Their worlds are about to come crashing downâŠ
At sixteen years old, Harper Lyonâs life is spinning out of control. She threatens her parents with suicide unless she can meet her drug-dealing boyfriend, a college student who doesnât know sheâs pregnant.
Cooper Lyons, her estranged grandfather, lives in rural Alaska with only his dog and cat for company. He has just been diagnosed with early onset Alzheimerâs, and he doesnât plan on letting the disease run its course.
Harper needs to escape her parents and decide what to do about the baby. She and her grandpa are worlds apart, but they may be exactly what the other needs.
When Harper calls her grandfather, he welcomes the opportunity to help her and redeem his previous failure with his daughter Heather, who died from a drug overdose years ago.
Can they save each other?
Their worlds are about to come crashing downâŠ
At sixteen years old, Harper Lyonâs life is spinning out of control. She threatens her parents with suicide unless she can meet her drug-dealing boyfriend, a college student who doesnât know sheâs pregnant.
Cooper Lyons, her estranged grandfather, lives in rural Alaska with only his dog and cat for company. He has just been diagnosed with early onset Alzheimerâs, and he doesnât plan on letting the disease run its course.
Harper needs to escape her parents and decide what to do about the baby. She and her grandpa are worlds apart, but they may be exactly what the other needs.
When Harper calls her grandfather, he welcomes the opportunity to help her and redeem his previous failure with his daughter Heather, who died from a drug overdose years ago.
Can they save each other?
Harperâs plan was beautifully wicked: go to Trishâs house to work on a school project and then spend the night, sneak out of her bedroom window, meet Zachary on the corner, and party all night at his place. His real 21stbirthday was Saturday, but he wanted a pre-party celebration with her. Trish would let her back in the next morning, and Harper would drive them both to school. A full night with Zachary, some smack, and a case of beer. She couldnât wait. And sheâd bring a little something back for Trish. She smiled at herself knowingly in the mirror as she hummed and curled her lashes. Of all the times she had been with him, this would be the first she could spend the entire night.
âWhere are you going, Harper?â asked Alex, her 11-year-old sister, who had her face behind a hand mirror, working on her lips. They shared a bedroom. Not the best arrangement for Harperâs escapades, but Alex was now her confidante.
âTo spend the night with Trish.â Harper smiled at her through the dresser mirror.
âUh-huh. Donât think so.â Alex smiled, her top lip bright red. âIs he cute?â
âOh my God, you wouldnât believe!â Cute was an understatement when it came to Zachary. He was gorgeous, ripped, and tall, with the softest lips that matched hers perfectly.
Alex giggled, shaking her thick, curly bangs over her huge eyes.
âIsnât that my lipstick?â asked Harper.
âYou said I could use it. Besides, you donât use red anymore.â
No, she didnât use red anymore, not since boys in her class taunted her with âhot lipsâ and especially âhorny lips.â Harper didnât want her sister to experience that.
âItâs OK for dress-up at home,â said Harper, âbut use something more subtle for school.â
Alex rolled her eyes.
They rarely fought. Alex admired everything about Harper and always provided support when their parents pulled theirs, sometimes dragging Alex into arguments she hadnât started. Little Jack, who slept down the hall, never experienced such falls from grace. He was the angel of the family, and he knew it.
Harper admired her outfit in the mirror: tight, white shorts that she had cut off an extra few inches. She admired her long legs, which she tried to show off as much as she could get away with. They were her best feature. Her hot-pink top was strapless, coming just to her ribs to reveal her stomach and her rose-colored stud belly ring. Her eyeliner enhanced the blue in her hazel eyes. Her long nails made her fingers look tantalizingly sensuous, and she could just imagine how good theyâd look running down Zacharyâs chest. Harper turned and struck her most alluring poseâlips partly open in a circle, one hand behind her head lifting her hair, her other hand hooked into the band of her shorts, pulling them down slightly.
âAm I hot?â she purred.
âOn fire!â said Alex.
âHopefully Zachary thinks so.â She turned around and added more gloss to her lips.
