A week after they were settled in to the new house, Holly and her mother went to pick up her brother, Will who was coming
to spend part of his summer vacation with them on the farm. Holly chattered to Will all the way back to the farm, telling
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him all about the house and the animals. “I unpacked all your stuff for you Will.”, Holly said proudly. “Wait
till you see your room! Mom and I picked out new curtains and bedspreads for
you. Wait till you see the sword on your wall! I found it in the attic. It’s really old, it might even be from the
Civil War.”
“We have a new puppy, I named her Lassie. I wanted to bring her with us but Mom didn’t think it was a good
idea. Mom and I have been trying to house break her but she still has accidents. Lassie likes to go with me to feed the bunnies
and the horses. I think she will be a good farm dog. You are just going to love the horses Will. We even have a chicken coop
and a bunch of chickens.” Will rolled his eyes and continued to play his video game. “Does she talk like that
all the time Mom?” Their mother laughed, “Well she does talk quite a bit son, but usually not this much. She’s
just excited to see you. Actually, we are all excited about you seeing the farm. I think you’ll like it.”, their
mother said.
When they arrived at the farm, Holly helped Will carry his things upstairs and showed him his room. “Thanks Squirt.”,
Will said to his sister. Will glanced around the room. “That is a cool sword. Thanks for unpacking my stuff for me Squirt.
You’re not a bad little sister at all but you sure do talk a lot.”, Will said with a laugh. He ruffled his sister’s
blonde hair and said, “Okay Squirt I guess I need a tour. Do you feel like showing me around?” Holly smiled happily.
“Sure big brother, what do you want to see first?” Will’s stomach rumbled. “How about a tour of the
house ending with the kitchen? I’m kind of hungry. Then you can show me around outside.” Holly led Will around
the upstairs pointing out the bathroom, her parent’s room, her room and the guest room. Before they headed downstairs
Holly opened the linen closet and showed Will the pull down stairs that led to the attic.
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Downstairs, Holly showed Will the living room, the library, the den, the bathroom, the dining room and finally the kitchen.
In
the kitchen Holly showed Will where their mother kept the dishes, the food and the silverware. While he fixed himself a
sandwich Holly opened the backdoor and called for Lassie. “Isn’t she cute Will?” , Holly asked her brother.
When Will finished his sandwich, Holly led him out the front door and down to the barn. “Meet Sugar and Star.”,
Holly said to her brother. “If you want we’ll take them out for a ride later.” Will shrugged, “Maybe”,
he said, “I’ve never ridden a horse before. I guess it might be fun.” Holly led Will around the side of
the barn to the rabbit hutch. “These are the bunnies.”, she said, taking one from the cage and handing it to her
brother. “The brown one you’re holding is Peter. This one is Flopsy because her ears are always hanging over.
The other brown one is Mopsy and the white one is Cotton Tail. I just call their mother Mama Rabbit.” Will shook his
head. “You must still be reading all the time Squirt. You might have come up with some more imaginative names.”
Holly’s face reddened. “Yes, I still like to read and they’re my bunnies, I can name them story book names
if I want. If you still lived with us you could have helped me name them.”, she said stamping her foot angrily.
“Come on Squirt, I don’t want to fight with you. I’m sorry I made fun of you. I guess I’m a little
jealous, the only pets I have at home are my dog and a hermit crab. I guess they don’t seem so great compared to all
these animals. I really wanted a pet snake but Dad’s wife had a fit when I suggested it.” Will laughed, “Mom
might have said yes to all these animals but I bet even she would say no to a pet snake.”
“Why don’t you try me and see?”, said their mother with a grin. “I guess one more pet in the zoo
would be okay if Holly would agree to take care of it when you aren’t here.” Will’s
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eyes widened. “Really Mom? You wouldn’t be scared of it?” Their mother shuddered at the thought of a
snake in the house. “Hey”, she said, “I didn’t say I wouldn’t be afraid of it.
You two would have to promise not to try and scare me with it. It would have to be a small one too, nothing gigantic that
could have one of us for dinner.”
“That would be awesome Mom. Would you be afraid to feed it when I’m not here Squirt?” Holly shook her
head. “Nope. I’m going to be a veterinarian when I grow up. I might as well get used to taking care of snakes
too.” The late June air was hot and sticky but their mother shivered just the same. “I can’t believe I’m
saying this.”, she said, “Put on some shoes and we’ll drive into town. I’ve been thinking about getting
a new aquarium for the entry hall anyway. Holly and I sat the old one up in the den but we haven’t been to the pet store
to get any fish yet. If you two really want to we’ll go to the pet shop and pick up some fish and while we’re
there we’ll see if they have a snake that isn’t poisonous and won’t get too big.”
“Last one to the car’s a rotten egg!”, Holly shouted as she ran to the house to get her shoes. At the
pet shop while the sale girl was putting the snake in a box Will saw it bite her. “Ouch!”, yelled the sales girl.
Will and Holly watched tiny droplets of blood form on her hand where the snake had bitten her. “Are you two sure you
really want a snake?”, their mother asked. The sales girl rubbed her hand and said to the children, “You have
to be really careful when you handle them. If you startle them they will bite you. The trick is to catch them behind the head
before they have a chance.” Will and Holly looked at each other. Then Will said to his mother, “I’d be happy
with a lizard or something Mom. I don’t think I really want a pet who will bite me every time I put my hand in the cage.”
His mother breathed a sigh of relief. Before they left the pet shop Will and Holly picked out an iguana and a tank to
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keep him in. The three of them picked out a new aquarium, the accessories they needed and a few fish before heading home.
The three of them found a place in Will’s room to set up the iguana’s cage and placed him carefully in his
new home. Holly helped her mother float the fish in the tank in the den so they could get used to the water temperature. Then
the three of them worked together to set up the new tank in the entry hall. Will and Holly filled the tank with water while
their mother started supper. “When can we go back and get some fish for the new tank Mom?, Holly asked. Their mother
stirred the spaghetti sauce simmering on the stove. “In a day or two I guess. We need to let the water warm up to room
temperature and decide what kind of fish we want in that tank.”
