Georgiana Daniels - A Daughter's Redemption

“Are you sure you want to?”

Robyn sat next to her friend. “I know it sounds crazy but yes. Now that I have a chance, I’m taking it.”

Ginger raised one highly suspicious eyebrow before her features softened. “I won’t pretend to understand, but you and I can have a long talk when I get back from my conference.”

Robyn stood. She twisted the wand on the display blinds. Open, shut, open, shut. “I’m sure what happened yesterday was a fluke. Let’s get the saleslady and finish up. I’m supposed to meet with the handyman soon.”

The salesclerk came over and drew up the order. Robyn handed the woman her debit card, hoping it wasn’t declined. She prayed there would be enough money made on the sale of the property to cover what was still owed along with the expenses she was incurring.

After they finished, they strolled out of the store. A rainbow hung over Pine Hollow, and the scent of rain permeated the air.

Ginger grabbed Robyn’s forearm. “Don’t look now.”

Robyn looked. Abby sauntered out of a boutique like she owned the sidewalk, nose tilted skyward. She waved and hoped her half sister was in a better mood than their brother. “Hi, Abby. I thought you had headed home to Phoenix for a while. What brings you back so soon?”

Abby straightened her collar. “Business.” The clipped word made her cringe.

“I’ll leave you two alone.” Ginger backed away to peruse a window display.

Robyn forced a smile and prayed for the right words. “Ginger and I were ordering new blinds. I think they’ll look good in the house.”

Abby responded with a simper. Where was the sister she’d played with as a kid, the one who splashed around in the lake with her, made mud pies and whispered secrets late into the night? A sister—a whole family, really—was the only thing Robyn wanted. What could she say to bring peace?

“Abby, look—why don’t we call a truce? I don’t know what you and Brad still have against me after all these years, but I want to get along.”

“You really don’t know?” Abby’s eyes narrowed.

“The past is the past.”

“And sometimes the past bleeds over.” The venom in Abby’s words struck their target, and after a few moments, her features softened, if only a little. “But even now, I have my reasons.”

She tried to ignore the attention they drew from the other pedestrians. “Tell me. I’ll do whatever I can to make it right.”

For the first time, Abby’s composure was shaken. “You can’t make it right. Like I said on the phone the other day, there was no reason for my father to leave Lakeside Cabins to you. That was my home growing up. You left, and yet you’re rewarded?” Her pitch rose with intensity. “I don’t think so.”

“I may have walked out, but I was sixteen years old and full of emotions I couldn’t get a grip on. But you’ll never know how much it hurt to be told that no one wanted me to come back.”

Abby huffed. “I don’t know anything about that, but it serves you right. My parents had nothing but trouble whenever the subject of you came up, and it really hurt our family.”

At least you had one. Robyn swallowed the comment in order to focus on what was important now. “Look, I don’t know why Dad left the property to me, either, but it’s the only hope I have that he actually cared about me. I want to get along with you—and with Brad. It’s not like we have to be friends, but can we at least not be enemies?”

A dark cloud passed over the sun, and the breeze stilled, as though all of Pine Hollow was pausing to hear Abby’s reply. “There is one thing you can do.”

Robyn’s heart fluttered with fresh hope. She’d do whatever it took to make peace with her sister, no matter the cost. “Tell me.”

“There’s a hearing coming up, for the police officer who was involved in the accident.” Abby’s eyes turned to stone. “Brad and I are going to have our say and hopefully get that person off the force. You can prepare a statement, too. After everything that’s happened, you owe it to Dad to speak up.”

Anger bubbled inside her at the mention of the cop, but she’d never been one for vengeance. “I’m not sure what to say.”

“Say yes.” Abby’s mouth tipped up at the corners. “It’s the least you can do.”

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