Letters for Sally

Chapter 8

Chapter 8
Sally had been avoiding all communication with the school and even her mother's lawyer.  She asked the lawyer to communicate with them on her behalf and just give her some time.  He agreed and they decided she was safe at home alone because of her security staff and Roger being in and out all day.  Her mother had a plan written out for her just in case something like this ever happened but they had never discussed it and honestly, her lawyer telling her they needed to talk about it was the first she had heard of a plan.  The lawyer thought it would be wise to talk in person about such delicate matters. 

Sally called the school and was able to get all her school work transferred to an online program designed for life events such as this.  She was in the second semester of her Senior year because she had been on an accelerated plan while also taking college credit classes. Sally planned to start that program as soon as she arrived in Montana with Mr. Harry Baker.  She was nervous about going to stay there for a while, after all she didn't really know him.  She decided to call the lawyer and ask if staying with him was even ok.  Today was her 17th birthday but she knew she wasn't considered a grown up yet.  She had to think about these things... like insurance, doctors appointments, a guardian or someone who would do the things her mother did for her.  Her mother taught her about life skills enough to know these things mattered. She didn't know all the details or what all her mother did for her but she knew it was something.  So she called the lawyer up to get some advice and direction.  He told her that he could have paperwork written up to give Mr. Harry temporary power of attorney.  She wasn't sure exactly what that meant but she trusted he would take care of everything.  He told her that she could go with him for a time and in a few months come back home so they could talk about her permanent plan until she turned 18.  She felt that would be perfect and give her time to finish school online and allow her time to find out what Harry knew about her parents. 

Sally was putting her packed bags in the foyer by the doorway so that the driver taking her to the airport could grab them quickly and put them in the elevators.  Roger poked his head into the doorway and smiled a half-smile filled with part sadness and part joy for her.  "Hey the driver won't come get you until 1 and that is two hours from now."  Roger said as he walked closer to her.  "Yes, I realize that.  You know me I want to be ready and organized", she said as she turned toward him.  "Sally I made you something!  Will you join me in the kitchen?" She wasn't very hungry because of her nerves but she thought she could eat a little.  A tear tried to sting her eyes as she realized this was her last day with Roger until she came back.  She quickly dismissed the tears and rubbed her eyes as if she was just tired or scratching them.  She followed Roger into the kitchen and her eyes widened and her mouth opened slightly as a huge smile overtook her face.  "Roger!  What have you done?  This is so beautiful and fun!  I can not believe you did all this for me!"  Roger stood back taking in her excitement and joy.  He was going to miss her.  She had almost become like one of his own.  He loved her like he did his own three children and her leaving so soon after her mother died was difficult for Roger too.  He was sad but his joy to see her find peace was more important to him.  He wanted her to go on this adventure.  He had a private chat with Harry and Harry shared some information with him that raised his confidence in Sally going to stay for a while.  "Sally, it is your 17th birthday!  We are going to have a small party.  Just you and me." He said as he walked behind the huge three-tiered cake.  It was decorated with her favorite flowers, yellow and white daisies made from buttercream icing.  It smelled sweet and fresh in the kitchen.  Roger truly made the best bakery items in town in her opinion.  "It is all your favorites: strawberry pie, strawberry cake with lemon whipped cream icing, pink lemonade tea, and fruit salad."  Roger knew her about as good as her mother had.  He was the kind of person who paid attention.  She was overjoyed knowing how much she was loved and known by him.  A tear stung her eye again as she realized her mother wasn't there to celebrate and eat all this with her and Roger.  This time Roger saw it and he knew, he knew exactly what she was feeling because he felt it too.  He stepped over to Sally and took her into a hug.  They didn't say a word but Sally allowed herself to cry softly into his chest and it took all of Rogers's strength to keep his composure.  It hurt him deeply to see his little Sally so broken and not be able to fix it.  She was growing up and she was broken in a time of life she should have been able to focus on finishing strong in school and thinking about college and her new life as an adult.  However, she is left with pain, brokenness, deep sadness and missing her mother and her father more than ever.  Today should have been her birthday party, a day of treats and fun.  Today should have been a day of joy and happiness.  However, instead today was a day of sadness and sorrow with enough cake to feed 50 people and only two people to eat it, two people that didn't feel like eating at all. 

Sally raised her head up from Rogers' chest and said, "thank you my friend, let us have some cake."  They smiled at each other, they didn't need words, they both knew the heaviness before them.  They both decided the smell of fresh strawberries and sweet pink lemonade tea was now their mission and they would enjoy it.  They both felt a deep sadness but they were both bound and determined to enjoy the treats before them. They both needed the celebration of her 17th birthday.  It wasn't perfect and she found herself once again dismissing thoughts of God failing her.  It was easier to just keep God out of it all than to think about the blame being put on Him.  Right now she just wanted this special time with Roger because in just a couple of hours her life was going to start being very different.

When Sally sat down on the plane she realized that she was at a window seat.  She liked that and was feeling excited. She could see out the window at the clouds and the land below.  Her mind started to wander into the past of times when she and her mother would go on trips to see her family or on a short vacation.  Her mom would always make sure she had a window seat and her mother would hold her hand as the plane would take-off.  Her mother was quite a lot and she wondered if that was how she was before her dad died.  She could feel the change in herself in the short time her mother had been gone.  She knew she was mad at God but could not bring herself to admit it or say it out loud.  The internal battle she was fighting was exhausting and causing her to change.  She wondered if her mother changed too, if she felt like Sally was feeling now when he passed away.  She was fighting for herself but she only had so much strength and right now all she could think about was learning more from Mr. Harry and reading all those notebooks and letters her parents had written.  Her mind focused on them and the parts she had already read.  She loved how her mother was as a teenager.  It was amazing to hear how much she was similar to her mother at the same ages when she didn't know her mother as a teen.  It made her wonder about genetics and DNA.  She often wondered how much of who we are is part of our biological makeup and how much is learned.  She yawned to herself, "Maybe I ate too much cake but I am tired", she whispered to herself.  Sally fell fast asleep and stayed that way the whole flight.