Sunday came, and Sunny dressed in her bright pink-flowered dress. While slipping on her matching high-heeled sandals, she felt grateful that she had a definite place to go, a worship center where she was welcomed. She longed to worship God in company.
Two separate people from the congregation had called her during the week, welcoming her to their church. It pleased her and sent a warm emotion all over her. She liked feeling as though she belonged. Liked the feeling of knowing God was everywhere. Often while growing up, she’d yearned for family. She recalled her mom telling her not long before she died, that as long as Sunny was a member of God’s family, she’d never really be alone.
God’s family… It gave her a mountain of hope…and faith in the future.
She wondered what Grant was doing this Sunday morning. If those church people called her, surely they’d called Grant, as well, she thought. He’d said nothing about going again.
Never mind, she told herself as she brushed her hair. She’d take Tracy with her this week. Dell was looking after the office.
She picked up her Bible and walked out to the office. Outside, it was partly cloudy, but the temperatures would climb today. She opened the door wide while the air was yet cool. Dell, in his usual jeans, was already there, pulling a weed or two until she unlocked the door.
“Good morning, Dell. How are you this morning?”
“Fine. Just fine. Tracy’s almost ready to go.”
“Okay. Now all the cabins but three and four should check out by noon, you know. The other two will check out tomorrow morning,” she instructed. “The whole Prentiss family is coming in for a week starting tonight, so you can start cleaning the empty cabins to be ready. The rest of the family will come in tomorrow.”
Sucking on her bottom lip, she softened her tone. “I hate putting you out, Dell, but the reservations were made last year. Tracy can stay with me for the week, but we’ll have to find somewhere else for you to stay, I guess.”
His forehead puckered. “I could sleep in the office if I had a sleeping bag. Used to sleep out as a kid, when my dad had a big tent.”
“Hey, that’s an idea. A tent!” Sunny said as Tracy came up the walk, wearing a denim skirt and a white sleeveless blouse. “I think I saw one in the garage. We’ll look for it as soon as I get home from church. Okay, see you then.”
She and Tracy climbed into Ol’ Winnie and left.
A couple of hours later, when Sunny came in, Val Ferris, the kids’ aunt, waited in the office. It surprised her a bit; Dell had a tight, closed expression on his face while he concentrated on the computer.
Sunny carefully laid her Bible on the desk, then turned to face the woman. This wasn’t good, she surmised.
Tracy immediately pulled back, biting her lips. “Hi, Aunt Val. What are you doing here?”
“What am I doing here?” Val rose from her chair, not even trying to hide her anger, and shot Sunny an infuriated stare.
Uh-oh! Nope, this wasn’t good at all.
The woman was shorter than Sunny, about thirty-five and pretty, with lots of makeup. She crossed her arms over her light-green T-shirt and spoke in clipped tones. “I came to take you home, that’s what I’m doing here.”
Dell’s jaw was tighter than a drum. If Sunny didn’t do something, he’d blow.
Sunny moved behind the counter and placed a comforting hand on Dell’s shoulder. “Shut that off, Dell,” she whispered. Dell nodded, and began to hit buttons.
Sunny came around the counter, idly noticing a couple of messages lying there. She picked them up, pretending to read them. Beyond the door, she saw the figure of Grant, dressed in Western clothes today, amble quietly to the open door. He leaned an arm against the door frame and watched.
She wished she could tell him to go home; Dell and Tracy wouldn’t appreciate the audience. But she couldn’t. This was one unpredictable situation.
Tracy came slowly forward. “I’m not going with you, Aunt Val. I’m staying here with Dell.”
Good for Tracy!
“Huh!” Val tapped her high-heeled sandal. “What do you think you’re playing at, my girl? You’re only fifteen. The courts gave you to me now. You have to live with me.”
“Took you long enough to come find us,” Dell muttered between his teeth, standing behind the counter. “Three days.”
