I loaded dirty clothes into the washing machine and cleaned up the kitchen while Mom and Carrie slept.

Boy, was Carrie’s summer turning out radically different than she’d thought. Tagging along with me to California was the perfect answer to all her fears. Surf, sun, and Daddy awaited. Just two days away.

At last, Andie arrived, her dark curly hair still wet from her shower.

“What took so long?” I said, opening the door.

“Had to clean my room. Mom’s in a spotless mood,” she grumbled.

“Want to help me clean mine?” I laughed.

No way,
her frown indicated.

“What did you drag me out of bed for?”

“I’ll tell you. C’mon, let’s take a walk.” I didn’t want Mom to hear Andie fussing about the latest turn of events.

“Where to?” she asked.

“The library.”

“It’s not open yet.” She looked at her watch. “Too early for anyone sane to be out of bed on the first day of summer vacation.”

“Guess Carrie and Mom are saner than both of us,” I muttered as we left the house.

“You guys stay up late or something?”

“Yeah…some scary stuff happened with Zachary while I was sitting for him last night. He’s real sick.” I paused, then I said, “Because of that, I’m going to California in two days. My grandma’s flying in this afternoon, and then she and Carrie and I are going to see my dad.”

Andie stopped dead in her tracks. “Holly, are you crazy? What’s the throw-uppy kid got to do with you going to California?” She stood in front of me with her hands on her hips, as if she dared me to take one more step.

“Mom wants to be near him while he’s in the hospital in Denver, so Grandma’s taking care of us, and…oh, Andie, I know it sounds complicated, but the way I see it…this is a miracle!”

“What’re you talking about?”

It wouldn’t be easy convincing her that God could use something as bad as Zach’s illness and turn it around so I could go to California.

“It’s like that verse in Romans,” I explained. “All things
do
work together for good, because we love God.”

At last, we proceeded down the sidewalk. Andie’s fast pace told me she wasn’t one bit happy with me. “I love God, too, Holly. What happens when
I
pray that you’ll stay here this summer? That’s for
my
good, like in the verse, right?”

She had a point.

“It’s only for a couple weeks,” I said meekly.

“Two weeks? Holly, that’s forever!”

By the look on her face, this was going to be a problem between us, no matter how long or short my visit was.

“I’m going to California, and that’s the end of it,” I said.

“Whatever,” she said angrily.

“Put yourself in my place for once.”

“Right,” she muttered.

Overhead, a jet left a vapor trail behind as it climbed up, up over the mountains, reminding me of the trip ahead and the short time I had to get ready.

I suggested we run back to my house without stepping on any cracks in the sidewalk. “Don’t want to break your mother’s back, do you?” I said, trying to chase away the dark mood that hung over Andie. Giggling, I pushed her onto some cracks.

Not so deep inside, we were still kids. Good thing Danny wasn’t around to see us now. I doubted that the giggling and jumping would do much for his impression of me. Unless, of course, there was a logical reason for all the jumping.

Logical.
That described Danny perfectly. Everything he did was carefully thought out. Even the way he expressed himself and the way he treated his friends. Just knowing I was one of his closest friends made me want to improve my posture—hold my head up, walk tall, throw my shoulders back a little more.

“You’re really weird,” Andie scoffed at the way I was walking.

“What are you doing?”

“Oh, nothing.” She didn’t
always
have to know what I was thinking.

“Looks to me like you’re developing a shape, Holly.”

“You’re kidding, right?”

“You should walk around like that all the time.”

“Thanks, uh…I think.” What had she noticed that I’d missed? Or was she being sarcastic?

“No kidding, Holly. You’re starting to blossom. That’s what my mother calls it. Who knows, in a couple months
it
could happen…you could become a woman.”