Samara: A Kilenya Romance Read online

  “She’s been flirting with someone on the phone, and he was wondering if I knew what was going on.”

  Matt looked down and I could see the pain back on his face.

  “Oh,” Dad said. He paused, then continued. “Well that explains why you’re here, but why are you covered in leaves? And please, Samara, tell me why Matt’s arms were around you.”

  “Dear, I think it’s obvious.” Mom’s face flushed. “They must’ve been talking here at the bench when they heard us coming. Isn’t that right, Sam?”

  I nodded. “Yeah. I didn’t want you to find us alone together, so we hid in the bushes. And . . . you guys stayed on the bench for a while.” I looked away from them, but not before I saw my dad grin like a high school boy and mom blush even more.

  Mom cleared her throat. “Sorry about that.”

  Matt waved her off. “It’s fine. By the time we got out of the bushes, the blood had left our legs. We lost our balance and fell right when you were coming back.”

  “Easy enough to explain.” Dad laughed. “Matt, you’ll find that the guys are heading to downstairs to watch a movie. Why don’t you join them?”

  “Yes, sir,” Matt said, then jogged down the path, away from us.

  I turned to my parents. “It really did happen that way, I promise.”

  Mom sighed. “Yes, we believe you. What are we to do with Molly, though? That poor boy’s heart is going to be so very broken.”

  ***

  When we got back, I searched out Molly. I couldn’t believe it when I found her. She was still on the phone.

  I frowned, shaking my head at her.

  “Listen, I’ve got to go now. Call me later?” Giggle. “Okay. You too.” She put her phone down and noticed the expression on my face. “What?”

  “You know what, Molly. Why are you flirting on the phone with someone other than your boyfriend?”

  “I was hardly flirting. And besides, Matt didn’t notice. He’s been helping Cale and Grayden make paper airplanes.”

  “He did too notice. He asked who you were on the phone with.”

  She glared at me. “Did you tell him?”

  “Of course not. That’s your job. And Molly, if you’re going to start dating the lifeguard, break up with Matt first.”

  “Stop preaching to me, Sam. I can take care of things on my own. Go away.”

  “Fine.” I sighed. “Just . . . don’t hurt him.”

  “Why do you care so much?”

  How could I answer her? The truth would send her into flaming convulsions. My funeral would be the next family reunion. “I’m just sick of the way you treat guys.”

  She rolled her eyes. “It’s not like they don’t know it about me before they start dating me.”

  “And that makes it okay?”

  She stood. “Get out of my room. I’m tired of your lectures.”

  ***

  My sister, I could handle. Her hyperactive moods, I was used to. But Matt? I couldn’t bear to see him in pain anymore. And he would be in pain. There wasn’t any chance Molly would suddenly change her personality.

  The next day—the day of the talent show, I meant to talk to Matt about what had happened, but Molly was on alert and hung to him the entire time. The relief on Matt’s face was evident.

  In a perfect world, Matt would never have dated my sister. I didn’t think so, anyway. He didn’t seem the flitting from girl to girl type, which Molly usually liked.

  ***

  The talent show was about to start, and I couldn’t believe how nervous I was. I didn’t normally get stage fright when playing for just family.

  We were third to last in the program. My aunt was singing after us, then Dad would finish the evening off on the piano as usual.

  The program started and crept onward. Some of my cousins played their instruments. Cale and Grayden played a piano duet. Molly showed artwork. An older cousin told us about an application he’d written, soon to go live, for phones. Mom displayed her latest quilt, along with her prize tomatoes which had come up early. She’d brought some green ones with us.

  Finally it was mine and Matt’s turn. My hands were so sweaty, I wasn’t sure I’d be able to hold my instrument, let alone play. We took our seats, and Matt smiled at me. The confidence on his face gave me courage, and I started the song, singing the first verse alone. Matt joined in on the chorus, and I couldn’t help but smile at the reaction of the audience. They were laughing, cheering, and the expressions on their faces showed pure delight.

