Stealing Time

by Nancy Pennick

  Freddie and Drew were able to steal away and have a family visit during the party. Kate was dying to introduce Lindsey and had to interrupt the brotherly moment.

  “Kathryn, my dear, you and your friend are pictures of loveliness!” Freddie toasted them with his bourbon as they entered the dining room.

  “Freddie, it’s alright. She knows.” She explained the family connection to him.

  “If I ever figure it all out, I’ll be an old man!” Freddie chuckled at his own joke.

  “Drew, did you know Freddie helped me with your Christmas present?” Kate placed her arm around Freddie’s shoulders.

  “I wondered where you got that picture of Mother.” Drew shook his head. “I should’ve known.”

  Kate took the letter from Ilene and the picture Freddie emailed her and framed them in a beautiful, golden double frame. Drew could have it next to his bed as a reminder of how much his mother loved him. Every time Kate read those words, Thank you for saving my son, she’d tear up.

  And that’s how the evening continued right up to the moment when everyone stood in a circle, arms in the air, ready to toast.

  “...three, two, one, Happy New Year!” They all shouted at once. Kate and Drew shared a kiss then she made the rounds to Freddie, Carl and Renae, her father and mother, Charlie, Lindsey, Jake and Lindsey’s mom and dad, hugging and kissing everyone along the way. She finally ended with Maya.

  “Maya, did you ever think those books would bring all of us together?”

  “No, sweetheart, I didn’t. This magic didn’t happen until you came along. You know that, don’t you?”

  Kate shivered a little but had to smile. “I’m starting to accept it. Maybe I was really supposed to be born after all.”

  “Oh, Katie, don’t ever say that!” Maya held her hand to her mouth.

  Kate never said it aloud but ever since last New Year’s Eve day at the cabin she felt that she had been a mistake, one that could easily be erased. When she sensed herself fading away, she had doubts about her existence. She could be wiped off the face of the earth with no one remembering her or her life.

  Maya pulled her close. “What’s with that look on your pretty face?” she whispered in Kate’s ear. “You are the next keeper of the books. You’ll always have something to live for and protect. Look at all these people. Their lives will be in your hands.”

  “Is that how you feel, Maya?”

  “Most certainly, yes. It’s a huge responsibility watching over the books. I know you can handle it. One day, like me, you’ll realize who the next keeper should be. I’ve fretted and worried over it for years...until you came along. You were just three years old when I met you. You ran into my arms like you had always known me...and you probably did. But there’s only one Kathryn, and that’s you. You were definitely meant to be.”

  One Kathryn. Kate liked the sound of that. That girl had two lives and was glad she never had to choose between them.

  Suddenly she had an urge to slip away from the party so she grabbed a glass of champagne and stole away up the stairs. Entering her bedroom, she grabbed the framed photo of Anna off her desk. As she stared at that beautiful face it gave her a feeling of peace and love.

  “Here’s to you, Anna.” Kate sipped from her glass. “A girl’s best friend, one that can never be replaced. Will I ever get over the longing to see you again, talk to you again, hear your voice?” Kate wiped at a tear that trailed down her cheek. “Tonight’s not the night for tears. It’s for celebrating. So I’m celebrating here with you, Anna.”

  She walked to the window and gazed out into the night sky. She could see some stars but not Anna’s. It didn’t really matter. She knew Anna could hear her. “To us. To our everlasting friendship.”

  Kate held her glass high in the air, toasting the night sky. She reminisced about their years together, at the canyon and in the here and now. Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the sound of another voice.

  “Will I do?” Kate spun around to see Lindsey in the doorway.

  “Of course!” Kate held up her glass. Lindsey joined her in the toast as she held her own glass in the air.

  “She was the greatest, wasn’t she?” Lindsey stood next to Kate and peered out the window.

  “No one like her...but I don’t mean...”

  “You don’t have to explain. Best friends never do.” Lindsey smiled at Kate. “She’ll always be at the canyon, but not as Grandma J. I know how you feel, Kate. I’m selfish, too. I want it all. I don’t want to see her at the canyon, and she thinks I’m your friend from Ohio. I want her to remember everything.” A tear traveled down Lindsey’s cheek.

  “Yes, but we should be grateful for what we have.” Kate wiped the tear and put her arm around her friend. “We’ll always have the canyon, Linds.”

  “Where have I heard that line before?” Lindsey began to laugh.

  “Well, the first time I said it, I think it was high school.” Kate joined in laughing.

  “We’ll always have each other. How about that?” Lindsey grabbed her hand. “I think we better get downstairs. You disappeared after the New Year’s toast, and people will start to worry.”