While their mother cooked Will and Holly went back upstairs to check on the iguana. “What are you going to name him
Will?”, Holly asked. Will shrugged, “I don’t know Squirt. Have you read any good iguana stories lately?”
They both laughed. “Come on Will. We can look up iguanas on the internet and read about them. Maybe while we are looking
you will think of a name.”
Holly was glad to have Will at home with her. Even though he lived with his dad now, she didn’t think of that as
his home. The two of them laughed and talked while they read about iguanas. Will was glad to be with his sister. He loved
to tease her and call her ‘Squirt’, but he loved her just the same. Will couldn’t help but notice that Holly
had grown up a lot since he had moved away. Spending time with her was a lot more fun than it used to be, and though he would
never admit it to her she didn’t annoy him nearly as much as she once had.
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Holly and Will were sitting on the porch swing when her father pulled into the driveway. “Daddy!”, Holly yelled,
as she ran to the truck to hug her father. “Will’s here! And guess what? Mom took us to the pet store and bought
Will an
iguana! We got some fish too wait till you see!” Holly’s father climbed out of the truck and hugged Will who
had followed his sister to the truck. “We sure have missed you Will.”, he said. “I guess your sister has
already showed you all around the farm?” Will nodded, “Yeah”, he said. “It’s pretty cool.”
After the family had dinner Holly’s father said he was going upstairs to take a shower. Holly helped her mother clear
the table and stack the dishes in the sink. “Mom, can we take Will for a horseback ride? Do you think Star can carry
both of us?” Their mother thought for a minute before answering, “I think she can. Would you like to go for a
ride Will?” Will smiled shyly, “I’ve never ridden a horse before Mom.” Their mother smiled warmly.
“That’s ok Will, just climb on behind your sister and enjoy the ride. She can teach you how to guide the horse
and before you know it you will be able to ride by yourself.” Will and Holly followed their mother to the barn with
Lassie tagging behind them. Holly and their mother saddled the horses so they could take a ride. Will climbed up onto Star’s
back behind his sister and wrapped his arms around her waist. Their mother led the horses outside and mounted Sugar. Holly
and their mother gently nudged the horses sides with their heels and the horses began to trot down the long gravel driveway.
They rode the horses to the end of the long gravel drive and back again before circling the barn where their mother climbed
down and opened the pasture gate.
When the gate was closed behind them she said, “Don’t push the horse too fast Holly since this is Will’s
first ride. Let’s ride out and check on Pap’s cattle.” The horses trotted along at a nice even pace till
they reached the place where Pap’s cattle
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were grazing. The three of them enjoyed the leisurely ride to check on the cattle. When they were ready to turn back Holly
climbed off the horse and got back on behind her brother. “Come on Will”, she said, “You can guide her back.
I’ll be here
if you need help.” The three of them rode back to the barn and put the horses back in their stalls. Holly showed
Will how to brush the horses. “I bet you love living out here don’t you Squirt?” Holly grinned broadly.
“Wouldn’t you love it big brother?”
When Holly and Will got back to the house her father clapped Will on the back. “Enjoy the ride Will?”, he asked.
“I have to work half a day tomorrow, how would you two like to go with me and see what I do all day?” Holly jumped
up and down with excitement. “Can we Daddy? Oh Will it’s so much fun! Whenever Daddy takes me we stop and get
a biscuit and juice and I sit on the hood of the truck with his boss’s son and watch them work.” Will shrugged,
watching Holly’s father operate equipment half the day didn’t sound like too much fun to him. “I guess I
can come along to keep Squirt out of trouble.”, he said with a wink.
Early the next morning their mother woke them so they could get dressed and ready to go. On the way they stopped for biscuits
and juice just as Holly said they always did. When they reached the job site Holly introduced Will to Matthew, the boss’s
son. Holly chattered to Matthew about the farm and the horses. “Maybe your Dad would let you come home with us and Visit
Matthew. You could even take a ride with us if you like.” Matthew thought that would be a great idea and told Holly
he would ask his dad if it was okay. Later that morning Holly’s father let the three children take turns sitting in
the hoe with him. When it was Will’s turn he showed him how to operate the big machine and even let him try it himself.
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Will couldn’t help but admit to himself that the trip to work with Holly’s dad had been fun. He had spent the
last eleven years trying to dislike the man. Now he wondered why he had wasted so much energy. Will had never wanted anyone
to
take his father’s place and had resented it when his mother remarried. For some reason he hadn’t resented his
father remarrying. In fact he had really liked his stepmother a lot in the beginning. “Why didn’t I dislike her”,
he thought to himself. After all hadn’t she sort of taken over his mother’s place these last few years? “Maybe”,
he thought, “he wouldn’t have been so bad if I had given him a chance.”
Later that day Will asked his mother if he could call his dad. “I’d like to see if I can just spend the entire
summer here Mom. If that’s okay with you.” His mother hugged him tightly. “You know that’s okay with
me son. I miss you. We all do.” Will called his father and asked if he could change his summer plans. “He says
it’s up to me Mom and I told him I want to stay here all summer. He says that’s fine as long as I am home in time
to get ready to go back to school in the fall.” Holly went over to the sink to help her mother with the dishes and caught
silent tears sliding down her cheeks. When Will left the room Holly asked, “You miss him a lot don’t you Mommy?”
Her mother nodded and wiped the tears from her face. Holly hugged her mother tightly and squeezed back her own tears. “I
do too. I’m glad he’s going to stay all summer.”
That night before she went to bed, Holly slipped the enchanted journal out from under her pillow and wrote:
My brother, Will is spending the summer with us. It’s really good to have him home. Tonight I saw Mom cry because
she misses him so much. I wish this would be the best summer Will has ever had. I wish he would learn to love Daddy as much
as I do this summer. When the summer is over I wish that he would
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decide to come live with us again.
