Chapter 1 The Long Drive Home The Colorado Rockies had long since faded into the background as the dusty, old pickup truck turned east onto I-80, towards Des Moines, Iowa. Tom flicked on his headlights and checked the fuel gauge; he had filled up in Kearny, Nebraska, but that was a couple hundred miles back. The needle was lingering on the empty mark again. As he looked over at his passenger, Tom sighed. The tension hung heavy in the air; like humidity after a summer’s rain. I tell you what, darlin’, this beast guzzles fuel like it’s going out of style,” the old cowboy remarked, attempting to strike up a conversation with his grandniece. His comment was met by silence, and it made him feel edgy. Tom began to whistle as he tapped the steering wheel with his fingers. Music had a way of cheering him up and calming his nerves. He glanced over again at the girl; she was still staring listlessly out the passenger-side window. “What do you see out there?” he asked, leaning over to take a look for himself. All he saw was the flat expanse of vacant fields.“Pretty exciting, huh?” He waited for a response, but the girl remained silent. Tom resumed whistling as his eyes focused back on the road. He wondered what he had gotten himself into this time. Katreena was eleven years old, blonde hair, turquoise eyes, and slightly hunched over shoulders as if she carried the weight of the world on them. She was the granddaughter of his brother, Gilbert. Tom had never met the girl before today, although he had heard about her on occasion through phone conversations with his brother. That had been eight years ago; before Gilbert passed away. Since his death, Tom had lost track of the family. One month ago to the day, Tom received a phone call saying that Gilbert’s son and daughter-in-law had been tragically killed in a car accident. They had one daughter who was in the care of a foster home in the state of Colorado and Tom was her only living relative. She was older, making it difficult to find a family who wanted to adopt her. Would he be interested? Tom sighed as he remembered the emotions that question had evoked. The thought of a sixty-eight year old man raising a preteen girl seemed impossible; yet something deep inside would not allow him to walk away. How could he leave this young one to find her way through this world alone? After all, she was family. Tom looked into his rearview mirror at the sun setting behind them. For a moment he was distracted by its beauty. “You hungry?” he asked, bringing his attention back to the road. “No,” she answered firmly. Tom was startled at the sound of her voice. That was the first word she had spoken to him. Well I sure am,” he continued with renewed enthusiasm. “We need to fill up the tank besides.” He pulled off the interstate and turned into a nearby gas station that had a café next to it. Tom killed the engine and the truck shuddered to a stop. “Long trip, huh?” he said. Silence. Tom ran a thoughtful hand over his bristly chin and sighed. You want to fill the tank up for me?” “No. Tom wondered if that was the only word she knew. “Okay. He shrugged as he opened his door and got out. He was not one to argue with a female. Tom whistled as he waited for the tank to fill. “Twent-five dollars! Woo wee, that’s pricey,” he muttered to himself as he hung the nozzle. “Darn hog.” He got back into the truck and pulled up in front of the café. You coming in?” he inquired, pausing halfway out his door. Her eyes were still glued to the window. “I told you, I’m not hungry.” The girl rested her elbow on the door and cupped her chin in her hand. Tom waited a moment longer, hoping she might change her mind. “You need to use the toilet?” he tried. This time Katreena looked directly at him, her brilliant eyes flashing. “If I need to use the toilet, I will. Okay?” Her jaw clenched as she fixed her eyes upon some unknown point. “Suit yourself, sweetheart.” He closed his door a little too hard. Katreena watched his lanky figure disappear into the café and without hesitation she jerked open the door and hopped out. Grabbing her bag from the bed of the pickup, she slung the ratty pink strap over her shoulder. She needed to get out of here, to be alone. When she was alone she could think straight; maybe then she could make some sense out of this mess she found herself living in. Tears formed in her eyes as she angrily brushed them away and headed towards the road. If she started to cry now she may never stop. Looking in both directions, she discovered that the road was void of traffic. There