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Coming Home a Tiny House Collection

By Chandra Lynn Smith, Ane Mulligan, Pamela S. Meyers, Yvonne Anderson, Michael Ehret, Kimberli S. McKay, Linda W. Yezak

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~CHAPTER ONE ~

Julia Adkins stepped out of her Jeep Renegade. She clasped her hands above her head and stretched, then bent to touch her toes. The tiny house on stilts in the trees was a welcome sight. While two weeks at Myrtle Beach placing a service dog and training the new owner had been rewarding, nothing beat coming home to her mountains.
The afternoon sun sparkled like glitter across Sumner Lake. Most trees were bare, but patches of orange and purple foliage still dotted the forest. A carpet of newly fallen leaves covered the ground and, in this part of West Virginia the first snow could arrive any day. Ah, the wonderful, unpredictable season of the in-between.
Julia opened the Jeep’s back door and unfastened her Catahoula hound from his doggy harness.
“You know, Fred, we missed the peak of color, but maybe we’ll get an early snow. And I’m sure you can still find some rabbit trails.”
He barked as he leapt from the car and ran in ever-widening circles around the yard. Between laps he’d stop, bay into the air at nothing then resume the run. At the front steps, he sniffed something on the ground, backed up and sat.
Julia frowned. Fred did that when he found something he didn’t recognize. The last time this happened, he’d narrowly escaped tangling with a rattlesnake. She left her car door open and crept towards him. Every muscle in his back and legs tensed. He was ready to pounce on command. She stopped beside him.
“What’cha got there, buddy?”
At first nothing looked out of place. No animals or bugs or anything. She touched his shoulder and bent for a closer look in the direction his eyes were fixed. Then saw it. A yellow marble.
“Really, Fred? You go into guard mode for a marble? Thank heavens you saw it before it attacked me.” She picked it up and examined it. The marble looked just like the ones she’d been finding in random places all around the lake and even at work.
“Has it been raining marbles?” She pocketed it. “At ease, Fred. Come on, let’s get settled in.”
She entered the four-season room. When she’d insisted the builder glass in the patio space under her tree house, he’d laughed. But when she had the floor tiled, window treatments made, and a gas fireplace installed, he conceded her plan was good. She loved this little sunroom as much the tiny house above it.
She rubbed her arms against the chill. Good thing she came home today because forecasters called for a chilly start to the mid-October week. She adjusted the thermostat. “Won’t take this place long to warm up.”
Now, to unload the car, unpack, and fix something for supper. Julia threw her backpack over her shoulder, grabbed the grocery tote, and climbed the steps to the wrap-around deck. She paused to watch geese land on the water. Some girls dream of having tree houses when they’re young. But she got hers as an adult. The tiny house with cedar siding nestled on stilts in the oak trees was a dream come true.
“Fred, hup.”
He raced up to meet her. Though sixty-five pounds, he had the energy of a little dog, tenacity of a bully breed, and protective instinct of a guard dog. His ears perked as he focused his attention toward the property beside hers and barked. She put her gear down and peeked around the corner of her house through the woods.
The neighboring A-frame had been for sale and unoccupied for months. The ‘sold’ sign went up before she left for South Carolina. A tall man stood on the shared pier, talking on the phone. The new owner, maybe?
He said something that sounded foreign and then put his phone in his pocket.
Fred barked.
The tall, dark-haired, well-built man faced them and waved. “Dobrey oosto.” He shook his head and laughed. As he walked up the path he called to her. “That means good day. Sometimes I forget I’m not still in Russia.”
Russia? While he spoke it well, there was no accent. And, why did he look familiar?

Ryan Bowers waved at the brunette standing on the deck of the tree house. A lady lived in the tree house next door? Interesting. He stepped towards her property, but his phone rang again.
The temptation to ignore the ring ended only when he looked at the ID and saw Sergei’s name. It was late at night over in Russia. He held the phone to his ear, waved at the lovely lady, and then headed to his house.
“Priviut, Sergei! Do you have a malyshka yet?”
“Nyet. Ah, we are ready for this little one, but she does not come.”
“Be patient, my friend.” He looked up in time to see his neighbor turn and go inside. Shoot, he’d wanted to meet her. “So, tell me, why are you up so late?”
“Nastastya is restless and grumpy. Good time to call you.”
“Is the plumbing finished?”
“Almost. Would be easier with your hands to help.”
Ryan laughed. “You’re more of a plumber than I. You’re a jack of all trades.”
“Jack of what?”
“It means you, my friend, can build or fix pretty much anything, and I am just a missionary.”
“Mr. Ryan, you are more than missionary. You are brother. When will you come back?”
“I’ll have two weeks of vacation by March. Bought my tickets this week, so I’ll celebrate your first Easter as a believer with you.”
“That is good. Gives me time to get the plumbing complete. You are home now?”
“I moved in last weekend.”
“Is the house good?”
“Needs paint.”
“And the prison ministry, is it what you hoped?”
Ryan nodded. “I think it will be.” He heard a voice in the background. “Is that Nastastya?”
“Da. That ledi will be my end.”
“Soon enough you will hold your little girl.” He looked at his watch. “It’s late there and suppertime here. Take care and call me when your daughter decides to come.”
“You be sure of it. Have good worship tomorrow.”
“Will be good to be at my home church, but I will miss your lovely little church along the trail.”
“Da, it is a good church.”
“Dosvedania,Sergei.”
“Goodbye, Mr. Ryan.”
Ryan stood on his deck and stared across the water. A part of his heart was still in Russia with his “family.” Two years living with them, ministering on the streets together, and building houses for the children had permanently affected him. It was good to be home and, while he planned to return in the spring, it was time to settle in the States. How could a man belong in two places on opposite sides of the world?
He stepped onto his deck. He’d have to re-stain the cedar siding before winter, replace some of the shingles, and get the chimney cleaned and woodstove serviced. As beautiful as winter on the lake would be, his house needed some TLC before it was ready for the mountain cold. A gust of wind rushed through the trees, making him shudder. Would he get everything repaired before the first snow?
A bark from the tiny house in the trees broke his concentration. He chuckled. Maybe she had the right idea building such a tiny place. Smaller repairs.

