Hailey's Heart (Young Adult Christian Fiction) (The Valley Meadows Series Book 1) Read online

  Two of Kip’s second-grade students, Becky and Tara, ran up to her all excited. “Do you want to play hopscotch with us?” Becky asked Kip.

  “Maybe a little later,” Kip told her. “I’m finishing my coffee and getting these instruments counted. But, you and Tara have fun.”

  “Okay,” said Becky, “but you’re good at it and we like playing it with you.”

  “Maybe we’ll play it tomorrow,” replied Kip.

  “That would be great,” smiled Becky. The girls ran off to the playground.

  Kip continued stacking the instruments on the table and counting to make sure that she had plenty for everyone. If she did not have enough, she would have to borrow some from Kelly. Just then, Melanie, a very shy first-grader with blonde hair walked up to Kip and barely spoke above a whisper. “Could I use the restroom, Miss Kip?”

  “Oh, certainly,” Kip gave her permission. “Walk straight into the school and let me know when you are back, okay?”

  “All right, Miss Kip, I will,” she promised. Melanie walked toward the building to use the lavatory.

  Awhile later, Kip went to view the playground. All of the children were having a good time, so she gave them a few extra minutes to play before starting their morning routine. Finally, she blew her whistle and asked them to gather around her. “Come on, everyone,” she called. “We’re going to have sharing time on the benches.”

  The children came from the playground and put their balls into the large baskets that were near the benches under the shelter. Ashley came with them and made sure that each of them found a seat at the outdoor tables. Once they were situated, Kip led them in singing one of their favorite songs together. Then, she asked them who had a special story to tell.

  “I do,” offered Jason, a boisterous six-year-old boy. “It’s about how my sister got locked out of the house yesterday.”

  “Okay, Jason, let’s hear it.”

  “You told us that story before,” complained Austin, a ten-year-old student who was one of the oldest children in the program.

  “No, I didn’t,” denied Jason. “This one is different.”

  “Go ahead, Jason, you can tell us all about it,” said Kip.

  Jason had no sooner started his story than the fire alarm went off in the school. Kip called out to Kelly who was a few feet away with her own students, “Do we have a fire drill this morning?”

  “Not that I know of,” replied Kelly who was reading to her class.

  Jason was very animated and continued talking as the children gathered closer to him. All of them were laughing. Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, Kip noticed billowing smoke coming out of the west side of the school. She remembered that Melanie had gone to use the restroom. Kip turned to Ashley, “Look!” pointing toward the school. “Stay with the kids. I’ve got to get in there. Melanie went to the restroom.”

  “Kip, the smoke is pouring out. You can’t go in there!” Ashley warned her.

  “I have to,” Kip insisted. “Ashley, here’s my cell phone.” She took it out of her pocket. “Call 911.” She looked at the children. “Kids, stay with Ashley.” With that, she took off running and inadvertently dropped her paper coffee cup on the ground.

  Kip ran to the west side of the school and as she approached it, the smell of the smoke was so strong. She lifted the yellow scarf that she had on around her neck, covered her face with it, and ran into the smoke-filled building toward the girls’ restroom. The smoke appeared to be coming from the staff break room on the other side of the hall about twenty feet away. Once she reached the restroom, she opened the door. “Melanie!” she yelled. “Melanie, are you in here?”

  “Yes, Miss Kip, I’m so scared,” she answered in a high-pitched voice. Melanie was standing by the sink shaking and the water was running.

  “Is there anyone else in here?” Kip asked her.

  “I’m the only one,” she answered quivering.

  Kip ran and checked all three stalls. “Is there anyone in here?” she yelled. No one answered. She yelled again even louder, “Is there anyone here?” Again, no one answered. “Quick, Melanie, come to me.” Melanie ran across the restroom to Kip.

  “Hold my hand and don’t let go. Do you understand? Don’t let go no matter what,” Kip instructed her. “We’re going to run.” Together they ran out of the restroom and into the smoke-filled hallway. The fire alarm was so loud it was deafening. Melanie hesitated and would not move.