Holly stopped writing ,closed the journal and slipped it back under her pillow. Then she tiptoed down the hall, kissed
Will on
the cheek and went back to bed. Sliding between the covers she closed her eyes contentedly and hoped that she hadn’t
made a selfish wish.
The summer flew by and soon it was time for Will to go home. The summer had been the nicest one Holly could ever remember.
She and Will had helped her mother feed and water the animals everyday. Daddy bought Will his own horse, a black mare Will
named Midnight. Everyday Mommy, Holly and Will rode the horses to check on Pap’s cattle. Will helped Holly gather eggs
and slop the hogs. Holly and Will had so much fun together. All summer they played games, watched movies and rode the horses.
On Sunday afternoons they tossed the football around in the back yard with Daddy. Will and Matthew became friends and Matthew
was a frequent guest at the farm.
The night before Will was supposed to go home they were sitting around the supper table. Will told Mom he had been doing
a lot of thinking. “I really like it here Mom. I’m sorry I hurt you when I moved back in with Dad. If I could
do it all over again I wouldn’t go this time.” Then he hugged Daddy and said to him, “I’m sorry I
was so hateful to you all the time. I wish I could change the past but I can’t. You have been great to me all summer
and I’m glad to have you as a stepfather.”
Then Will did something I haven’t seen him do in a very long time. He cried. “What I’m trying to say
Mom is that I want to come home.” Mom cried too. “We never wanted you to go in the first place baby.”, Mom
said to Will. Then Daddy threw his arm around Will’s shoulder and said, “Son you are always
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welcome to live with us. But this is something you and Mom are going to have to discuss with your dad. I don’t think
he is going to agree just because we say it’s okay.” Will hung his head, “I know he won’t like it.
But when he asked me to move
there he promised I could come back if I ever wanted to.”
Their mother looked up, tears glistening from her eyes. “He’s right, this is something we are going to have
to discuss with your father and he isn’t going to like it at all. It’s not something we need to spring on him
over the phone either. I’ll call and make arrangements for us to sit down and discuss it over coffee tomorrow when we
meet.”
The following day when they met Will’s father, the four of them sat down in a restaurant and discussed it over coffee
and sodas. Will’s father was angry and accused his mother of bribing him with horses and pets. “Once he gets home
he will be as happy as he ever was.”, his father said angrily. Tears streamed down Will’s face as he sat there
across the table from his father. “No Dad, I won’t. I miss Mom and Holly and I want to go home. You promised I
could if I ever decided I wanted to!”
Will hugged them all goodbye, tears still streaming down his face. Then he turned sadly and got into his father’s
car. Will’s father turned to his mother and said, “You might as well face it, he’s not EVER coming back!
He’ll get over this in a few days and he will be fine and if spending an entire summer with you means that he is going
to come home miserable he won’t be staying that long again! I can’t believe you stooped to bribing your own son
with a horse to make him want to live with you!”, he spat angrily. Then he turned and got in his car slamming the door
and speeding away. Holly’s mother cried and her father patted her arm. “Maybe we should hire an attorney.”,
her father said.
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School started and Holly was busy helping her mother before school each day. In the afternoons she was busy with homework
and chores. Holly’s life went on normally. At school
she made new friends who occasionally visited her on the farm. Lassie was growing and Holly spent much of her spare time
teaching her tricks. As busy as she was Holly couldn’t help but notice that her mother was sadder than she had ever
been. When Will went to live with his father her mother had cried for months but even then she hadn’t been this sad.
Her mother had always had a round plump figure. Since Will went home after summer vacation though her mother had been losing
weight. Holly noticed that her mother didn’t seem to have much of an appetite anymore and her clothes were all getting
too big. “Daddy”, said Holly one evening as they curled up in the den after supper. “I’m worried about
Mommy. She’s getting skinny and she doesn’t eat much anymore. I think you should make her go to the doctor.”
Her father hugged her tightly. “The best medicine we can give Mommy is love.”, he said. “She misses Will
more than ever now that he wants to come home.”
When Thanksgiving came Will’s father didn’t let him come for a visit. Her mother got a letter from his attorney
telling her that it was in Will’s best interest to remain with his father until after the first of the year when their
custody case was scheduled. Holly and her mother called Will on Thanksgiving Day but no one answered the phone. As Christmas
neared Holly’s mother seemed to grow more unhappy. A few weeks before Christmas Holly went with her parents to visit
some friends with a new baby.
Holly noticed that her mother seemed happier than she had in months as she held the tiny baby in her arms. As her mother
cuddled the baby close Holly noticed a warm happy glow on
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her face. That night when they got home Holly pulled the old journal out from under her pillow and wrote:
My last wish did not turn out too well. I wished that Will would want to come home to live with us and he did say he wanted
to come home. I heard Mommy tell Daddy that the lawyer says the custody hearing could be postponed several times before it
finally gets to court. Mommy is really sad and I am worried about her. She hardly eats anymore. We don’t know how Will
is because we never get to talk to him.
Tonight we visited Mommy and Daddy’s friends. They have a new baby. The baby made Mommy smile again. I was thinking
that maybe just until we go to court to get Will back, maybe a new baby would make Mommy happy again. So here goes............
I wish that Daddy would make Mommy go to the doctor. The doctor will tell her that she is not really sick but she’s
going to have a baby. I wish Mommy would have the baby before we go to court so she would be happy again. I wish that the
baby would be a healthy, happy little girl. I wish that Mommy would have the baby and be healthy and happy again. When we
get to court I wish the judge would say Will can come back home again to live with me, Mommy, Daddy and our new baby sister.
I wish that this time my wish would turn out to be a good one and we’d all live happily ever after just like they do
in the fairy tales.
