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“You aren’t mad?”
“Are you?”
“I’m relieved,” Lena began tearfully. “I need you to look at me differently – just like everyone else. I need to be around strangers and stand on my own two feet.”
“I really do understand.”
* * *
That evening, when Shelby was sleeping, Lena packed her bag, ready to leave at a moment’s notice. She packed clothing, socks, a simple frame of her and Shelby, and a few toiletries… that was it. She was determined to start over fresh and new, and take this chance that was being laid at her feet by some unknown benefactor.
And less than twenty-four hours later, she met him. Some ex-military guy named Houghton.
3
LENA
Shelby’s boyfriend, Deacon, flew her to Laramie and circled overhead for a moment before landing on a remote airstrip that looked like it was in the middle of nowhere. She could see mountains in the distance, rolling hills, a few ponds here and there when they were flying in, and the snow flurries were already coming down.
Pulling her coat around her tightly, she saw a cargo van waiting nearby and felt a tremor of fear in her.
“Are you excited?” Deacon said politely. “Shelby was really positive about this place and that they are supposed to have your cabin ready to go. Do you know a lot about farming or Wyoming as a whole?”
“No,” she chuckled nervously and saw some gruff-looking man rap on the door of the plane near Deacon.
“Hey!” the man said abruptly. “We’ve got another plane coming in, so I need you to taxi forward or take off. Is this Lena? Girl, let’s get your stuff into the van, and you can meet my wife, Jill. She’s got the heater running so we don’t all freeze our toes off.”
“This is it,” Deacon said gently. “With the snow coming, I need to get out of here, or I’m not leaving tonight.”
“Okay,” Lena uttered, nodding. “Let’s do this then.”
Deacon reached over her and unlatched the door, allowing her to push it open so she could climb out slowly.
“Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go,” the man urged quickly, glancing up at the sky again. “I’m Houghton, and that’s Jill. I’ll get your bags if you want to climb in. Honestly, I’d take the back bench seat because the other guy has a busted-up leg and will either be in a wheelchair or on crutches.”
“Oh mercy,” Lena uttered openly, hating the way her voice warbled with tears as she felt another tremor of fear rocket through her. She was severing ties and about to be left here, in the middle of nowhere, in a snowstorm, with strangers. “Bye, Deacon. Tell Shelby that this is great and that I’m fine.”
“You’llbefine,” Houghton interrupted and pointed at Deacon. “You? Move it. While you don’t want to be stuck in the snowstorm that is coming… surprise – neither do we.”
Both men looked at each other for a moment before Houghton nodded and held up his dog tags. “Former Army medic. I’ll handle her, and she’ll be fine – I promise.”
Deacon looked at the dog tags, the man, and said something quietly to him, and then looked at Lena, right before he climbed back into the plane… and immediately began to taxi forward to the refueling station for a few minutes as the other plane landed nearby.
Sure enough, a large man had to be helped out of the plane – and his entire leg was swallowed up in a cast nearly up to his hip. He was wincing, in pain, and angrily running his mouth at being carried like a child. Lena climbed into the van quickly, taking the back seat as directed, and smiling at the woman watching the entire scene unfold before her.
“Hi Lena, I’m Jill. It’s nice to meet you.”
“Hi. Thank you so much for having me come visit and…”
“Oh honey – don’t thank me yet,” Jill laughed easily. “This is a working farm, and we’ll have chores, duties, and other things to do to keep us going. Have you got a heavier coat, honey? Woolen socks? Where’s your gloves, child?”
“I don’t have any.”
“Yet,” Jill corrected, smiling warmly. “You don’t have anyyet– and we’ll get you some before I show you the ropes at the lodge. I think you are going to love this place. We’ve got a main house, a huge barn, and several cabins on the property. Each cabin sleeps two and…”
“Two?”
“Yes.”
