Chapter One!

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whoever believes in him shall never perish but have everlasting life."-John 3:16. Wow! Pretty amazing, huh? God loved us soo much, that he was willing to take the punishment that we deserve for our sins and place it on his one and only blameless son, Jesus. Because Christ died on the cross and paid for those sins, he freed us from the grasp of Satan the flames of Hell. All you have to do is confess your and believe in the name of Jesus to be saved :) Now that's a love story.

Hello my friends!

I'm sorry I haven't been blogging for a while... I was sick for the last couple days :( But thank the Lord for loving mothers! 

A huge "thank you" to all those who have already commented or followed my site! Again, don't forget to leave comments and feedback, as they are always much appreciated. Anyways, below you can read another snippet from my book, Seeing Triple. This is the first chapter, and the narrator is Natalie. Hope you like it :)

Natalie

Santa Barbara Living Room

Crosses and Cupcakes

You’ve got to be kidding me.

Cape Cod, Massachusetts? Two words: NO WAY.

“We’re moving!?”

“Yes,” Dad answers.

“But how? Why?”

“Sit down Natalie,” Mom says slowly, her face passive and calm. Unwillingly, I allow my body to slide back onto the cushioned suede couch, my legs stiff and reluctant, feeling much as if they may snap with all the tension in the air. Once I’m finally squished between my two sisters, Dad continues on.

“I got a job offer down in Cape Cod,” he repeats. Everything whirls around me in a tsunami of confusion. Job offer? What is Dad talking about? I grab the sturdy couch arm for support, even though I’m already sitting. This is almost worse than Fed Ex delivering the wrong Fendi bag…

“What about my friends?” Madi’s whining voice breaks through my thoughts, bringing me back to reality. “What about my soccer team?”

“You can join a new soccer team in Cape Cod,” Mom gives Madi an encouraging smile, reaching over to squeeze her arm. “I’m sure they’ll have plenty of sports teams to join.”

My sister tugs away and crosses her arms over her chest, a sign that she’s too old to be babied. “But I’m the star! Coach said so himself. They need me!” she whimpers and falls back against the pillows, as if all zeal for life has been tossed away in the wind.  

Mom sighs, pressing on, her persistence to deal with Madi’s stubbornness amazing. “Now Madi, we all know it’s not going to be easy. We’re all going to have to make sacrifices, ourselves,” her dark eyes grow serious, “but as a family, I expect us all to support Dad in his decision. Besides, it’s good to have a little change once in a while, isn’t it?”

Madi grumbles to herself, something about not liking change. Mom takes a deep breath, looking to my other sister, next.

“What about you, Aubrey? You haven’t said a word yet.”

Aubrey stares blank-faced out the window, her quiet eyes following the crashing shore-line waves. A beach cruiser rings its bell outside, as a kite sails far away into the blue sky. If only I could sail away with it…

“I am just thinking.”

“Alright, dear.”

Aubrey’s always been the easy child; both Madi and I can easily testify to that. I swallow uneasily, following her gaze out the window.

“When are we leaving?”

“At the end of next month.” Dad answers. “That way you’ll have two months to say goodbye to everyone.”

“Two months!?” Madi abruptly shoots up from her seat, nearly knocking us over. “I’ll need at least a year to say goodbye to my life. A year!” her hands close into fists.

“And I’m supposed to be senior class president!” I feel my mouth fall open, my words tumbling out. “I can’t just leave. That’s irresponsible. Isn’t that what you’re always telling me not to be, Dad?”

“Well I’m sorry, but in this case, you’re going to have to,” Dad persists firmly. “I know this is hard, but we’ll get through together.”

Ding! Ding! Ding!

A beach cruiser bell rings just out the front window. We all turn to look outside, to where my best friend Daphne Jacobs is parked in the driveway. Another thing I don’t know how I’ll survive without: my daily bike ride along the beach with Daph.

I sigh, turning back to face my parents. “Can I go now?”

