Kaleidoscope Summer (Samantha's Story)

by Garcia, Rita

  True to Maggie’s prediction, less than five minutes later, Rachel walked in. She scrutinized the room as though memorizing every detail. “I’m…I’m speechless.” She slipped her shoes off before stepping on the cappuccino-colored carpet—at least that was the color listed on the order form.

  From the expressions on the women’s faces, this was quickly becoming a watershed event. Nothing like women’s tears to make a man feel helpless, I located tissues, and passed them around. “When’s Brandon being discharged from the hospital?”

  “He’s checking in to a rehab center.” Rachel twisted the tissue in her hand. “There are things you don’t know about.” Sadness veiled her face—the way a storm cloud blocks the sun. “I’m sure you already have some idea—given the disrepair of our home. Excuse me.” She covered her face as she rushed from the room.

  Maggie paled. “We shouldn’t have sprung this on her.”

  Rachel softly returned and sat grasping the arm of the sofa. “You added rooms?” She took a moment, obviously quieting her emotions. “The house—I almost believe we might make it. Life has required tough choices the past few days. I refuse to put our children through anymore of the nightmare we’ve been living.” Her expression saddened and her lips trembled. The three of us had taken seats, listening without interrupting. “Everyone thought Brandon was the fun guy in high school—we ignored his drinking. Today, some would call him a functioning alcoholic because he goes to work. I can’t remember the last time I saw him sober. Not exactly a prom king and queen lived happily ever after story, is it?”

  Sam held Rachel’s hand. “When we are at our weakest, our strength comes from God.”

  Guilt pressed hard in the pit of my stomach. Why hadn’t we reached out to him back then? “How is Brandon coping?”

  “Physically, the healing process is going better than expected. Brandon and I talked, and we agreed changes have to be made.”

  Maggie knelt on the floor at Rachel’s feet. “Rachel, can we pray with you?”

  “It’s been too long—I don’t go to church anymore.” Rachel rose and darted to the kitchen.

  I touched my sister’s shoulder. “We’re taking off—give you space with Rachel. You guys used to be close.”

  “I don’t know—a lot of time has passed since those days.” Maggie lowered her head.

  Sam knelt next to her. “Do what you do best. Be there for her.”

  I grasped Sam’s hand as we left. “Rachel’s right. Brandon’s drinking wasn’t a secret. All of us chose to ignore it, not get involved.” The awareness felt heavy as we drove away. “I’ve been so absorbed in my own world I’ve neglected everyone else. Not long ago I had to remind myself to ask Alec about his family—and I can’t recall what he said.”

  She laid her hand on my arm. “It’s difficult to know when to get involved and when not to.”

  “Shall we go save the dogs?” I threw a wink her direction, saving the inner probing for another time.

  “I think Alec’s the one needing to be rescued.” Her eyes sparkled with the color of the sea.

  Her fragrance attacked my senses, sending a jolt of adrenaline through me. I remembered a time when Brandon and Rachel were inseparable. What happened to allow their lives to fall apart?

  I thought of my mother mourning my father’s death. Was there such a thing as happily ever afters? I glanced at Sam. Being with her felt right. Wherever life took us—I wanted to make the journey with her.

  Chapter Forty-six

  The promise of fall has blessed the earth with her golden wand. The green leaves hold tinges of colors—from bright yellows to vibrant red—in preparation to separate from the branches. And the sea has taken on a silvery glow. Do people have similar seasons? Spans of time when we need to shed the old and make room for the new? Is there an interval to take a hiatus from the noise of the past and intensity of the future? ~ Journal entry

  Dr. Ellie opened her front door with a cheerful smile. “Hi. Come in.” She knelt to greet Goldie. Precious wiggled her way between the two. “Oh, we have some competition going on today.” Dr. Ellie laughed as she stood, reaching for the box of fresh baked goodness I offered her.

  “Julia added some clotted cream to go with the lemon curd.”

