Best Family Ever

by Karen Kingsbury

  “Dinner is in thirty minutes.” Their mom made her way to the kitchen.

  Ashley looked at her siblings. And suddenly there was only one place they all wanted to go:

  The tree house.

  9

  The Tree House

  ASHLEY

  Ashley was the first one to reach the back door. If ever there was a tree house day, it was this one.

  Dad had built the tree house lots of years ago. It wasn’t too far off the ground, and the main platform was held up by two big thick trees. But it had different levels to get up to the main one, the house part, which had walls and a roof. All five of them could fit inside. The tree house was their special place.

  They had sleepovers in the tree house every summer, and game nights on the weekends. In autumn they drank cider there and told stories by flashlight. And sometimes on warm spring nights they stared at the stars through the opening in the roof.

  But they also went to the tree house when something big was happening and they needed to talk it out. Like last fall, when Brooke was starting middle school all by herself.

  Today was definitely tree house big.

  They hurried into the backyard, toward the far corner. Most of the snow had melted, but the air was still freezing. While they ran, Ashley noticed everything she loved about the place. The hundred trees near the back fence and the spot where the tulips would line the porch later that spring.

  And the tree house, of course. Especially that.

  They all reached the spot and, without saying anything, they climbed from one platform to the next until they were on the main one. They sat down in a circle in silence. Nothing to say.

  Their family was moving.

  Brooke spoke first. “It’s going to be fine. I really believe that.” She put her hands in her sweatshirt pockets. “We have to trust Mom and Dad.”

  “I’m excited.” Erin was playing with a stick. “But I’m scared, too. I don’t want to make new friends.”

  Ashley watched Brooke reach across the circle and give Erin’s hand a soft squeeze. “It’s okay to be afraid. Even sad.” Brooke kept her voice quiet. Times like this in the tree house they always talked quiet.

  Brooke’s kindness made Ashley’s heart feel warm. They really did have each other. Next to her, Kari tilted her head back and looked up into the tree branches. Ashley felt sad for her. This was most hard on the two of them.

  “You okay?” Ashley put her arm around Kari.

  A hurt breath came from her. “I thought we would never move.” Kari put her head on Ashley’s shoulder. “Remember? We talked about it that day at the ice rink.”

  The others were watching, listening. Brooke put her arm around Erin, and Luke played with his shoelaces. Tying them. Untying them. Something he did when he was nervous.

  Ashley leaned her head on Kari’s. “It’s not fair. I think we should get a vote.” She looked at her siblings. “But we don’t. It’s happening.”

  Luke jumped up and crossed the circle to Ashley. “You’re going to be fine, Sissy.” That was Luke’s nickname for her. Sissy. “Trust Mommy and Daddy.”

  “Thanks, Luke.” Ashley hugged him.

  Brooke and Erin and Kari joined them, and for a long minute all five of them stayed in a circle hug. The happiness from earlier that day seemed like a distant memory.

  Ashley couldn’t believe this was actually happening. It was real. Through the window of the tree house, she spotted the swing set their dad had built them a few years ago. And the garden where her mother grew carrots and zucchini in the summer.

  A bin of basketballs and soccer balls sat on the back porch near Dad’s grill. How would it look empty? After they moved away? New tears made Ashley’s eyes blurry.

  Lonely and sad, that’s how.

  Gradually Brooke and Erin and Luke took their seats in the circle again and the hug ended. Still everyone was quiet. Ashley closed her eyes, her shoulders hunched forward a little.

  Everything was going to change, and there was nothing any of them could do about it.

  This was their last spring in Ann Arbor.

  “Dinner!” Their mother called from the back patio. Ashley watched her shade her eyes. “Come on, kids.”

  Brooke jumped up and looked out the window toward the house. “Coming.” She yelled so Mom would hear her. “Two minutes, okay?”

  “Okay.” Their mother sounded happy. Like their whole world wasn’t falling apart. “Hurry!”

  Brooke took her place in the circle again. “Let’s make a promise.”

