Chapter One

Callie Appleman watched as the last of her belongings were loaded into the U-Haul truck. The house where she’d grown up with her grandparents after her mother was killed in a car accident had sold in less than a week and now, she was embarking on a new adventure.

Like her mother, she was eighteen when she got pregnant with her daughter, Lanie. Also, like her own father, the guy who should have been Lanie’s father had disappeared before her birth.

Callie’s mother, Karen, finished high school and attended the local vocational school to become an administrative assistant. The wedding plans were in motion when Brent Martin announced he didn’t want to go through with the wedding. His parents wanted him to do more with his life than get married at an early age. They moved him out of state, never to be heard of again.

At a time when Karen should have been the happiest, she was devastated, but her parents, Joe and Anna Mae Appleman, told her not to worry about the future. They would support her decisions and help her raise her child.

Callie had been born two weeks early but was extremely healthy. Never in her life had she wished for a two-parent home. She loved her Nana and Poppy. They loved her in return. Even when her mother was killed in a senseless car accident, her grandparents kept her home life on an even keel.

It had been the night of her senior prom when she and her steady boyfriend got carried away and soon learned that in nine months, they would be parents. Like the mysterious Brent, who Callie had never met, Tim Austin announced he wasn’t going to be tied down with a wife and a child. He’d been accepted at MIT in Boston and had no intention of playing daddy to some kid who might or might not be his.

Again, Nana and Poppy Appleman stepped up to the plate. They insisted Callie should go to college, even though it would be delayed by a year.

Lanie was born on a cold February night, full term and with the lungs to prove it. The following September, Callie began her studies to become a nurse. It took five years of hard work, but at last she became an RN and was hired at the local hospital. If she thought she was done with studies, her immediate supervisor had different ideas. She encouraged Callie to take night courses in order to one day become a director of nursing.

Even though working days and studying nights was grueling, her grandparents encouraged her every step of the way. It took about two years, but at last the work was done. Callie knew there would be no position waiting for her, but it didn’t matter. For the first time since getting pregnant, she was self-supporting.

When she mentioned moving out, it was Poppy who insisted she stay with them and save her money. Her quest for independence was put on the back burner when she came home to find Nana lying on the kitchen floor. The nurse in her took over as she tried to find a pulse. It was soon evident Nana was gone. How could that be? How could she have died alone?

Moments later, Poppy came home from playing Bingo at the Elks Club to the horrific scene of death. From that day on, Callie could see Poppy’s health slowly deteriorating.

A year after Nana’s passing, Poppy met Callie at the door when she came home from work. Lanie was playing with her friends next door, so they were entirely alone.

“Callie girl, you know I love you and Lanie more than anything else in this world,” he began. “It’s been a year since your nana went to be with our Lord. I’ve made all the arrangements and paid for everything for my funeral. I don’t want you to be sad. I’m ready to be with my beloved Anna Mae.”

Tears flowed down Callie’s cheeks at the prospect of not having Poppy in her life anymore. “I know what you’re saying, but I will miss you terribly.”

“You know, Nana and I will never be far away from you. Our spirits will always be with you. What I want to talk about today is what will happen once I join her. This house is ours free and clear. Several months ago, I put your name on the deed. When the time comes, I want you to sell this old barn and move out of this town. This place is a bear to heat in the winter and without air conditioning it’s like a sweat lodge in the summer. As for getting out of Minter, you know what it’s like in this small town. Lanie’s grandparents on her father’s side live just three blocks away and never make an effort to see her. Everyone here knows about your past, present and future. It’s time to put your education to use and start a new life. Between what we insisted you save and what you will get for this house, even if you don’t have a job right away, you’ll be okay.”

~ * ~

Callie brought her mind back to the present. She’d kept only a few pieces of her grandparent’s furnishings. The rest had been either sold at the estate sale or taken to the local consignment store.

Yesterday she’d signed the papers for the closing on the house and she knew as soon as she pulled away today new people would be living in her childhood home. They told her of the big plans they had for the house. They were going to put in a completely new HVAC system and redecorate the five upstairs bedrooms. They were planning to turn the old Victorian house into a bed and breakfast.

“Oh Callie, I’m so glad we got here before you left.”

Callie turned to see Phil and Lillian Austin coming toward her. In the nine years since Lanie’s birth they’d come to see her only two times. The first had been on the day she was born and the second was at Lanie’s christening.

“You just caught me. My friends, Steven and Marcie Olson, are getting ready to leave with the U-Haul. Lanie and I will be following.”

To her surprise, Lanie took one look at her paternal grandparents and turned away, getting into Callie’s car.

“Why did she turn away from us?” Lillian asked.

