Two young kids pray for a new mother to be sent to them, a wife for poor tired daddy. They 'specially want one with brown hair like their last mom. But when a brown-haired lady moves in across the street, she's not exactly perfect. Lana Ross was dragged up tough in this little mountain town of Whisper Falls, and escaped as soon as she could. If she's come back, it's not entirely voluntary.
SUGARPLUM HOMECOMING is a wry name given how Lana feels about her horrible late parents and unhelpful townsfolk. She's caring for a girl aged nine, and hiding from someone. Her hated home is the last place he'll think to look for her. She'd rather not meet neighbours at all, but kids will be kids. Davis Turner used to be Mr Perfect, and he comes to introduce his Paige and Nathan, who want to play with young Sydney. Lana doubts they have one other thing in common. Her family home is so abandoned, the children call it the haunted house. She'll have her work cut out to make it habitable. Davis intends leaving them to it, but later Paige reminds him that at church they are told to help their neighbours. They should take a dish of lasagne to the new arrivals on their first evening.
From a small beginning a gradual friendship grows, though Davis's sister remains judgemental and warns that Lana was a bad sort, in all kinds of trouble, and could be a bad influence on children. For her part, Lana silently wonders where the helpful neighbours were years ago when she really needed them. And she tells Sydney, don't go into the cellar!
I found Christmas was a convenient time of year as it gives the neighbours a chance to mingle and pick trees, decorating them and making fun plans. Lana is a singer, and is encouraged to perform - we should all use our talents. She had previously thought she should give up her music to follow God, as she had been among bad company. So this tale is not so much about Christmas time as facilitated by it, and the core of the story is the homecoming of a girl with a bad reputation, to mixed response. Bravely overcoming her dysfunctional family upbringing, Lana just wants to start afresh. Linda Goodnight has set several inspirational stories in Whisper Falls, Idaho, and SUGARPLUM HOMECOMING has a lot of substance as well as gentle romance.
Overview
A New Mommy For Christmas
Widower Davis Turner doesn't need to hear his children's
whispered wishes for a new mom to recognize that new
neighbor Lana Ross is a beautiful woman. But he worries that
his feelings for the former bad girl could put his family at
risk for small-town scandal. Lana knows she should steer
clear of Davis. Yet she can't resist spending time with the
handsome single dad, even if the truth might soon tear them
apart. Though Lana has turned over a new leaf, her secrets
have followed her to Whisper Falls. Secrets that could
destroy her hope for a future with Davis.
Whisper Falls: Where every prayer is answered…
EXCERPT
Chapter One
Bad pennies always return. But what about bad people?
Lana Ross stepped up on the wooden porch of the weathered
old two-story house. Her heart hammered painfully against
her ribs. Sheโd not wanted to come to this place of bad
memories. Sheโd had to.
A stern inner voice, the voice of hard-won peace, moved her
forward, toward the door, toward the interior. A house
couldnโt hurt her. If sheโd been alone perhaps she would
have given into the shaky knees and returned to the car. But
she wasnโt alone.
Lana aimed a wink at the child at her side. Sydney was her
everything now and no memories were allowed to keep this
nine year old darling from having her very first permanent home.
โIs this where you lived when you were my age?โ Sydney
asked, her vivid turquoise eyes alive with interest.
โUh-huh, Tess and I grew up here.โ Grew up. Yanked up.
Kicked out.
A tangle of a vanilla-scented vine, overgrown and climbing
upon the porch and around the paint-peeled pillar at one
end, gave off a powerfully sweet smell. She didnโt remember
the bush being there before, especially this late in the
fall. But then, sheโd not seen this place in thirteen years.
Not since she was eighteen and free to leave without looking
over her shoulder for the long arm of the law.
With the sour taste of yesterday in her throat, Lana
inserted the tarnished key into the front door, an old-time
lock a person could peer through, and after a few tries felt
the tumbler click. Breath held, she pushed the door open on
its creaky hinges, but didnโt step inside. Not yet. She
needed a minute to be certain the house was empty, though
she had the death certificate in her bag. Mama was dead. Had
been for a couple of years. As far as she knew her entire
family was dead. All except Lana and Tess and precious Sydney.
She couldnโt make herself go inside. Everything was still
and quiet in the dim living room, but inside her head Lana
heard the yells, the fights, the horrible names sheโd
believed and mostly earned.
She and her twin sister, Tess, were no more and no less than
what their mother had made them. Now, all these years later,
Lana was determined to be more for Sydneyโs sake.
โWeโll be happy here,โ Sydney declared with childlike
confidence.
โYes, we will.โ If I have to fight the universe, you will
have what you need and you will never, ever again live on
the streets or inside a broken down car.