  That sounded good. Ashley nodded. Luke and Erin and Kari did, too.

  “Let’s promise we’ll find our own spot at our new house.” Brooke looked from Kari to Luke, and then to Erin and finally Ashley. “And that we’ll always remember.”

  “Remember what?” Luke sat up straighter. He definitely wanted to understand.

  Ashley felt sorry for him. His blue eyes looked so young. He would probably barely remember Ann Arbor.

  Brooke looked at him. “What’s important. No matter how lonely or sad it gets.” She seemed to have thought this through. “Even if it’s hard to make friends or find a new life in Bloomington . . . we always, always have each other. We have to promise to remember that.”

  Like a slow summer breeze, peace came over Ashley. “Yes.” She nodded. This was the perfect promise.

  “I like it.” Kari nodded.

  Erin did the same. “Me, too.”

  Luke’s smile was quick and innocent. “If we have each other, that’s all we need.” He thought for a second. “And Mommy and Daddy. And God.”

  “Right, buddy.” Brooke did a part laugh, part smile. “That is all we need.”

  Ashley put her hand in the middle, and her siblings did the same thing. This was something else the Baxter kids did often. It was how they made a promise.

  Brooke said the words. “One . . . two . . . three . . .” And all at the same time they finished the promise. “Team!”

  That was that. It was settled. No matter what, they would help each through the move. Through whatever else was coming. They hurried inside and joined Mom and Dad setting the table for dinner.

  Their mother smiled at Ashley. “Good meeting?”

  “Yes.” Ashley was still sad. But at least she had hope. She tried to give her mom the slightest smile. “The best.”

  But even though Ashley felt better than when Mom and Dad first made the announcement about the move, she and her siblings were still sad. Their dad tried to be chipper at dinner, but everyone was quiet.

  Except Luke. He talked the whole time about sand castles and how his was going to be the biggest.

  When they were finished eating, Dad looked around the table. “So who’s excited for the beach?”

  “Me.” Brooke was the first to answer. Her lips lifted into an almost smile. “I think it’ll be great.” She looked at Kari, like she wanted her to say something.

  “Yeah.” Kari must have taken the hint. “Me, too.” She found her prettiest smile for Brooke and then their father. “It’s going to be great.”

  Ashley still wasn’t sure. A week at the beach before saying goodbye to their whole world? Before a FOR SALE sign appeared in their grassy front yard?

  “Ashley. What about you?” Her mom leaned her elbows on the table and looked straight at her.

  “Um. Yeah.” Ashley could feel everyone watching her. “The beach. Sure.” Ashley picked up her fork and moved it through what was left of her mashed potatoes. “Who doesn’t like the beach?” She felt the tears rushing up in her eyes, so she gave herself strict instructions. Don’t cry, Ashley. Don’t cry.

  “Ashley.” Her mom waited. “Honey, it’s okay to cry. We talked about that.”

  Ashley tried not to, but nothing worked. Her tears came anyway. She was crying. And everyone could see.

  “One good thing.” Luke smiled at her. He had love and care in his face. “It’s probably more fun to be sad at the beach than here.” He looked around
. “At least it’ll be warm.”

  His words hit Ashley all at once. And suddenly she did something she didn’t expect. Something that felt perfect and wonderful.

  She laughed.

  Then Kari laughed and Erin and Brooke. Luke, too. And finally their parents joined in. And all the sudden there they were, the whole family laughing like the whole world wasn’t falling apart. Like they weren’t moving away from all they knew and loved and wanted.

  Laughter was the best cure, and as they cleared the table Ashley thought just maybe, she might live through the move.

  But later that night, when the lights were out and Kari was sleeping, Ashley couldn’t find a way to be tired. She stared at her ceiling and then out the window at the dark night sky.

  She thought about Lydia and all the adventures they would never have, and in a small flood the tears came back. This time there was no reason not to cry. Luke wasn’t here to make her laugh, and no one was watching. She rolled onto her stomach and cried the way she had wanted to ever since she heard the terrible news.