  She picked Melanie up and ran toward the side door to escape the smoke. Kip had difficulty breathing. “We’re okay. We’re okay,” she kept repeating while she ran and held Melanie’s head close to her chest. The child was crying and her small body was flailing from fright.

  “We’re almost out,” Kip assured her. “Hold on tight and don’t let go!” Kip pushed the door open with all of her might, got outside and kept running with Melanie in her arms. She finally got to the grassy area about forty feet away and plopped down with Melanie cradled in her lap.

  “Miss Kip, Miss Kip,” yelled Melanie.

  “We’re okay,” Kip said in an effort to comfort her. “We’re okay,” she repeated as she rocked Melanie back and forth on her lap. Just then, she could hear the sounds of sirens coming from fire trucks down the street. Apparently, someone had made a call to 911 before Ashley did. Before long, a silver-haired fireman rushed through the gate of the school’s chain link fence. He approached Kip and motioned for her to come with him.

  “We need to get you two away from the building,” he yelled. “Follow me.” Kip got up, took Melanie by the hand and followed him. Just then, the fireman grabbed Melanie in his arms. The three of them headed toward the shelter where the other children were waiting.

  When they got there, the man explained that he was the fire chief. Then, he questioned her in an assertive voice. “What happened, Ma’am?” he inquired. “Are there more children inside of the building?”

  “I don’t know,” Kip told him. “Melanie is my student and she was in the bathroom. I ran in to get her.”

  “Was there anyone else in there?” he asked in a serious tone. Time was of the essence if there were more people to rescue from the building.

  “Kelly and I run the summer program outside. There aren’t any classes in session in the building,” Kip informed him. “The office staff is on the other side at the front of the building.”

  “Did you see anyone else in the school?” he questioned pointedly.

  “I didn’t see a soul on this side. Only Melanie,” answered Kip. A young blond-haired fireman rushed up to them and took Melanie out of the fire chief’s arms.

  “I’ve got her, Chief,” he said and carried her toward an ambulance that was out in the school parking lot.

  “We’ve got men in the school now,” the fire chief explained to Kip. “Could you tell where the smoke was coming from?”

  “It appeared to be coming from the staff lounge on the west side of the building on the first floor,” she recalled.

  “And you didn’t see anyone else in there?” he asked.

  “No,” Kip insisted. “But, it was filled with smoke. It was hard to see.”

  “Okay, we are moving everyone to the far side of the parking lot,” he informed her. “It is not safe to be here.”

  “I’ll grab my students and take them there,” Kip said pointing to where she would be.

  “Do it quickly, he urged. “We want everyone as far away as possible.”

  Kip ran to get her students. Ashley had stayed with them the entire time. By then, another fireman was trailing behind her. When they reached the students from both classes, he instructed, “Everyone hurry and follow me. Stay together and we will get you out of the yard.” All of the students walked quickly and stayed together making their way across to the far side of the parking lot as she went with them.

  Once they got there, Kip took a head count. When she had taken one right after the children played games on the playground earlier, she knew that there were eighteen st
udents present, not including Melanie because she was in the building at the time. So, Kip asked all of them to stand still so she could count again. Each one was accounted for, except for Melanie whom the young blond fireman had taken with him.

  “Are all of your students with you, Kelly?” she asked.

  “Yes, they’re all here,” Kelly assured her. She and Jennifer had made sure to keep them all together. Just then, Kelly came over and gave Kip a hug. “Oh Kip, I am so glad that you and Melanie are alright. When you ran into the school, I felt so helpless. All I could do was keep the children close by me and pray for everyone’s safety.” At that moment, Kip realized that Kelly had black soot on part of her shirt from hugging her.

  “I am still shaking,” admitted Kip. Then, she noticed the scarf that she had pulled up on her face earlier. It had turned black. When Kip looked down at her legs, they were covered in soot, too, and so was her entire outfit.

  “I’m so grateful that you are okay,” said Kelly. She pointed over to the school. “Look at that smoke.”