Val heard it, and shot Dell a furious glance. “I was busy and couldn’t get out here till this morning.”
What was wrong with the telephone, Sunny wondered.
“I’m not going!” insisted Tracy.
Another man, a customer, came up behind Grant, staring over Grant’s shoulder. He, too, listened attentively.
Sunny didn’t say a word. She let Val continue to let her steam blow. At the same time, she let her own sigh of relief remain quiet. Like Dell, she thought Val’s lack of pursuit or interest telling. Anything could have happened to those kids in the three days they’d been at Sunshine Acres; what if, instead, they’d been on the streets?
Sunny was proud of Tracy. She’d been afraid that Tracy wouldn’t have the courage to say what she really wanted to do. She’d been afraid the girl would buckle.
“If you don’t,” Val continued “I’ll have the county police out here so fast it’ll make your head swim. You’ll go then.”
Val turned to Sunny, a sneer on her face. Then she swung about to face the door, her hand on her hip, and when she did, she caught sight of Grant. She tossed her head and turned back to Sunny. “And I’d advise you to stay out of this if you know what’s good for you, you meddling…” She bit back the name-calling. “You interfere with me or my niece one more time and I’ll press charges.”
At that, Sunny stood straighter. She showed a fighting readiness like a storybook heroine; her voice was hard when she spoke. “Call them. Call the sheriff. And I’ll tell them of the bruise your husband gave Dell. I suspect it isn’t the first time, either. I want to talk to them about Clyde threatening Tracy, too. His—”
“Sunny,” whispered Tracy. The child hung her head, pleading, “Sunny, don’t….”
Tracy’s shame and embarrassment was more than Sunny could stand. She walked over to put her arm around the girl’s shoulders, and felt her trembling. She tried to absorb it, tried to infuse Tracy with her own strength.
“I fought him off, he didn’t get to me,” Tracy said low. “I couldn’t tell Aunt Val. How—how did you know?”
“I suspected, honey,” Sunny whispered into Tracy’s ear. “I just…I’ve faced similar things.”
Val listened, suspicion crumbling her face.
“You’re lying!” Val shifted her gaze from Tracy to Dell and back again, trying to hide her doubts of the truth.
“No, she isn’t,” interrupted Dell. “Tracy doesn’t lie. Clyde is nothing but a stinking ugly pig.”
“Clyde wouldn’t!” Val looked askance at Tracy. At Tracy’s nod, some of the belligerence dropped from her voice. She said, “You mean to tell me that Clyde tried…he made a play for you?”
Tracy merely nodded once more, looking scared, fighting tears.
Emotions flickered lightning-quick over Val’s face. She fought her rising anger while trying to take in what Tracy had said. She made an effort to bluff. “I’ll see…”
Swallowing, Val tried again. “I’ll have a little talk with Clyde. He doesn’t mean anything when he’s playing around, he’s only funning.”
Tracy merely stared at Val.
“Funning like that can be dangerous,” Sunny’s voice held a hard note. “Do you still want to call the county sheriff?”
“Well, I…” Val looked sideways at Grant. She hitched her purse up to her shoulder. “Um, maybe we should talk this out. If Clyde promises not to bother you anymore, Tracy, maybe we can get along.”
Please, Lord. Give Tracy the backbone she needs, Sunny prayed. Don’t let her fold.
“I’m not going home with you, Aunt Val.” Though she spoke in a near-whisper, nevertheless Tracy held firm. “I—I want to stay with Dell.”
“Oh, Dell!” Val threw the name down as though it were odious garbage. “What can he do for you?”
“He’s my brother, Aunt Val. I want to stay with him.”
“But what will people think… I mean, Social Services will ask questions…”
Tracy continued to shake her head.
“But what will you do if I leave you on your own?” Val whined. “You can’t just live on the streets.”
“They won’t have to live on the streets.” Sunny stated. “At least not for this year. They can live here until Dell is twenty-one.”