  He’d been holding back in practice! He really shone. His voice was a beautiful baritone, complimenting my soprano. Our voices blended perfectly, the guitars sounded like one, and I saw tears on my mom’s smiling face.

  I’d found my duet.

  We ended the song to huge applause but instead of feeling elated, I was immensely depressed. I couldn’t figure out why. I normally got such a rush after performing for my family.

  I pushed my feelings away when my dad stood. “Samara has searched far and wide for someone to perform with her on stage. I think she’s found that person.” Everyone cheered, and Dad turned to us. He waited for the cheers to die down. “I have an idea. I want the two of you to open at my concert next month.”

  My heart raced with elation, the pain forgot. “Really? You’re sure?”

  “Of course.”

  “Awesome!” Matt and I said at the same time.

  I searched out Molly in the crowd, and rather than the jealousy I expected to see, she looked just as excited as the rest of us.

  Later, she gloated about the many talents of her boyfriend, saying she knew we would sound super good together. The lifeguard apparently forgot, she held onto Matt as if she were five, and he a lollipop.

  ***

  Of course, Molly’s dedication had a limit. She crossed the threshold for it the next day when the lifeguard called multiple times. The first two, she ignored. Then she smiled at me, shrugged, and answered the third call. Since Matt was outside with the guys and didn’t know what was going on, Mom pulled me aside just before lunch and asked me to speak with him. Give him a heads up.

  Lunch was an upsetting experience. Well, not lunch itself, but the news we received during the meal.

  It took a long time to get everyone settled down and into their seats—my youngest cousin was so hungry he was crying. A lot.

  I ended up next to Matt, which didn’t help me with my resolution to eradicate him from my mind.

  About halfway through the meal, my dad got a call on his cell, which he answered enthusiastically, jumping from his seat.

  “Jerry! Great to hear from you. How’d your meeting . . .” He left the room so I didn’t hear the rest of his question.

  Mom asked for someone to pass her the potatoes, then started talking to my aunt about the quilt they’d been working on. I kept my eyes on my lunch, rather than watch what Matt and Molly were doing. Matt had been extra distant from Molly. I was pretty sure I knew why.

  Dad returned, still on the phone, a haggard expression on his face. He looked incredibly upset. He slumped in his chair, putting his head in his free hand.

  My mom and I exchanged glances. This couldn’t be good.

  “Thanks for calling, Jerry. I really appreciate it. No, it’s not your fault. Yes, we’ll be fine. I’m sure of it.”

  He put his phone away, and returned his face to his hands. Finally, he looked up and found Mom’s face. “I’ve lost my job.”

  “Oh, no!” Mom said. “What happened?”

  “Jerry had a quarterly meeting with the board this morning. The company is folding. They’ve lost everything—we won’t even have a pension. Cheryl, it’s going to be just like last time.”

  I looked down at my plate. My dad had been laid off before, and it had taken him two years to find another job. My parents had completely run out of money by then, and things had gotten really bad. I remember going to sleep several nights hungry.

  “Scott, no,” Mom said, and she started crying.
They stood, putting their arms around each other and walked out of the room.

  No one in the room said anything—I was afraid to breath too loudly, lest it break the silence. My poor, poor dad! I shook my head and bit my lip, trying to keep the tears gathering in my eyes from falling. My dad had been nearly ruined when he’d lost his job before. How would we get through it now?

  I glanced at everyone around the table. Grayden looked upset—he probably understood enough of what had happened to know it was serious. Cale had started eating again. And I was surprised to see that Molly was too. She didn’t even look the least bit bothered over the information.

  Matt met my eyes, concern in his. “Are you guys going to be okay?”

  “Of course we will be,” Molly said, then snorted. “It’s not like we’re poor or anything.”

  “Molly,” I said, embarrassed by how she was acting in front of family and Matt. “Dad lost his job. You know what that means, right? He doesn’t have an income anymore. You have to have an income not to be poor.”

