Love Finds You in Sisters, Oregon Read online

  BY MELODY CARLSON

  SummeRSIde

  PRESS

  Love Finds You in Sisters, Oregon

  © 2009 by Melody Carlson

  ISBN 978-1-935416-18-0

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form, except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without written permission of the publisher.

  All scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

  Front cover photo of mountains by Steve Gardner,

  PixelWorks Studios, www.shootpw.com.

  Front cover photo of Cascade Avenue in Sisters, Oregon,

  by Rick Schafer, Rick Schafer Photography, LLC.

  www.rickschafer.com.

  Back cover photo of downtown Sisters, Oregon

  by Jonathan Barsook.

  The town depicted in this book is a real place, but all characters are fictional. Any resemblances to actual people or events are purely coincidental.

  Cover and Interior Design by Müllerhaus Publishing Group,

  www.mullerhaus.net

  Published by Summerside Press, Inc., 11024 Quebec Circle,

  Bloomington, Minnesota 55438, www.summersidepress.com

  Fall in love with Summerside.

  Printed in the USA.

  MORE THAN THIRTY YEARS AGO, MY HUSBAND AND I honeymooned near Sisters, Oregon. We stayed in a Camp Sherman cabin situated on the pristine and beautiful Metolius River. We always loved this section of Oregon, where the majestic Cascade Mountains go from rain forest to desert within a few miles. But because Sisters was a small and struggling tourist town, we could never quite figure out a way to make a living here—until about fifteen years ago when God opened a door, and without thinking too hard, we ran right through. We dragged our teenage boys with us and bought a fixer-upper cabin that’s located in a ponderosa pine forest with deer, rabbits, raccoons, coyotes, and the occasional cougar for company. We’re twenty minutes from both downhill skiing and a little lake great for fishing and boating in summer. Town is minutes away, and since we moved here, it’s expanded into quite a fun place. Sisters looks like a western frontier town, and the shops and activities are numerous. So, whether it’s our “Biggest Little Rodeo,” our “Largest Outdoor Quilt Show,” or any of the various music festivals (Folk Fest is our favorite), Sisters is a great place to live.

  Melody Carlson

  Chapter One

  It was Hope Bartolli’s experience that grief and guilt were as inseparable as peanut butter and jelly, Siamese twins, or maybe even Barnes & Noble—although in her line of work, she knew that corporations sometimes restructured. Still it seemed that one emotion never showed up without the other one—grief and guilt, hand in hand. And as the small commuter plane bounced through the turbulence above the snowcapped mountains, Hope felt as if grief and guilt, like playground bullies, had her cornered.

  But why should a semi-mature thirty-two-year-old woman feel guilty about returning to her hometown? Especially when it was to grieve the death of dear Nona? Hope’s grandmother had lived a long and mostly happy life. And throughout Hope’s entire childhood, she and Nona had been close—even closer than Hope had been to her own mother. Not that she wanted to think about that right now, since it came with its own truckload of guilt and grief. But really, when it came to going home, why couldn’t Hope just be happy?

  The pilot announced the arrival time, “five-thirty-five,” and weather conditions, “a breezy seventy-two degrees,” as the small jet began its descent. Anyone who hadn’t experienced landing in Central Oregon on a blustery day might’ve been startled by the way the lightweight plane bumped in the air, but Hope knew better. And besides, what was the difference between a plane crash and a train wreck? Either way, she felt headed for disaster.

  But the pilot managed to land the plane and, all too soon, Hope was making her way down the rickety stairs and retrieving her carryon from wherever it had been stowed in the small plane. She hadn’t bothered to pack a checked bag this morning because, despite taking a week off from the firm, she had no intention of staying more than a day beyond Nona’s funeral service tomorrow afternoon. Hello, goodbye, see you next lifetime.

  With the wind whipping, she carried her oversized handbag with one hand and used the other to roll the carry-on over the bumpy tarmac. She wished for a third hand to tame her wildly flying hair and to smooth down the front of her rumpled jacket. She knew the navy Ralph Lauren suit was overkill for a town like Sisters, but it was what she wore to court when it mattered. And for whatever reason, her first impression seemed to matter today. She wished she’d thought to freshen her lipstick and to make sure she didn’t have cracker crumbs stuck to the sides of her mouth. Even more than that, she wished she didn’t care so much.

