Sunshine in Dark Times

By Joseanne Capelo

15 year old Rachel is uprooted from a happy life in Florida and sent to live with her surly father in England. While roaming the countryside she sees Sunshine, a beautiful horse. She soon makes friends with Sunshine's owner and the young riders at his riding school. She is taught to ride and care for Sunshine. Life in England suddenly changes for the better.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Felicty Keats Morrison
• Release date: Aug 12, 2012
• ISBN: 9781476340531

Book preview

Chapter 1

I used to have a happy life, but you never can fully appreciate something (or someone) until you lose them. My friends, my family-everything I took for granted was taken away from me when I, Rachel Delta, was fifteen

My parents got a divorce when I was two. I don’t have any memories of my father, but I lived with my mother. She was a gentle, kind, nurturing woman, but would always get angry when I asked her about Dad.

For example, Mom?

Yes, dear?

What was Dad like?

She would pause, frowning. I don’t want to talk about that right now, honey.

Please?

Quiet! Please! I don’t want to talk about him!

After taking a good look at my sad face, she would sigh, look guilty and apologize.

My best friends, Samantha Jones and Jessica Franz (both aged fifteen), were great people. Samantha was quiet and resigned, and her blue eyes looked like beautiful blue oceans. Her hair was like gold that swept down her back, and she always blushed when people complimented her.

Jessica was exactly the opposite! She was outgoing and loud, always making jokes and her cheerful mood always rubbed off on everyone else. She had short chocolate-brown bangs and chestnut coloured eyes.

We all lived in West Palm Beach, Florida, went to the same school and lived in the same building. I know that it seems obvious that best friends should live in the same place, but I would soon find out that it was a true privilege to have your friends so close to your front door.

I lived on the second floor of our four-storey flats, Samantha lived on the first and Jessica lived on the fourth. On the east side of the building, there was a swimming pool and garden. On the north side of the building, there was a small outhouse where we went to do our laundry. On the south side was the parking lot, and on the west side was the always-busy road.

One hot July afternoon, I was trying to watch TV (trying because the heat made me very uncomfortable), when the doorbell rang.

I’ll get it! I called to Mother, who was in her room.

I jumped off the tiny couch and ran to the door. I peeped through the glass, because Mother doesn’t like me opening the door when I don’t know who’s there. I saw that it was Jessica, so I unlocked and opened the door.

I knew what she was going to say, even before she said it. She was wearing a purple bikini with a towel wrapped around her torso, an obvious sign that she was going swimming.

Hi! she said, Samantha and I are going to the pool. Do you want to come with us?

Sure. I’ll be there in five minutes, I replied with a smile, relieved that I had something to do other than watch TV. Jessica bounded around the corner, not even bothering to use the elevator. I laughed privately to myself, for I knew that Jessica had never taken the elevator since she first came here. She always complained that it was too slow, and that a sloth could walk faster than it, and I kind of agreed.

I went back inside to change. As soon as I had my costume and towel, I went to tell Mother that I would come back home in about two hours. But something made me stop. She was sitting cross-legged on her bed, with tons of papers surrounding her. In the middle of it all, she had her head in her hands, and she was crying. I didn’t know whether I should go in and ask her about it or just leave her alone.

I soon decided not to interrupt her. I tiptoed to the study and wrote a letter to her on a piece of paper:

Mom, I’m at the pool with Jessica and Samantha. I'll be back home for supper in two hours. If you need me, just come to the pool.

Love, Rachel.

I placed my note on the dining room table and left.

When I arrived at the pool, Jessica and Samantha were splashing at each other. As soon as they saw me, they climbed out, pulled away my towel and flung it onto the floor. Then, using every ounce of their strength, they pushed me to the pool. Just before my head broke the freezing water’s surface, I saw them laughing and high-fiving each other.

When I resurfaced I scowled playfully at them as they cannon balled into the pool. After a huge water fight, we lounged lazily on the steps.

Suddenly, Samantha nudged me in the ribs.

Rach, Jess, look over there! she hissed.

