Home with My Sisters (11 page)

CHAPTER 12

Hope had looked forward to this day for so long, yet there was too much to take in at once. Her grandmother standing on the porch, tall and regal with a look that could only be interpreted as harsh, Joy and Harrison tumbling out of the van, a porcelain hand entwined with one the color of caramel, their laughter ringing out into the mountain air, and Faith frozen in the driver's seat, gripping the wheel as if she was terrified to let go. Joy and Harrison planted their feet on the ground, smiling and looking around as if they were expecting imaginary paparazzi to jump out from behind the evergreens to snap their photo.

Faith was now on her cell phone. Hope felt the first stab of disappointment. Who was she calling? Couldn't it wait? She could at least get out and say hello to her sister. Was common courtesy too much to expect? Brittany and Josh jumped out next, loaded down with backpacks and each carrying an iPad. Nobody moved, and Hope didn't know where to turn first, so she shouted hello and headed for Joy, arms thrown open. Joy let go of Harrison's hand and looked at Hope, but she didn't return any signal that she wanted to hug, forcing Hope to throw her arms around her little sister's stiff body. She smelled slightly musty. Most likely pot, or maybe she hadn't showered in a few days, or maybe she was still using that natural stone deodorant, or all three, and what had happened to her sweet baby sister? If Hope had taken a different approach with her after Faith fled, would things be different now? The first few months after Faith was gone Joy slept in Hope's bed. Every night Hope would tell her as many stories as she wanted to hear until she fell asleep. Mostly stories about how soon they would be back with Faith. Or maybe they would go to California to live with her and take care of Faith's baby too.

“Why doesn't she come back?” Joy would ask. “The baby can sleep in my room.”

“She'll come back,” Hope would say. “You'll see.” But she never did. Maybe Joy blamed Hope. Or maybe it was just life. Life had a way of taking away the people you loved. But they were here now and Hope was determined to make the best of it.

“Why aren't you hugging me back?” Hope knew she sounded hurt, almost as if she was pouting, and it wasn't the way she wanted to start things off.

“I only hug trees,” Joy said.

“And me,” Harrison said with a bright grin. His teeth were so white and so straight that Hope found herself staring at them, almost mesmerized.

“My uncle is a dentist,” Harrison said with a wink.

Hope stepped out of the embrace, turned to Harrison, and held out her hand. “Nice to see you again.”

“You too,” Harrison said with enthusiasm. “I forgot to thank you for the pizza.” Joy rolled her eyes. Hope ignored the eye roll and turned to her niece and nephew. Oh, they were growing up so fast. Brittany was a lovely girl with long, shiny chestnut hair, freckles on her nose, and bright hazel eyes, just like Faith. Josh was taller than Hope now, and lanky. He had Stephen's sandy hair and intense blue eyes. Brittany was ten now and Josh was fifteen—almost all grown up. Where did all the years go? Hope enveloped Brittany in a hug. Thankfully her niece didn't limit her affection to trees and hugged her back. She smelled wonderful, her hair like strawberries. Then she hugged Josh, who was a little shy, but at least put his unwilling arms around her and halfheartedly patted her back.

“Faith?” Hope called. Faith held up one finger, still talking on the phone. Brittany and Josh exchanged a knowing look. Hardly five minutes had passed and everyone was silently sharing secrets with each other, leaving Hope to feel like the odd man out. That was okay. It had been awhile. They just had to get the cobwebs out. A few weeks in the mountain air would do them all wonders.

Speaking of wonders. She glanced around for Austin, but he was gone. She hadn't even noticed him leaving. The dog was gone again too. She was pretty sure Austin wouldn't take Mr. Jingles, especially since he didn't have his food, so he must have wandered off again. Her sisters were probably giving off a bad mood scent. She wondered if he missed his owner. Probably more than her sisters missed her.

“What's Granny like?” Joy asked, sidling up to Hope and lowering her voice.

Hope snuck a glance to the porch, where their grandmother was standing like a statue. She hadn't made one move to greet them. “Haven't met her yet. She was napping.” They both turned to Yvette, who as they watched bent over to pick up the pinecone next to Hope's shoes. She held it up, dangling it from her fingers as if she had a rat by the tail. Then she tossed it out into the yard. Hope winced. She loved that pinecone. She'd get it later. Why were all her relatives so surly? She made her way up to the porch and stood at the base of the steps looking up to her grandmother.