  Hope braced herself for whoever was picking her up in the terminal. She didn’t want to see either of them just yet. Why hadn’t she politely declined the offer of a “free” ride and arranged for a rental car? Really, what had she been thinking? Obviously, she hadn’t been thinking at all! At least she wouldn’t stay with them. That’s where she would draw the line, and she’d already booked a room at the Ponderosa to prove it.

  Her punishment for not getting a rental car would be twenty torturous minutes as she was taxied to Sisters by either Cherry (her younger sister) or Hope’s former high-school sweetheart, Drew Lawson (AKA Cherry’s husband of nearly thirteen years). Just then, Hope’s carry-on bag, buffeted by the wind, flipped over and nearly tripped her. Feeling like a total klutz, she knew these Christian Dior heels weren’t exactly practical footwear in Central Oregon. And she knew that she was obsessing over minor details that no one but her would even notice.

  Just breathe, she told herself. And grow up. As she slowed down, she reminded herself that what had happened was ancient history. And she should be so over it by now. Good grief, she hardly ever thought of any of this anymore. And, if she did, she felt mostly relieved—like she’d missed a bullet. But that attitude was easier to maintain from a distance. And now that she was close and getting closer, she wasn’t so sure.

  If she were to be honest with herself, which she normally wasn’t when it came to the marriage of her ex-boyfriend and baby sister…the wound still ached. Was it really the pain of betrayal…two loved ones who’d let her down? Or was it just her selfish pride that stung? Would she ever know for sure? And why focus on this now, when all she wanted to do was to act natural and get the next couple days behind her?

  As she entered the terminal, she repressed every feeling related to Cherry and Drew. She neatly filed it in a drawer labeled “Old and Useless Junk.” She held her head high, put on her confident face—the same expression she used to face a judge when defending a corporation that probably didn’t deserve her sacrifice either. And she willed herself to smile. Not too big. Just enough to show that she was in charge. She. Was. In. Charge.

  “Hope!” Drew waved in her direction, looking like he was actually glad to see her.

  Hope’s smile increased slightly. Not because she was happy to see her ex-boyfriend. And not even because she was amused, although she was, to see his paunchy midsection or pale, thinning hair. Her smile was for the young, dark-haired girl standing next to Drew. She knew it was Avery—her eleven-year-old niece.

  “Hi, Aunt Hope,” Avery said politely.

  “Look at you.” Hope bent slightly to hug Avery. “You’ve gotten so tall. And so grown-up.” She touched the soft cheek. “And so pretty.” She smiled at Drew. “I’ll bet you have to beat the boys off with a big stick.”

  He chuckled. “I’m getting ready for the onslaught.”

  “Oh, Dad.” Avery glowered at him in a typical preteen
way.

  Drew reached for Hope’s carry-on, and she turned her attention back to Avery as they walked toward the exit. “Did you get your birthday card?” Even though Hope rarely saw her niece and nephews, she always sent cards and checks for birthdays and other holidays—another little something she had learned from Nona.

  Avery smiled wide enough to reveal straight white teeth. “Yeah, thanks!” Then, just as quickly, the smile faded. “Oh, I’m sorry, Aunt Hope. I forgot to write a thank-you card. I meant to do that as soon as school ended…then Nona died.” She sighed.

  “Yes, don’t worry about a thank-you now.” Hope put an arm around Avery’s shoulders as they went outside. “Dear old Nona.” Hope gave Avery a squeeze. “I know she was very fond of you, Avery. She wrote about you often. It sounded like you and she had a lot of good times together.”

  “And Nona always said that I’m a lot like you.” Avery’s stride matched Hope’s. “She even said I look like you, Aunt Hope.”

  “And I heard you’re good in sports, too.” Hope ran her hand down Avery’s shiny dark hair.

  “Our soccer team won the championship.”

  “Congratulations!”