“Yes. But we’re not finished with this conversation…”

“I know.” I slide my over-sized sunglasses onto my face, a sign that I’m clearly not in the mood to talk. Ever since Dad sold my sisters and my car when he lost his job, I can’t go anywhere anymore. As I walk out the door, I can barely hear Madi saying, “Why can’t I go too?” Grabbing my baby blue from where it leans against the doorstep, I bike over to Daphne.

“Hey.” The wind plays hide-and-seek with her shimmery golden hair, and she gives me a tiny smile.

“Hi.” I swing my leg over my bike, and she follows me off the short drive and onto the paved sidewalk. “Why are you so quiet?”

“You are too,” she points out.

“And I have a reason.” I flash her a “no-nonsense” look, pausing for dramatic effect as she pedals up beside me. “I have something to tell you.”

“You’re moving.”

My bike screeches to a stop. “You knew?”

“I had my suspicions.” She smiles and continues along, motioning for me to follow. “But my dad told me this morning.”

“Why would my parents tell your dad before they told me?”

She shrugs, and the sunlight illuminates off her lime green bike. “I’m not sure.”

We ride a bit in silence, enjoying the lack of words. Slipping my hair out of its scrunchie, I let the gentle breeze loosen my hair. I tip my head back ever-so-slightly, soaking up the last few moments of California sunshine.

“Do you think they have sun in Cape Cod?”

“I’m sure you won’t live in Igloo all-year round.”

“You never know.” I twist my handlebars when we reach the corner, passing her house on the end of the street. We ride through the neighborhood, enjoying all of the familiar and comforting sights of home. Mrs. Barrington, the elderly lady down the street, is gardening in the front lawn of her house. Potted daisies, probably. I give her a friendly wave, and she smiles sweetly, waving back.

“You gonna miss her chocolate chip cookies?” Daph asks.

“Is that even a question?” I smile back. We ride further down the rows of beach homes. Mr. Tenor and his high school son, Steve, fixing up that old Lexus.

“Are they ever gonna finish that car? They’ve been working on it all summer, now.”

“I doubt it.” Daphne whispers back to me, when we’re out of ear shot.

The old playground comes into sight, the place where Mom used to take my sisters and I when we were kids. The monkey bars Madi fell off of in third grade and broke her arm. The old slide Aubrey used to love. And the rusty swings I used to sit in for hours, pumping as hard as I could, pretending that I was a bird and could just fly away. I drop my feet to the ground as my bike skids to a stop, Daphne doing the same. We don’t even need to communicate verbally. It’s mental telepathy.

She follows me to where I park my bike in the bike rack, and then over to the swings. And I start to pump my legs. I swing higher and higher, ‘till my Rainbows are almost touching the clear blue skies. The old field comes into my view, where Madi scored her first goal with the Cherry Bombs. She was only six. I swing my legs higher, until I’m a good ten feet off the ground. And there are the water rocks my sisters and I used to climb up when we were eight. Aubrey almost fell off once, but Dad caught her just as a big wave swept up to snatch her from the jetty.  Then down by the beach, the lifeguard post, where Daphne and I were always on the lookout for a cute guy who could save us. Josh was hers, and I swore I’d marry Ryan some day. We were about thirteen, then. I wonder who’s on duty right now…

“Remember Josh and Ryan?” Daphne flashes a sneaky smile, her feet dangling above me. I let my flip-flops fall to the sand below. “Whatever happened to them?”

“College, I guess.” I pump my legs back up, until I’m grinning down at her. “Too bad, huh?”

The KC Bakery’s pink and white sign catches my eye from below, like a warm welcoming.  I can almost feel my wallet begging me from my jean shorts pocket. “Wanna get a cupcake?”

“Sure.”

Our swings slow to a stop, letting gravity and force pull us down from the tops of the skies. I slide back into my flip-flops, wiggling my toes in the warm grainy sand.

We pass a few little shops and boutiques before finally reaching my favorite stop at the very end. A bell rings above, welcoming us home.

“What can I get for-” The smiling lady with dark hair and a pink apron flips through a book at the register. “Well, look who we have here!” She sets the book down and comes out from behind the counter to give us each a hug.

“Kristen!”

“How are my two favorite girls?” She pulls out two stools from behind the counter, and walks back behind the register. “Sit down, and I’ll fix you up your favorites.”

