Surfers and Scoundrels

By Kimberley Berry

Stunningly, beautiful, yet nerdy Ann Catherine has many secrets. Secrets she is too afraid to tell anyone, even her best friends. Devastated by the loss of her beloved father, she is forced to live within the walls of her crazy mixed up home with an evil step father. She copes to the best of her ability of not losing her mind. She relies on her strong faith in Christ to help her through this horrendous testing she endures, not only for her sake, but also for her loved ones.

This story in inspired by the kindness of others.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance of actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

• Language: English
• Publisher: LifeRich Publishing
• Release date: Jun 14, 2021
• ISBN: 9781489736390

Kimberley Berry

Kimberley Berry is a loving housewife living in Northern Texas with a wonderful husband and their small dog Rocky. She writes to escape reality and uses true events for her inspiration. This is her first Fiction endeavor filled with mystery, danger, and romance. A story to touch the heart who may have been through the same situations within the pages.

Book preview

Introduction

23769.png

Russell (aka Russ) Kenneth Taylor was a famous football player. He wasn’t the typical jock who enjoyed parties and lots of girlfriends. His brag book of conquests was blank, retaining only the dust from the pages within. When he wasn’t training for a game, he was preparing his mind. He was an A student with love for knowledge. He studied everything he could obtain from both the school and city libraries. He also spent hours in the bible. He loved God with all his heart and desired to be a lot like his savior, Jesus Christ.

Because of his love for the Lord, he tried to show the same passion for others. This quality attracted Lenore Grace Cavanaugh. She was a believer and wanted to have friends with the same goals and love that Russell had. They met at a church function and began dating. Both attended the same college leading them to a deeper understanding of life and each other. Placing God first, they achieved their goals, and each received a diploma with high honors.

After graduation, Russell became a Christian therapist and Anne, a Certified Public Accountant. She chose to work at the church as a bookkeeper instead of the hustle and bustle of the city.

Since their engagement, they began saving money. Russell found some land in a tiny beach town that was named Excellent Bay. It had great surfing and retained the name Bay to keep the beach clean and free of the wild surf environment. He planned for their home. It was a year of building. It was everything Lenore dreamed of, a house with a wraparound porch with beautiful carvings on the posts holding up the awnings. Russell and Lenore took the time to thank God for his blessings. They were both amazed at what the two accomplished at such a young age of twenty-four and twenty-three.

Things were beginning to settle down after they married and moved into their house. Within the same year, Lenore became pregnant with their first child. When she sprung the news onto Russell, he was elated. He had a new project to complete, a matching crib and rocker. So off to the lumber yard, Russ went to select the proper materials.

Russell found peace as he would create things. He took up woodworking as a hobby at a young age; it helped release any stress he may have endured before a game or a test.

Of course, Russell would take his concerns to Jesus first. He also remembered Jesus was a carpenter as well. Russell lovingly sanded the rocker and crib for his wife and child. Once finished, he placed both items in the bedroom.

Oh, Russ, they’re beautiful. Thank you so much, exclaimed Lenore.

Only the best for my bride and baby, Russell tenderly answered.

Anne Catherine was born a few months later. She was beautiful with golden locks and hazel green eyes. Anne was a curious child. Just like her father, she wanted to learn about everything. She caught on to the basics of kindergarten skills at the young age of three.

Within the next four years, along came brothers Michael Mark and Thomas Paul to the Taylor family. Russell and Lenore couldn’t have been happier. They were thankful for the blessings God had given them, three healthy, intelligent children. The bonus was they became sincere believers in Jesus as well.

Anne and her brothers were inseparable. They seemed to play together and get into mischief as well—nothing serious, just ordinary kid stuff. Most of the shenanigans were harmless. They even tried to dig a hole large enough for a pool. Anne instructed her siblings to hold the hose over the opening to fill it up. The outcome ended up being a giant mud puddle taking several months to harden under the hot sun.

Both parents decided they would inquire into a pool company for the proper installation. Sadly, they couldn’t afford it at the time. Lenore set up a pool jar to put loose change into for a future cost.

Anne, Michael, and Thomas would resort to running through the sprinklers in the meantime.

Russell also had a motorcycle. On sunny days, he would take each of his offspring for rides. It was during those times; Anne felt a special closeness with her father. He was protecting her from harm as he made sure she was holding onto him for safety. She could trust him. She knew he would always keep her safe.

Michael and Thomas felt the same way. Dad would try to be there for them as well. Until one day, he couldn’t be there for any of them. Their dad took his motorcycle for a ride to check out the timing of the engine.