seemed to be no end to the emptiness here, both inside and out. It was so different here from her home back in Colorado where snowcapped mountains surrounded the small town where she grew up. There you could see the massive Rockies in every direction, watching over the land like ancient guardians. When she was little they had made her feel safe, tucked in and secure; but those mountains, majestic as they were, could not change what had happened to her parents. The wind blew bitter and cold from the north, and Katreena huddled deeper into her jacket. She glanced back at the café; its light glowed warm and bright through the window. She shivered and leaned into the wind. It made her face numb, but least she could feel something. She could see Tom through the window, standing in front of the café counter. He was smiling and talking to a lady who handed him a brown paper bag. Katreena studied him for a moment with squinted eyes. He seemed all right, even if he was a stranger. Sure, he was wrinkled and old, with dirty boots and a worn out cowboy hat; but his blue eyes were kind. They reminded her of her father. Katreena recalled the last time she had seen her father’s eyes: She had been sitting on the sofa back home in Colorado, too sick with the flu to go to church with her parents. Sammy, her Australian shepherd, had been lying across her lap, gazing up at her with adoration. Her mother, Diane, had come over one last time to feel her forehead. “Are you sure you’ll be okay if we leave you here alone?” her mother had asked her on that fateful day. Katreena could still hear the words echoing in her mind. If only I would have said ‘no’, they would still be alive. “I’ll be okay,” Katreena had insisted with a feversih smile. Her father, Dan, had walked over to where she sat. “We’ll leave ol’ Joe’s phone number, just in case you need anything. He’s just down the road and is usually home on Sundays.” Dan had planted a kiss on the top of her head and she had protested with a groan. After all she was ten, which meant all signs of parental affection had to be addressed with disgust; even though she had secretly loved having a father who treated her like a princess. Her parents had stood in the doorway, looking at her as if still debating whether or not they should leave. None of them realized that this would be the last time they would all be together this side of Heaven. “We love you sweetheart. Get some rest, we should be back in a few hours,” her father had promised. His eyes had twinkled, just like they always did. “Okay, love you guys too,” Katreena had replied, nestling down in her grandmother’s faded quilt. The warmth of Sammy on her lap and the assurance of her parent’s love made her feel content. She had heard the door shut behind them, and that was it. An hour later they were dead. Approaching footsteps snapped her back to reality, as she opened her eyes. “Looks like snow,” observed Tom, who was standing next to her. She followed his gaze up to the sky as more tears traced their way down her windblown cheeks. “Are you going for a walk?” he asked, glancing at the bag slung over her shoulder. Katreena shrugged, not taking her eyes off the clouds. Blinking hard she tried to stop the tears, but the more she fought against them the thicker they came. After a moment she looked up at Tom. I’m not sure,” she confessed. Her face skewed up into a grimace as she unsuccessfully suppressed a sob. The dam broke and she yielded to the grief she was trying so hard to control. Hiding her face in her hands, she wept. Tom awkwardly pulled the sobbing girl against his chest and she clung to his old jacket as if her very life depended on it. She shook with the force of her pent up sorrow and not knowing what else to do, he gently patted her on the back. “It’s gonna be alright, darlin’, you’ll see. It’s gonna be okay.” Whether or not he was talking more to himself or to the girl, he was not certain, but he prayed to God that what he said was true. Chapter 2 A New Beginning It was a little past midnight when Tom finally turned onto the gravel road that led to his home. Snow fell softly against the windshield, and as he switched on the wipers, he leaned his head over the steering wheel for a better view. When they reached the house, he killed the engine, and looked over at the girl. She was sound asleep on the seat beside him, her knees tucked up against her belly, her head cradled in her arms. It was the first time that she looked at peace since he had met her, and he hated to wake her up. Tom waited a moment in the