By Summer's End (Christian Fiction) (6 page)

“Hey
,
Holly, what’s that on the side of the road up ahead?” Brianna asked, squinting
her eyes for a better look.  She grinned.  “Maybe it’s a chair with a ‘free’
sign attached.”

Holly slowed the car and pulled to a
stop.  “It’s not a chair, but it is a
desk
with a ‘free’ sign attached. 
Let’s take a look.” 

Both women hurried out of the car.  Brianna
knelt down to assess the condition of the wooden desk.  “There are a few
scratches, but otherwise, it’s in pretty good shape.”

Holly ran her hand over the desktop and
then tipped her head for a better look.  “It’s real wood,” she said,
surprised.  “I figured it would be particle board.”  She smiled at Brianna. 
“You know, we could sand this down and refinish it and you’d have a pretty nice
study desk for your bedroom.”

Holly rose, hands on hips, and glanced
around.  She wondered how they could manage to transport the desk home.   She
spotted a small house at the end of the gravel drive.  The tidy bungalow, set
amidst tall trees, was a bit of a walk away.  “Let’s go talk to the folks and
see if they’ll hold it for us until we can figure out how to get it home.”

They were about to start toward the
house when a large truck drew near.  The women heard the spray of gravel as it
came to a stop behind them.  They turned and watched a man drop out of the
vehicle.  Average height, well-built and handsome, he smiled as he approached. 
“Need any help?” he asked congenially.

Holly sent a quick glance at Brianna and
then back to him.  “Uh, well, yes, we do.”  She smiled brightly.  “Apparently
this desk is free for the taking and well, we’d like to take it. 
Unfortunately…”

“You have no way to get it home,” he
said with a broad smile.  “I’m happy to help.”  He crossed the distance to the
women and extended a hand to Holly.  “I’m Ryan McGraw,” he said.

“I’m Holly Holton and this is my sister,
Brianna.”

He nodded at the teenager and turned his
attention back to Holly.  “Good to meet you both.  Hey, give me a minute.  I’m
going to track down Levi—he lives in that bungalow up the way—and we’ll get the
desk loaded into my truck for you.”

“I’m sure I could manage to lift…” Holly
began.

He waved away the offer.  “We’ll get
it.  Hold up and I’ll be right back.”

Ryan soon returned with an older man. 
Tall, slightly stooped and lean, he walked with a slight limp.  “Glad to see
somebody may get some use out of the old desk.  I’m Levi Burns,” he said,
offering a hand to Holly, and then Brianna.

“We were so happy to spot the desk,”
Holly told him.  “My sister could really use a study desk in her bedroom.”

“Well, this one’s in good shape, though
it could use some TLC.”

“We’re the ones to give it some TLC,” Brianna
said with a grin.  “My sister can make any type of furniture look brand new.”

Holly smiled at the praise.  “Well, I
try.”      

“Well, good for you,” Levi said.  “Folks
these days tend to throw away perfectly useable items and replace them with new
when they see the tiniest scratch or wear.  It’s a waste, if you ask me.”  He
turned to Ryan.  “Let’s get ‘er loaded, son.”

The men easily hefted the desk into the
back of Ryan’s truck.  He slammed the tailgate closed with a bang.  “Thanks,
Levi.”

“You’re sure welcome.”  He slapped Ryan
on the back.  “When ya get home, son?  Wife tells me you’ve been away for
months.”  He abruptly sighed.  “I understand you made it back for Ben’s
passing, but headed out again soon after.”

He nodded.  It was true.  He’d made it
to Ben’s bedside in the nick of time, but had left again a couple days later,
after spreading Ben’s ashes on the McGraw family property.  “Arrived yesterday,”
he answered.  “And Millie’s right.  I was gone for awhile.”

Levi pinned him with a look.  “Find what
ya were lookin’ for?” he asked.  “There’s no place like home, ya know.”