Alex finished her bottom lip and practiced her pucker. âHow long before I look like you?â
Harper stopped and frowned at her sister in the mirror. Alexâs side of the room was full of dolls on shelves and princess posters. She even had a Frozenbedspread. Where Harperâs side was bare except for the bottles of makeup, brushes, nail polish, and lip-gloss crammed onto shelves on either side of her dresser mirror. Her shocked parents had removed all her âentirely inappropriateâ posters last monthâshirtless guys with bulging pecs gripping beautiful, barely dressed women. They even made her toss her adult romance novel collectionâover two hundred booksâbecause they had caught Alex reading one.
Four years ago, when Harperâs side looked similar to Alexâs, a friend of her 16-year-old brother Chris opened her bedroom door âby mistake.â Luke wore only boxer shorts and was gorgeous with a toned figure like a runner, messy blonde hair and blue eyes. Harper froze, standing before her mirror in a bra and panties; a dark red blush covered her face and spread to her chest.Â
Luke gasped and stared.
âHow old are you?â he asked, a bulge forming in his shorts.
âTwelve,â said Harper, snapping out of her shock and covering herself with her pillow.
âWow! You look eighteen at least.â
Harper stared at his shorts. Part of her wanted to shove him out of the room and lock her door. But another part of her, a darker part, was curious and wanted him to come closer. He noticed and smiled, more of a sneer, and it unsettled her.
âToo bad youâre only twelve,â he teased and left.
The next time Luke visited, he spent the night with Chris and happened to mistake doors again. Harper tried very hard not to look or act twelve during her first make-out experience. She didnât know if she really liked or wanted him or if she just wanted the experience that she had heard so many older girls murmuring about. What was the big deal about a kiss? What did it feel like?
And it was nothing like she imagined.
There was lust and thrill, but there was also fear and guilt. While the kiss and the way he touched her made her feel alive, it didnât feel right.
Then her brother walked in and all hell broke loose.
Later, Luke claimed the horny little girl attacked him, forcing him to accommodate her inexperienced efforts. Chris punched him a few times, and her father never looked at her the same way again. She didnât know what hurt more, Lukeâs accusations or that her father had believed him.
However, it wasnât the damage to her moral reputation that bothered her, but her lack of experience, which she quickly gained during the next few years, doing everything except intercourse. At the time she still thought it was important to preserve her virginity. Or at least her parents and the church did. Every other act was fair game, as far as she was concerned. Boys her age were like matches against a flamethrower. Though some tried to keep up with her, they inevitably scampered away, calling her names, trying to shame her to hide their own hang-ups. So she looked elsewhere and found Zachary.
Now she stared at her sister, still very much a little girl, and didnât want the same future for her. Lying. Secret parties. Drugs and alcohol. Unrestricted sex with a college guy. That was Harperâs life, not her little sisterâs.
âHey, Earth to Harper!â shouted Alex. âHow long before I look like you?â
âYou donât want to look like me, Alex,â Harper said, grabbing a tissue, intent on wiping the make-up from her sisterâs lips. âJust be you.â
Alex stood and moved away. âAre you kidding? You were hot at twelve, and Iâve done everything at least a year sooner than you did, according to Mom. I should have boobs any day now. I canât wait!â She shoved a stuffed animal under her pajama shirt against her chest, stood, pushed out her âboobs,â and lifted her shirt past her hip. âAm I hot?â She puckered her full red lips and lifted her hair over her head until it hung seductively over her face.
Harperâs jaw dropped. Maybe she needed to hide more of her secrets from Alex, but Harper already felt so isolated and lonely in her own house. Harper realized she was staring at her sister, wide-eyed and open-mouthed. She tried to smile.
âYou should see your face!â Alex flopped onto her bed in a heap of giggles.
Harper heard her phone ring down the hall and ran to the bathroom where she had left it.Â
âHey, Zachary,â she whispered as she closed the door.
âHey, Lovebug. Plan still a go?â
She turned on the sink faucets and walked toward the tub to ensure no eavesdroppers could catch anything. âIâll be at the corner in about ten minutes. Iâm bringing a hot birthday present for you. Something to change into,â she groaned softly, âand then out of.â
âI like the out of part,â he replied huskily.
âWonât be long. Iâll see all of you soon.â
She ran back to the bedroom to finish dressing, leaving the door open. She had met Zachary through Trishâs brother, Larry; both were in college. Harper was a sophomore in high school, visiting Trish when the young men stopped by. Zachary made his interest in her obvious. He told her he loved her large hazel eyes and golden-brown hair, and her strong nose with the little uplift at the end. And, of course, her figure of generous curves in all the right places. But her lips were his favorite part: full, pouty, shiny with burnt orange gloss. She gave him her number, and the secret dates began. Her parents would never approve of Zachary, and the secrecy made their meetings even more intoxicating.