  “If she keeps baking, Serenity Cove will need to follow the example of the Oklahoma City Weight Loss Challenge.” Her observation didn’t create a smidgen of hesitation. In her kitchen, we slathered the tangy lemon and cream on the scones, light and fluffy with the perfect crispiness on the outside. We took the tray outside and indulged.

  “With this weather, the trees don’t know whether to shed their leaves or grow buds.” She licked lemon from her fingertip.

  “The view is lovely, more like summer than the first hues of fall.” I took a sip of tea to wash down the scone.

  “Ready to get started?” She first led us in prayer, and then went right into the session. “How are things?” She relaxed on the lounger, her pen hovering over the notebook opened on her lap.

  “The levee has collapsed.” I handed her the letter Daniel wrote. I waited until she refolded it. “Audra Wheeler is his daughter. She innocently brought him with her to the bookshop.”

  “Ah, a sister added to the mix. How do you feel about having a sibling?”

  “Honestly, she took some getting used to.” I softly laughed, remembering the first time she came to the bookshop. Audra had been like a whirlwind. “I’m thrilled. And to your next question, she doesn’t know.”

  “And your birth father?”

  “His actions hurt a lot of people. Anne the most, but she forgave him.”

  “Do you believe he’s remorseful?”

  I ran my tongue over my lips to relieve the dryness. “His letter tips the scales of justice in his favor—with me—not so much.”

  “Let’s table that for a moment. I understand your grandmother suffered another stroke?”

  I nodded. “Thankfully, she is doing great. God does work in unusual ways. John allowed me to see her. It’s as though God created a special place in my heart reserved especially for her.”

  “And your grandfather?” Dr. Ellie had an uncanny way of hitting the core of the problem.

  “According to him, he believes he did what he thought best for his family. But does it condone the harsh way he treated Anne?”

  “Have you considered talking to him?”

  “I’m not comfortable with the risk of upsetting him with my grandmother ill. Is accepting someone with what we consider their faults and moving on from there—is it ever the best course?”

  “Age and health issues can be a factor. And they are octogenarians. Can you move forward in a relationship with your grandparents and leave the past behind?”

  “Accepting them as Anne’s parents—my grandparents—outweighs the risk of a confrontation. There’s not much to be gained by creating stress for them.”

  “After you get to know them, there may come a time when you can have a conversation about Anne. I have a feeling you’ll find a few lingering questions, and they may be willing to answer them if you take it slow.” Precious scampered to her and Dr. Ellie brushed her hand through the dog’s buff-colored curls.

  “It’s my birth father I’m having difficulty with. I’d like him to make restitution for his actions. Of course, time travel would be necessary in order to change history.” I couldn’t manage a smile.

  “You feel he hasn’t paid for the decisions he made?” Dr. Ellie tilted her head to the side.

  “How? He went on with his life. He had a family—a daughter. He became a doctor.”

  “Journal your feelings about Daniel this week. Ask yourself what you realistically want from him.” She reached into a case she kept by her side and thumbed through the contents. “I have a packet from Pastor Jim on forgiveness. There’s an article and a worksheet along with a few scriptures for you to study. Are you willing to do the reading and complete the homework this week?”

  My hesitation hinge
d on my unwillingness to forgive. I tapped the arm of the chair. “I’ll do the work—it doesn’t mean I intend to forgive him.”

  After a closing prayer, she scooped Precious up into her arms and walked us to the door. “You can text me anytime. We can fit another session in this week.”

  “Thanks, Dr. Ellie.” I reached over and gave her a hug, careful not to squish Precious in the process.

  I drove to the apartment to take snapshots of the furniture to show my grandmother. Getting out of the SUV, I noticed Audra’s car. I glanced around and didn’t see her.

  Then I spotted her coming out of Maggie’s and envied the way she made sweats topped with a matching zippered jacket look classy. “Hi, there.” I waved to her.

  She quickened her stride. “You have a minute?”

  I shrugged. “Sure.” Inside the bookshop, we took our familiar seats at one of the reading tables. Where I had also sat with her father.

  “Please forgive me for being blunt.” She grimaced, raking her fingers through her hair. “I’ve heard some ugly gossip.”