Holly closed the journal and slipped it under her pillow. Just in case her wish might be a little selfish because she had
always wanted a baby sister, Holly closed her eyes tightly and did something she hadn’t remembered to do in a long time.
She said a prayer.
“Dear Lord”, Holly prayed, “I didn’t mean it if the wish was selfish. I only wish Mommy wouldn’t
be sad all the time. We all
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miss Will so much and we do want him to come home. I think he would have decided he wanted to one day even if I hadn’t
wished it. Please make the judge let him come home so
Mommy can stop fighting with his dad. Will must be really sad because his dad wouldn’t let him come live with us.
I know Mommy is. I’m sorry if I made them sad because I wished it to happen. I really did mean to make them happy when
I wished it God. “
“Please make my last wish come true God. Mommy and Daddy would love the baby ever so much. I promise I will be a
good big sister and help Mommy with the baby. And I promise to love it with all my heart too. Thank you for listening to me
God, I know you’re awfully busy up there taking care of the whole world and all. I try to be a good girl honestly I
do. I know I haven’t been to church in a while but I promise I’ll ask Mommy to bring me more often. Thank you
again for taking the time to listen to me. Amen.”
When Holly’s prayer was finished she drifted into a peaceful sleep. When Holly woke up the next morning she went
sleepily down the stairs to find some breakfast. Meem was in the kitchen brewing a pot of coffee. Hot biscuits, bacon and
gravy steamed on the table. “I was just about to come wake you up sleepyhead.”, her grandmother said kissing her
gently on the cheek. “Your Mom wasn’t feeling too well this morning so your Daddy called us to come over and sit
with you. He took her to see the doctor. I think she’s just coming down with a virus but maybe they can give her some
medicine to make her feel better.”
Holly smiled at her grandmother. “I’m sure Mommy will be just fine after she sees the doctor.” Holly
poured a glass of milk and sat down at the table with her grandparents. After breakfast Peep helped her feed all the animals.
Holly saw her
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father’s truck pulling in and ran out to meet them. Holly followed her family into the den and sat down next to her
mother. “Well”, said her grandmother, “what did the doctor
say?” Her father hesitated a moment before answering her question. He cleared his throat and began to speak, “The
doctor says she’s sick all right, but it’s not too serious. He asked her how long her appetite had been gone and
she told him she hadn’t really had one since September. He ran a couple of tests and announced that she should soon
start getting her appetite back. But he says she’s going to have to take it a little more easy for the next three and
a half months. It seems we are going to have a baby.”
Holly and her grandparents hugged her mother. Only Holly was not surprised by her parent’s news. “No more horseback
rides for a while. I guess Holly and I will have to take the four wheeler out in the evenings to check on the cattle.”
Holly’s mother sat there quietly and didn’t say a word. She only smiled. Holly’s grandmother looked at her
mother, “Well”, she said, “I think you just lost your sewing room. Now it looks like you are more in need
of a nursery.” Everyone laughed happily. “I’ll tell you what, since you are supposed to take it easy, I’ll
come by one day next week and you and I can go shopping. We can pick out some fabric for nursery curtains and maybe a nice
matching baby quilt. Then we’ll pick out some paint and borders and Dad and I will move everything out for you. Between
now and then all you have to do is decide where to put it.”
“I guess we have several adjustments to make to the house.”, said Peep. “It’s definitely not baby
proof. We’ll have to figure out a way to close off those stairs and the upstairs railings. Three and a half months isn’t
long to get ready for a baby. That would make it due sometime in April wouldn’t it?” Her grandfather smiled. “What
do you think about all this Miss
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Holly?” Holly’s eyes sparkled, “I think it’s like a wish came true Peep.”
True to her word Holly did everything she could to help her mother just as she’d promised God the night she made
the wish. She pampered her mother with breakfast in bed on weekends and did all her chores without even being asked. She helped
her mother hang pictures in the nursery and fold and put away the tiny clothes. She even drew a special picture that she put
in a frame over the baby’s crib. In the picture her mother and father stood in front of the house holding the baby with
Holly on one side and Will on the other. Above the picture she carefully wrote in her very best handwriting: Happily Ever
After.
The next few months quickly flew by. Holly and her Mom continued to try and talk to Will but the only word they had came
from the lawyer who told them the hearing had been postponed for the last time. A judge would finally hear their case and
make a decision in June. By then almost a year would have passed since they had last seen Will, yet her mother seemed happy
all the time now. Everyone in the family was busy getting ready for the arrival of the new baby. That’s all anyone in
the family seemed to talk about and some days Holly couldn’t help but feel just a little bit jealous.
One afternoon when Holly came home from school, she found her mother making a tiny blanket for the baby. Holly asked her
mother to come outside and swing with her. She answered, “Not right now dear. I’m busy sewing a blanket for the
baby. Maybe later.” Holly stamped her foot and yelled, “Baby! Baby! Baby! That’s all anyone cares about
anymore!”, as she ran up the stairs to her room. Holly’s mother put down the blanket she was sewing and followed
her daughter upstairs. Holly’s door was closed, her mother knocked on it
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gently and called, “Can I come in?”
Before Holly could answer, her mother turned the doorknob
and peeked inside. Holly was sitting on her bed feeling more than a little sorry for herself. Her mother sat down on the
bed beside her. “I remember Will being jealous of you when you were a baby. He wanted me to take you back to the hospital.
I’m sorry if you are feeling left out honey. I thought you were more excited about the baby than anyone. I guess I haven’t
been paying enough attention to you. I’m sorry. Will you forgive me?” Holly hugged her mother tightly and felt
a little ashamed of the way she had acted. “I’m sorry Mommy. I guess I do feel a little jealous. I guess I’m
just feeling a little sorry for myself because I’m not the baby anymore.”
