Sweet Summer
by
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Walking briskly along, Aura noticed the little blue bells trailing along the path, and she heard the sound of the woods. She was so content to hear these familiar sounds when suddenly she heard another sound, while still familiar, yet not a sound of the woods. She listened intently to try to detect where the sound was coming from.
“Is it a human voice?” she thought. “Or is it a coyote’s bark? No! It is definitely a child’s voice! What is a child doing in these woods? How did the child get here?”
Then she heard the voice again. This time it was crying out more loudly. She tried to determine which way the voice was coming from.
“It is definitely not in front of me, nor in back of me.”
She listened again. This time she could distinctly tell it was coming from the right of her. She veered off to the right, leaving the path and tried to move toward the voice.
By now, she realized it was definitely the voice of a child. The voice sounded fearful. She kept moving closer to the sound. All this time, she was moving through a maze of underbrush in this thickly wooded area, which seemed to be getting steeper and more rugged. She was only thinking of this little voice that was wailing by now. “If only I can get to this child and comfort it,” she was thinking. She seemed to be getting a little closer to where the sound was coming from, but it was becoming more difficult to travel through the thicket. The briers were hurting her as they caught on her hair and tore at the clothes on her arms and legs, but she had to keep going.
Her thoughts were only on the child as she prodded on.
“I must rescue this child-but from what? Perhaps the child is hurt badly—a broken leg or arm? What if an animal has the child by the arm or leg? What could she do?” She shuddered to think of it. “I cannot think these thoughts, I must think positive. I must find this child before dark. I can’t see the sun now, but I think it was about twelve thirty or a little past when I left. I will save this child from whatever—I must trust God to protect us and guide me to this child. Oh, where is the child? Why would the child be in these thick woods? Where am I now? Am I lost? Oh, Lord, please help me!”
After much searching for the sound of the voice and calling out, she began to wonder what was going on. “Is this a bad dream? If it is, let me wake up, please.” But she didn’t wake up. It was real. She wondered, “Should I have tried to find this child, or should I have stayed on the path and went for help? I never dreamed that the voice I heard was so far away, or else I would not have wandered off the road.”
Finally, Aura could tell directly where the voice was coming from, but could not see the child. She looked all around and in the distance she saw a Ravine—she walked slowly to the edge of what seemed to be a deep gully with small scrub bushes protruding out from the sides, yet the bottom had only some brush, leaves and stones. The voice was stronger and louder. Or was it? Yes, it was coming from the bottom of the Ravine, which seemed three or four times her height. But where was the child? What if? What if something had hold of the child? Oh, no! Suddenly, she saw a movement and as her eyes began to focus more clearly, she could see the object. At first, it looked like a big china doll, but then, yes, it was truly a little girl—a very small little girl! She could see that she was shivering and raising her arms toward Aura. “She must see me.”
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About the Book
As Aura continued to dance in the moonlight, Patrick leaned against the doorway and pondered the mood of the night. He was six and felt very big indeed. He wondered if he was old enough to have a sweetheart.
“Pappy, am I old enough to court?”
“Not quite, son! Why?”
“Well, sir, I think that girl is going to be my sweetheart!”
So begins the lifelong love between Aura Blake and Patrick Garner. Soon afterward, Aura finds herself orphaned at age six, and she and Pat are separated for much of their childhood as Aura endures bitter mistreatment and isolation at the hands of extended family members.
When God, in His providence, brings Aura into kinder surroundings and the two childhood sweethearts back in touch, their little spark from long ago blazes into an epic love.
This love story, inspired by the author’s own parents, follows Aura in her fight for survival, anchored by her deep faith in God, and Pat in his quest to find himself and God, as he wrestles with the impact of his failing health on his passionate adventures in the great outdoors.
Together, Patrick and Aura face unspeakable tragedies that would destroy most loves and lives. Yet in the end, both find their place in the world as their love proves unquenchable and their faith unshakable.
About the Author
Ann Nivens attended Tennessee Technological University and University of Tennessee. A professional interpreter of the deaf, she has done extensive historical research, culminating in this, her first novel. She has authored a children’s illustrated book as well as numerous poems. Ann was born and reared in rural middle Tennessee. Being married to a pastor and minister afforded her many opportunities for worldwide travel. Mother of six children, Ann knew from an early age she wanted to be a writer. She currently resides close to her roots.