Shady Springs Ranch

C H A P T E R 1

“Brielle, I want you to realize you’re being given another chance to have a normal life with a loving foster family. The Kellingtons are an older couple who lost their daughter three years ago and now they’ve decided they want to take in and love another child.”

There was a long pause with no response. “You can’t run away again. Do you understand that? No one wants to take a chance on being responsible for a child who constantly runs away.”

Another long pause with no response. “People who take on this responsibility also invest their hearts when they open up to love another child.” Vicki Stone shook her head as she watched the wipers swish the rain off her windshield. She wished she could see inside the head of the young girl sitting beside her.

Brielle looked out the window as the car sped towards her new home ... No, not home, she thought ... a new place. She already knew she’d hate where she was going and would run away again. Maybe next time she wouldn’t get found.

When they drove in the driveway, the Kellingtons came out to greet them. They looked like they wanted to run towards the car, but they held each other back and slowed down to a walk. Brielle thought to herself, how lame.

She got out of the car and pulled her knapsack from the back seat. She didn’t have much, but that meant there would be less to carry when she left. She wondered how long it would be before she grew tired of them and sneaked out of the house late at the night.

She heard, “Hi there, Brielle, welcome to Wimberley, Texas. My name is Brenda Kellington and this is my husband Paul. Welcome to our home. We hope you’ll like living here.”

Vicki introduced herself to the Kellingtons and followed them up the porch steps. She then turned and looked out over the yard with its many pine trees and well-trimmed bushes, “Lovely place you have here. Brielle has always lived in the city, so this will be a good change for her.” Then she turned around and entered the large and inviting log and stone home. She had always loved looking at houses and this one was spectacular.

Brielle admired nothing and said nothing.

Once inside, Brenda turned and offered to get them iced tea and cookies if they were hungry. Vicki accepted the offer, but Brielle simply looked away and flopped down on the closest chair.

It was hard to make conversation with a person who refused to respond, but Vicki continued to talk as if she was getting answers. “Brielle, isn’t this a lovely house? It’s large and beautifully decorated. I think you’ll like it here. I understand it’s a working cattle and horse ranch.” There was a pause while she tried to think of something else to say, “Weren’t those fences we saw on the way in pretty? And, did you notice the horses in the pastures? You might like to go out to their stables later.” She finally stopped trying to make conversation and quietly waited for the refreshments to be brought from the kitchen.

After the foster parent contract was signed, Vicki got up to leave. She leaned over and whispered to Brielle, “Remember what I said, this may be your last chance for a placement and the Kellingtons seem to be a lovely couple. Give them and yourself a chance. This could be a wonderful place for you.” She straightened up, turned, and walked towards the door, glancing back at the scowling young girl who had moved from the chair and was now sprawled out on the sofa. She silently offered up a prayer, God, please give the Kellingtons the patience needed to break through Brielle’s shell of indifference. Only You can turn this hateful, and probably frightened, young girl into someone loving and special. Help her see these people are being the hands and feet of Christ, offering to show her the way to a wonderful life of peace and contentment. Amen.

After the door closed, Brenda turned to Brielle and offered her a hand, “Would you like to come upstairs with me to see your room?”

Brielle looked at her new foster mother’s hand with disdain, then ignored it as she got up from the couch without help. Brenda simply turned away and said, “Follow me.” Brielle followed, but dragged her knapsack behind her, trying to make as much noise possible as they walked up the stairs.

Her room was beautiful. The walls were covered with a light wood paneling and floor was natural stone with thick rugs laid about to take the chill off feet on cold days. It even had an unusual wrought iron screen in front of the stone fireplace. She peered in the large bathroom, but said nothing. She’d never had a bathroom of her own, but she wasn’t going to show them she was impressed. Besides, she wasn’t going to stay anyway.

The four-poster bed was positioned so she could sit on her bed and look out the window at the Blanco River ... not that it mattered. The beautiful quilt covering her bed was pieced together with muted fabrics and the pillows lining the headboard were fluffed up, soft and full. When her new foster mother left, Brielle sat in a chair by the fireplace and stared into the fire that had been lit to warm her room. She refused to sit on the inviting bed. Tears filled her eyes when she imagined this home and family vanishing like all the others. She always thought she left to avoid being tossed out and wondered how long it would be before she felt rejection again.

A tap on the door jolted her from those thoughts. She responded to the knock in a gruff voice, “What do you want?”

Brenda answered cheerily, “I just wanted to tell you we’re eating in thirty minutes so you’ll have time for a quick shower.”

“I don’t want a shower,” was the snippy response.

“I’ll come back and let you know when we’re ready to eat.”

“Suit yourself.”

Brenda and Paul were making a salad and checking on the chicken roasting in the oven when Paul remarked, “Well, not a wonderful start, but we’ll give her time. I just hope she allows herself to get to know us. It would be a shame if she cuts herself off from all the support and love we desperately want to give her.”

Upstairs a debate was going on. Brielle was thinking, should I stay up here and skip dinner to show them I don’t care to be around them, or should I go down for dinner, eat, and run back up to my room? Hunger won out. She could smell dinner cooking and it had been quite a while since she’d had a home cooked meal. Still wearing her old jacket, she slowly made her way downstairs, following the smell of food.

When she rounded the corner into the kitchen she was greeted with, “Hi, glad you could join us.” Their cheerful attitude annoyed her, so she didn’t respond. She would eat and scoot back upstairs before they started asking her questions. There were always questions. She’d found that out.

As they were eating, Paul commented, “Brielle, you’re going to be living here so, if you’d like, you can call us Paul and Brenda instead of Mr. and Mrs. Kellington.”

Brielle kept eating and didn’t respond, but she was thinking to herself, why should I call them Paul and Brenda? I’m going to be out of here soon anyway. I don’t want them to think I’m getting friendly and fitting into their precious little family. If I keep calling them Mr. and Mrs. Kellington they’ll know I’m not going to let them sucker me into caring for them.

Dinner was surprisingly pleasant. No questions were asked and the only subject discussed was the horses they had on the ranch. As she was getting up to make her break, they asked, “Brielle, since it’s still light out, would you like to go down and see the horses?”