โCan we go in now? I want to see my room. You said I could
have my own room, remember? And weโd fix it up fit for a
princess? Remember?โ
โI remember.โ The childโs enthusiasm stirred Lana to action.
Sydney had never had a room of her own. Sheโd never had a
house. Theyโd lived here and there, in tiny one room
apartments and cheap hotels, all in pursuit of Lanaโs
impossible dream. Most important of all, Sydney would be
safe here. No one would ever expect Lana to return to the
one place sheโd tried so hard to escape. Especially Sydneyโs
mother.
โWhoโs that?โ Sydney asked from her spot half in and half
out of what had once been the front parlor.
Across the street a man and two children stood in a neatly
mowed yard watching them. Lanaโs stomach dropped into her
resoled cowboy boots. It couldnโt be. Surely not.
The thought had no more than crossed her mind than the
sandy-brown haired man with the all-American good looks
lifted a hand to wave and then started toward them. Two
young children, close to Sydneyโs age, skipped along as if
on an adventure.
Lana froze, one hand on the doorknob and the other gripping
Sydneyโs as if Davis Turner would snatch her up and carry
her away.
โHello,โ he said when he reached the end of the cracked
sidewalk leading to the two-story.
Yep. He was Davis Turner all right. Mr. clean-cut and
righteous. Heโd been a year ahead of her in school. No one
in Whisper Falls had a smile as wide, as easy and as bright
as Davis.
Please God, donโt let him recognize me.
โHi,โ she said, not bothering to smile.
โYou moving into the old Ross place?โ Davis slipped his
hands into the back pocket of his jeans, relaxed and easy in
his skin. The man was much like the boy she remembered.
โWe are.โ
โGreat.โ He flashed that smile again. White straight teeth,
easy, flexible skin that had weathered nicely, leaving happy
spokes around greyish blue eyes and along his cheeks. โThe
house has been empty a long time. Houses need people to keep
them young and healthy.โ
What an interesting thing to say. This house had never been
healthy because of the people in it. โI suppose.โ
โWe live across the street in the beige brick with the black
shutters. Iโm Davis Turner and these are my munchkins, Paige
and Nathan.โ
Lana released a tiny inner sigh of relief. Davis didnโt
recognize her, though sooner or later heโd discover he lived
too close to the town bad girl. Would the people of Whisper
Falls still remember? Did she dare hope that time had erased
her teenage indiscretions from inquiring minds?
Not a chance.
โIโm ten. Well, almost,โ the young girl at Davisโs side
announced. โNathanโs barely eight. Iโm the oldest. Whatโs
your name?โ
โThis is Sydney,โ Lana said, purposely providing Sydneyโs
name instead of hers. She couldnโt avoid the introduction
forever, but she wanted to buy some time before Davisโs
bright smile withered and he turned on his heels, dragging
his children in a rush to lock his doors and keep them away.
โSheโs also nine, just barely.โ
Sydney hung back, aqua eyes cautious. She was too shy, too
hesitant with others, something Lana hoped would disappear
once they were settled. Her niece needed friends badly and
Lana prayed her prior reputation in this close-knit mountain
community wouldnโt interfere with Sydneyโs happiness.
โSay hello, Sydney.โ
Sydney ducked her head, displaying the precise part in her
super curly brown hair. โHello.โ
โAre you gonna live here?โ the little boy, Nathan asked.
โWe are.โ
โJust the two of you?โ With the same grey eyes, brown hair
and square jaw of his father, Nathan was handsome. Unlike
his father, he sported a dimple in one cheek.
โThatโs the plan,โ Lana answered.
โAre you married?โ
Paige elbowed her brother. โShh.โ
โBut Paige, we have to know,โ Nathan protested. โShe has
brown hair!โ
The adults exchanged glances and smiled. Davis appeared as
clueless about the comment as Lana. What did her hair color
have to do with anything, especially marriage?
Paige, an elfin beauty, simple and pure with pale brown
freckles and ultra short blond hair, attempted to explain.
โWhat he means, maโam, is that weโre glad to meet you and
weโd like to get better acquainted. Isnโt that right, Daddy?โ
Davis turned his twinkly smile on Lana again, clearly amused
by his children. โAlways glad to welcome new neighbors. I
didnโt get your name.โ
The jig was up. Sheโd prayed to get settled before her
tainted past charged in with all guns blazing. Apparently,
God, Whoโd brought her this far, expected her to face her
fears head on.
It was now or never. Either Davis remembered or he didnโt.
Time to find out.
Chin up, eyes meeting his, she said, โIโm Lana Ross. You and
I attended high school together.โ
© 2003-2026