Â
                       *                                  *                                  *
From the top of the stairs, Greg looked at his sixteen-year-old daughter standing in front of her dresser mirror and gasped in horror. The decision to confront her about the missing twenties from his wallet left his brain. Her long hair piled on top of her head, cut-off shirt and shorts, and flat sandals revealed as much flesh as possible, an image he couldnât believe his daughter wanted to project. Why would she want to look like that? A little smear of pink and white was all that kept her from total nudity.
He watched her slip on a baggy, long-sleeved shirt, buttoned to her neck to hide her real outfit, then dab perfume on her chest. When she wiped a streak along the inside of each long thigh, his shock turned to anger.
Greg stomped down the hall toward her open bedroom door. âWhat the hell are you doing?âÂ
Harper kept staring at herself in the mirror, adding more rings to her ears. âIâm going over to Trishâs.â She shoved her phone into her shirt pocket, grabbed her overnight bag from her bed, and tried to move past him, but he held out his arm against the doorframe to stop her. She tried to shoulder past him, but she couldnât budge him.Â
He wouldnât let his daughter go anywhere looking like that. Did she think he was stupid? As if sheâd dress like that for Trish. She shouldnât ever dress like that. Period.
âWho are you really meeting?â he asked, his face reddening.
âI already told you. Weâre working on a school project.â She tried to walk through him but bounced off. âCan you move?â
 He gently grabbed her shoulders. âHarperââ
She shoved off his hold. âDonât touch me! Iâm going, and youâre making me late!â
âFor what? If you were just going to hang out at Trishâs, she wouldnât mind. Tell me one good reason for putting perfume on your legs.â
âYou watched me?â
âAs if I wanted to see that.â He matched her tone of disgust. âWhat is going on with you, Harper?â
Harper pulled out her phone and punched out a text with her thumb. Greg took a deep breath to try to compose himself.
âWho are you texting?â he asked.
âTrish. Iâm spending the night at her house. I already told you. Now please get out of my way.â
âSheâs going to see Trish, Dad,â said Alex. âI heard her call her just a minute ago.â
Harper glanced at Alex, who nodded back.
Greg looked at his younger daughter and was astounded again. He noticed her red lips. Great. Harper was corrupting Alex. He wouldnât let Alex become Harper 2.0.
âGive me your phone!â he demanded, holding out his hand to Harper. He didnât know who she was texting, but he was sure it was another bad influence in her life. Damn it, he wouldnât see her end up like he was in high school or worse, like Heather, his dead sister. He had to stop this now.
âItâs my phone!â Harper ran to the other side of the room and fumbled to turn on the camera.
âI pay for it! Give me the phone!âÂ
Just as Harper lifted the phone to start the video, Greg yanked it out of her hand. Harper pulled on his arms as he held the phone up out of her reach, trying to see her latest text. But he already knew sheâd called him a pervert for watching her dress.Â
Two weeks ago, he and Harper had argued about the clothes she planned to wear to school. After he made her put a bra on under her tank top, she sent a note to her friends: âMy dad keeps staring at my boobs!â Kids talked to parents, and a few had called him. He was just as stunned and disgusted by her accusations as they were. He couldnât believe Harper hated him so much as to subject him to that. Now heâd have to deal with the awkwardness again, all because his daughter had found the one weapon she could use to challenge his authority. He had no idea how they had gotten here. Why couldnât she see he was doing this to protect her?
âGive me my phone!â Harper raked her nails down his arm.
âDamn you!â Greg saw drops of blood ooze on his forearm.
âDad!â yelled Alex. âJust let her go!â
âNatalie!â Greg yelled for his wife as he leaned out of the doorway. âI need you up here!â Then he slammed Harperâs door shut.
âGet out of my room!â yelled Harper. âWhatâs wrong with you?â
Greg sat against the door inside her bedroom. Harper twisted the handle above his head and pulled, but the door wouldnât open. She put her foot against the wall and pulled the handle, bending the door against Gregâs body. He pushed his back toward the frame and snapped the door closed.