Her mother gently smoothed back her hair and kissed her forehead. “You’ll always be my baby.”, she whispered
softly. “You act so grown up these days sometimes I forget that your only ten, but even when your eighty, if I’m
still around you’ll still be my baby.”, her mother said with a tender smile. Holly choked back a sob. “Mommy”,
she said, “I’ve tried so hard to act like a big girl so no one would treat me like a baby. Isn’t silly that
I got mad when I felt like another baby was going to take my place?” Holly’s mother wrapped her arms around her
shoulders and smiled. “No one could ever take your place Holly. When you were little Will was jealous of you because
he thought you were taking his place. You didn’t take Will’s place in my heart, my heart just grew so that I had
room for you both inside it. This baby could never take your place or Will’s. My heart has simply grown large enough
to love all three of you equally.”
“Come on Pumpkin let’s go swing a while before I have to start dinner.” Holly shook her head, “That’s
okay Mommy. Go ahead and finish the blanket. After dinner, I’ll help you do the
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dishes and then we can sit on the swing.” Her mother placed a feathery kiss on her cheek and headed down the stairs.
Time passed by quickly and before they knew it April had arrived. Late one night Holly and her parents rushed to the hospital,
the baby was coming. On the way her mother called her grandparents who met them at the hospital and stayed in the lobby with
Holly until her sister was born. Holly’s grandparents took her with them to her mother’s room early that morning.
Her mother was resting and her baby sister was asleep in their mother’s arms. The baby was red and wrinkled and fat,
but Holly thought she was the most adorable baby she had ever seen. “She was born just before daybreak.”, Daddy
whispered softly. We haven’t even named her yet. Holly smiled at her parents. “How about April Dawn?”, she
suggested. And April Dawn Hamilton is just what they named her.
Holly stayed with her grandparents for the rest of the week. When her father took her mother home Holly and her grandparents
followed. Meem and Peep stayed with them for the next two weeks just in case her mother needed any help. Holly sat in the
rocking chair in the corner of the nursery that April afternoon rocking her sister. She was amazed at how tiny and perfect
she was. “I promised to love you with all my heart April Dawn, and I do.”, she whispered to the baby in her arms.
April and May soon faded into June and the court date they had all waited for finally came. Holly sat between her parents
and grandparents during the hearing. Will sat on the other side of the court room with his father. Will’s father’s
lawyer stood before the judge first and told him all the reasons it would be in Will’s best interest to remain with
his father. Then Holly
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listened as her mother’s lawyer told the judge all the reasons he thought Will should live with them. “While
we do not say that the Hamilton’s can provide a better home for Will than the one his father already provides, we do
say that they can also
provide a good stable home. A home not unlike the one he already lives in. However, in his mother’s home he has the
opportunity to live with his two sisters, Holly and April.”
Holly held April on her lap and Will glanced over at them. Will looked very surprised. “I don’t think anyone
told him about April.”, Holly whispered to her mother. The judge asked Will to come to his chambers for a talk. When
they came back Will sat down next to his father and the judge banged a wooden hammer called a gavel on his desk. “This
court is now in session”, said the judge. “After careful consideration I have decided that both homes are an adequate
place for young Will to live. Will is nearly sixteen years old and we should not be arguing who can provide a more suitable
home. What we should be doing”, the judge continued, “is taking the time to listen to what young Will wants to
do. Apparently Will has asked his mother if he can come back to live with her and she has agreed. When Will and his mother
approached you with this desire sir you apparently gave no consideration to his feelings. This young man has been deprived
of seeing his mother and his sister for nearly a year because you felt it was in his best interests not to see them before
this hearing.”
“It is my order that custody of young Will be granted to his mother because that is in fact where he wishes to be.
Good Luck to you Will I hope you will be very happy. This court is now recessed.” Will’s father looked angry as
he walked out of the courtroom. Will rushed over and hugged them all. Holly introduced Will to their new sister. As they walked
out of the courtroom that afternoon Holly whispered, “And they all lived happily ever after.”
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It was in June that Holly’s brother Will came to live with them again. Last summer Will had spent his summer vacation
on the farm. It was the best summer Holly could ever remember. She and Will had gone horseback riding every afternoon that
summer. Holly hoped that this summer would be just as much fun as the summer before but so far the summer was a big disappointment
to Holly.
Will spent much of his time with his friend Matthew, whom Holly had introduced him to the summer before. Matthew and Will
played basketball in gravel drive, tossed the football in the back yard, listened to music, played video games and spent a
lot of time calling Holly, “Squirt”. Worst of all, when Matthew wasn’t around, Will liked to play with the
baby. Holly still loved her baby sister April, but sometimes she thought she should never have wished for a baby sister.
April took up a lot of her mother’s time these days so she didn’t have as much time to spend with Holly. Daddy
would come home from work and pick up the baby and call her “Pumpkin” which made Holly feel sad. Before April
came, Daddy had always called her “Pumpkin”. When her grandparents came to visit they rushed to hold the baby
and talked about how beautiful she was and how much she was growing. And Will, who was only five years older than Holly, liked
to play with April and feed her for their mother. That was the thing that was hardest for Holly to understand. While Will
treated her like a baby and didn’t seem to ever want to do anything with her these days, he seemed to enjoy playing
with the April who was a baby.
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At first Holly had liked holding April and rocking her to sleep. In the beginning it was fun, it was like having a baby
doll come to life. Then the newness wore off and Holly became bored with her. She wasn’t fun when she spit up on Holly’s
favorite shirt. She smelled bad when she needed a diaper change and she always seemed to be crying. “Anyway”,
Holly mumbled to herself, “Babies can’t do anything. All they do is poop and cry and spit up. You can’t
really play with them because they can’t do anything.”
And so, because Will was busy with his friend Matthew, Mommy was always busy with the baby, and Daddy was always at work,
Holly had to find something else to keep her busy that summer. She taught Lassie to fetch sticks, to roll over and to beg.
Lassie was a good puppy and very smart. Holly was easily able to teach her new tricks and she soon became bored with teaching.