  “Here we are,” Drew announced as he unlocked a sage green SUV, opened the passenger door, and waited for Hope to get in. Avery hopped in the back, still chattering about soccer and how she had played several positions.

  “Cherry is having some family over for dinner,” Drew said as he climbed into the driver’s seat and started the engine. “It was supposed to be small, just immediate family, but it sounds like it’s growing bigger by the minute.”

  “Well, Nona has a lot of descendents.” Hope fidgeted with a button of her jacket, willing herself to just relax.

  “And your dad and Cindy should be getting in around five or so,” he continued filling in details. “And Faye and Monroe showed up just before we left.”

  Hope hadn’t seen her older sister in several years. Not since Faye had brought Monroe to Portland for his eleventh birthday. “Jeff’s not coming, too?” Hope asked absently.

  “You didn’t hear?”

  “Hear?”

  “They split up.” Drew was putting down his window to pay the parking fee now. But Hope was still trying to absorb what he’d just said. Faye and Jeff had split up? After sixteen or more years of marriage? It didn’t seem possible.

  “Did I hear you right?” Hope asked as he pulled away from the booth. “Did you say Faye and Jeff split up?”

  He nodded then sighed as he shook his head.

  “Aunt Faye says she wants to move back to Sisters,” Avery said from behind. “But Monroe says no way.”

  “Naturally, Monroe doesn’t want to leave his home and his school,” Drew filled in. “Most kids would feel like that.”

  “I know I would,” Avery offered. “I love my school and my friends. I’d hate it if my parents broke up and I had to move away.”

  “Well, you don’t need to worry about that, Sweet Pea.” Drew made what almost seemed a forced laugh. “Both your mother and me love our town. And as far as I know we’re not planning on breaking up.”

  “Are you going to stay with us, Aunt Hope?”

  “No, I already reserved a room at the Ponderosa.” Hope glanced at her brother-in-law. “And if you don’t mind, Drew, you could just drop me there first, and I’ll walk—”

  “Please, please, stay with us,” pleaded Avery. “I helped Mom fix up the guest room with flowers and everything. I even put a mint on the pillow.”

  Now Hope felt torn. She hated to disappoint Avery. And yet she needed to draw her boundaries. Her counselor had told her that more than once. “How about if I spend tonight at the hotel?” Hope suggested. “And we’ll see about tomorrow later.”

  “Or you could stay at Nona’s,” offered Avery. “At least you’d be close.”

  Too close, Hope was thinking. Nona’s house was right next door to the home where Hope and her sisters had grown up—the house that Drew and Cherry and their kids currently occupied. Convenient then, but awkward now.

  “Cherry thought you might want to use Nona’s car while you’re in town,” Drew told her. “It’s not much to look at, but it runs decent.”

  Hope considered this. “That’s not a bad idea. Why don’t we swing by your place first and I’ll say hey to everyone then use Nona’s car to drive myself back to the hotel.”

  “Sure.” Drew nodded. Then the car grew silent, and Hope tried to think of something to say.

  “Monroe has a tattoo,” Avery announced suddenly from the backseat.

  “Really?” Hope felt her brows rise. That did not sound a bit like her conservative Christian sister. But neither did the splitting-up news. “What kind of a tattoo?”

  “A skull.”

  “Oh…” Hope frowned. “I wonder what his mom thinks about that.”

  Drew chuckled. “Faye’s not real happy with Monroe at the moment.”

  “And Monroe’s not real happy with Aunt Faye,” Avery added.

  “Faye’s looking into renting an apartment at the Fourth Sister.”

  Hope kind of laughed. “Faye living at the Fourth Sister…now that is funny.”

  “Why do they call it that anyway?” asked Avery. “Everyone knows there are only three sisters.” She giggled in a cheery way, like a typical eleven-year-old. “And now all three Bartolli sisters are in Sisters—all at the same time! How cool is that?”

  “Faith, Hope, and Charity,” Drew said quietly.

  “I love that Grandma named her three daughters after the mountains,” Avery chattered. “I wish I could’ve known her. Your mom seemed like a really cool lady.”