Natalie knocked quietly from the other side. âGreg? Whatâs going on?â
âYouâre not leaving,â Greg ground out to Harper. âI want to know who you were planning to meet. And why you think itâs appropriate to wear those clothes and wipe perfume on your legs. Why your legs, for Godâs sake?âÂ
Greg was horrified. He suspected she was acting a little wild around boys, especially now that she attended a public school, but heâd tried to deny the clear signs of sex and drug use. Theyâd both been missing cash during the past few months. A week ago, Natalie had found the bag of marijuana in Harperâs car, which she claimed belonged to someone else, as well as the sensuous rubbing oils. Their daughter was a liar and up to no good. They needed to clamp down hard on her, but he didnât want to admit the truth. He couldnât believe his own daughter was following the same path as Heather, a victim of drugs, alcohol, and liberal parenting. He had tried so hard to make his house different from his parentsâ, yet the same problems arose. What was causing this?
âGet away from the door!â Harper kicked at her fatherâs legs, but he grabbed her foot and pushed her back.Â
She stumbled and picked up a bottle of nail polish from her dresser and whipped it at him. He blocked it with his large forearm. She threw another, and it smashed into his temple, just missing his eye.
âDammit!â he yelled.
âJust let her leave!â Alex yelled. âI canât stand this!â
âLet me go,â Harper warned, ready to throw another bottle.
âYouâre not going anywhere,â said Greg, âuntil you tell me who youâre meeting and what you plan to do tonight.â
âIâm not telling you anything!â She threw the bottle against the door, breaking the top, splattering red polish on his shirt and neck.
âYou throw anything else at me andIâm calling the police,â said Greg, hoping the threat would be enough to subdue her.
Harper stormed to a window and jerked it up. âIâll jump out if you donât move! Donât think I wonât!â
Cold swept through his veins, cooling his skin and his temper. She was such a good liar he couldnât tell if she was serious or if this was just another one of her antics. âYouâll die if you jump.â
âThen youâd have to explain why your daughter killed herself.â
An idea flashed in Gregâs mind. A way to protect himself, get professional help for Harper,and have time to figure out what to do with her. He wouldnât lose her like this.
âNatalie,â Greg shouted, âcall the police and tell them our daughter is threatening to kill herself.â
âWhat?â Natalie panicked and banged on the door.
âSheâs going to jump out the window. Call the police!â
Harper huffed in disbelief. âYouâre calling the police? Such a dork.â Harper tore off the window screen and tossed it outside. She straddled the windowsill. âWhatâs it going to be Daddy-O? A bloody splat on your driveway or an open door?â
He raised a brow. âUp to you. But youâre not leaving the house tonight.â
âArenât you going to stop her?â Alex asked him breathlessly. âPlease donât, Harper.â She ran over to her sister, crying, and pulled her arm. âPlease.â
âI know you donât like hearing this, Alex. I sure didnât like hearing him tear into Chris when I was your age.â She glowered at him. He returned her glare, undeterred. âThey tore into him until he couldnât wait to get out of here. Heâd rather join the Army and get shot at in Afghanistan than live under this roof.â
He wasnât going to rise to her bait. âYour brother turned out to be a fine young man,â said Greg. âHe knows weâre proud of him.â
âOnly after he left your house. You never said anything good about him when he lived here. He couldnât wait to leave.â She spither words at him. âJust like me!â
Greg remembered all the fights he had with Chris, how they could never seem to just talk. God, was he destined to go through the same thing with Harper? How could he stop this?
Harper climbed back inside, and Greg hid his sigh of relief. Alex hugged her tightly. Harper kissed her head and led her back to her bed. âDonât worry, Alex. Heâll probably care more for you than he does for me.â
She sat at her desk, while Alex chewed her fingernails on the bed. She watched him for a minute, and he could see the wheels turning. She spoke calmly, âDad, I need to call someone.â
âWho?â Greg snarled.
âPlease. Just let me have my phone. Iâll even change my clothes if thatâs what you want.â She smiled sweetly.Â
He wasnât buying it.
His eyes narrowed. âWho are you meeting?â
Her face dropped and she exploded. âNone of your damned business!â She leapt off the chair and closed her hands into fists.
âIt is my business. Youâre my daughter, and I pay for the phone with the money you donât steal from me!â
âDamn it! I need to leave!â Her face was bright red and her eyes took on a sheen.
