Longing For Home

by Christine Lynxwiler

  “I’m so sorry, honey.” Gram reached out and caressed her cheek.

  Brandi cupped her grandmother’s hand in her own and squeezed it. “It’s nothing that can’t be replaced. Thanks for the clothes. Give me half an hour to shower and dress, and I’ll be there with bells on.”

  Gram kissed her forehead. “It’ll take this old woman that long to get back downstairs.”

  “You are not old!” Brandi protested.

  “Let’s just say I’m thrilled you’re here and leave it at that.” She grinned. “And I’m glad I stayed in your parents’ room downstairs so I could be close to Michael and Melissa. I think this will be my last trip up those stairs for a while.”

  “I’ll take care of everything.” Brandi couldn’t quite smile, faced with the evidence of her grandmother’s frailty.

  “You’re going to do great. I appreciate your coming. Now get dressed, and I’ll race you downstairs.” Gram grinned and slipped out the door.

  When she was alone again, Brandi stood and stretched. Her arms were sore from holding on to the tree limb in the water. She wondered if Jake felt any ill effects from her bad judgment. She should probably find out where he lived so she could call him and thank him properly.

  She found a Bible in the top drawer of the nightstand. That hadn’t changed. Her parents always made sure there was one in every room. This morning she needed the constancy of her daily devotional, even if it had to be an abbreviated version.

  After she finished reading a passage in Philippians and thanking God again for keeping her safe, she quickly showered and dressed. As she applied a touch of lipstick from the tube Gram had left her, she thought about her dark-haired rescuer. He was a mystery to her. And she’d always fancied herself a mystery-solver.

  In high school she’d been attracted to him, in spite of the fact he was part of the crowd that made her life miserable. When he asked her out, she saw a side of him she thought she would like to know better. Instead he’d allowed Tammy to reel him neatly back in, without so much as a backward glance for Brandi. She’d known then, without a doubt, that he wouldn’t walk across the road to help her out of a ditch.

  But yesterday, apparently without hesitation, he’d risked his life to save hers.

  And since the moment she’d decided to trust him and jump into the swirling water, she couldn’t get him out of her mind. Had he changed that much? Or had she been wrong about him back then?

  She snatched a pair of sandals from the closet and slipped into them. She was safer concentrating on her hunger pains and leaving the mystery of Jake McFadden to someone else. She slipped into the hall and looked in the open doors as she walked by.

  Even after all these years her parents had kept her idea of naming each room after a famous classic movie. She smiled as she passed It’s a Wonderful Life and The Wizard of Oz. They had allowed her to do it because they desperately wanted her to be happy in Arkansas, and she’d gone ahead with the project because naming and decorating the rooms accordingly had made life bearable for a while.

  She’d figured her mom would redo them at the first opportunity. But to her surprise over the years her family had occasionally told funny stories about guests, like the eccentric woman who’d stayed in Gone with the Wind or the family in Stagecoach who had done something odd.

  Gram walked into the foyer as Brandi reached the bottom step. “Who’s going to ring the bell for breakfast?” she called.

  “I am!” Melissa ran into the room then skittered to a stop when she saw Brandi.

  Was that fear in her little sister’s eyes? Admittedly she’d been two years old when Brandi moved back to California, but they’d remained close. Or at least Brandi thought they had. Maybe Melissa was just going through a shy stage.

  “Hey, Melissa.” Brandi held out her arms. The little girl gave her a stiff hug then quickly retreated. “Where’s Michael?” Brandi asked, hoping to entice her out of her shell a bit. What had happened to the bright, curious girl she remembered?

  “Waiting in the dining room.” Melissa grabbed the brass bell from the small marble-top table and looked at her grandmother. “Ready, Gram?”

  “Sure, hon.”

  Melissa stood straight, shoulders back, and held the bell aloft with great ceremony. At her grandmother’s nod she swung the brass bell back and forth, flinching as the loud noise filled the house.

  When the tone faded away, Brandi grinned. “Good job, sis.”

  “Thanks.” Melissa set the bell back in its place and ran to the dining room.