Ryan laughed, but ran a hand through his
hair.  Holly watched him curiously.  She sensed a sudden tension in the air. 
“Yeah, well, you’re right about that, Levi,” he said finally. 

“Well, good then,” the older man said,
nodding with satisfaction.  “I know your dad would be glad to hear you say
that.”  He turned to the women.  “Good to meet you, ladies.  Enjoy that desk.”

The group watched after Levi as he
walked toward his home, and then Ryan addressed Holly.  “Shall I follow you…?”

“Oh, yes.”  She smiled.  “Brianna and I
live just up the road a ways.  We’ll get turned around and lead the way.”

Ryan arched his brows.  “Are you new to
the area?”

“We’ve been here about six weeks,” Brianna
told him.  “We’re from out-of-state.”

“Well, what do you think about
Washington State?” he inquired.

“I love it!” Brianna said.  “Of course,
I’d love it more if I had a horse…”

“Brianna,” Holly chided with a laugh,
and then directed to Ryan, “She’s nothing if not determined—determined to get a
horse, that is.”

“Determination is good,” Ryan said,
chuckling.  “Well, I hope you get that horse soon.”  He strode to his truck and
climbed in.  “I’ll pull out and turn around after you,” he called through the
open window.

The women hurried to Holly’s small car
and climbed in.  Holly started the car and carefully did a u-turn in the road. 
She sped off, mindful of a bend in the road behind her that could easily
obscure an oncoming vehicle.

Once safely moving in the right
direction, she glanced back to assure Ryan had safely made the u-turn, as
well.  He had and had come up behind them. 

“Wow, he’s cute,” Brianna said with a
smile.  “And obviously very chivalrous.”

“Chivalrous, huh?” Holly said. 

“You should go out with him,” Brianna
declared.

Holly gasped.  “Brianna, we’ve just met
the man.  He could be an axe murderer, for all we know.”

“And we’re leading him to our house. 
That oughta make it easier for him to hack off our heads.”

“Brianna!”

The teenager laughed.  “I got the distinct
impression that Levi thinks pretty highly of him, although he seemed a bit
disappointed in him for being out of town for awhile.  I wonder why Ryan went
out of town.”

Holly had to give it to her sister.  She
was obviously astute.  She’d also sensed a tension between the two men, but had
also discerned that Levi was fond of Ryan.  She’d also sensed Ryan seemed a bit
uncomfortable when Levi had mentioned his extended absence.  She gave a sudden
shake of her head.  Why was she pondering a situation of which she knew nothing
involving a man of whom she knew nothing?

“Well?” Brianna prompted, drawing her
out of her reverie.

“Well, what?”

“Would you go out with him?”  Before Holly
could answer, Brianna spoke, “I would.”  She gave a dreamy sigh.  “He’s
gorgeous.  Not too tall, not too short, dark hair, great nose, kissable lips…”

“Brianna!”

“What?”

“I’ve just made a decision,” Holly said
with chagrin.

“You’re going out with him?”

“No!  First, he doesn’t know me. 
Second, I don’t know him.  Third, he didn’t ask me out.”

“Then what decision did you make?”
Brianna asked curiously.

“I’m going to have to look into sending
you to an all-girls’ school.”

Brianna laughed at that, unaffected by
the threat.  “Those all-girls’ schools are expensive,” she said with disgust. 
“I ought to know.  I used to go to one.”  She laughed delightedly.  “Hence, I’m
now boy crazy.”  She gave a resigned shrug. 

Holly eyed her with surprise.  “Well,
it’s good of you to admit it, and thank you for admitting it.  I won’t be
letting you out of my sight, by the way.”

“He was cute, though.  You have to admit
that.”

“I don’t have to admit anything, other
than he appears to be a Good Samaritan.”

“Better that than an axe murder, for
sure,” Brianna noted.  “He has nice hair.”