When Holly complained to Daddy that she was bored when she finished her morning chores everyday he suggested that she play
with the baby. “Oh Daddy, she is too little to play with. She can’t do ANYTHING!” So, he suggested that
she do something with her brother. “He doesn’t have time for me, he’s always doing something with Matthew.
Besides he says I’m a baby. I am not allowed to ride Star unless Mommy or Will go riding with me. Mommy’s always
busy with the baby and Will would rather go riding with Matthew. There’s just nothing to do.”
Her father frowned as Holly sadly walked away from him that evening. He remembered what it was like to be a middle child.
His older brother and sister had thought he was too little to play with and his younger sister and brother had been the babies
of his family. Sadly he remembered that he had once felt left out and lonely. It was then that he decided to call his
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brother, and ask if his niece who was Holly’s age, could come out to the farm and visit for a couple of weeks. The
next day her father was late coming home from work. When he came home he asked Holly and Will to help him get some things
off the back of the truck. In the back of his truck, Holly saw two very big boxes. One box was a new trampoline for Holly
and Will to jump on. Another box held a big pool that the whole family could use. There was also a lot of wood on the back
of Daddy’s truck. “I’m going to use this lumber to build a swing set in the back yard.”, he said.
“It will have swings, a slide, a club house and a sand box. I thought you might help me build it Will.”
The next day was Saturday and Daddy and Will went outside after breakfast and started building the swing set. By lunchtime
Daddy and Will were finished with their project. From the back porch Holly could see a small club house with a rope ladder,
a pole you could slide down that landed in a sand box, a big yellow slide that curved on it’s way down, two regular
swings and a baby swing. Daddy put his arm around Holly’s shoulders. “Maybe that will give you something to do.”,
Daddy said with a smile. After lunch we’ll start putting the trampoline together.”
While they were having lunch at the picnic table in the back yard, they heard a car drive up. Holly ran around the side
of the house and starting shouting, “It’s Uncle Thomas Daddy!” Holly’s aunt, uncle and cousins were
climbing out of their car when the family walked around the side of the house. Holly ran out to the car to hug them all. Daddy
gave them a tour of the house while Mommy cleared the dishes from the picnic table. Then Uncle Thomas helped Daddy and Will
put the trampoline together while her mother and aunt chatted at the picnic table. “Come on”, Holly said to her
cousins, “I’ll give you a tour of the farm.” Lassie followed behind them barking
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happily as Holly showed them the barn, the horses, the rabbits, the chicken coop and the hog pen.
Holly played happily with her cousins all afternoon. When it was time for them to leave, Uncle Thomas put his arm around
Holly. “Your Daddy tells me you don’t have much to do this summer Holly. Ashlyn has been pretty bored too. She
doesn’t have horses to ride or chickens to feed at home. I wondered if you might let her stay with you for a couple
of weeks and teach her what farm life is like?” Holly jumped up and down excitedly. “Really Uncle Thomas? Can
Ash stay here with me really?” Uncle Thomas ruffled her blonde hair with his fingers. “Really.”, he said.
“Her brother is going away to summer camp and she would be pretty lonely without anyone at home to play with. So your
Daddy and I thought you might like to keep her company.” Uncle Thomas opened his trunk and took out a suitcase. Holly
twirled around and around in a circle shouting, “Yeah, Yeah, Ash is going to stay!”
Ashlyn hugged her parents and her brother goodbye. They all stood in the yard waving to them as they drove away. Daddy
picked up her suitcase and started into the house with the two girls tagging along behind him. “Well Ash”, Holly’s
father said, “You have two choices. You can sleep in Holly’s room with her or you can have your own room right
next door to hers.” The girls followed him up the staircase and he opened the door to the guest room. “You can
have this room by yourself. Or”, he said opening the door to Holly’s room, “you can share with your cousin.”
Ash chose the guest room and she and Holly unpacked all her clothes and put them away.
That afternoon Holly and Ash jumped on the trampoline, played on the swing set, had a tea party at the picnic table and
went for a horseback ride with Holly’s mother. After supper, Will helped their mother with the dishes and Holly and
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Ash watched a movie with Daddy. Then the girls played in the playroom for hours until Daddy called, “Bedtime.”
The next morning Ash helped them feed the animals and gather the eggs from the hen house. Mommy cooked a big breakfast
of sausage, bacon, fresh eggs, gravy and biscuits. After breakfast, Will took the girls with him for a ride to check on Pap’s
cattle. Later that morning, Will, Holly and Ash helped hoe and weed the garden. Then Will’s friend, Matt, came by for
a visit. Matt, who had just turned sixteen, had gotten his license and wanted to take Will for a ride. “Oh well, there
went my helper.”, Daddy said with a laugh. “Meem and Peep will be here soon. Peep’s going to help me put
the pool together. Maybe you two can watch April so that Mommy and Meem can help us.”
When her grandparents arrived to help with the pool, the baby was sleeping. Holly carried the baby monitor to her room.
“We can play video games or something while she’s sleeping.”, Holly said to Ash. “I’ll turn
up the monitor so we can hear her if she wakes up.” Suddenly Holly felt very proud. Even if Will treated her like a
baby sometimes, Daddy knew that she was a big girl. He and Mommy were trusting her to take care of the baby while they were
busy. The two girls put in a movie and laid down on Holly’s bed to watch it. Just as the movie got really interesting,
Holly heard sounds coming from the baby monitor letting her know her sister was awake. “She’s not crying or anything.”,
Ash said to her cousin. “Let’s keep watching the movie.”
“You can keep watching Ash. I’ll be right back. She’s usually hungry or wet when she wakes up. I’ll
go fix her a bottle.” Holly went down the hall and peeked through the door at April who was lying in her crib kicking
her feet and cooing at the mobile that dangled over her head. Holly smiled at her sister then
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headed down the stairs to the kitchen. Holly carefully heated a bottle and tested the milk on her wrist. “Ouch”,
said Holly, “I think that’s a little too hot.” Holly carried the bottle upstairs and ran some cool water
in the bathroom sink. She set the bottle in the water and went to check on April. “I thought you’d be wet.”,
she said as she picked the baby up from the crib. Not only was April wet, her clothes were wet and so were her crib sheet
and blanket.
