The Penderwicks Together Again

1

CHAPTER ONE
Skye sat on the hardwood floor of her apartment. She was sitting cross-legged in the middle of a sea of boxes. "Yeah, it's really happening," she said into the phone. "No, I'm doing fine...no, really, Rosalind. It was only a matter of time." Skye paused for a second and thought about being sad, but decided against it. "No, really, it's what's best...for everyone." She said it firmly, hoping Rosalind wouldn't push her.
"Skye, you're getting a divorce. You don't have to pretend to be okay about it," Rosalind said.
"I'm not pretending! I really am fine and I'm excited to see you all," Skye insisted back into the phone. "Oh, okay, well I should go, too. See you tomorrow, Rosy." She hung up and flopped back on the floor. There had once been a bed right where Skye was laying, but she had sold it as soon as she and Dušek had signed the divorce papers. And since she had decided to move back home to her family for a while, she wouldn't need another bed. So just for tonight she would be sleeping on the floor. But Skye didn't really mind, she was just glad to be going home.
Skye sat up and rummaged through the box nearest to her head. She had kept this one untaped for emergencies just like this. She pulled out her old algebra book and ran her fingers over the worn pages. Even though Skye knew every problem in the book, it always calmed her nerves to go back and do them again. And so she did, working through the whole book until she fell asleep.
~ .~
Skye woke to the sound of a big truck screeching up her driveway, and she woke with a smile. Jumping out of—well, off the floor— Skye ran to the windows to see that yes, indeed, the big movers truck was there. She did a little happy dance around the boxes, a sort of cross between a jig and the tango, but she quickly stopped herself. Even on such a day as this, when she was to see her family, was still no time for a dance.
The movers tramped through, helping Skye pack the boxes and a couple of pieces of furniture she couldn't bear to part with. Once all was loaded into the truck, Skye herself hopped into her faded blue minivan and drove off without a second glance. She was driving toward her family and she was ready to move on.
~ .~
Skye hadn't lasted long in California. Four months after she and Dušek were married, Skye started getting irritable and finally decided she was too far from her family. And so they had moved back to Massachusetts, in the hopes that Skye would be happier closer to home. But after four more months, they both knew their problems weren't just about where they lived. Even though Skye wasn't in California anymore, she still didn't get to see everyone nearly enough.
So when Skye finally pulled onto Gardem Street, she felt her eyes get wet and teary. She had missed her childhood home. Oh, the memories she had there...and they all came rushing back.

When she pulled into the Penderwick driveway, she didn't wait for the moving truck that would arrive any second. She only slammed her car door with victory and leapt up the front steps, bursting through the front door, calling "I'm home! I'm home!" Barely had she stepped foot inside the house, when she was tackled by a hug, a hug so fierce, she almost fell to the ground. She laughed. It was of course, Ben and Lydia, the youngest and most recent additions to the Penderwick family.
Finally pulling back, Skye could examine them. Even though she had seen them only a few months ago, the two youngest Penderwicks looked radically different. Lydia, being thirteen and a half, seemed to be growing a new inch every day. Ben, being eighteen, therefore a legal adult, was looking more manly and handsome all the time. Especially since he had started growing out the little bit of stubble on his chin.
"Lyds, quit growing...you're making me feel short." Skye demanded.
Lydia saluted her. "Yessir."
Skye turned to Ben. "I've given up telling you not to grow, you never listen. But I like the
beard."
Ben smiled and rubbed his chin. "Thank you."
Skye moved in for another hug, but Lydia stopped her with a gasp. "Your hair!" Lydia
shrieked.
"Oh." Skye pulled her hair out for them to see and sheepishly tugged at it. "I just haven't
had time to cut it is all...I will soon." Ben and Lydia stared in shock at her golden locks that now fell all the way past her shoulders. In all the years of knowing their sister, never once had they seen it grow past the short cut where she always cropped it sharply at her chin.
"No, Skye, please don't cut it!" Lydia pleaded, desperately running her fingers through Skye's silky, light-colored hair.
Skye laughed. "We'll see, Dandelion Fire." She hugged Lydia and Ben each once more and then glanced around. "Is Jane here? She said she was going to stay for a few weeks, since—" Skye was interrupted by a blur of long limbs rushing down the stairs followed by a flurry of excitement.
"Skye! Skye! Oh, Skye!" And then Jane took a flying leap at her and this time, Skye really was knocked over. Skye and Jane were a puddle of laughter and tears. While Ben and Lydia had seen Skye only a few months before, for Jane it had been six whole months since she had seen not only her sister, but her best friend. "Oh, Skye, it's been absolutely marvelous! Me and Artie got to see Paris! And it must have been at least two hundred people that showed up for my book reading! And most all of them bought it! Oh, how the life of being a published author has changed me," Jane said dramatically. Skye laughed. Jane looked genuinely at Skye. "All my dreams are coming true."
Skye smiled at her. "I'm happy for you, Jane."
It took Jane a few extra seconds to realize that she was ranting about all of her accomplishments while her sister was going through a divorce. "Oh, Skye, I'm sorry. Even I can't imagine what it must feel like."
Skye sighed and pulled her sister to her feet. "And I don't want you to. I didn't come here for your pity. I came to spend time with my family and move on from everything that happened with Dušek."