Sunny had no idea when Dell’s birthday was and hoped it was within a few months. “And then he can pursue legal guardianship of Tracy until Tracy is old enough to take care of herself.”
Enlightenment bloomed on Dell’s face. Relief was a welcome sight.
“I can do that? Really?” Dell turned to his aunt. It seemed he’d matured in one long moment. “Sure, I’ll do that, Aunt Val. Tracy’s almost sixteen now. We’ll get along.”
Val sputtered, “But—but—”
“I’d advise you either to consult with a lawyer, call the county sheriff or go home, Mrs. Ferris. Tracy is staying,” Sunny said.
“All right, then.” Val narrowed her eyes, while pushing her purse up her arm. “But you haven’t heard the last of this, Miss High-and-Mighty. The law’s on my side in this matter.”
Val marched toward the door, tossed a sour look at Grant, then went out to her car. She climbed in, and drove away in a cloud of dust.
They all blew out a collective breath.
“Whew!” said Grant. He looked admiring and relieved all at the same time. The guy behind him made an excuse and went away. “That was some piece of family drama.”
“Yeah.” Dell grinned with triumph.
Tracy was shaking uncontrollably, and Sunny put an arm around her again. “It takes a long time to get something to court these days, Tracy. You’re safe for a long while.”
Sunny didn’t know how Missouri courts worked, but she was betting that it would take a while.
“Come on, I’ll make you a cup of tea. You need to settle down and think what this will mean to you and Dell. Dell will be working full-time somewhere by the time it comes to court, and he can ask for guardianship. You’re getting along just fine right now, aren’t you? Why, I’ll bet it’ll be Christmas before anything can be done through the courts.”
“Sure thing, Tracy,” said Dell, his eyes sparkling. “I’ll go into town first thing tomorrow morning and look for work. Someone will be hiring.”
Sunny turned to Grant. She could hardly keep her own mouth from curving into a smile. “Hi, Grant. What can I do for you today?”
“Nothing, I guess.” He laughed. “Looks like you’re taking care of things just fine.”
Shaking his head, he continued, “I just wanted to explain that I had riders this morning, and that was why I couldn’t go to church with you. Wanted to go, but I’d booked these people a couple of weeks ago. I won’t book for Sunday mornings again.”
Oddly, the promise made her feel lighter. He hadn’t owed her any explanation.
“I’ll go with you next week,” he finished.
“Think I’ll go search the garage for that tent, if you don’t mind, Sunny,” Dell said amiably. “Got a spot down by the edge of the lake all picked out.”
“You go right ahead, Dell.” Sunny handed Dell the garage keys. “Want to go with him, Tracy?”
It would give the two a few moments of privacy. Tracy jumped at the offer. “Yeah, you bet, Sunny. We won’t be that long.”
“Think those two will really be okay?” Grant asked, watching the two walk toward the garage.
“If I don’t miss my guess, they will be.” Sunny sighed. “How about that tea? Only over a long tall glass of ice, if you don’t mind.”
“Sounds just right. Then I’ve got to scoot. Have more riders this afternoon.”
The rest of the day seemed rather anticlimactic, but Sunny went about her office duties with a light spirit. Dell and Tracy cleaned the cabins, and by four she was checking in the men of the Prentiss family tree.
Two minutes after four the first car pulled up; it was a late-model red SUV piled to the ceiling with fishing poles, equipment and groceries, pulling a fancy motor boat. Three people tumbled out of the car, enthusiasm high, a dark-headed man and two kids about twelve and ten.
“Grant, ol’buddy, how are you?” said the man, clasping Grant’s shoulder and reaching for his hand.
Grant had shown up about ten minutes previously.
“I’m fine, Wally, just fine,” Grant said, returning the greeting, shaking hands warmly. “It’s good to see you. Did you drive all the way from Iowa today? How’s your wife?”