“Mmmm hmmm,” Holly said absently, as she
pulled into the driveway of their place.  She couldn’t help the smile that
crossed her lips.  Seeing their tidy little manufactured cabin never failed to
make her heart leap with pleasure.”  She glanced heavenward.   “Thank you,
Lord,” she prayed.  “You are so good.”

Brianna, beside her, saw her sister’s
lips moving.  She understood Holly was thanking God once again for providing
for them.  It was a foreign concept to her.  Her father and mother hadn’t
believed in God and were self-declared atheists.  They routinely poked fun at
those who they regarded as weak and unable to cope with the trials of life. 
They often elevated themselves above others, despite the fact that their life
of wealth was a ruse perpetrated to impress others. 

Brianna sighed and cast aside the
thoughts about her parents.  It hurt too much.  She felt conflicted—she loved
them, yet she was furious with them.  Had they not been drinking that awful
night…

“Home sweet home,” Holly announced. 
“Ryan just pulled in.  Let’s help him with that desk.”

Ryan
dropped out of the truck.  His eyes widened at the sight of the manufactured
home with the well-maintained front lawn.  Someone had worked awfully hard to
turn that overgrown patch into a manicured yard. 

The house looked great too.  The
exterior was spiffy clean.  All the trim work was freshly painted and it
appeared the wooden porch had been treated with a wood stain. 

He shook his head and did a
double-take.  It was still here!  The home hadn’t been removed from his
family’s property.  Why not?

He remained frozen beside the truck,
desperately wondering why his family’s attorney hadn’t arranged for the removal
of the home.  Ben was gone now.  His heart twisted at the thought—Ben had been
like a father to him—but he couldn’t allow sentimentality to get in the way of
good business sense.  If things went as planned, this section of the property
would be sold along with the nearby forty acres of pastureland. 

An individual from out-of-state had
approached Ryan just before he’d left town and made an offer on the property. 
He still remembered the sight of all those zeroes.  How could one say ‘no’ to
an offer of money that would set himself and his sister up for the rest of
their lives—as well as generations after?  Besides, he had no interest in
remaining in Battle Ground. 

Earlier, Levi had said there was no
place like home.  He hadn’t argued the point, but the truth was, Levi was
wrong.  There was a whole world out there and he wanted to see it.  He wanted
to see it all. 

But…  Even if he wanted to return to the
old hometown someday, he’d still retain another forty acres—half his, half his
sister’s—and he could build a home on the property if he ever felt the
inclination.  He doubted he would, but…

It was Ben who had instilled in him what
regard he did have for the family property.  Ben cherished the land, though he hadn’t
owned a single acre of it.  He feared that developers would come in and ravage
it, leaving urban blight where natural beauty had once prevailed.

“Thanks so much for transporting the
desk for us,” Holly said.  “I think the three of us should be able to get it inside
fairly easily.”

Ryan turned toward her.  He gave himself
a shake.  The woman was watching him curiously.

“Are … you all right?” she asked.  “It’s
really warm today.  Maybe you’re overheated.  Can I get you a glass of water?”

“I’m fine,” he assured her, forcing a
smile.  He couldn’t help staring into her face.  Who was she?  Why was she
living here?  He couldn’t deny she was a beautiful woman.  Gorgeous green eyes,
hair the color of wheat, full lips… 

He shook his head to clear it.  She was
going to think he was some kind of a nut. 
But who was she?

Wait.  He suddenly remembered that Ben
had mentioned leaving the manufactured home to a great niece.  He had seemed to
hold the girl in high regard, though Ryan couldn’t recall why.  Ben had
mentioned something about meeting her once, and that she…

What?  He racked his brain.  He just
couldn’t remember.

“Ryan…?” she said softly.  “Is
everything … okay?”

“Uh, yeah.  Fine.  Everything’s great. 
Let’s get that desk inside and I would appreciate that glass of water.”