  “Go ahead.” I bit down on my bottom lip.

  “Part of what I heard is simple to figure out. It’s easy to believe we could be sisters.” I didn’t fill the gap with words. “It seems we share a father.”

  I nodded. “Yes. We’re sisters.”

  She rushed on. “I don’t have a problem with the fact we’re sisters. To say my father is without faults wouldn’t be true. But I’m having a difficult time believing he left your mother to deal with the aftermath of pregnancy. It’s—preposterous.”

  I inhaled deeply and blew the air out of my lungs. “Have you spoken with your dad?”

  “He left town. Logan dropped by, and after they talked, my father left.”

  I couldn’t believe that Logan had taken it upon himself to interfere—again. “Come up to the apartment. I’ll share what I know and you draw your own conclusions.”

  Upstairs, I handed her the two letters—the one Anne wrote to me, and the one Daniel sent to Anne. With an offer of tea, I went into the kitchen to give her privacy. I returned with the tea expecting to find her sobbing, but she sat stoically, as if she’d read about a man she’d never met.

  I offered her a floral cup. Her hands were trembling and it immediately crashed to the floor. “How could he? I blamed my mother because she divorced him. How will I ever make peace with this?”

  I grabbed a towel from the kitchen, throwing it over the moisture on the rug. “What he did is wrong, in every sense of the word.” I sat next to her, putting my arm around her. “I haven’t worked through forgiving him. But he’s not a monster. He was an out-of-control teen who wasn’t capable of accepting responsibility.”

  “Steve and I rebuilt a house to live in a town where my father is the subject of gossip. And what’s sad is he deserves it. Each time I walk down the street I’ll feel the whispers floating behind me.” She paused as if giving thought to the impact of her words. “I’m sorry, Samantha, I’m being selfish. How are you coping with all of this?”

  I looked into her eyes, which held the same sapphires as mine. “I always wanted a sister. Never thought of her being classier and wearing clothes better than me.” I chuckled, my arm still across her shoulders.

  “A bright light in this sorted mess. Most of my childhood I prayed for a sister.” Her tears flowed. I wished they could cleanse away the sadness and leave only the good.

  She smiled but the blueness in her eyes filled with more tears. “I don’t wear clothes better than you—I’ve been busy putting on airs. We’re starting with not much more than the house, which I’m thankful for. My father is paying for the remodel.” She blotted her cheeks with a tissue. “I heard the wealthy summered in the homes on the ridge—I wanted to fit in. My mom bought me a wardrobe to start my real estate business.”

  “I would say you were blessed with loving parents.”

  Hand in hand, we returned downstairs, pausing at the door. “Take Daniel’s whole life into consideration—not a teenager’s irresponsible decisions. The rest should mean something, too.” A hundred years of good could never outweigh how he ran away and deprived me of my birth mother.

  Audra left. Not wanting to rehash our conversation, I checked my emails. One was from Dr. Evans, at the school. I clicked it open.

  “Dear Samantha, I’m pleased to announce we have finally secured a new source of funding. Please advise me when you will be returning. I look forward to hearing from you. Sincerely, Dr. Charles Evans”

  I paced around the room. Was this God’s answer? Where was the peace I should be feeling? I grabbed my keys and headed to the hospital to visit my grandparents. I had a responsibility to the school—I was leaving Serenity Cove.

  Thelma cheerfully waved me over as I entered the hospital. She leaned over the counter. “Here, my angel.” I ran interference and gave the treat to Goldie. “Can she stay with me while you go visit?” She hurried around the desk as if she’d won a prize. “By the way, your grandmother has moved to one of our standard rooms, third door on the left.”

  “Thanks.” I found John napping—his chin drooped on his chest. My grandmother smiled when she saw me, and tucked her knitting needles filled with a pale blue yarn next to her on the bed. “Hello, Grandmother. I love the feel of that word.” I smiled and signed it to her as well. “How are you feeling today?”

  She laughed. “Please say it often. I’m ready to go home.”

  “I brought pictures of the furniture in the apartment. Can you tell me if any of the pieces are family heirlooms?”