  Kip wished that the firemen could put the fire out faster. It seemed to be taking forever. A few minutes later, a young brown-haired paramedic came running toward Kip and motioned for her to follow him.

  “Can you and Ashley watch my kids?” asked Kip.

  “Sure,” Kelly assured her. “We’ve got it covered.”

  Kip looked at her students. “Kids, stay right here with Kelly, Ashley, and Jennifer. Do everything that they tell you to.” Kip ran over to meet the paramedic. “What’s happening?”

  “The little girl keeps asking for you. Please, come with me,” he motioned to her.

  “Is she all right?” Kip inquired.

  “She is shaken up, but she is going to be fine,” replied the paramedic. “She keeps calling out for you. We want to assure her that you are okay.” Kip followed him to the far side of the parking lot and Melanie was lying on a stretcher.

  “Miss Kip!” she called to her. “Miss Kip, are you okay?” Melanie was crying uncontrollably.

  “I’m fine, Melanie.” The scared little girl reached up to put her arms around Kip.

  “Don’t let go, okay?”

  “Okay, I’ll hold onto you,” replied Kip giving her a hug. “Now try to lay down and I will hold your hand.”

  Melanie was shaken up from the whole ordeal. “I’m not leaving you, Melanie. I’ll be right here.” Kip held her tiny hand tightly.

  “Don’t let go,” Melanie cried.

  “I won’t,” promised Kip.

  The firemen were still battling the blaze. The sky was filled with smoke. Kip turned to the paramedic who had walked over to the stretcher with her. “Can you please send someone to be with all my kids?” she asked.

  “I just did,” he informed her. “They are fine and are far enough away from the building.”

  With all the commotion, Kip did not realize that news crews had arrived on the scene. All she could do was hold onto Melanie’s hand and try to assure her that everything would be all right. At least she hoped it would be. Kip stood there for what seemed to be eternity. At last, the young blond fireman approached her and announced, “We’ve got it out.”

  “You do?” asked Kip.

  “Yes, and everyone in the front office got out in time and is accounted for.”

  “God bless you,” said Kip.

  * * * * *

  That night on every local news station, Kip Terrence and Melanie Richards were the lead stories. Everyone heard about the young summer playground coordinator who saved a little girl’s life and pulled her to safety from a burning building. As Kip sat in the living room with her mother, she did not feel brave. Rather, she felt exhausted and all she could think about was how she had not wanted Melanie to let go of her as she ran for the door inside of the school.

  Kip’s mother looked up from the television, “Oh Kip, I can’t believe we could have lost you today.”

  “It’s so scary just thinking about it,” Kip admitted. “It is more frightening to imagine what would have happened if I didn’t try to go find Melanie. She could have died in there.”

  “I know,” said her mother.

  “I wish I could reach Chris,” said Kip. “I can’t believe that he doesn’t even have an Internet connection…but then, it’s so remote down there.” If Kip could only talk to him for five minutes, she knew that she would have felt so much better.

  “It would make such a difference to you,” her mother sympathized.

  “I guess it’s all finally hitting me now.” Kip started to cry. “Nothing in life prepared me for a day like today.”

  “Well, you did more than anyone could have ever expected on a moment’s notice,” her mother reminded her.

  Kip’s cell phone rang. She did not recognize the phone number. “Hello,” she answered, wiping away her tears.

  “Kip?” inquired the woman’s voice on the other end of the line. “Is that you?”

  “Who is this?” asked Kip.

  “It’s Sarah Richards, Melanie’s mother.”

  “Hi, Sarah,” said Kip. “Oh, I am so glad it is you. How is Melanie?”

  “She’s fine, but she’s still a bit shaken up. Kip thank you so much. Thank you for saving my daughter’s life.”

  “She is a brave little girl,” Kip told her. “She did everything she was supposed to and luckily, we made it out to safety.”

  “Melanie keeps asking for you. Can she say ‘hello’ to you?”

  “Sure,” agreed Kip. “I want to talk to her, too.”