“Hello,” she said. “I'm Hope.”

“Are those your shoes?” Yvette pointed to Hope's sneakers.

“They sure are,” Hope said. Yvette glared at them. Hope was relieved Austin wasn't here to say
I told you so.
“I can bring them inside.”

“Shoes go in the mudroom.” Bossy and exacting. Faith definitely got the grandmother gene.

“Got it,” Hope said. “Shoes and dog in the mudroom.”

“Dog?” Yvette looked around, startled.

“Mr. Jingles,” Hope said. “Austin said you were a dog lover.”

“I'm no such thing.” Yvette x-rayed Hope and Joy with her eyes. “The dog can live in the barn.” Hope bit her tongue. The dog wasn't going to live in the barn, but it was too soon for a fight. Yvette turned to the nutcrackers. “What on God's green earth are they?”

“They're nutcrackers,” Hope said.

“I know what they are,” Yvette said.

“Then why did you ask?” Joy piped in.

Yvette narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms. “Why are they here?”

Hope couldn't believe they were arguing about little wooden men. “They're a gift. From the shop in town.”

“Why would the shop in town buy me a gift?” Yvette barked.

“No, I bought them. For you.”

“Put them in the mudroom,” Yvette said. Yvette stared at Hope until she picked up the nutcrackers. She held one under each arm, feeling like an idiot. Joy grinned.

Harrison trudged up the steps loaded down with what appeared to be everyone's luggage.

“You brought your own bellboy?” Yvette said, giving Harrison the eye.

Not only was their grandmother surly, she was a racist. This visit wasn't going to last. Hope glanced at Harrison, who still sported a grin. “This is Harrison. Joy's boyfriend.”

“My friend, my business partner, and my lover,” Joy said.

“And sometimes the bellboy,” he said, dropping the bags in his right arm and holding his hand out. Yvette just looked at it.

“Are you a racist, Granny?” Joy asked.

She's braver than me,
Hope thought.
She says the things I only dare to think.

“She's fine,” Harrison said. “Mrs. G and I will work it out.”

“She won't shake your hand,” Joy said. “Because you're black.”

“That's not true.” Yvette stuck her hand out. It trembled violently. “Don't squeeze too hard,” she said. “I'm dying.” Hope left the porch to see what was taking Brittany and Josh so long. She set the nutcrackers down on the steps.

“No,” Yvette said.

Hope sighed, picked up the nutcrackers, and headed for Faith's SUV. She yanked open the back door and threw the nutcrackers inside. Faith was still yakking on the phone. Unbelievably rude.

“Get out and say hello,” Hope yelled. Faith gave her the middle finger. Hope slammed the door.
And to all a good night.

Hope turned to see her niece and nephew standing stock-still, looking left and right as if expecting an imminent attack. Brittany finally made eye contact. Hope smiled, then gave a head nod toward Faith. “Who is she talking to?” Hope asked, making a concerted effort to sound chipper.

“She talks a lot,” Brittany said. “A lot a lot.” Josh just stared at her as if trying to tell her something telepathically. Hope loved her older sister, but it wasn't easy always being bossed around by her, and Brittany and Josh had to feel the same at times. She wanted to scoop them up and tell them everything would be fine. But they were too big for that. She wished someone would scoop her up and tell her everything would be fine. Joy and Harrison disappeared in the house with Yvette and the bags. Hope's shoes had disappeared as well.

“She seems cranky,” Brittany said. “I miss Carla.”

Hope rolled her eyes. Brittany ought to be calling her Grandma, not Carla. How did she end up with such a wacky family?

“We'll feel right at home,” Josh said. He dug at the dirt with his shoe.

“Look at all this land,” Hope said. “You guys must be so excited.” More stares.

“What are we?” Josh said. “Farmers?”

“Can we skate on the pond?” Brittany said.

“We sure can,” Hope said.

“Can we do it now?” Brittany asked.

“We should probably visit awhile,” Hope said. “But soon.”