  She picked up her reading glasses. “Let me see.” She flipped through the photos. “The bookcase with Anne’s books belonged to my mother. The dining table with the matching hutch belonged to one of my aunts. Everything else…I guess Anne bought one place or another.” She handed me the pictures and laid her glasses on the bedside table.

  “The dining room furniture, is it important to keep it?”

  “You do what you want with it, child.” She placed her frail fingers on my arm.

  My grandmother nodded in John’s direction. “Hi, Sami.” He yawned. “Did Liz tell you they’re kicking her out of here tomorrow?”

  I’d never been called Sami before—I liked it. “That’s great news. I need to talk to both of you. It’s time for me to go back to Stone Valley.” I took hold of my grandmother’s hand, blue lines showing through her parchment skin.

  “I thought you’d be here for your birthday.” The disappointment on her face would have made me agree with anything she’d wanted.

  “I’ll still be here for my birthday.” Waves of sadness stormed my heart. I would soon be saying goodbye to a world I’d come to love.

  Chapter Forty-seven

  An increase in our town’s crime rate wasn’t making for good press. The Serenity Cove Chronicle had added a monthly column listing criminal incidents. Although I wasn’t crazy about the idea of the new section, my concern was how to stop the escalating problem. According to the latest article, five residential break-ins had occurred over the past month, plus a deposit had been stolen from the barbershop on Main Street, and three vehicles were vandalized. I’m surprised they failed to mention Mrs. Murray’s missing kitten we found trapped under her house.

  Via text, I instructed Hank to inform the whole department of a mandatory meeting at one o’clock. “Tell them to come prepared. I want ideas for attacking this increase in crime. Also, Detective Zack Johnston is scheduled to start this morning, make sure he knows about the meeting. I’m on my way in.”

  This could prove interesting. Zack was the first official detective assigned to our small division—I was depending on him to provide some insight into this situation. I folded the newspaper, and double-timed the stairs to change for the meeting.

  I arrived early and found Zack and Alec comparing notes in the coffee room. I slapped Alec’s shoulder in the way of a good morning, and reached my hand toward Zack. “Welcome aboard. Settled in?”

&
nbsp; “Thank you, sir. I lucked out and rented one of the summer cottages.” Zack took a slug of his coffee.

  “Good. Were you apprised of today’s meeting? Any ideas?” I grabbed a mug and filled it.

  “A meeting with the business owners would be beneficial. Give them a few advantageous crime deterrents for them to incorporate into their daily routines.”

  Zack hadn’t come up with anything I hadn’t already thought of, but he impressed me with his quick answers. “Sounds like a plan. You’re in charge of the details.” The small room had begun to fill up. “Let’s go in the conference room—get this meeting underway.”

  We ended an hour later with the team ready to launch an all-out attack on our town’s crime rate. The officers assigned to the various shifts would spend additional time patrolling the town and our new detective would coordinate a meeting with the business owners.

  After I adjourned the meeting, I spent the day making adjustments to the budget, finally sending it through the proper channels for approval. I stood stretching out the kinks from too many desk hours, and drove to Maggie’s, again seeking approval.

  When she didn’t respond to the beep of my horn, I checked her garden. Not finding her there, I followed the path down to the sandy beach. I spotted her sitting on what she referred to as her dreaming rock. With late afternoon casting its long shadows, she looked lost in thought, her eyes focused on the waves.

  “Hey, sis,” I called, not wanting to startle her. Wolf came running looking ready to romp and play.

  Maggie laughed shaking her head at the dog. “Hey, yourself.” She scooted over, making room. “What’s up?”

  I settled beside her. “How’s Rachel?”

  “Good. The kids love their rooms. She and the children are coming to church on Sunday. Before you say anything, it wasn’t me. Pastor Jim spoke with her.” I didn’t miss the watering of her eyes.

  “Sure hope Brandon hangs in there with rehab.”

  “You have that look—what’s on your mind?” Her sisterly affection was clearly evident in the concern that filled her eyes. Maggie and I shared a special bond, maybe because we lost our parents so young.