I followed her gaze and smiled. My boyfriend, a teen from our flat called Jason, had just walked into the pool area with his buddy, Kyle, who Jessica liked.

Jason was a sweet fifteen-year-old boy who had strawberry-blonde hair and soft green eyes. Kyle was okay as well.

Jason had once asked me on a date, and I’d gone. We’d kissed and dated for a while, but the relationship hadn’t lasted very long. But then a few months later we’d talked about our feelings and we’ve been dating since.

When Jason's eyes met mine, he smiled and winked, which sent my heart spluttering unevenly. I smiled back.

Kyle looked our way (particularly at Jessica) and whispered something to Jason. He chuckled, but his eyes never left mine.

Eventually, Jason and Kyle swam. When they had taken their shirts off, Jess and I had giggled while Samantha just rolled her eyes.

... And so I’m very worried about her, I told Jason. I was telling him about my mother and how I didn’t know what to do when I saw her crying. He seemed sympathetic.

We were sitting on the pool’s steps in a place sheltered by bracken leaves, so we were hidden. I was sitting on Jason's lap with his arms wrapped around my waist.

He said nothing for a while, so I asked, What do think it is?

Well, he started, seeming to try to think it through, It might be bills.

I eyed him dubiously. I think it’s something more important than bills. I’ve never in my whole life seen my mother cry like that.

Jason's eyebrows pulled together as he thought harder.

It could be bills. Electricity and water are going up, and so is the rent. She’s maybe a bit behind, financially.

I still say no. I don’t think that my mother would become broke. You know as well as I do that she earns a tonne of money as a psychiatrist. Do you think I should ask her about it? I asked.

Jason just shrugged. Sure. Communication is always the right way to go.

We said nothing for a while after that. I just buried my head in Jason's warm chest and thought about how lucky I was.

What time is it? I mused. The sky was starting to turn dark, and people were leaving the pool and going back to the flat.

He shifted his weight to look at his water-proof watch.

Almost six o’ clock, he announced. We’d better get going then, I sighed.

Jason helped me up and walked with me to my apartment.

Goodnight, he said with a dazzling smile. He bent down to peck me on the cheek and took the elevator ride to the floor above me.

With the towel wrapped around me, I stepped inside. Mother was cooking food, spaghetti from the smell of it. I saw that her cheeks and eyes were red from crying, but I pretended not to notice.

Hi, I said as I put my towel in the hamper. Mother merely nodded and carried on cooking the spaghetti. I remembered what Jason had said, about communication being a good idea. Maybe I should wait until we’d finished dinner.

Chapter 2

Mother, I started hesitantly. We’d just finished dinner, and I was clearing the table.

Her head snapped up to look at me. Yes?

I swallowed hard, not really knowing what to say. Um earlier this afternoon, I saw you crying. Why were you?

She bit down hard on her lip. I counted the seconds in my head I got to one minute and six seconds before she answered.

There’s something you should know

I’m listening, I assured her when she didn’t carry on.

"Well when you were born, it was the greatest day of my life. I was married to a wonderful man, and our family was about to start. I knew that this was all that I wanted out of life.

"But what I didn’t know was that your father didn’t want a family. He wanted it to be just him and me. He went so far as to threaten to kill you if I didn’t send you away.

When I refused, he set a court meeting. I knew that he had a good lawyer and would easily get full custody over you. So I ran away with you.

It sounded like she was choking. She trailed off and cried for a full five minutes while I stood there watching.

Then I finally had to ask, What has this got to do with you crying this afternoon?

She bit her lip self-consciously. You know Victor?

What about him? I asked. Victor was my mother’s new boyfriend. I didn’t really like him, but my mother was head-over-heels for him.

Well he wants to take me to live with his family in Thailand, she said, looking at her lap. And he doesn’t want you to come.

WHAT! WHY? I screamed. He always acted as if he liked me, and now he doesn’t want me to move with you guys! Why?

That’s what I asked him as well, she sighed, tears springing to her eyes. But Victor is adamant that he wants a family of his own, not one that was made before him. I fought for you, Rachel, I really did. I promise!