  Ashley didn’t hear her mother walk in but all the sudden she was sitting on the bed beside her.

  “I know you’re still upset about the move.” Her mom’s voice was soft and quiet. And maybe something else. Maybe a little sad.

  A quick look and Ashley felt the shock hit her. There were tears in her mom’s eyes, too. “Mom.” Ashley sat up a little bit. “It’s okay to cry.”

  Her mom laughed and wiped at her tears. “Thanks.”

  “Why are you sad?” Ashley sat up and held the pillow to her stomach. “You seemed happy to move.”

  “Sweetheart . . .” Her mom took her hand. “This is our home. We’ve been here since we brought Kari home from the hospital.” She looked around the room. “So many memories live in these walls.” She closed her eyes for a short moment. “I don’t want to leave. Your dad doesn’t, either.”

  “But how come . . .” Ashley didn’t finish the sentence.

  “Dad has an amazing opportunity, that’s why.” Her mother nodded, very sure. “I will always support him. We all need to do that.” She smiled even as another tear fell onto her cheek. “I trust God that what’s ahead will be even better than what’s here.”

  Ashley lay back down. A million questions zipped around her mind. But she understood something now. The move was hard even for her parents. She hadn’t thought of that before.

  “Yes, that’s it. I need to trust God.” Ashley dried her eyes and looked right at her mom. “I’ll try.”

  “And I’ll help. Whenever you’re sad.” Mom bent down and kissed her forehead. “Remember, honey. God loves you even more than we do. He won’t let you down.”

  “Okay.” Ashley yawned. “Can you rub my back? Please.” Ashley turned onto her tummy again. She was starting to feel better.

  Her mom rubbed her back and hummed a song. Something they’d sung in church before. “Great Is Thy Faithfulness.” She didn’t know all the words, but she could tell it was that song from the melody. She liked how the song made her feel. Peaceful and calm.

  Like everything was going to be okay. Not because it would be easy. But because they had each other. And their very best friends weren’t the ones at school. Not here or in Bloomington.

  They were the ones around the dining room table.

  10

  The Beach and the Boy

  KARI

  Kari couldn’t imagine a car ride taking longer than this one.

  They had been driving since dark that morning. Turned out, the drive from Michigan to South Carolina was fourteen hours long.

  But it felt like a million years.

  “The road trip is part of the adventure.” Their dad looked in the rearview mirror and grinned. He’d been saying that all day. But Kari and the other kids were beginning to wonder.

  Already they had played music and I Spy and License Plate Bingo. They were two hours from the beach and it seemed the only thing left to do was sleep or read. Kari was just ready to be at the ocean!

  She adjusted her pillow against the car door and closed her eyes. When she opened them they were parked at a grocery store. Their dad must’ve gone inside for food. Kari leaned forward. “Are we close?”

  Her mom nodded. “Just a few minutes away.”

  “Yes!” She couldn’t wait to be on the beach.

  Their dad returned with three bags of groceries and put them in the back, just as the other kids woke up. “Here we go.” Their dad grinned at them. “Next stop—the beach house!”

  The whole car burst into shouts of joy and some applause. As their dad drove, Kari paid attention to the road. Sidewalks became sandy paths, and then she noticed more cars pulling boats. She began to see beach houses, brightly colored and inviting. And then . . . Kari spotted it!

  “The ocean! Look!” Kari tugged at Ashley’s shirt.

  Ashley was still sort of sleepy. But now she sat up straight. “It’s beautiful!” Her eyes got big.

  The rest of the car began buzzing about the beach and the water and the sun and all the things they were going to do.

  Finally, they pulled into a driveway, and a beautiful house sat on a sandy hill in front of them. Kari gasped.

  Her dad unbuckled his seat belt and turned to the kids. “We’re here!”

  “It’s perfect!” Kari stepped out of the car and stared at the house. It was a two-story yellow house with gigantic windows.

  The other kids got out of the car and ran with her around the house to the beach side.

  “A balcony!” Ashley raised both hands like this was a big victory. “I love balconies.”