Between the three of them, they managed
to lug it to the front porch.  “Actually, may we put it down here?” Holly
asked.  “That way, Brianna and I will be able to work on it out of doors. 
We’ll carry it in when we’re done.”

“It’s heavy.  Call me and I’ll help you
carry it inside.”  He dug around in his jean pocket and pulled out a business
card.  He passed it to Holly.

She put it in her short’s pocket without
looking at it first.  “That’s really kind of you,” she said.  “But I’m sure
we’ll manage.  Come on in and I’ll get you that water.”

Inside, Ryan glanced around.  His heart
gave a tug being back here.  He’d spent countless hours here, visiting with
Ben.  The old man had been a friend of his father’s for years.  The two had
grown up together in the area.  When Ben had hit on hard times as a younger
man, Ryan’s father had urged him to move into a small home that had once been
situated exactly where the manufactured home was today.

When the original home—over a hundred
years old and barely standing—had finally been deemed uninhabitable seven years
before, Ben had purchased the manufactured home, with the understanding it
would be removed from the property when he passed. 

Ryan’s father had passed away long
before Ben.  He’d had his children later in life and could have been their
grandfather.  Sadly, his wife, though many years younger, had died when Ryan
was seven and his sister five. 

Ryan had learned early that loss is a
part of life.  He’d learned to both accept it and to move on.  It’s likely why
he was seriously considering selling the land…

“Like I said before, we’ve only lived
here six weeks,” Brianna told Ryan.  The teenager had encouraged him to take
the single chair in the great room, while she had sat down on the floor near him.

He felt awkward sitting in the only
chair in the room.  He suddenly wondered what had become of the few items with
which Ben had furnished the home.

“We found that chair at a second-hand
store,” Brianna informed.  “We’re going to reupholster it when we can afford
to.  Well, Holly is going to reupholster it, since I don’t know how.  But she’s
going to teach me.”

He nodded.  “It’s a comfortable chair.”

“It is.  We could use a few more, of
course, but we’ll get them eventually.”  She brightened.  “It’s great you helped
us with the desk.  I’ll be starting school in September and I’ll need one.” 
She furrowed her brow.  “Wow, I could really use my laptop too…”

“Where’s your laptop,” he asked with
interest.

“It’s back home, I guess.  Well, it was
probably sold, along with…”  She sighed.  “I suppose the creditors took it.”

Holly entered the room and saw the
troubled look on Brianna’s face.  “Hey, you okay?” she asked, laying a gentle
hand on her head.

“I was just thinking about my laptop and
all my other stuff.  I hadn’t really thought much about it.  I guess…”

“What, sweetie?”

“I guess everything is gone.  I mean, it
really didn’t belong to us…”

“Let’s try not to think about…”

Brianna seemed to gather herself
together and forced a smile.  “I won’t.  It wouldn’t do much good.  And
besides, Holly, it’s like you said, ‘things’ don’t mean anything.”  She eyed
the chair where Ryan was sitting.  “I’ve been thinking about that chair…”

“You have?” Holly said, sounding
surprised.  She sent a quick glance at Ryan, who was watching the two of them
quizzically.  A part of her wanted to silence Brianna, to tell her they’d talk
later, when this stranger was gone, but…  Brianna had been through so much and
she was opening up more and more, but slowly.  She hated to stifle her now,
when she was prepared to talk.

“Go on,” she prompted.

“It means something,” Brianna said
softly.  “We have
one
and we worked hard to find it and to get it.  When
you restore it, it’s going to be beautiful again, and we’ll appreciate it even
more.”

“You’re right about that,” Holly told
her with a smile.

Ryan watched the exchange between the
two.  He sensed there was much more to the story, and that the chair wasn’t the
core of the issue.

“Back home, Mom switched out our
furniture all time.  She’d refurnish the whole house and then decide she didn’t
like it and start over again.”  She shook her head.  “I don’t think there was
anything that could make her happy.”  She caught Holly’s gaze.  “I wonder why
nothing could ever make her happy.”