Good, he was getting to her. âWhatâs wrong?â asked Greg. âAre you out of marijuana? Or are you hooked on something stronger?â
She scoffed. âAs if you care.â
âI do care. Very much. Thatâs why Iâm not letting you leave.â Why couldnât she see that?
âYeah, you cared so much about me that you kicked me out of your precious school last year.â
âBecause you had beer on a volleyball trip!â he shot back, exasperated. He was Headmaster of The Cross Academy, founded by Natalieâs parents, John and Zoe, who had made a fortune in various Christian businesses.
âI didnât buy it! The other girls gave it to me. I told you a hundred times. They told you the same thing!â
âAnd thatâs supposed to make it OK? You shouldâve turned them in. As soon as they gave you the beer, you should have told the coach.â
Her eyes shot daggers. âThat wouldâve made you proud, wouldnât it? Rather than disgusted and embarrassed!â
âThatâs what a respectful daughter would have done.â
âAnd one who would have no friends. No social life.â
âAnd this is your social life?â He motioned to her outfit. âDressing like a slut to sneak off to a party or some guy?â
The flicker of pain across her face punched him square in the gut. But the words were out, and there was no taking them back.
âSo now Iâm a slut?â her voice quivered. âThen why donât you kick me out of the house? I would love to leave.â
âWe could make that happen, young lady. But tonight, you are telling the truth. Who are you meeting?â
âGreg!â Natalie banged on the door. âTheyâre on their way!â
âGod, I hate you!â she bellowed, throwing her hands up.
âRegardless of what you may think, I care for you,â said Greg.
âThen care enough to stop me.â
She climbed through the window and stuck both legs out. Alex screamed. Greg jumped to his feet.
âThatâs concrete beneath your window with nothing to break your fall,â Greg informed her as he cautiously crossed the room. âThe least youâll end up with is a broken leg, but you could crack your skull.â
âI donât care!â she threw over her shoulder.
âHarper, please!â shouted Alex, leaping off her bed.
Sirens grew louder as a patrol car roared uptheir street.
âThe only reason youâd care if I jumped,â said Harper, âis that youâd have to explain why the great Godly Gregâs daughter wanted to kill herself. Oops! Not so Godly after all. I forgot about your annotated Bible that Chris found in the garage. The one you used in college. The one with âBSâ written in all the margins. And your research paper revealing the Bible as nothing but lies. Letâs not forget that gem!âÂ
Here it comes. He kicked himself every day for not tossing out all of his college books and papers. Chris had found the crate in the garage during his senior year, which had added fuel to the ongoing fire between them. Natalie was especially unhappy with Greg at the time. She knew he wasnât religious when she met him, but she didnât know heâd actually hated religion. The rift between them took months to mend.Â
Fortunately, Natalieâs parents never found out.
Harper scooted out farther and leaned forward.Â
Alex shrieked again and ran to her sister, grabbing a handful of her shirt and pulling her back in.
âPlease, Harper. Donât!â Tears poured from her eyes. She looked back at Greg. âDad, please stop her!â
Greg froze. He knew she wouldnât jump, that she was just manipulating him to get her way. Always the drama queen. But he also worried if he got too close, she just might scoot farther away and slip. Did she despise him so much that sheâd rather fall out a window than let him hold her?
Harper climbed back inside. âNotice that our father didnât move, Alex. Guess that claim of caring about me was as false as he considered the Bible during his college days.â
 âI was raised in a Godless house, as you very well know. I wrote that paper long before I met your mother and found Jesus Christ.â
âAnd her parentsâ money,â she smirked.
Greg could have punched that smug smile right off her face, but he prayed quickly for patience. He was the spiritual and moral leader of his family. His kids were supposed to fear their father as they feared God. His job was to keep his school and house protected from the worldâs evils and not subject to drugs, sex, and selfish indulgence. Now his daughter was defying him in front of Alex. He couldnât tolerate this.
Greg inhaled deeply. âHarper, you can lash out at me all you want, but you arenât leaving this house tonight. Iâm through playing games.â
âSo am I.â Harper opened a drawer and pulled out a large pocketknife. With the blade pressed against her forearm, she walked slowly toward Greg.
âOpen the door or I bleed,â said Harper.
Alex ran towards her.Â
âStay away, Alex!â Harper said.