Julia came in from church and placed her Bible on the desk and changed into jeans and sweatshirt. She’d been singing “How Great Thou Art” to herself ever since the closing hymn. It baffled her how Dad could preach such a powerful sermon on trusting God when Mom’s Lyme Disease was progressing out of control. If only she could have that kind of faith.
She shook her head. There’s a difference. Her life had been filled with loss. Losing Momma at three and Daddy at ten gave her severe trust issues. Why does God allow children to be without parents?
You have parents.
“Oh great, now I’m hearing voices. Yeah, sure I have parents. And I’m thankful they adopted me. But, still.” She looked around the room and shook her head. “Talking to a voice in my head. How crazy is that? Come on, Fred, let’s go outside.”
Julia walked to the water’s edge and looked around at the piers dotting the shoreline. They made everything look cozy. The Lake Authority had planned the community perfectly. Property owners’ land ended twenty feet from the water’s edge. Shoreline and pier maintenance was the responsibility of the home association. Every two properties shared a pier. She shared hers with the new neighbor. Hopefully they’d get along.
She sat on the bench at lake’s edge watching Fred as he chased random bugs along the shore. He stopped mid-pounce, turned toward the woods, and growled. Speak of the devil, her neighbor approached. Whoo, he was handsome.
“Fred, down.” He dropped to the ground, his tail wagging so hard his body wiggled.
As the man approached, he called to her. “Is your dog safe to pet?”
“He’s friendly.” She stood to greet her new neighbor. “Fred, use your manners.”
The dog sat and offered his right paw. Julia scratched behind his ears. “I taught him to wait until he’s spoken to. He’s waiting for you to say ‘how do you do.’”
“Oh, okay.” The man faced Fred and bowed. “How do you do, Mr. Fred?”
Fred wagged his tail, then stood and stepped into pace beside the man.
“I’m impressed. Who trained him?”
“I did.” She patted her left leg. Fred rushed to her side and dropped into a prone position.
The man’s long stride covered the distance between them quickly. “Now I must use my manners.” He extended his right hand to her and looked into her eyes, “Hello, my name is—”
“Ryan Bowers.”
A frown crossed his face, followed by raised eyebrows and recognition.
“Julia?”
She smiled and shook his hand.
He pulled her into a hug that felt way more like home than she’d have expected. He was eighteen to her twelve the last time she saw him. Her older brother, Ted, and adopted sister, Naomi had graduated with Ryan. He’d gone away to college and then into missions in Russia before anyone knew the major crush she had on him. She cleared her throat.
“Ryan, you look the same.” Except taller and even more handsome. “But I can’t believe you recognize me.”
He looked at her under raised eyebrows and nodded. “You’ve—um—grown up, but I’d know those chocolate eyes and that smile anywhere.”
Her cheeks warmed. She swallowed as she stepped back a few feet. “Who’d have thought, after all these years, we’d be neighbors again? I heard you were back, but that’s about it.”
“Then you have an advantage over me. I’ve heard nothing about the lovely dog whisperer who lives in a tiny tree house on the lake.”
“Ooh, you make me sound so mysterious.” She turned and looked up. Goodness, he towered over her by a foot. And she’d not felt the crazy beat her heart was doing since he hugged her goodbye before he left for college. She bent to scratch Fred’s neck and give herself a moment to recover her composure. “I’ve been away for two weeks and everything is dusty, but I love to show my home. Would you like to see inside?”
“I’d love to. I’ve seen photos of these houses, but never been in one. Not sure someone as tall as I am would ever be comfortable inside.”
“It’s more spacious than you think. Besides, this summer I had the patio underneath the house enclosed into a four-season room. I look forward to sitting in there when it snows. A few weeks ago, a deer walked right up to the glass and watched me. It was awesome.” She shuddered. “Not sure I’ll feel the same if a bear walks up to it.”
“Which is likely around here.”
“I know. I’m sure you’ll hear me scream when it happens.” She motioned up the hill. “Come on in. I’ll start some coffee and show you around.” She grinned. “We’ll be done before the coffee is.”
As they walked, Ryan stopped and bent to pick something up. He rolled it in his hands and then showed it to her. “How do you think this got here?”
She took the yellow marble from him, put it in her jeans pocket, and shrugged as she unlocked the French doors. “It’s kind of random, but I’ve been finding them for a few weeks now. I keep them in a vase in my kitchen window. They look rather pretty there.”
She stepped inside the sunroom and motioned to him. “Come on in, Ryan”

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