  She shrugged and went back to eating. I couldn’t finish my food. I noticed that Matt kept glancing at me, more of the concern on his face. I didn’t want to look at him.

  A few minutes later, my mom came back, her eyes swollen from crying.

  “Dad and I are going to have a meeting with our kids as soon as lunch is over. We’ve got a few things to discuss.”

  I nodded. I had expected we would—and good thing too. Being on the same page was essential.

  ***

  Mom and Dad invited Matt to come to the meeting after Molly insisted she needed his support. I groaned to myself—this wasn’t something he should have to attend. How awkward for him.

  Mom started the meeting. “Now that Dad has lost his job, we’re going to have to make changes in a few areas of our lives.”

  Dad stood, putting his arm around her. “We’ve got money saved up, but it’s only enough to cover a major emergency, and we’ve decided we can’t afford to dip into it. Luckily, we don’t have many expenses, but we can’t keep living our lives as if nothing has happened.” He closed his eyes. It looked like he was steeling himself for what he was about to tell us. I scooted to the edge of my seat.

  “First, we won’t be eating out anymore.” I nodded—we didn’t do it much, but it would have to go anyway.

  “Second, after this month’s contract is up, we’re canceling everyone’s cell phones except mine and your mom’s.”

  I agreed with this, too. Mom needed a phone, and I was sure she’d let us kids borrow it if we were out with friends. Dad had to have his so he could keep in touch with business contacts, which, hopefully, would help him find work. But then I heard a sharp, “What?” come from Molly. Had she not been paying attention?

  Dad looked at her. “If you want a phone, you’ll have to pay for it yourself.”

  “But the family plan is so much cheaper!”

  “That’s true. Still, it’ll save us almost a hundred dollars a month if you and Sam don’t have phones.”

  “But that’s not fair! I have to be able to talk to Ch—Matt!”

  I rolled my eyes. “Come on, Molly. You can’t expect things to be the same.”

  She glared at me, slouching in the couch.

  “Next, no more vacations, and no more money for gas or new clothes.”

  If Molly’s reaction to the phone information had been strong, her reaction to not being able to buy more clothes was borderline hysteria. And I’m not joking.

  She jumped from the couch. “You can’t do that! Half of my clothes are over a month old—I can’t be expected to wear things that aren’t in style anymore! This is insane, Dad, and completely not fair! I can’t believe you’d let yourself get fired!”

  Matt stared at Molly as if he didn’t know who she was, and Dad looked at her like she’d just slapped him. The pain and disappointment written on his face nearly brought me to tears. He didn’t say anything for several moments while Molly stared him down.

  “Molly,” he whispered, “you’re not the only one who will have to sacrifice.”

  She scowled. “Oh? And what are you giving up?”

  Matt looked at me incredulously, like he couldn’t believe his ears. He shook his head in disbelief. I met eyes with him, unable to do anything. How on earth was Molly justifying her behavior?

  “Molly, sit down.”

  “Don’t tell me what to do.”

  Dad closed his eyes. “I’ll tell you the sacrifices your mom and I will be making. I’m selling my piano—”

  I gasped. No!

  “—and your mom is selling her great-grandmother’s antique sewing machine. Plus . . .”

  I didn’t hear what else he said. Dad couldn’t sell his piano! His Steinway was the most important thing he owned—he’d even named it after Grandma Oldroyd who’d passed away around the time he’d purchased it. My eyes filled with tears. “Dad, there’s got to be something else you can do. You can’t give Mary away.”

  He looked at me, quickly blinking away the tears in his own eyes. “It’s worth too much to keep. We’ll need the money for other things.”

  He sank to the couch next to Mom who’s eyes were red and puffy.

  “But Dad, please. Think about it.”

  “We’ve thought about it—we discussed all our options.”

  I couldn’t believe it. But what could I do? Molly started pacing. She looked somewhat placated that she wasn’t the only one losing something important. But how did the latest fashions compare to a grand piano you saved up all through high school and college to purchase?