During the test, a drunk driver hit him. Russell never made it back home.

Russell died a week after Anne’s twelfth birthday. His funeral left a somber atmosphere among the home and family. Nothing seemed to be of importance anymore, not even going to church. Anne’s father and protector were gone. She was so sad her tears seemed to have dried up from crying so much. Lenore was starting to be concerned for her oldest.

A year later, the life insurance and savings funds were exhausted. Lenore found a job with Alexander, Gibson, and Schultz. The company needed a CPA.

Lenore’s hours were decent. She was able to get Anne and her brothers off to school. At times, she was home by late afternoon. Somebody would make Homemade dinners. Sometimes Anne would have to start the meal; her mom would finish it up. Things became routine. Life was somewhat normal.

Arthur Gibson, a part-owner, was Lenore’s boss and noticed the beautiful blonde with hazel green eyes almost immediately. Within a few months, he asked Lenore out. Before the first date, Arthur was nervous after the last of the bottle of wine was finished. He rarely drank in front of Lenore.

As they were dating, they would share a glass of wine on occasion, but he had many secrets. He was an alcoholic. Arthur would go home to drink some more; after the date.

He courted her and the family as well. He had intentions of settling down. After two years of dating, wedding bells were in the air.

Lenore and Arthur had married during the winter. It was simple yet elegant. Friends, family, and co-workers joined the couple as they exchanged vows. Anne and her brothers were in shock. They seemed unsettled at the new arrangement, Anne especially. Arthur would make her feel uncomfortable from his peering eyes.

After the ceremony, things changed for Anne. She avoided her stepdad as much as possible. She resented the fact he demanded a name change from Taylor to Gibson. Anne stood her ground. Shortly after the wedding, the first inappropriate encounter with him happened. She didn’t tell her mother, for it would have made the situation worse. It would have broken Lenore’s heart. Arthur wasn’t to be trusted.

Lenore was busy trying to keep both her husband and children happy. It seemed the family was falling apart. An unraveling of sorts was taking place. Anne was going to be fourteen and starting high school. Could that be the problem, aside from the hidden abuse?

She started to pray—something she hadn’t done for a while. Sadly, the entire family failed to pray or even read the bible since her dad, Russell, died. Church seemed to be an afterthought.

Anne prayed for strength and protection from all evil. She felt its presence each time Arthur was in the house. Anne prayed for her family and getting right with Jesus. Lenore found her crying while she was finishing her prayers.

Are you okay, sweetie? What’s wrong? Lenore asked.

Just praying for some guidance for the start of my first year in high school, answered Anne.

I will be praying for you as well, encouraged her mother.

Anne patted the side of her bed, indicating to her mother to join her in prayer. Soon Michael and Thomas came into the room.

They, too, needed to talk to Jesus. Her school was starting soon, and they all decided they would try to start each day with prayer.

The first semester of the school year breezed by quickly. Before anyone realized it, Christmas had come and gone. Anne was happy the family went to church to celebrate the reason for the season. Even Arthur put on a good show for the family and others. The new year just reinforced Anne’s countdown to the day of her release from her home was getting closer.

Month by month, day by day, hour by hour, minute by minute, missing her dad, her head began to hurt. Soon she would be free from creepy Arthur. His advances weren’t welcomed and getting more aggressive. Out of fear, she couldn’t breathe a word to her mother, Lenore, regarding her disdain for the ‘father figure.’ Another reason not to change her last name from Taylor to Gibson.

Out with the Old, in with the New

23735.png

The air was a little chilly for a beautiful spring morning. Flowers planted weeks ago were starting to poke their heads above the dirt. Anne Catherine was adjusting the buttons on her sweater as she walked from her home. As she approached the corner, she looked towards the vacant house. This house near the entrance of the cul-de-sac had been empty for the past two months.

The previous occupants moved because their children were getting in trouble. The lawn was overgrown with weeds, and the shrubs were a mess. A stray flower could be seen within the foliage. The green/gray stucco around the exterior was damaged as well. The Franklin Construction sign placed in the front of the lawn had been taken down for disposal.

As Anne continued her walk to the school bus stop, she noticed activity on the premises. Cleaning crews and landscapers were doing their due diligence preparing for new tenants.

Anne shook her head; Anne’s golden tresses gleamed in the morning sun as she shook her head. She was considered a natural beauty, just like her mother, Lenore Grace. Both had blond hair with hazel-green eyes. Anne’s were more prominent with the green