Wally grinned widely. He had strong features that were reflected in the older boy’s face. “Eileen’s fine. Went to visit her mother.”
“Your boys are sure growing.”
“Yep, they are.” Wally removed his yellow baseball cap to wipe his forehead. “Come here, Kyle, Darren, you remember my cousin, Grant, don’t you? He’s down here permanently now. Got a riding stable hereabouts, I understand.”
“Uh-huh. Just down the road. You boys didn’t come down last year, so you didn’t see it. But I’ll take you all on a long morning ride along about Tuesday or Wednesday.”
The boys whooped. “Really?” Darren asked.
“Come on, I’ll help you unload, soon as you check in with Sunny.”
The two men talked as they went into the office. Sunny was introduced, and then Dell and Tracy. Sunny checked them in, all the while listening to family gossip—news of the widely spread family.
She smiled when the check-in was complete. “Cabin two, Mr. Taylor. I hope you’ll be comfortable.”
“Thanks,” Wally said. “I’m going to do nothing but loaf around and fish.”
Grant had no more finished carrying in a couple of bags for Wally than a second vehicle parked alongside the first.
“Dad!” he shouted as he hurried forward.
Sunny peeked from the office window. She’d often observed families in the doctor’s office, and was curious about Grant’s relationship with his father. Did they get along? Respect each other?
“Grant…good to see you, son.” The two smiling men clasped each other in an enormous bear hug. “Brought you some of Mom’s brownies. Know you’ve missed ’em. How’s things going down at the stable since last Thursday?”
Thursday? Grant must’ve talked to them on the phone. She moved to the open door, unashamedly listening.
Grant’s dad was a handsome man with salt-and-pepper hair, Sunny soon learned he had as strong a personality as his offspring. In his fifties, his name was Thomas Prentiss.
Grant’s brother Linc climbed from the car more slowly. Skinny and lanky, the youth had a heavy history book in his hand, and left his finger in to mark the spot where he was reading.
“Gray’s coming later tonight, if he can get away. He’s working very hard on a case.” Thomas explained, his fingers on his hips. “The boy could really use the vacation. He puts in too many hours.”
“Sure, sure. That’s Gray for you. Well, a vacation is what we plan on giving you, Dad.” He turned to his brother. “Hiya, Linc. How’s the studying going?”
“Good.” Linc peered through thick glasses. “I’m going be caught up by the time school starts.”
What had happened that Linc was behind? Had the boy been ill? Sunny wondered.
“That’s just great, Linc. Knew you could do it.” Grant said.
Grant turned to Sunny. “This is Sunny Merrill. I told you about her.”
“Yes, you did.” Thomas came forward and held out his hand, studying her as he did. “I’m glad to meet a grandchild of Nathan’s. He must have been very proud to have found you, my dear.”
“I—um, thank you. I hope he was. But I never met Nathan. He was gone by the time I even knew he existed.”
“Oh?” Thomas swiftly glanced at Grant. But by the time Sunny’s glance shifted to Grant, he’d appeared to forget his curiosity. “Oh, well, that’s too bad. Well, well.”
Grant spoke. “Get checked in, Dad, then we can visit.”
“Sure thing, Grant. Say, how’s the fishing? Catch anything lately?”
“Yeah, the crappie have been biting pretty good lately.”
The evening progressed the same way; Grant was there to welcome each one of his cousins and uncles.
Along about bedtime, it struck Sunny that her intense curiosity about Grant’s family went beyond the norm. As she made up Tracy’s bed on the sofa, she wondered why that was.
Grant’s family was large, and they seemed to genuinely care about each other. Only the Larsons had shown that kind of devotion, in her experience. In her work as a charge nurse, she had kept her barriers up; she hadn’t met any close families, and if she had, it was only for business.
She hadn’t allowed anyone in, she mused. Not for a long time. She and her mother had been close, but it was no use to yearn for what she didn’t have.
Still, she thought of Grant…. He was close to his family.