  “Also,” Dad said to her, “we can’t help you pay for your apartment anymore. Either you’ll have to find a job, or you’ll stay at home and drive into town for school.”

  She glared at him. “That’s fine. Just do everything you can to make my life miserable.”

  Anger flashed across Dad’s face. “Molly, it’s time you grew up. You’re in college. Act like it.”

  Her face went such a dark shade of red I thought she’d burst a vein or something. She stormed from the room.

  No one said anything. The silence she left behind stretched on for what felt like several minutes. I didn’t dare look at anyone else. I could hear Mom sniffling and thought I heard a giggle from Cale. He probably didn’t quite grasp the seriousness of the situation—being six and all.

  Dad sighed. “Thanks, everyone else, for being understanding about the changes.”

  Grayden and I nodded. If I needed a phone, I could always pay for it with my own money. My own money . . . I quickly put the thought away. I couldn’t think about it right then.

  After Mom had collected hugs from everyone, I withdrew to the privacy of my room and sat on the floor, back against my bed. I closed my eyes, thinking through the situation my parents had just found themselves in. Wow. Dad lost his job. I shook my head—it just didn’t want to sink in.

  A soft knock on my door, and Matt cracked it open. “Is it okay if I come in?”

  I nodded.

  He had his guitar with him. Laying it across my bed, he sat next to me. “I’m really sorry about all that’s happened.” He looked really troubled. “Sure gives me a lot to think about.” He sighed then glanced at me. “Want to practice? You know, for the concert next month?”

  I took a deep breath, trying to control my emotions. “Yes, that would help.” Grabbing my guitar case, I pulled the lid up, then groaned, sitting back from it. One of my strings had broken. “Great. Just great.”

  Matt came to inspect. “The store in town sells strings, don’t they?”

  “Yes.”

  “Let’s go. I’ll drive and . . . and I’ll pay for it too.”

  I looked up at him, feeling emotions rush through me. “Oh, Matt, you don’t have to do that. I can get another string when we get back home.”

  He put his hand on my arm, causing tingles to flow over me. “I want to. Come on. ‘Sides, it’ll do you good to get out.” He got to his feet, helped m
e up, and we took my guitar out to his truck.

  “Where are you going?” Dad asked as we passed through the living room.

  “I’ve got a broken string.” I held out my guitar for him to see.

  He laughed quietly. “When it rains it pours.”

  The ride into town was mostly silent. We both tried to make small talk, but I didn’t feel much like saying anything, and it seemed he was unwilling to force me. I stared out the window, my feelings still close to the surface. My dad was selling his piano—his beloved Mary. There had to be something I could do. I closed my eyes, realizing I knew there was. I just had to prepare myself to consider that option—to be fully ready to make the sacrifice.

  Matt and I browsed while Mark changed my string. I was glad he knew how to do it, cause I hated doing it on my own.

  When Mark finished, and after Matt had paid (with me thanking him profusely), we got back in his truck and headed toward the cabin.

  Matt took a deep breath. “It’s pretty awful, your dad losing his job.”

  “Yeah, it really is,” I said. “He got laid off a few years ago, and that was hard. I hope it won’t be so bad this time.”

  “It sounds like things will be tight for a while.”

  “We’ll manage—it’ll be good for us.”

  He glanced at me. “You think so?”

  “You saw how Molly acted. She’s had almost everything she’s ever wanted her whole life. I don’t want my brothers to grow up like that. They need to learn to sacrifice. It’ll help them have compassion in the future.”

  He didn’t answer for a minute. Then, “For someone as young as you, you sure have a great outlook on life.”

  I laughed. “Matt, we’re the same age.”

  “I know, I know. Still—you’re very mature. Such a huge difference from Molly . . .” He looked slightly away from me, enough to where I couldn’t see his expression. He cleared his throat, then spoke again. “Well, at least you’ve already got all the money saved up for your Julliard trip. That’s got to be a relief.”