There was utter silence for a long time, and then I exploded with rage. So what? Are you choosing your new boyfriend of a few months over your own daughter? You must be joking!

Despite my expectations, Mother burst into tears - tears of confusion, of anger, of sorrow. I’m so sorry, Rachel. I promise, if it doesn’t work out, I’ll come out and get you, I swear on my life.

That momentarily replaced my rage with confusion. What did you say? That you would ‘come out and get me’? Where will I be?

The reason I told you about your father was because I told him that I was leaving, and that you had nowhere to go so he wants you in England in a week.

Wait. I’m confused. Why does he want me there, when he didn’t want a family?

He found out that you’ve inherited a lot of money from your grandparents, which is technically mine, but I’ll pass it to you when you’re old enough. He wants the money for himself.

There was a long silence.

How - how much money are we talking about? I asked reluctantly.

Mother shrugged. When you turn eighteen you’ll get roughly eight million dollars.

I gulped. That was a lot of money. I’ll go, I said as firmly as I could.

No. How come adults could sound so firm without trying? It’s too far away, and you won’t be able to come visit your friends or Jason.

I felt tears well in my eyes. But I have nowhere else to go. Where does he live?

England, she admitted

My body stiffened and I dropped the plates I’d been holding. Even when they crashed to the floor and shattered to a million pieces, neither of us flinched. The tears that had welled in my eyes finally spilled over and I collapsed to the ground crying.

Are you sure you want to do this? Mother asked me at the airport a few days later. I felt bad; she’d had to purchase a last-minute plane ticket to England, which had cost her a lot of money.

I don’t mind. I’d rather go live with a man I’ve never met than risk you losing a man that you love, I said bravely.

Mother started crying again and gave me a huge hug.

Samantha, Jessica, and Jason were at the airport too. I’d told them everything and they’d insisted on seeing me go.

I honestly wished they hadn’t come. I was touched, of course, but it ruined all of the memories I had of them. The person I’d least wanted there was Jason. He hadn’t been taking it well. Like the others, his eyes were red from crying, but it was worse.

They all took a step forward to hug me individually. I had never cried so much in my life.

When Jason came forward to hug me, it was longer than the others had hugged me. I could feel his tears on my hair when he rested his cheek on my head.

Then a loudspeaker announced that anyone left must get on the plane in ten minutes. Jason seemed more unwilling than the others to let me go. He leaned down and kissed me before letting me go.

At the top of the airplane’s stairs, I turned around and waved to them. I then got inside, put my suitcases in the compartments above the seats and sat down. When I looked out of the small windows I saw that they had all left.

It was about half a day’s flight to England. We stopped at New York, Lisbon, Ireland, and then England. It was a good thing that most of the flight was at night so I could sleep through most of it.

At the airport, I looked around. Now that I thought about it, I had no idea who I should be looking for!

It was a good thing that whoever was looking for me knew what I looked like. A young woman, no older than twenty-five, came up to me.

Good day, Lady Rachel, the woman said to me.

She was definitely English; her accent was thick.

I wondered why she called me Lady Rachel. Maybe my father was someone very important and rich. I didn’t really care.

My name is Janine, she introduced, and then added, Your father can’t wait to see you.

That last part didn’t sound true. It was like she was saying it only because she didn’t want to hurt my feelings.

Janine took my bags and showed me to the car a posh black Volvo. She led me to the passenger side and opened the door for me.

Only when I stepped into the warm car did I notice the weather. it was cloudy, slightly windy and very cold. I missed the sun already

Janine had finished loading my bags into the trunk. She strolled over to the driver’s side of the car, got in and started driving.

I looked down at my hands the whole way to my father’s house. At almost every red light or stop sign I would see, in my peripheral vision, Janine looking at me with a sympathetic expression.

The car suddenly stopped after two hours driving. I stepped out of the warm Volvo’s interior, into the cold, damp, gravel driveway. It made an annoying crunching sound every time I set my foot down, but I tried my best