Holly picked out some tiny clothes from April’s drawer and carefully laid her on the changing table. Then she lovingly
removed the wet clothing and diaper. Holly tossed the dirty diaper into the trash can beside the changing table and dropped
the tiny wet sleeper into the hamper. After she put on a dry diaper she gently slipped the dry clothes on her sister. April
cooed happily which made Holly smile. She carried the baby down the hall to her room and placed her gently into her cousin’s
arms. “You have to support her neck and be really careful with her head.”, Holly explained. “She can’t
support her head yet so we have to do it for her. Just keep your arm under her head. Her bottle was too hot, it should be
cool now. I’ll go get it.”
Holly went to the bathroom and took the bottle out of the cool water. As she went back in her room she tested the bottle
on her wrist. “That’s better.”, Holly said. She pulled her rocking chair over next to the bed and took April
from her cousin. Then she sat down in the rocking chair and fed her sister. When April had finished half the bottle, Holly
placed her on her shoulder and started to pat her back. “I have to burp her now so she doesn’t get a tummy ache.”,
she said with a smile. April let out a loud burp that seemed much too big for a tiny baby and the girls giggled. “Ewwwwwwww
that’s gross!”, said Ash. “I think she just threw up!”
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Holly laughed, “It’s kind of like that. She spits up all the time.” Holly wiped April’s mouth and
then her shoulder, then gave her the rest of the bottle. Holly was burping April for the second time when her mother came
upstairs to check on them. “She’s fine Mom. When she woke up she was really wet. Her bed’s wet too. I changed
her clothes, fed and burped her, now she’s happy.” Her mother smiled. “Here Mom, if you hold her a minute,
I’ll go change her bed.” Holly handed her mother the baby and went down the hall to the nursery. She stripped
off the dirty sheet and blanket and threw them in the hamper. Opening one of April’s dresser drawers she took out a
clean crib sheet and a tiny blanket. After she changed the bed she went back to her room. “Okay Mom, her bed’s
clean now too. I’ll take her if you need to go help Daddy.”
Holly’s mother smiled at her proudly. “Thanks Honey.”, she said. “You’re really a big helper.
I see you’re in good hands April.” Holly’s mother softly touched the baby’s face. “Yeah”,
said Ash, “She really knows a lot about babies.” Holly’s chest swelled with pride, it felt good to show
her mother and cousin how grown up she was. April looked up at her sister and cooed happily. “Yeah I know, I love you
too ‘Squirt’.”, she said with a grin.
By the time Will and Matt came back that evening the pool was almost finished. Daddy called a man and told him the pool
was ready for him to deliver water. Holly and Ash sat on the back porch and watched the man when he came to put water in the
pool. His truck had a huge tank on the back. He put a hose in the pool and started pumping the water out of the tank into
the pool. The first tank did not fill the pool up so the man had to bring another load of water. Holly and Ash watched as
they man brought in a second load and filled the pool. Daddy wrote the man a check to pay for the water and waved good bye
as he drove away. Holly and Ash ran
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upstairs and changed into their swim suits. Daddy saw them running down the stairs and heading for the back door. “Where
are you two going?”, he asked. Holly smiled at her father and said, “We’re going for a swim Daddy. Do you
want to come?” Her father laughed. “Sorry girls you won’t be able to swim for a couple of days. That water
has to warm up first. Tomorrow Will and I will hook up the pump and filter and add the pool chemicals. That will help keep
the water clean. The water may still be cold on Monday. It takes a while for that much water to warm up.” The girls
were disappointed. “Tell you what”, said Daddy, “Tomorrow morning after Will and I work on the pool, we
can go to the river. You two can splash around there and cool off while Mom, Will and I fish.”
The next day Holly’s mother packed her picnic basket with fried chicken, biscuits and apple pie. She packed the cooler
with tea, sodas, potato salad and fruit. Daddy and Will finished with the pool and loaded their fishing poles into the back
of his truck. Holly and Ash carried two old quilts out to the truck for her mother so they would have something to sit on.
Then they packed a duffle bag full of towels and helped her mom pack April’s diaper bag. Daddy folded up the playpen
and put it in the back of the truck. When they got to the river Holly found a shady spot under a tree and unfolded April’s
playpen. Will carried the cooler and sat it on the ground beside the playpen. While Will and her parents finished unloading
the truck, Holly and Ash spread the quilts out on the ground under the tree.
Holly and Ash splashed happily in the river while Mom Dad and Will waded out into the water and threw in their lines. The
girl’s delighted squeals filled the air. “Hey Squirt”, Will said, “Can you two make a little less
noise you’re scaring all the fish away.” That afternoon, when their tummies were full of
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chicken and pie, Holly and her cousin laid down on the quilts under the shade tree while her mother gave April a bottle.
Daddy and Will waded back into the river and cast in their lines. When April was asleep, Mommy laid her in the playpen and
leaned back against the tree to relax. Then she took a book from the picnic basket and read the girls a story.
By the time she said, “The End”, Holly and Ash were fast asleep. By the time the awoke, Will had six large
trout on his stringer. Mommy and Daddy had stringers full of fish as well. April was hot, tired and fussy by that time so
they all decided to pack up for the day. On the way home they stopped at her grandparent’s house to give them the fish.
Meem and Peep were happy to see them and thanked them for the fish. It was late when they got home and everyone was tired.
Holly and Ash helped Daddy and Will unload the truck while Mommy fed April and gave her a bath. When April was in bed asleep,
Mommy made tacos for dinner. Holly and Ash helped her with the dishes and went upstairs to watch a movie. When Daddy came
upstairs to check on them they had both fallen asleep.