silence, watching snowflakes slide down the window and pile against its edge. He sighed, trying to recall what it felt like to be eleven years old. That was so long ago. The cold crept in through the glass, replacing the residual warmth left over from the engine. Tom decided they had better head in. Gently wiggling the girl’s foot, he whispered, “We’re home.” “Huh?” Katreena sat up, rubbing her eyes. “We’re home, Tom repeated, opening his door. He slid out of the truck with a groan. “This ol’ cowboy’s tuckered out.” Still half asleep, Katreena stumbled out after him and they walked together up the path that led to the front porch. Tom had grabbed her bag out of the back of the truck, and slung it further up on his shoulder as he fumbled with the keys. “Darn things,” he muttered, trying each one in the lock. When he tried the last key, it worked and the door finally opened. Katreena followed close behind as they entered. The house smelled old and stale. “Sure feels good to be home, don’t it darlin’?” Tom said, turning on the light. The bulb flickered a few times before shining steadily. When he looked down at the girl, she shrugged to show him her indifference; she might be living here the next several years, but it certainly would never be home. Shuffling across the wood floor, the girl assessed the living room. The walls were dark brown and on one of them hung a slightly crooked picture. It was of a cowboy playing his guitar. There was a dog at his feet, which appeared to not appreciate his master’s taste in music. She stared at the artwork for a moment, deciding that the man playing the guitar looked a lot like Tom. Maybe it was. “Is this you?” she queried, pointing up at the picture. Tom glanced up from the envelopes he was sorting through and chuckled. “No darlin’, it’s not.” “Oh,” she sighed. “It looks like you.” Tom grinned, at least the girl was entertaining. Hiding a yawn behind her hand, Katreena flopped down on the nearest chair and surveyed the furniture. It was an outdated green and orange plaid print and had the appearance of being just about as tired as she felt at that moment. Tom flicked on another light as a new facet of the house was illuminated. It was a stairwell that led to the upper level. When summoned with a nod of his head, Katreena got to her feet and followed him up. At the top of the stairs were two closed doors. There was a small hallway, covered with brown shag carpet that resembled the hide of some unfortunate animal, and an empty, dusty book shelf. Tom turned to her and said, “This door on your left is your bedroom; the one on your right is the bathroom.” Tom proceeded to open the bedroom door and go in; Katreena followed after him. He set her bag on the double bed, and switched on a lamp that was next to it. The lampshade had horses on it chasing each other around the boarder. Katreena liked it. The walls of the bedroom were bare, like a blank canvas, and she imagined the posters she would use to cover them someday. “I hope it’s to your liking, Tom said. Katreena almost smiled as she nodded her approval. Toms gray mustache punctuated his grin. “Well, I suppose, I best be getting to bed. I’m done tuckered out and I’m sure you are too.” He headed towards the door. “I’ll show you the rest of the house tomorrow. Is that okay?” The last bit was muffled out by a yawn. Sure. “I’ll be in the room downstairs if you need anything.” “Okay,” she said kicking off her shoes. She plopped down on the bed and slipped her legs beneath the warm covers. Rolling to her side she looked at him with expectancy. “Tom?” “What is it darlin’?” He paused in the doorway. “Would you sing me a song?” “A song? I, uh, I really don’t sing. “ “Please?” she begged. “It’ll make your ears bleed,” he warned. “I won’t mind, I really want you to sing to me. She looked at him with hopeful eyes. Tom shook his head in defeat. “Well now, I suppose.” She propped herself up on one elbow. “Will you play the guitar for me too? Just like the man in the picture downstairs?” “Darlin’, I would, but I don’t have a guitar,” Tom confessed, relieved to have an excuse to get out of that one. Taking off his cowboy hat, he revealed a full head of disheveled, silver hair. He placed his hat over his heart and cleared his throat and with the honesty of a school boy Tom began to sing Amazing Grace. Before he had finished the last verse, Katreena was sound asleep. Chapter 3 Settling In Sunligt poured through white lace curtains and fell warm across Katreenas face. The girl groaned softly as she awoke, squinting against