  A light clanging noise could be heard when the girls reached the top of the stairs. They hurried back down, looking around to see Freddie tapping a spoon against his flute of champagne.

  “Now that the New Year’s here, I think someone has an announcement.” Freddie took Renae’s hand and led her to the middle of the room.

  Renae appeared a little shy, head down and a slight smile on her face. “Freddie, I love you, but you’re making me a little self-conscious.”

  “You’re a model. You don’t know the meaning of self-conscious,” Freddie told her, and everyone roared with laughter. “Go ahead, dear. We’re all waiting.”

  “I guess I’ll get right to the point. I’m pregnant!” Renae seemed to glow as she said the words. Carl flew into her arms, lifting her off the ground, swinging her in the air.

  “I thought she faked drinking that champagne!” Lindsey called out.

  “Carl, did you know?” Kate grabbed him to give him a congratulatory hug.

  “Not one hundred percent. We suspected.” Carl turned to Freddie. “What did she do? Take a test on the plane?”

  “No, I found out just before I boarded and had to tell someone!” Renae giggled. “Finally found a break in my schedule and got to the doctor. I’m almost ten weeks along.”

  Kate did the math in her head and realized Renae’s pregnancy mirrored Rachel’s. A little odd but Kate decided to keep that one to herself.

  Carl stood in the middle of the room with Renae, arm around her waist. “After the baby’s born, I want to invite you to our wedding! A Christmas wedding would be nice...next year.” He smiled at Renae, and she nodded in agreement.

  Again, Kate wanted to step in and say, ‘No, this is too much like Rachel. She married Thomas at Christmas. You can’t do that.’” She glanced around the room at all the smiling faces and decided to just be happy for Carl.

  “A toast! To my big bro’, my soon-to-be niece or nephew and his fiancée, Renae! I love you all!” Kate announced, gathering everyone around the couple.

  Drew slid in next to Kate and whispered in her ear. “I love you. Good job because I know what you’re thinking.”

  She smiled up at him, glad he could read her mind, happy he was by her side through all the good times and bad. Right now, this was a very good time, and she decided not to let anything cloud the moment.

  She raised her glass again, and the group joined in. Kate’s left hand held her glass high in the air, and in the glow of the holiday lights her Christmas present sparkled. Drew was too extravagant as always. The four carat princess cut diamond was a little over the top, but Kate agreed she’d wear it proudly for three more years—that is, if she could wait that long to marry her prince.

  Acknowledgements

  Thank you, Nancy Schumacher, for bringing this series to life. I am so grateful I
found Melange Books.

  To Lynsee, my cover artist, for the great cover art on all three books of this series.

  To my best friend, Bonnie. You’ll always be in my heart. I couldn’t have written these books without you being a part of my life. You are Lindsey. You are Anna. You were too big for just one character. I hope I did your friendship justice.

  This series was written as a love letter to friends and family. My Swedish roots inspired the character of Carl Johansson. Coffee and cinnamon bread was a staple at my grandmother’s and although I never knew my grandfather, I’d like to think he was a lot like Carl.

  My sister’s family has been my biggest support system. Couldn’t have done it without you. Sue, Kevin, Brian, Megan. Thank you.

  How do you thank a place? The Grand Canyon, which serves as the backdrop in the past, was my inspiration to write Kate and Drew’s adventures there. I’ve been asked if there really were Harvey girls. The answer is “yes”. It was the perfect job for Kate to have at the canyon.

  I want to especially thank my son. His humor got me through many moments of frustration. His computer skills came to the rescue many a time. His skills as a photographer were put to use. He set up his tripod and took every picture of the Grand Canyon I wanted without a complaint. Most of all, I appreciate his love, encouragement and support during the time I wrote the series.

  Finally, to my husband, who encouraged me from the start. He was trapped on a plane with nowhere to go when I had him read the unfinished first draft of Waiting for Dusk. When we landed, he told me to finish. Thank you, Ron. You are all the heroes in the book. And mostly, you are mine.

  About the Author

  After a great career in teaching, Nancy found a second calling as a writer. Ohio is her home but she loves to travel the U.S. Her debut young adult novel, Waiting for Dusk, was a surprise to her as much as it was to her family. Watching a PBS series on National Parks, her mind wandered to another place and that is where the characters of Katie and Andrew were born. Call of the Canyon and Stealing Time continue their story. The Swedish influences found in the books came from her mother whose parents emigrated from Sweden.

  Born and raised in Northeast Ohio, Nancy currently resides in Mentor, Ohio with her husband and their college-age son.

  www.facebook.com/nancypennickauthor

  Other Works by the Author

  Waiting for Dusk, Book 1, Waiting for Dusk Series

  Call of the Canyon, Book 2 Waiting for Dusk Series

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