Letters for Sally

Chapter 9

Chapter 9
Sally walked out of the plane and into the area to pick up her bags and saw Harry and a woman a little shorter than him smiling at her with a sign that said 'Welcome'.  The woman had dark brown, almost black, thick, straight hair that fell right to the bottom of her shoulder blades and dark deep brown eyes.  Her skin complexion was tanned and her cheek bones were high.  She was a beauty and didn't have any makeup on at all.  She wore earrings made of small beads weaved together and a beaded necklace with designs made with little tiny beads strung together as well.  Her smile was inviting and warm and Sally immediately found herself drawn to her.  She wondered who she was Harry never mentioned being married but then again Harry didn't mention much and after he helped her set stuff up to move he had to go back before her to take care of some business on the ranch.  Now Sally found herself wondering what she was doing.  She didn't know these two strangers but she was drawn to them and her lawyer reassured her it was ok and that Her mother had talked about him many times before.  She stood up straight and decided in her heart that she had nothing to lose and that this adventure was about getting to know her parents better.  She smiled a big, determined and authentic smile; picked up her bags and walked toward their direction.  Harry reached for her luggage and introduced her to the lady beside him.  "Sally this is my wife, Magaskawee." Magaskawee put her hand out to greet Sally and said, "My name means graceful and you can call me Maggie for short.  It is so good to finally meet you.  I have heard so much about you and you are as beautiful as I imagined.  I look forward to your stay and getting to know you better." Sally shook her hand and nodded in respect, smiling and meeting her eyes directly to show acknowledgment of her kind words. "I am excited to be here.", she said.  Maggie looked at her and took her hand into both of hers, looked deeply into her eyes and made a connection before saying, "Sally I know your pain and confusion is great and your sorrow is almost unbearable at times.  I know we have just met but I want to tell you that you don't have to hide or pretend.  Your sorrow is welcome here.  Your pain is not seen as weakness here.  You are going to be loved and cared for and I will always listen and respond."  Tears stung Sally's eyes immediately and she felt a connection.  No one had ever looked so deeply into her soul except her mother.  She was overwhelmed and felt just a little too raw for public display and these new people in her life.  Sally quickly held back the tears that seemed to be trying to escape her eyes and pulled herself together.  "Oh, Maggie, thank you that means more than you know."  Harry could sense the tension Sally was feeling and gestures for them all to walk toward the exit.  They walked out to an old, red, rusty, Chevy pickup.  It was dirty and only had a front seat.  She was pretty sure she had never seen much less rode in a vehicle as dusty and rusty as this one.  She had a very strong realization she was no longer in the only home she had ever known, the city and not just any city, she was rich, she was used to nice and clean things.  She was going to have to make some adjustments in her mind.  What was the old saying from that old movie, 'we are not in Kansas anymore toto'.  All of a sudden she found herself being able to relate in a real fashion.  This was going to be interesting and very new.  She was bound and determined to make this work!  Maggie got into the truck and Harry put her bags in the back.  Sally took a deep breath careful not to allow her body language to express the discomfort she was feeling at this moment.  The last thing she desired was to insult these amazingly kind people.  She got in beside Maggie and closed the door.  The door would not shut tightly and she swings it back out to shut it again and then again and then she slams it shut and looks over to apologize.  "That a girl Sally sometimes you gotta show it who's boss." Harry winks and says before Sally could say sorry.  Her arms and legs were touching every inch of Maggie's arms and legs.  She never realized how much personal space meant to her until this moment.  It wasn't that she didn't like Maggie; she just didn't want to be so close to another human.  She tried to control her breathing and situated herself and turned to smile at her.  Then she looked out the window as if she was just taking in the scenery.  It was beautiful so it wasn't too hard to do.

The landscape was breathtaking.  The land was flat for so long and then hills and trees would rise up from the ground.  The backdrop to the houses and small towns was snow capped mountains that almost seemed like a picture. They simply took her breath away. She saw a few wild animals on the way too and that she didn't expect.  The area had a peace about it, like it was almost untouched in certain areas.  She was mesmerized by what her eyes were taking in.  It smelled fresh and cold.  It was very different from the city smells.  This had a calming effect both from sight and smell.  She thought maybe she could get used to this part of the trip easily.  It was still cold being winter time but she was used to that back east. 

As they drove no one talked Harry and Maggie let her take in the landscape and have her moments alone.  Sally realized that the further they drove the less she saw houses and stores and shops were only in the little towns.  Out in the wide open space it seemed they drove for miles without seeing a single house or person.  When they slowed down to drive into a driveway it was all fenced and a main gate that had a sign in wire or some kind of metal writing, 'Hope Ranch'.  It seemed they were home.  The drive way was long and trees lined both sides of the road along with a fence.  She started to see cows and horses the further in they traveled down the drive.  Then she saw the house.  It was good sized, not huge but not terribly small either.  It had a two car garage and a wrap around porch with several rocking chairs and swings.  The house looked like a log cabin she had seen in books and magazines before.  It was brown and looked like the logs still have resemblance of the trees they were made from.  Behind the house were several buildings and a large red barn was further down the driveway.  It was almost dark so she couldn't see all the details.  She figured she could take it all in better in the morning.