  “Still the drama queen, I see,” Brandi whispered.

  Gram frowned and looked up the empty stairs. “Unfortunately she’s not the only one around here.”

  “What do you mean?” Gram had the same expression she’d had earlier when Brandi had mentioned Valerie. Her teenage sister still hadn’t appeared. Was that who Gram was talking about?

  Gram glanced back at Brandi as if she’d forgotten she was there then shook her head. “Let’s go eat. We can talk later.”

  Michael looked up when she came in. To her relief he returned her wink and clambered to his feet to give her a one-arm speed hug. She smoothed his hair down and smiled as it stuck straight out again. He ducked from her hand, grinning. As he got closer to official teenagerhood, his reluctance to show affection warred with his naturally affectionate personality.

  Unlike Melissa’s sudden standoffishness and Valerie’s failure to appear, Brandi didn’t take Michael’s growing pains personally. And the unspoken rule of the house was that after the bell rang everyone had five minutes to come to the table, so maybe Valerie would still show up.

  Brandi sank into the chair between her brother and her grandmother and admired the sumptuous spread of food. The delicious aroma wafted up her nose and straight into the hungry corners of her soul. She might have to snitch a pancake to tide her over.

  The oval oak table was set for six. She, Michael, Melissa, and Gram were anxiously waiting, so that left two still to come.

  When Gram hurt her back, she’d had to cancel the next few weeks of reservations. Now that Brandi was here, she had two weeks to get used to things before business resumed as normal. But there was one permanent guest in Casablanca. Gram hadn’t told her much about him on the phone, but Brandi did know he ate meals with the family, rather than in the guest dining room.

  As they chatted about the food, Gram cast an irritated glance at one of the empty seats—presumably the one Valerie usually occupied. Brandi looked at her watch. Five minutes were up. If Valerie and their permanent guest were coming, they’d better hurry.

  Movement in the doorway brought her gaze up to meet the eyes of her rescuer. Jake McFadden had come to breakfast.

  “I’m sorry I’m late.”

  “That’s fine,” Gram murmured, as Jake slipped easily into one of the empty chairs.

  Realization hit Brandi like a lightning bolt. Hometown hero Jake McFadden lived at the Delaney B&B. And she was about to become his gracious hostess. Sometimes she felt like laughing at life’s little ironies. Unfortunately this wasn’t one of those times.

  ❧

  “Jake? Will you offer thanks for the food?” Elva asked softly.

  Jake nodded. During his years on the road, both with baseball and his speaking program, he hadn’t found a lot of time for prayer. But since his injury he spent as much or more time talking to God as he did to anyone.

  He bowed his head and concentrated on clearing his mind of distractions, especially the blue-eyed one across the table who was peering at him as if he were pond scum. “Father, thank You for this wonderful time of homecoming and reunion. Thank You for providing this food for us. Please continue to bless this house with peace and prosperity. Watch over us always. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

  He looked up, and this time he didn’t try to avoid Brandi’s gaze. His family was big on second chances. Maybe she deserved one.

  Maybe he did, too.

  “So, Brandi”—he helped himself to a couple
of pancakes—“can you cook as well as your mom and your grandmother?”

  She narrowed her eyes. “Probably not, but I’m pretty sure I can keep you guys from starving on Nellie’s days off.”

  Oh, great. He’d managed to insult her without even trying. “No doubt.”

  “Brandi always loved to cook.” Elva looked fondly at her oldest granddaughter. “I remember when you used to come in from the beach and throw my big apron over your bathing suit. We got a kick out of that. You, with your flip-flops and neon-colored suit, wearing a chef’s apron that hung down to your ankles.”

  “Don’t we have a picture of that somewhere?” Michael asked.

  Jake watched with fascination as Brandi’s face turned a becoming shade of pink.

  “Please. No pictures,” she pleaded.

  “What about autographs?” Jake quipped.

  She leveled him with a gaze that left little doubt concerning how she felt about sharing her intimate childhood memories with him. “I’ll leave the autographs to you, superstar.”

  Elva choked on the orange juice she was sipping. Jake saw pain flash across her face with each cough.