  “Yes…she was…” Hope was looking out the window and trying not to gasp as the familiar mountains came into view. The three snowcapped mountains looked regal and stunning against the clear blue sky—so much so, it nearly took her breath away. How long had it been since she’d seen them from this angle? Oh, she’d seen them from the sky while flying to places like Denver or Chicago or Salt Lake. But like this…well, they really were beautiful.

  “Mom got out an old photo album right after Nona died,” Avery continued. “She was looking for a picture of Nona for the funeral. But there were pictures of your parents, too—back when they were young. They were a really good-looking couple, don’t you think?” Before Hope could respond, Avery continued. “And there were pictures of your mom in her hiking clothes and on top of the mountains. Aunt Hope, did you know she climbed all three of the Sisters?”

  Hope sighed. “Yes…and she died on her way to one of those mountains.”

  “Mom said Grandma was going to climb the Middle Sister that day.”

  Hope pressed her lips together and just nodded.

  “That’s the one you’re named after, Aunt Hope. Does that make you sad?”

  “Yes…sometimes it does.” Hope felt her chest tighten.

  Drew cleared his throat. “Avery,” he said in a warning tone. “Give your aunt some P and Q, okay?”

  “P and Q?” ventured Hope.

  “Peace and quiet,” Avery said softly.

  “Oh, that’s all right.” Hope forced cheer into her voice. “I think it’s nice that you’re learning some family history, Avery.” Although she did wonder just how much Avery actually knew about their family. How much had Cherry told her preadolescent daughter about the Bartollis?

  And then, as Drew pulled into the driveway of Hope’s childhood home—the same house that their father had practically given to Cherry and Drew while he was still grieving for his deceased wife—Hope wondered just how much she knew, herself, about her own family. How much did she want to know?

  Chapter Two

  “Hope!” exclaimed Faye as she wrapped her arms around her sister. “It’s so good to see you.” She held Hope back and examined her more carefully. “Wow, you look fabulous. Did you lose weight or something?”

  Hope just shrugged as she set down her bag. “Not really.” Then she looked more closely
at Faye, suppressing the urge to say, “Have you gained weight?” But it was obvious; not only had Faye put on at least thirty pounds since they’d last been together, her hair appeared to be turning gray. And Faye wasn’t quite forty! Hope would never say this to anyone, but in this moment she felt Faye could easily pass for fifty…or more.

  “How are you?” she asked Faye as they went into the living room together.

  “Oh, you know…so-so.”

  Hope was surprised to see that nothing looked the same in her old family home. New paint, new furnishings, and even the wall that used to separate the living room from the kitchen had been removed. It was an improvement, of course, and yet it was slightly irritating, too.

  “I suppose you heard,” Faye continued as they stood by the same fireplace. The same fireplace where all three girls had taken turns posing for prom pictures so long ago, only now it was covered in slate and the mantle was a peeled log. Hope tried not to think about the two years when she had stood in that very spot with Drew by her side. Or the following year, after Hope had graduated and gone on to college, when Cherry had taken her place and posed right there with Drew.

  “Is it true?” Hope dragged herself back to the present. “You and Jeff?”

  “He had an affair.”

  Hope tried not to look too shocked. “But you guys seemed so strong in your faith and you went to church and—”

  “He had an affair with someone from church.”

  Hope made a face. “That’s too bad.”

  “She worked in the women’s ministry, too.”

  “Oh…” Hope shook her head then hugged her sister. “I’m sorry.”

  Faye sniffed. “Yeah, me, too.”

  “Hey, sisters!” called out Cherry. Avery was tugging her mom into the house through the opened French doors (another improvement over what had previously been aluminum sliders). Was nothing the same?

  “Hi, Cherry.” Hope tried to appear genuinely happy to see her younger sister. And she wasn’t even surprised that Cherry didn’t look much different than the last time Hope had seen her, although it had been years. Still blond and petite and bubbly. Trim and fit, sporting a golden tan, and those pretty white teeth that shone when she smiled, which she did often and with ease. Cherry was the perennial cheerleader type. She’d probably still look perky and cute in her nineties.