Alex stopped.Â
âI donât want you hurt!â Harper pressed the blade harder against her left arm while glaring at Greg. âLast chance. Move or I cut.â
âThe police are here,â shouted Natalie through the door.
A heavy knock followed her words, and a manâs muffled voice ordered. âPlease open the door, sir.â
Greg stood, his legs quivering. She was bluffing. She had to be. âPut the knife down, Harper.â
âMove away and let me go to Trishâs,â she said firmly.
âYou are not leaving this house!â
Harper ripped the blade up her forearm and screamed, âI hate you!âÂ
âOh, my God!â Greg breathed. He opened the door.
Everyone looked at Harper holding up her bloody arm with emotions that ranged from stunned to determined.Â
âIâll do it again if you donât let me go.â Harper moved the blade toward her arm.
Two officers, a tall man anda stocky female, strode into the bedroom. The female wore latexgloves,smiled at Harper,and placed one hand around her cut arm and the other around her hand holding the knife.
Claireâs eyes locked onto Harperâs with sympathy. âIâm Officer Claire. Let me help you, Harper.âÂ
Greg stood there in bewilderment. Sheâd so easily done what Greg couldnâtâshow genuine concern without anger.
Harper panted. âI need to leave!â
âWe want to help you,â Claire told her with a reassuring smile. âLet us take a look at your arm. OK?â
Harper relaxed a little, and Claire took the knife.
âThis is Officer Robert.â She nodded to her partner.
Robert had a large shaved head and a big smile, which produced thick wrinkles in his forehead. Harper stared blankly at him. âGot too much skin up here,â he chuckled and patted his head. âHey, I like all those earrings. Whereâd you get them?â he asked as he put on gloves.
âAt the Ear Shop in the mall. Itâs a kiosk.â
âGreat. Iâll tell my daughter about it,â said Robert. âLet me see your arm, Harper.â He turned toward Natalie. âCan you get me a towel or bandage, please?â
Natalie ran out of the room and shortly returned with a towel and handed it to the officer, who then dabbed the blood off Harperâs arm.
Greg went to Alex who had covered her head with a pillow at some point during this madness. He sat on the bed and put his arm around her. âYou OK, Alex?â
Alex removed the pillow and seethed. âGo away!âÂ
Greg tried to rub her back.Â
âGo away!â She shook off his hand. âMom!âÂ
Greg stood and looked at Natalie, who moved to Alexâs bed.
âIâll get some bandages,â Greg said to the officers seated on either side of Harper on her bed. He returned with the first-aid kit and handed it to Claire.
âWhy did you cut yourself, Harper?â asked Claire, taking out a roll of gauze and sterile tape.
âBecause my father wouldnât let me leave.â Tears trailed down Harperâs cheeks.
âDid you threaten to jump out the window?â Claire asked as she dressed the superficial wound that was already clotting.
âYes.â
âWould you have done it?â
She hesitated, meeting Gregâs eyes. Her lip pursed. âYes.â
âDid you worry about hurting yourself?â
Harper rolled her eyes. âI didnât care. I want to leave. Please donât make me stay here. Iâll cut my other arm if I have to stay with him.â She waved at Greg.
Greg stopped breathing. This didnât sound like manipulation. She was serious.
The officers glanced at each other. Robert nodded to Claire.
âWe have a good place for you to go, Harper. Weâll take you there.â
They helped her stand up.
âWhere?â Harperâs eyes watched them carefully. âI just want to see Trish.â
âMaybe she can visit you at the hospital.â
Harper looked stricken. âHospital? I donât need a hospital.â She tried to pull her arms away from the officers.
Greg wasnât sure this was the right course of action either. Had he pushed her to do this? Or did she really need help? He just didnât know.
âYou tried to hurt yourself, Harper,â said Claire, gently, smiling. âWe know some good doctors who will help you.âÂ
âIâm fine now,â said Harper. All the make-up on her face couldnât hide how pale she went.
âWe know you are, but we need to take you to the hospital,â said Robert.
âWhy? Everythingâs OK. Itâs just a little cut.â
When Greg glanced his way, Robert beckoned him aside. âPack some clothes for Harper and meet us at the Behavioral Hospital at the Medical Complex.â
 âYou threatened to kill yourself,â said Claire. âWe need to make sure you donât hurt yourself again.â
Harper struggled against Claireâs grip on her arms.