“Why do you think? She knows who you are, but you haven’t been in her life. I honestly don’t know why you are here now.”

“You’re being harsh,” Phil said. “You know she’s our granddaughter and…”

“And nothing. Tim said it all when he walked out on us before Lanie was born. From what I hear, he’s doing very well working in the Twin Cities. Never once in the last nine years has he ever sent one cent for Lanie’s support.”

“That’s what we want to talk to you about,” Lillian said. “Ever since she was born, we’ve been putting aside money for her education. There is a sizable amount in the account. We’ve had a cashier’s check made out to you so you can put the money into an account wherever it is you’re headed. All we ask is when you’re settled, you will let us know where you’ve deposited the money so we can continue to contribute to it.”

Callie didn’t know how to reply. These people hadn’t seemed to be interested in her daughter and now they were telling her how they’d been putting aside money for her education.

“Thank you. Are you doing this for Tim’s other kids?”

“There’s no need. We are in their lives and Tim has already started college funds for them. It’s not right that he won’t acknowledge Lanie. From everything we’ve seen and heard, she’s a fantastic child. We were wrong not to be in her life. Now we don’t even know where you’re moving.”

Callie softened a bit. “I’d rather not tell you where we will be. What I can say is that I’ve been offered the position of Director of Nursing at a good hospital. To be truthful, I don’t have a place to live, but Lanie and I will be able to stay at a motel until we find something we want to buy.”

She felt a bit guilty about not telling Tim’s parents exactly where she was going. For some reason she didn’t want the good people of Minter, Wisconsin to be able to easily find her.

“How are you going to get along without your grandparents there to take care of Lanie while you work?”

Callie wanted the conversation to end. What did they care? They hadn’t been concerned until now, when she and Lanie were going to be moving halfway across the country. “The hospital has a wonderful daycare program for the kids of their employees. Of course, she will be in school during the day and the end of her day will coincide with the end of mine. We’ll be just fine. As a matter of fact, Lanie is looking forward to moving. Over the past year she’s been bullied because she doesn’t have a father like all of the other kids in her class. It was good of you to come and see us off and when I have established an account for this check, I will let you know the account number. If you want to continue contributing that will be appreciated, but don’t feel obligated, since we will be so far away.”

The expressions on Phil and Lillian’s faces told her they were relieved not to have to think about the grandchild they didn’t want to acknowledge. The money they put away for Lanie’s education was more guilt money than anything else.

She turned her back on the Austins and got into the car. They lived three blocks away and hadn’t made any move to get to know their granddaughter until the day they were set to leave for Arizona.

“Why are you crying, Mom?” Lanie asked as they pulled away from the house that had been their home for all of their lives.

“It’s hard to leave.”

“I don’t think that’s the reason,” Lanie said, sounding wise beyond her nine years of age. “It’s because of the Austins, isn’t it?”

“What to do you know about them?”

“Jenny Marsden told me her mother said their son, Tim, is my dad. She also said they were embarrassed to have me as their granddaughter, because…”

“Because what?” Callie asked.

“I don’t want to say it but it was because you were both so young when you got pregnant. She said it was your fault I didn’t have a dad. I told her it was his fault. If he wanted nothing to do with me, then I wanted nothing to do with him. That shut her up, but it didn’t stop the other kids from calling you and me nasty names.”

Callie ached for her daughter. She knew what the names were; she’d been called a bastard all through school and a slut when she got pregnant with Lanie. Poppy was right, she needed to get out of this town and away from all the people who thought they knew things they shouldn’t.

“That’s not going to happen again after today. Once we get to Arizona, no one will know anything about our past. The only thing they will know is what we are now and what we will be in the future. Never think you are anything but a cherished daughter and granddaughter. The Austins told me they’ve been putting money away for your education. I took it for you, even knowing it was guilt money. They promised once I have an account established for you, they will continue to contribute to it. Never feel bad about taking it. If they are willing to finance your education, take it and be grateful to them. When we get to Arizona, I think it would be nice to write them a thank-you note, if for no other reason than to show them you are grateful and know the proper way to do things.”

“I will, Mom. Do you think I’ll ever meet my dad?”

Callie’s tears flowed harder. “I doubt it. He’s been back to Minter many times since you were born and I’ve never heard a word from him. I only heard he was in town from others. He’s a very shallow man and we’re better off starting our new life without him. If he should ever take the first step, I know you will welcome him into your life and I won’t stop you.”

Lanie now wiped tears from her eyes. Callie knew she wanted a father in her life, but after the first year of no response from Tim, Callie decided to make the best life possible for her daughter, just like her grandparents did for her.