  Brandi patted her grandmother gently on the back, but she kept a razor-sharp gaze on Jake. He could see the unexplained animosity she’d always had for him rippling beneath the surface of those beautiful blue eyes.

  He rubbed his aching shoulder. So much for second chances. She hadn’t changed a bit.

  Four

  As soon as she knew Gram was okay, Brandi pushed to her feet, leaving her pancakes half eaten. Her appetite had fled along with her good sense as soon as Jake McFadden walked into the room. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to check on some things upstairs.”

  She ignored her grandmother’s startled expression and strode from the room, head held high. When she was safely in the foyer she ran, taking the stairs two at a time. She hesitated for a second outside Valerie’s room, struggling to get a handle on her temper.

  Life spun around her in a dizzying whirl, and she needed to be in control of something right now. Valerie was as good a place to start as any. She tapped on the door. “Val?” She hoped the childhood nickname would soften her sister’s heart and get her to open up about what was keeping her in her room.

  “Go away.”

  Brandi arched an eyebrow at the oak-stained door. “I don’t think so.” She twisted the knob. Locked. “Valerie, let me in. Now.”

  “Who died and left you boss?”

  “I need to talk to you.” Brandi kept her voice even. She’d provided enough entertainment for the breakfast crowd without their overhearing this confrontation. “I have something important to ask you.”

  She heard rustling in the room. Had her appeal to Valerie’s innate curiosity worked?

  The doorknob rattled.

  Brandi tried it again, and it turned easily under her hand. When she stepped into the room, her heart ached. Valerie sat on the window seat, with her back to Brandi. Her arms were wrapped around her knees in a classic defensive posture, and discarded tissues littered the seat and the floor around her. Her thick hair formed a curtain so Brandi couldn’t see her face.

  “Val? What’s wrong?”

  Valerie’s shoulders raised and dropped, and Brandi hurried over to wrap her in a hug. The girl remained rigid at first; then she collapsed, sobbing, into Brandi’s embrace. “Everything.”

  Brandi sat down on the seat and smoothed back her sister’s wild mane of hair. “Start at the beginning.”

  Valerie pulled away and met her gaze with red puffy eyes. Her whole face was swollen from crying. “When Mom and Dad decided to go to Albania, I asked them to let me run the B&B. I only have half days in school this year anyway. As close as I am to graduating, I could have gotten my GED and been fine. All my friends who are homeschooled do that.”

  Brandi nodded, not because she agreed, but to let Valerie know she was listening.

  “But they asked Gram, which I was fine with. It’s been fun to spend some time with her.”

  “Yeah, she’s pretty cool, isn’t she?”

  Valerie nodded. “I thought so. Then when she got hurt I thought sure she’d let me manage things until Mom and Dad got back.” She turned and looked out the window.

  After a minute of silence passed, Brandi spoke. “But she and Mom and Dad decided to call me. And now you feel like they didn’t think you were capable of handling things.”

  Valerie rubbed her nose with her hand. “Right.”

  Brandi handed her a clean tissue from the box on the windowsill. “Valerie, I’m sure they know you’re capable.”

  Valerie snorted. “Right,” she said again. This time sarcasm dripped from the word.

  “School is important.”

  “Yeah, yeah.” Valerie stood and walked to the bed where she flounced down hard enough to pop a spring. “I’ve heard it all before. So what did you want to ask me?”

  “May I borrow some clothes?”

  A hint of a grin flitted across Valerie’s face as she gave Brandi a once-over. “You mean color-coordinated pantsuits aren’t your new style?”

  Brandi grimaced and glanced down at the neat-looking pantsuit. “Mom always looks great, and I’m thankful for the loan, even if it was through Gram; but I’m already having an identity crisis, and these clothes aren’t helping.” She took in Valerie’s frayed bell-bottom jeans and torn top. When had her fashion-conscious sister started dressing like a hippie throwback? “I need something neat enough to go into town.”

  “Say no more.” Valerie opened a drawer and pulled out one pair of khaki pants and a pair of denim capris. The next drawer yielded two tops, and she passed the bundle of clothing to Brandi.