“What are you reading?” Daph leans over to peek behind the register, curiously. “The Bible?” Her face scrunches up at the sight of it.

“My favorite book.” Kristen gives us a warm smile, whipping up frosting in a bowl. “Full of knowledge. Can’t get enough of it.”

“Seems kind of dull to me.” Daphne scoops a finger full of frosting from of the bowl.

“Have you ever read it?”

She considers it for a moment. “Not really. Not in a long time.”

“Then maybe you should try.” Kristen smiles, handing us each our own spatula of frosting.

“Did you hear the news?” I take the spatula, gratefully. I’m gonna need the sugar in deprived Cape Cod.

“What news?”

I stop licking to fold my hands in my lap, solemnly. “Mom and Dad were talking, and they said, this morning, they told us girls, the three of us that they have decided that we, we as a family, are moving to Cape Cod, Massachusetts.”

“What?”

“It’s tragic, I know!” I slide my sunglasses up, pushing back my long bangs. “I don’t know how I’ll survive.”

Kristen shakes her dark head, as she sets down the bowl of frosting. “Massachusetts. That’s far. All the way across the country.”

“Can you believe it?” Daph whines. “What are we going to do?”

“Trust God, I suppose.” Kristen gives me a reassuring smile over the counter. “I used to live in Massachusetts, myself. A town called Lexington. They get four nice seasons. It’s beautiful in the fall, when all the trees change color and shed their leaves. Cape Cod living does have its upsides.”

“But I don’t want to move. I want to stay here forever.” I take another lick of frosting from the pink spatula. “And I know that sounds crazy, but I love it here in California. This is all I know.”

“Aw, I know it’s hard, sweets.” Kristen looks at me from over the cupcakes. “But you’re going to make it through.” She hands us each our own tray, and little heart shaped sprinkles brush the countertop. Strawberry shortcake with vanilla frosting, my fave.

“In fact, I’m thinking about opening up a Kristen’s Cupcake Bakery down near Cape Cod.” Kristen smiles as we eat our treats. “I have a close cousin down there who can keep shop for me”

“It won’t be the same.”

“Santa Barbara won’t be the same without the Grays.” She smiles, smoothing out her apron. “How about I make some cupcakes for you to bring home to your sisters? One cookies and cream and one red velvet, right?”

“You’re the best, Kristen.”

She packs two more cupcakes into take-home pink and white carton containers. I admire the white cursive writing on the sides, as she hands them to me over the counter.

“You’re an only child, right Daphne?”

“That’s right.” Daph smiles. “No brothers, no sisters. Just my dad and me.” Daphne’s mom passed away when Daph was nine. Her dad’s the local church pastor, but she’s had a hard time believing in God ever since. We rarely talk about faith anymore together, and it’s been years since I’ve seen her go to church with her dad. Things have just been... hard on her. But she and her dad have been best friends, ever since.

“I only have one sister.” Kristen pulls out a stool, and slides in beside us. “Eighteen months younger than me. We were best friends when we were young. Still are.”

“Does she live around here?” I lick the frosting off my cupcake.

“Oh no. Annie lives in New York now with her husband. She’s a total East Coast girl.”

Bzzpptt! Bzzpptt!

Daphne’s phone slides along the table noisily. “Sorry,” she mumbles, before picking it up. “Oh, hi Dad. Um, yeah I’m just down the street with Kristen,” she plays with a long strand of hair as she talks into the phone, “Umm, no. Sorry. Okay, I’ll be there in five. Bye,” she hangs up, and slips her phone back into her pocket. “Sorry, that was my dad. I got to go.” She sweeps her empty carton into the trash can. “Thanks for the cupcake, Kristen. You’re the sweetest.”

“No problem, darlin’.”

Daphne slips out her wallet, and Kristen shakes her head, no. “Don’t worry about it; it’s on me.”

“No way.” Daphne hands her the money, persistently. “I can’t let you do that.”

“Yes, you will,” she folds Daphne’s hand back up over the money. “Consider it a little treat from me.”