“Do you think it's going to snow?” Brittany said.

“We'll wish for it,” Hope said with a wink.

“Wishes,” Josh said. He glanced at Faith, who was still on the phone. Hope wanted to open that car door again and pull her sister out by her hair. Instead she threw an arm around her niece and nephew. “
I'm
not cranky,” Hope said. “And I'm so happy the two of you are here.” With one arm around Brittany's shoulders and the other around Josh's waist, she maneuvered them toward the porch, and they clomped up the stairs and opened the door. They entered into a tiny mudroom where Brittany and Hope started to take off their boots and shoes.

“Do we have to?” Josh asked.

“He has stinky feet,” Brittany said, looking at Hope with wide eyes.

Hope laughed. “He'll fit right in,” Hope said. “Looks like everyone else has taken theirs off.”

Josh groaned. Hope stifled another laugh. And here she thought it was only teenage girls who could be dramatic. Poor kid. Hope remembered the pain of being a teenager. It was obviously just as intense for boys. “It's a log cabin,” Josh said. “Wood floors. How could my shoes possibly do any damage?”

“He's been difficult lately,” Brittany said, suddenly sounding like she was twenty years older.

“Shut up.” Josh poked Brittany. She poked him back. Hope quickly stepped into the main house, wanting to avoid the progression to shoving. She was going to have to find out where the nearest liquor store was.

Hope couldn't believe how expansive the house was inside. It felt a little bit like a ski lodge or a mountain retreat. She couldn't help but think that it had to be worth a fortune. Who was Yvette leaving the property to? Hope honestly didn't think it was going to be left to them, nor did she feel any claim to it. What she really wanted to know was—where was their father? If he wasn't here, could Yvette tell them where to find him? She was going to have to ask Yvette at the first opportunity.

The main room stretched out like a giant loft with a wraparound balcony on the second level where you could stand and look below. The kitchen was in the middle of the floor with a vast marble island giving the kitchen a sense of separation from the living room. A stone fireplace would have been the focus of the living room had it not been for a never-ending series of windows bringing the outdoors in. You could take in all of the side yard, as well as a portion of the barn and pond in the back. It was a wonderful blend of indoors/outdoors. Paradise was the only word that came to mind.

Joy and Harrison were already propped up on stools along the kitchen island as if they were a pair of skiers on their honeymoon ducking into the bar. Yvette stood behind the island just staring at them. Hope urged Brittany and Josh to follow her as she made her way up to Yvette.

“I'd like you to meet Brittany and Josh,” she said. “Faith's children. Your great-grandchildren.”

“Nice to meet you,” Brittany said. She gave a little bow as if she wasn't quite sure what the protocol was. Seeing what a sweet girl Brittany was made Hope long to have a child of her own.

Yvette stepped forward and brought her great-grandchildren into a group hug. “Aren't you two precious,” she said, releasing them and stepping back. “Would you like some milk?”

“I'm lactose intolerant,” Josh said.

“Nonsense,” Yvette said. “It's fresh milk.”

“Do you have any juice?” Josh said.

“You have some in the van,” Brittany said.

“I'd love some of that fresh white milk,” Harrison said, nudging Joy.

Joy laughed. “Not me. Do you have any chocolate milk?”

Yvette eyed the pair. “In my day,” she said, “we only drank one kind of milk.”

“What exactly do you mean by that?” Joy asked.

“Now you've got soy milk, almond milk, goat milk.” Yvette shook her head like it was a travesty.

Joy whirled around in her stool. “I don't like what you're implying, Granny.”

Harrison nudged her. “I think she's just talking about milk.”

“Don't be so naïve,” Joy said.

Yvette began taking things out of the refrigerator one by one. “I'll show you everything I've got,” she said. “It's not much, but it's yours.”

“We can make a list and go to the store later,” Hope said.

“Why do you need to go to the store?” Yvette barked. “Look at all I have. I'm not even done yet.”

Hope was just trying to be helpful. Being loving and kind wasn't going to be easy with this group. She already felt like picking up items and throwing them at the windows to see if she could shatter one or two. But was she going to do it? Of course not. Why couldn't everyone else be like her and keep their rage bottled inside?