Departures: Two Rediscovered Stories of Christy Miller and Sierra Jensen (The Christy Miller Collection)

Departures: Two Rediscovered Stories of Christy Miller and Sierra Jensen (The Christy Miller Collection)

Christy Miller and Sierra Jensen cross paths on their way to summer vacations that reveal what a gift it is to have a true Forever Friend. Now Boarding at Gate 10 After her high school graduation, still aching from Todd’s departure, Christy joins her family on a trip to Wisconsin to visit relatives. While there, she reunites with Matthew, an old friend from junior high. When Matthew starts to show a romantic interest in Christy, she realizes this summer vacation could change everything she thought her future would be.   In the Event of a Water Landing Fifteen-year-old Sierra Jensen can’t wait to spend her summer vacation with her friend Jana at a pristine lake in Montana. But when they arrive, it becomes clear that Jana’s only interest is acquiring a boyfriend. Sierra just wants to hang out with the guys as friends, but Jana turns every encounter into a possible romantic relationship. As their friendship begins to suffer, Sierra wonders if it’s possible to find a Forever Friend who will listen to you, laugh with you, and keep your confidences. ROBIN JONES GUNN is the best-selling and award-winning author of more than seventy books, with over 4 million copies of her titles sold worldwide. Best known among them are the Christy Miller, Sierra Jensen, and Christy and Todd: College Years teen series. A Christy Award winner and a two-time finalist for excellence in fiction, Robin has also been a Gold Medallion finalist. She and her husband have a grown son and daughter and live in Hawaii. As beads of perspiration dripped down her back, Christy Miller lifted her long, nutmeg brown hair to try to get some air on her neck. She didn’t know why her parents had dashed so quickly off the plane when it landed at the Minneapolis–St. Paul International Airport. They had more than an hour before their connecting flight left for Madison, Wisconsin. “Would it be okay if I went to the snack bar for something to drink?” Christy asked her dad. “Sure,” Dad said, reaching into his pocket for some money. “Buy something for your mother and me—and take your brother with you.” Christy tried to hide her lack of enthusiasm over thirteen-year-old David’s tagging along. This was the first vacation her family had taken in a long time, and she didn’t want to be the one to start an argument. “Can we play one of those video games?” David asked, pushing up his glasses. He was big for his age, just as Christy had been, and he resembled their red-haired father more every day. “No. We’re only getting something to drink.” Christy led her brother through a maze of small round tables. The two of them were almost to the counter when David tripped over a girl’s foot that was sticking out from under a table. She was wearing large clunky boots and had her dark hair up in a clip. David stumbled and bumped into her chair, causing the girl’s backpack, which had been slung over the chair’s back, to fall to the floor. “Sorry,” Christy said, apologizing for her brother and urging him to move on quickly. The girl and her friend, who was sitting next to her, were probably a year or two younger than Christy was, yet they appeared to be traveling by themselves. At that moment Christy wished she were traveling with her best friend, Katie. A summer adventure would be so much more fun with a friend than with her family. When Christy had graduated from high school two weeks ago, several classmates went on senior trips to exotic locations like Mexico and Hawaii. This was Christy’s exotic trip—a family weekend in Brightwater, Wisconsin, population 832. Two days ago Katie had told Christy, “You shouldn’t complain. At least you’re going somewhere —unlike some people we know.” Katie then had flopped onto her bed and let out a sigh. “If you come home on Monday and find me here, in this same position, call the Guinness Book of World Records.” Even though Christy knew better, she asked why. “Because I will be the first person in history who will have died from boredom.” Christy had argued that her grandparents’ fiftieth wedding anniversary in Brightwater, the town Christy had grown up in, would be twice as boring, but Katie didn’t buy it. She reminded Christy that more than once mystery, romance, and adventure had found her when she had least expected it. Then Katie had lifted her head and added, “And don’t forget. You happen to be very available at the moment.” Yes, Christy thought while handing David his drink , this would have been a much more exciting trip with Katie along. Christy directed her brother to a nearby exit she had spotted where he would have less human traffic to navigate through. With each of them holding two full drinks, Christy knew the chances of disaster with David were pretty high. They had just made it through the café when Christy caught sight of a flash of sandy blond hair that looked so familiar. She held her breath and watched a guy enter the bookshop next to the café. “David,” Christy said, “stay right beside me. I wan