âHarper.â Claireâs tone remained amiable. âIf you struggle, Iâll have to handcuff you, and I donât want to do that. Youâve been through enough already.â
âI need to go to Trishâs house!â She broke away from Claire and grabbed her overnight bag. Claire gently but firmly took her arm and led her out of the room. Harper glared at her parents as she walked past them into the hallway. âYouâre having me locked up? Iâll never forgive you for this. Never!â
Alex ran toward the bedroom door. âI want to hug her! Harper!â
Greg caught her with an arm around her waist, securing her to his side. Natalie bent down and hugged Alexâs shoulders.
âWeâll get to see her soon,â said Natalie.
âI love you, Alex!â shouted Harper as she descended the stairs, past all the childrenâs portraits, professionally posed in ornate chairs with hand painted enhancements, when each child was four years old. Then up the foyer past the living room and the baby grand piano Harper had been forced to play until she refused at fourteen. And past the placards of scripture and crosses decorating all the walls.
Greg stood rooted at the top of the stairs with Natalie and a teary-eyed Alex.
Harper turned at the front doorway and looked around her, pointing at placards on the walls. ââBless this house.â âLove Never Fails.â Oh, and my favorite, âFamily is Everything.ââ Harper let out a broken sounding laugh that wrenched Gregâs heart. âI never realized these sayings were supposed to be jokes. Very funny!âÂ
She kept laughing as Claire and Robert led her through the door.
Greg was the first to move, coming downstairs to gaze out the windows framing his front door, trying to see if anyone was watching his house or the patrol car. With its lights blinking, it almost begged his neighbors to come outside and look. He watched his daughter walking toward the patrol car. Should he have done something differently? Heâd called the police without thinking it through. Stupid.
Alex broke away from Natalie, ran down the hall, and slammed her bedroom door.
Greg sighed. He knew his anger had caused this. Stomping up the stairs to blast his daughter for stealing from his wallet. Again. Then he saw her clothes and knew what she was about to do. Heâd seen his sister do the same thing countless times.Â
The patrol car pulled away. Harper didnât even look out the window at him. She didnât look back even once as the car strolled down the street or even as it turned the corner.Â
Part of him wanted to run after the car, beg them to stop, to let her go. But he didnât move.Â
Maybe someone at the hospital could help her.Â
He never could.Â
Harper is a troubled sixteen-year-old. She is going down a path that her parents never thought a daughter of theirs would travel. Deeply religious, her father is the head of a Christian School. Harper has been expelled from the school and is dabbling in sex and drugs. Searching for herself in the cocoon of religious righteousness has not been easy. She feels as though her family has chosen religion over the love for her they once had.
When Harper finds herself over her head and canât see a way out of the trouble she is in, she turns to the grandfather she hasnât seen in years. He lives in Alaska, far away from the family that turned their backs on him many years ago. Her grandpa, Cooper, welcomes her without judgement or conditions. Little does Harper know that he is hiding a secret that will soon affect all of their lives.
Even though Harper knows what she wants to do, she so soon realizes that even the best laid plans are subject to change. As she grows closer to Cooper and the lifestyle in Alaska, she begins to change. Cooper encourages her to focus on her love of music again. Her outlook on life changes drastically, but will it be too late to repair the relationship with her father? Is he willing to give her the chance she needs to become herself instead of the perfect person he has tried to create?
Cooper and Harper are the perfect pair. The characters are both deeply flawed, much like most human beings. It is not the flaws that we should judge by, it is how obstacles are overcome and challenges are met. Sobey does a magnificent job of bringing real issues to the forefront and meeting them head on. That is not to say the characters always choose the best or easiest options, but realistically, who does?
Classified as a YA Novel, adults will also find that No Fences in Alaska is a heartwarming tale of redemption, love and change. The setting of Alaska is perfect. Bears, moose and the cold all play roles in the book. The beauty and serenity of the Alaskan wilderness allows more introspect than any state in the lower 48 could possibly offer.
This is the first book Iâve read by Glen Sobey. His previous book, The War Blog was also set in Alaska. Both of his novels are standalone, but both seem to have the same common thread of love, coming of age and the sharp truths some teens have to live with.
DISCLOSURE OF MATERIAL CONNECTION: I have a material connection because I received a review copy for free from Reedsy Discovery in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Copyright © 2019 Laura Hartman