Chapter 1

                                    

                                          
Please remember: This is UNEDITED and I am still working on the perspective to write from. All of that will be fixed once completed and edited. Please have patience with me
                          


                          
 It was another hot and sticky summer morning. The sunlight cascaded through the window setting her face a glow. The tender sunlight crept across her face and begged for Rachel to wake up. She yawned and stretched as her mind began to tell her that it was going to be a great day. Most summer days were the same. The heat would be ridiculous thanks to the fabulous Memphis humidity, but that made for a perfect pool day. Today she planned on getting her chores done quickly and then the day would be hers to use at her leisure. She planned on spending her last couple weeks of summer as free as possible. After all, she was an adult now, 18, about to start her last year of high school, her world was changing and she needed to embrace all opportunities that came her way, after her chores.
                          
 Growing up in the Taylor family meant each member had to understand a key rule, "if you want to do anything fun, all of your chores must be completed first...otherwise NO FUN!!!"  She grew up in a traditional home with two older sisters, Lana hand Sara, and loving parents that hoped their girls would be God fearing, kind and responsible women. Many times her friends would argue about how many chores she had to do, but she knew regardless of how much it stunk, her parents were doing what was right by making her be responsible. She wished she had the cool parents that let her do whatever she wanted, but deep down she was grateful that her parents gave respect and showed her and her sisters how to earn respect as well. 
                          
    It may sound like her parents were strictly business but they were much more. Everything has its own time and purpose. Her parents were constantly involved with all school activities and even drove her school bus when her and her sisters were younger.  Mom and dad were awesome and opened their hearts and home for anyone who needed to be loved. Many found refuge or came to enjoy a loving family atmosphere, or maybe it was her mom's cooking? Probably a little bit of both, but her mom and dad never met someone they could not love. Yes, they were great parents.
                          
 Rachel was the lone wolf at home these days, since her sisters were both married. Lana, her oldest sister, had her only nephew, Jack, and Sara was still a newlywed and no babies yet. Her parents worked during the day and expected the chores to be done by the time that got home or else! Being the only child left to do them meant she had to prioritize and focus or they would never get done.
                          
  She scampered around the house as quickly as possible and made sure not to miss anything. Something was missing. "The radio," she remembered. It was standard operating procedure for the country tunes from Froggy 94 to play through the speakers as she did anything at home from washing her car to cleaning the house to swimming.  She grabbed the radio and let the songs help her check off her to do list for the day, then off to swim she could be.
                          
    Music helped the time pass and provided a soundtrack to any activity. Usually, the first tunes were upbeat and made her dance. She hated the commercials. Thankfully when she turned on the radio the end of a commercial was playing which was the start of 30 minutes of nonstop music. Thank you, God! Perfect for what she needed to do. She cleaned, danced and sang her way through her chores. She was about to start the vacuum when Luke Bryan's song I Don't Want this Night to End rang through the speakers. She turned and stared into the speakers as if she was looking for someone to reach out to her. The song reminded her of one special night at the lake that she never wanted to end. She closed her eyes as a smile came upon her face. The memory of that night warmed her heart each time she recalled it and made her long to see Ryan again.