  “Thanks. What about a dress for church tomorrow?”

  Valerie crossed to the closet and pulled out a simple blue dress. “Will this do?”

  “Perfect.” Brandi threw the dress across her arm and clasped the other clothes to her chest. “Thanks, sis. I owe you one.”

  “I’ll remind you of that sometime.”

  Brandi considered her sister’s still-somber face. She wanted to ask about Jake McFadden. But in spite of the shared confidences she didn’t think she’d gotten to the bottom of Valerie’s problem yet, so Jake would have to wait. “What else is bothering you?”

  The teen shrugged again. “Just stuff. Things I have to figure out on my own.”

  Brandi nodded. That hurt, but it was understandable. Even though Valerie had hero-worshipped her, she didn’t know her very well anymore. “I’ll be praying it all works out.”

  Valerie mumbled something that could have as easily been “Don’t bother” as “Thanks.”

  “I’d better get busy, Val—Valerie.” Michael hadn’t been able to say Valerie when he was little, so he’d settled on Val. The rest of the family had followed suit, and it was a habit Brandi had never dropped. But for all Brandi knew, Valerie hated the nickname. “I’m counting on you to work with me. I can’t do it without you.”

  Valerie rolled her eyes. “Did you learn that psychology junk in college?”

  Brandi bit back the urge to assure her sister it was true, that she did need her. Instead she nodded. “Yeah. It was in an obscure class called ‘How to Deal with Stubborn Teenage Sisters.’ You’ll be glad to know I made an A.”

  “Sounds like a class I had—‘How to Live with a Stranger Who Suddenly Takes Over Your Home.’ Unfortunately I flunked.”

  Ouch.

  Valerie put on her headphones and turned away.

  Brandi considered her sister’s back for a minute then slipped quietly from the room clutching her borrowed clothes. In spite of the earlier breakthrough the score was definitely Valerie–one, Brandi–zero.

  ❧

  With every thud of his feet on the packed dirt of the hiking trail, Jake imagined firing the ball into the catcher’s mitt. “Stri–i–ike three!” the ump screamed to the imaginary batter.

  Keep pushing, Jake. You have to stay in shape if you’re ever going
to pitch again. He didn’t mind running, especially today. He was glad to sweat off some of the tension left over from breakfast. If the fire in her eyes at the table was any indication, whatever gratitude Brandi Delaney felt for his saving her life had worn off once she was dry.

  Eight years ago, when Brandi had been so sarcastic about their senior trip plans on the way to Dana’s party, he’d suspected she regretted going out with him. Tammy had confirmed his suspicions. He’d done Brandi a favor and let her off the hook. Yet, after all these years, she still glared at him and went after him with her sharp tongue every chance she got. It made no sense.

  He grimaced at the burning in his lungs as he came out of the trail right behind the B&B. He’d pushed himself too hard while he was thinking about Brandi. When would he learn not to try to understand women? Especially beautiful women?

  Maybe she was unhappy with her most recent manicure and was taking it out on him. But if running until he couldn’t breathe didn’t get her off his mind, what would?

  “Jake, heads up!”

  A football bobbled through the air and fell at his feet.

  Michael Delaney ran forward to pick it up. “Sorry. I can’t get the hang of throwing this.”

  Jake nodded to show he couldn’t quite talk yet and leaned forward, hands on his knees. “No problem.”

  “I’ve been thinking about going out for football.”

  “You have?” Jake struggled to keep the surprise from his voice. Ever since Jake had known him, the boy with the slight build had been busy either on the computer or working on a new invention.

  “Yeah. Melissa thinks it’s a stupid idea, but I’ll get better if I practice, right?”

  “Sure.” Jake wiped his face on his sleeve. “Let me show you how to hold the ball, okay?”

  For the next fifteen minutes he worked with Michael, but at the end of the time the boy shook his head. “Melissa’s right. I’m never going to get the hang of it.”

  “If you want to badly enough, you can,” Jake said. “I’ve got to go get a shower right now before lunch, but we can work together some more later.”

  “Really?” A grin covered Michael’s face. “That would be super.”