  Soon, Kip heard Melanie’s little voice on the phone. “Hi, Miss Kip.”

  “Hi, Melanie,” she answered. “I’m so glad you called. How are you?”

  “I’m okay. I just wanted to hear your voice.”

  “I wanted to hear yours, too,” replied Kip.

  “My mom said that I can eat ice cream,” Melanie told her.

  “Oh, that sounds like a good idea. Maybe I’ll have some, too. What flavor?”

  “Chocolate.”

  “That’s what I’ll have, too,” Kip told her.

  “My mommy wants to talk to you.”

  “Okay,” said Kip. “You want to put her back on?”

  “Kip, are you still there?” asked Sarah.

  “Yes,” replied Kip. “Thanks so much for letting me talk to Melanie.”

  “My husband and I can’t thank you enough, Kip.”

  “Well, I am just grateful we made it out of there all right.”

  “All I could think of when I watched the news tonight was how you were planning to be in Mexico this summer,” Sarah told her. “If you would have gone, Melanie might not be with us right now.”

  “I never even thought of that,” admitted Kip. Sarah’s words were a revelation. “In fact, I have been so upset that I couldn’t go there to do the Lord’s work and had to stay behind.”

  “Well, now we know why you were supposed to be in California,” said Sarah.

  “Oh, Sarah, thank you for reminding me. You’re right. Melanie is the reason that I was supposed to stay here, after all.” Kip realized why the Lord made sure that she did not leave for Oaxaca.

  “God knew where you needed to be on the day of the fire and that was at the school,” Sarah insisted.

  “You’re right,” agreed Kip. “He did. I didn’t even think of it.”

  “Well, I’ll let you go and be with your family. I’ve got a little girl here who wants some ice cream.”

  “Thanks so much for calling, Sarah. I’ll talk to you soon.”

  “Bye and thank you again from the bottom of my heart,” Sarah replied and hung up the phone.

  Chapter 6

  A Day Like No Other

  Cheryl Evans pulled up to the Sander’s Antique Mall and started to unload some silver trays from her white SUV to take them inside the building. Mall sales were up that month and she definitely liked managing it. She also had her own booth there and enjoyed finding items at garage sales to add to her inventory. Ther
e were twenty vendors in all and each one seemed to be doing quite well selling everything from picture frames to vintage armoires.

  Cheryl worked at the mall a few times a week ringing up sales and she enjoyed meeting the people, especially those who meandered in from out of town. Karla Johnson pulled into the parking lot right after Cheryl arrived. Karla had her own booth in the mall with hand-embroidered pillows and quilts. “Good morning, Karla,” Cheryl greeted her as she got out of her car. “It’s a beautiful day.”

  “Hi, Cheryl,” smiled Karla. “Can I give you a hand with those trays?” Karla was a woman in her early forties whose boundless energy was evident to Cheryl from the moment she first met her. She had short blonde hair and was always dressed in sporty attire. Her down-to-earth manner and friendly personality made her a favorite among shoppers at the mall.

  “That would be great,” replied Cheryl. “Thank you so much.”

  “Have you heard anything from Hailey?” asked Karla as she walked over to help her.

  “We did get a couple of letters from her,” answered Cheryl. “She loves doing the mission work down in Mexico. I was worried that Hailey would have trouble adjusting, but she seemed to take to it so naturally.”

  “That is wonderful,” replied Karla. “You should be so proud of her.”

  “Oh, we are,” Cheryl assured her. “Her boyfriend, Josh, is actually coming by here in a few minutes to bring some flowers for all the window boxes out front. I thought it would make a big difference with the appearance of the place and possibly attract more attention.”

  “That’s a great idea.” Karla was glad to see such improvements to the mall. “We might want to put some old rocking chairs out there, too, so shoppers can sit and relax awhile.”

  “There are some inside that I can get from Dana’s booth. If you want, you could even drape some of your quilts over the backs of them,” Cheryl offered. “You can keep the price tags on the quilts so that customers realize that they are for sale.”