Holly and Ash woke early every morning and helped feed the animals and do the morning chores. They spent their days playing
in the back yard pool, jumping on the trampoline and swinging in the bright summer sunshine. Every afternoon they would take
their lunches to the picnic table in the back yard. The summer sun was bleaching their hair a paler shade of blonde and turning
their skin a deep glowing bronze. Most afternoons, Will would take the girls riding in the back fields to check on the cattle.
Her cousin’s visit was swiftly slipping by. On the last Friday of her cousin’s visit, Holly’s father came
home from work earlier than usual. Before supper, Holly and Ash went outside to take a swim in the pool. Her father and Will
came outside too. Will and her father were carrying something when they came outside but Holly was too busy splashing in
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the pool with her cousin to pay much attention to what they were doing.
They didn’t notice the tents Will and her father had set up in the back yard until her mother yelled, “Supper
time.”, from the back porch. During supper her father told them that he and Will thought it might be fun to camp in
the back yard. After supper Holly, Will, Ash and her father went back outside. Her mother watched them from the kitchen window
while she did the dishes. The four of them gathered some dry wood and built a campfire between the two tents in the back yard.
Holly went back into the house and rummaged through cabinets until she found a bag of marshmallows. Will found four long sticks
that were forked on the ends and Daddy used his knife to peel back the bark.
From the kitchen window, her mother watched as the four of them gathered around the campfire to roast marshmallows. When
the dishes were done she dried her hands on her apron and sat down on the back porch. She left the back door open because
April was sleeping in her playpen in the kitchen. Lassie stopped so she could pat her head as she went inside and laid down
on the rug beside April’s playpen. Will told funny stories and made silly faces at the girls as they sat around the
fire. The sounds of laughter drifted through the back yard. Mommy sat quietly on the back porch listening as Daddy told the
children ghost stories around the fire.
Lassie ran through the kitchen and out the back door past Mommy barking shrilly. Mommy went inside to check on April who
was still sleeping peacefully. Daddy and the children stood up and tried to see where Lassie was running off to. From beyond
the barn they could hear the chickens cackling as if something had scared them. Daddy went to the den and got his shot gun.
“Something must be after the chickens.”, he said.
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Daddy and Will headed for the chicken coop and the girls started to follow but Mommy told the girls to come up and sit
on the porch with her. From their perch on the back porch they heard more cackling, Lassie’s shrill barking and three
loud gun shots. It was a while before Daddy and Will came around the side of the house. Lassie walked beside her father and
he was patting her on the head.
“That dog has sharp ears.”, her father said. “A fox was digging under the chicken wire behind the hen
house. I guess Lassie heard him before the hens realized he was there and started to cackle. He was about to have dinner when
I shot him. He killed one of the hens but the rest of them are okay.” Daddy rubbed Lassie’s head again. “Thanks
girl.” Lassie stayed on the back porch long enough to hear herself praised as the children petted her and Daddy scratched
her behind her ear. Then she wandered back through the kitchen door and laid down on the rug beside April’s playpen.
“If you girl’s aren’t afraid there’s another fox out here”, said Daddy with a smile, “we
can get back to our camp out.” The girls raced back to the campfire and sat down, eagerly waiting for Daddy to return
and finish his story. Mommy frowned, “Maybe you shouldn’t let the children sleep out here tonight.”, she
said. “There could be another fox.” Daddy laughed and kissed Mommy on the cheek. “Worry wart.”, he
said. “I’ll keep the campfire burning tonight and even if there is another fox out here I don’t think it
will bother us.” Mommy looked worried. “Well”, she said, “if you’re going to stay out here at
least keep Lassie outside with you. If anything else does come around I’m sure she’ll wake you up.”
Mommy patted Lassie’s head and gave her a treat. “Good girl, Lassie.” Lassie licked Mommy’s hand
and Mommy laughed. She rubbed her head again and whispered to Lassie, “I’ll take
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care of the baby girl. You go on outside and make sure there aren’t any more foxes wandering around the yard tonight.”
Lassie licked her hand again and trotted out the kitchen door and down to the campfire where she lay down between Holly and
her cousin.
The early morning sun spilled through the windows of the tent waking the girls. Lassie nuzzled Holly’s cheek and
began licking her face. Holly started to giggle. “All right girl, all right. I’m getting up.”, she said.
Daddy and Will were already up. When Holly came out of the tent they were sitting at the picnic table with Mommy having a
cup of coffee. Ash yawned and stretched as she came out of the tent with Lassie tagging at her heels. Mommy went inside and
brought out a tray filled with donuts, hot chocolate and coffee. Holly filled Lassie’s bowls with fresh water and food.
When they finished their breakfast, Daddy and Will went down to the chicken coop to repair the damage the fox had done the
night before. Holly went upstairs with Ash and helped her pack her suitcase.
“I wish you didn’t have to go home today.”, Holly said with a sigh. Her cousin sighed too. “I know.
It’s been so much fun staying here on the farm with you guys. The rest of the summer will be boring compared to this.
Maybe you can come visit our house for a while or I can come back to see you before the summer is over.” When April
started to cry, the girls forgot about their packing and hurried down the hall to check on her. “I’ll miss the
baby.”, Ash said. “You’re so lucky Holly. I wish I had a baby sister to play with. You have so much to do
here. I know you have chores and all but taking care of the animals is kind of fun.”
That afternoon as they drove her cousin home the girls chattered happily and talked about all the fun they had had together.
Daddy promised that the girls could spend some
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more time together soon. Holly smiled a secret smile from her seat, she was sure Daddy was right. Her enchanted journal
would help to ensure it. Life was usually more fun if you didn’t know what was going to happen ahead of time. Hopes,
dreams and wishes were an important part of life and helped to make it interesting even if all your dreams didn‘t always
come true.......but with the help of the enchanted journal Holly was sure that her heart’s desire was never out of reach.