She dropped her head, but raised it
slowly and searched Holly’s face.  “And Dad…  He’d buy a new car and trade it
in a month later.  Who does that?”  Her face contorted and she began to cry. 
“I think he would have traded me in if he could have.”

“Oh, honey.”  Brianna sat down beside
her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.  A quick glance at their guest
surprised her.  He was watching them with concern and had inched forward in the
chair, as if wanting to help, but uncertain how.

Brianna cried for a moment and then
seemed to remember their guest.  “Oh, I’m…  I’m so sorry.  I’m so …
embarrassed.”  She turned to Holly.  “I’m going to…”  She rose.  “I’m going to
clean up and I think I’ll see if I can find Dave.”

Holly nodded and rose from the floor. 
She extended a hand to her sister and tugged her off the floor.  With a final
embarrassed smile, Brianna hurried from the room.

“Is she okay?” Ryan asked.

Brianna gave him a reassuring smile. 
“She’s going to be,” she said confidently.  “She’s going to be.  Oh, I’m
sorry.  Your water…  Where did I put it?”

“It’s on the floor,” Ryan told her,
smiling softly.

“Oh, yes.  Sorry.”  She picked it up and
eyed it for several long seconds.  Finally, she shook her head and seemed to
remember Ryan again.  “I am so sorry,” she said awkwardly.  “Uh, may we go into
the kitchen and I’ll get you a fresh glass?”

“That one’s fine,” he replied, standing
and taking it from her.  He drank it down and smiled.  “I could use another one,
however.”

“Certainly.” 

He followed her into the kitchen.  It
was sparkling, much like the entire home.  “You’ve been busy cleaning,” he
observed, and then would have kicked himself for his stupidity, had she not
given him a questioning glance.

“You’ve been here before?” she asked
eagerly.

He nodded.

“You knew Uncle Ben?” she cried.

“Very well.  He was like a second father
to me.”

Holly gasped and smiled with pleasure. 
“I’d love to hear about him sometime.”  Her eyes widened, as if she remembered
something of import.  “Oh, I didn’t mention it, but my uncle left us this
house.”  She glanced around, smiled, and shrugged.  “I don’t know why he
thought of me, but I’m so grateful.”

“But … you didn’t know him?”

“I’m afraid not.  I believe I met him
once, but I just don’t know why he chose to remember me in his will.”  She
sighed. 

“Is something wrong?” he asked.

“Oh, well, as Brianna told you, we moved
in six weeks before, but we have yet to manage a meeting with Uncle Ben’s
attorney.  Since Uncle Ben sent me a key to the home, we were able to move in,
but we just don’t know any other details.”

Ryan suddenly felt a sense of guilt
descend over him.  Ben had asked him to be his executor, but he had suggested
using the family attorney.  He knew Ben was in failing health and feared he
wouldn’t be on hand when the old man passed.  And his trip
had
lasted
longer than originally planned.

Thankfully, he had managed to get home,
to be with Ben when he died, but he’d barely made it.  His sister would never
have forgiven him had he not.  Nor would he have forgiven himself.

“Ryan, are you feeling all right?” Holly
asked.  She felt a bit strange—continuing to inquire about his health—since she
didn’t even know the man, but it was obvious he’d gone pale beneath his tan.

“I’m … fine.” 
And I have all the
details you could ever need
… he thought to himself.  With a shoring breath,
he opened his mouth to apprise this woman of the reality that she owned the
manufactured home, but not the property beneath it, when Brianna returned
carrying a cat.

“I found Dave,” she announced. 

Ryan noted she had washed her face and
seemed to have pulled herself together.

“Dave?” he repeated.

“Yes.  He’s a stray,” she told him,
nuzzling the cat.

Ryan smiled grimly.  He didn’t have the
heart to tell her that ‘Dave,’ like the property beneath them, belonged to him.