 “Thanks, Kristen!” Daphne gives Kristen a huge hug, and then one for me too. “Love you guys.”

“Say hello to your father for me.”

“Will do,” Daphne beams and waves goodbye, before heading outside. Daphne and I have been trying to set up Kristen and Tim Jacobs for ages now. One of these days they’ll be together, we just know it.

“You have a minute more to talk?”

Kristen wipes down the shiny counters with a towel. “I’m all ears. I don’t have too many customers this late in the evening.”

“Good.” I sigh. “Because I may have a few questions.”

I end up staying for half an hour. Our conversation covers everything: my problems, my struggles, my walk with the Lord, and everything else that’s going on in my life right now. That’s the great thing about Kristen. She can sit there while I ramble on for hours and hours, and I know she’s always listening. Because when I ask her for her advice in return, she gives the best ones.

I feel my phone vibrate from my back pocket.

One new message

From: Madi

Where r u? Dad wants to take us out to Chinese for dinner.

“Looks like I got to go now. Thanks for the cupcake. I always love coming here to talk to you.”

“And I always love it when you come.” She stands to walk me to the door. “I’m going to miss you, Natalie. And tell your sisters they better stop by here too, before you all leave.”

I feel tears prick the back of my eyes, as the two of us step outside. I’m going to miss this place too. KC Bakery, the Santa Barbara beach, Daphne, my home, my church, my friends: everything. How am I supposed to just leave all this behind? “I will. And promise you’ll always run this shop, so when I move back here after high school I can stop by to visit.”

“You’re always welcome.” She folds me into her arms, and I hug her back. “But are you sure you’ll be moving back so soon? You might like it in Cape Cod.”

“Massachusetts doesn’t stand a chance,” I shake my head at her. “Nope; I’m moving back here as soon as I graduate. Maybe I can get a job here? I bake real well, and I love to decorate. In fact, I can fill out an application right now, if you want, and then you can just save a place ‘till I’m back in two years.”

“You might stay longer than you think,” she smoothes my hair down and smiles. “How about this? You move out to the Cape with your family, give it a chance and I promise that if it doesn’t grow on you, I’ll let you run straight back to be my personal apprentice. How does that sound?”

“Why can’t I just stay here, instead?”

“Well, you might like it in Massachusetts.” She gives me a slow smile. “You’ll never know unless you try. I promise that you can come straight back if you hate it.”

“In that case, you better get another apron ready,” I nod. “I’ll be back here soon.”

“Alright,” she smiles. “Well, good bye now. I’m going to miss you very much.”

“You too.” I give her a final squeeze before hopping onto my bike, and starting to ride off.

“Natalie, wait!”

I park to a stop, hearing Kristen’s voice trailing behind me.

“I wanted to give you this.” She runs up to me, something in her hands. “To remember me by,” she opens up her hands and something small glitters inside. A tiny, delicate diamond cross, shining on a thin silver chain. “My sister gave me this necklace when I moved out to California. When she first bought it, it was an anchor. But the bottom hooks broke off, to form this cross. Said sin used to tie her down like an anchor pulls down a ship, but when Jesus paid the price and died on that cross, he set her free. She told me, “God be with you”, and I’ve never taken it off since. And now that you’re ready to start a new chapter in your life, I want you to have it, and I’m saying the same thing to you. God is with you wherever you go, no matter what.”

“I can’t take it, I can’t.” I shake my head firmly. “You hold onto it, Kristen; it’s yours. Your sister gave it to you.”

“But I want you to have it,” she persists. “Take it, please. To remember me by.”

I take one look at the pleading in her dark brown eyes, and somehow, can’t find a way to say no. She unhooks the clasp, and slides it around my neck for me.

“You are going to be the star of Cape Cod. A shining light for God’s glory. Don’t forget that Natalie, and don’t lose sight of your hope.”

“I won’t.” I give her a final last squeeze, and never want to let go. But I do. I find myself waving goodbye, and then biking away. When I look back, Kristen’s still there outside the shop, waving to me.

I turn the corner. And then she’s gone forever.

Thanks for reading everyone! Keep checking my blog for new updates :)

Blessings,

Karisa