  They helped their parents bring in the groceries, and Kari and her sisters ran through the house discovering every room. The side of the house facing the beach was almost entirely windows.

  Which meant they could see the ocean from everywhere they looked.

  Their mom met them in the living room. “Come on.” She grinned. “I’ll show you your rooms.”

  The one downstairs was for her and their dad, she told them. “Let’s go upstairs.”

  Luke joined them, and all five kids followed Mom up a long staircase. Like at home Kari and Ashley shared a room, but this time Brooke was in with them, too. Kari was glad. She loved spending time with Brooke.

  “Bunk beds. Cool!” Ashley threw her pillow on the higher bunk. “I call top!”

  Kari laughed. “Fine with me. I like sleeping closer to the floor.”

  Another room at the end of the hallway was for Luke and Erin. Kari had an idea. “Let’s unpack our suitcases first.”

  “Wait!” Ashley had stepped into the hallway. Now she poked her head into the girls’ room. “I found something!”

  They filed into the hallway, and Luke and Erin and Mom joined them. Ashley pointed to a spiral staircase right across from Luke and Erin’s room. Kari had never seen a real spiral staircase. It was like something from a fairy tale!

  “Let’s go up!” Kari made the first move, and at the top she stepped into the most amazing lookout! It was like a small room with windows all the way around.

  “Wow!” Ashley’s feet froze on the floor. Like it was too special to take in all at once. “This is the best ever.”

  “It’s like our tree house.” Luke ran to the window and looked out. “Only it’s a real house with real windows.”

  Brooke joined Luke. “The view!”

  “It’s amazing!” Erin stood by their mom.

  Kari and Ashley were speechless. The view was one of the most beautiful things Kari had ever seen. She could tell Ashley was thinking the same thing.

  “Hey, look.” Ashley pointed down below. “Neighbors!”

  Kari saw what Ashley was looking at. A family was moving things into the home next door. They were unloading their car, talking and laughing.

  “Looks like two kids.” Ashley sounded happier than she had all day. “Our same age! See! I told you Hilton Head has lots of kids.”

  Kari shrugged. New kids w
eren’t on her mind much. Like she’d told Ashley yesterday, this trip was for family.

  Next they unpacked and helped their mom and dad put away groceries. Then they kicked off their shoes and changed into their bathing suits and cover-ups and the whole family walked down to the beach.

  “This is the warmest spring break in a decade.” Their dad turned his face to the sun. “It’s going to be a perfect week!”

  He added that the water would still be cold since it was only late March. But it would probably be warm enough to play in the waves.

  “I can’t wait to put my feet in the surf.” Ashley sounded a lot happier than she had last night. Kari watched her run ahead. Luke kept up with her.

  Kari took her time. She skimmed her hand along the tall grass lining the path and stopped to smell some little white flowers. The sound of the waves felt like it was healing her heart, helping her better understand the fact that her family was moving.

  On either side of them, tall palm trees stretched to the sky. Kari loved them. God must have had fun creating the beach, she thought. Everything is so perfect.

  After a few minutes at the water’s edge, Mom and Dad went back inside with Luke and Erin. Time to make dinner, Mom told them. Erin and Luke were going to help.

  But Kari really knew what Mom was doing. She didn’t want the youngest two near the water without supervision. Kari remembered. That was how it used to be with her and Ashley and Brooke when they were little.

  When it was just the three girls, Kari had watched the waves roll up onto the shore one after another. They were actually here at the beach! She followed Ashley down to the wet sand. Brooke came, too. They ran into the surf, splashing and laughing.

  Yes, the ocean water was cold, but with the sun on their faces it felt great.

  “I’ll get the paddleball set!” Kari ran up the sand to the back porch. Ashley and Brooke were still in the water, but only up to their knees.

  When Kari returned with the paddles, Ashley joined her on the warm sand. Not far away, Brooke stretched out on her towel with a book.

  “Here we go.” Kari handed Ashley a paddle and they began to volley the ball back and forth.