the brightness. Turning to her back, she stared up at the ceiling and blinked. Where am I? she wondered aloud. Below her she could hear pots and pans clanking together. Tom let out a shout, followed by a loud crash and Katreena remembered where she was. Her room was filled with the smell of coffee and burnt bacon. The scent was a familiar one, evoking bittersweet memories from her past. Often her dad had fixed coffee and bacon in the mornings before sending her off to school. Unannounced tears slid silently down her cheeks as Katreena turned to her side and stared at the horse lamp next to her bed. She sighed and attempted to gain control of the pain that suffocated her heart like a python. Another loud crash came from below, drawing her back into reality. Scrubbing tears from her face, she jumped out of bed and ran down the staircase. She stopped just outside of the kitchen and peered in. Tom was waving a tea towel over a smoking pan of bacon on the stove. He caught sight of her and grinned. “Morning, darlin’, did ya sleep well?” He was still wearing his beat up old cowboy hat and Katreena wondered if he had slept in it last night. “Yeah,” she replied, taking a wary step into the kitchen.“Is everything okay?” Tom looked down at his burnt bacon. “I reckon nothing an open window won’t fix. He threw the towel on the counter and propped a window open with a wooden ruler. Taking a paper plate lined with a napkin, Tom forked charred bacon onto it and offered some to Katreena. She studied the contents with suspicion. “No thanks.” Tom looked at the bacon discouragedly. He shrugged, setting the plate on the counter. “You want to get cleaned up first, and then eat?” he asked. She nodded. Perhaps if she took long enough in the bathroom he would forget about breakfast. “All the stuff’s up there already if you want to take a shower, make yourself at home, darlin’.” Tom took a crisp slice of bacon and bit into it as Katreena studied his face for signs of toxicity. He grimaced as he tried to swallow. Finally after a wash of coffee, he got it down.“Ahh.” He smiled and she tried not to laugh at the bacon stuck in his teeth. “It’s pretty good, ya sure you don’t want any?” Tom held the plate towards her. “I’m sure.” She tried not to look too disgusted. “I think I’m going to get cleaned up now.” “Alright,” Tom said, helping himself to another slice of bacon. As Katreena headed upstairs, she wondered how long she could avoid Tom’s cooking. As she entered the bathroom, she locked the door behind her and breathed in the silence. It was good to be alone. She walked over to the mirror above the sink and opened it to reveal a medicine cabinet full of toothpaste, mouthwash, and an item which Katreena was sure she wouldn’t need for several more years. She closed the cabinet quickly, her face turning hot. How did this man know about those kinds of things anyways? She hardly knew about them herself, and she was a girl! A sinking feeling washed over her as she slid her back down the wall to the floor. How could she live here without a woman to talk to or understand her? There were no friends to play with, or dogs to lie across her lap and keep her warm on chilly winter afternoons. There was nothing but “Tom the cowboy” and his old, unfamiliar things that meant nothing to her. She sighed as she succumbed to the relentless tears that won out yet again. It all seemed so hopeless, and she was sick of crying. Katreena stood to her feet, and angrily peeled off her clothes. She turned the water on in the shower and hopped in, scrubbing her skin as if she could wash away the pain. The hot water didnt last long enough and it smelled like rotten eggs. The air was cold as she stepped out from the shower and grabbed a towel from the shelf above the toilet. Long blonde hair dripped tiny puddles across the tile as she walked over to the full-length mirror on the back of the door. With the corner of her towel, she wiped a place clear of steam, and examined her reflection. It had been a long time since she had seen herself in a mirror, and she wasn’t sure what to expect. Staring at the figure that was glaring back at her, Katreena discovered that she was a lot thinner than the last time she had seen herself. She turned to inspect her side profile. She didn’t recognize herself anymore. Looking intently into the reflection of her eyes, she watched as they filled up with hot, salty tears. The teardrops landed atop Katreena’s bare feet and she turned away, disgusted. She never wanted to see the face of that stranger again.
Posted on: Sat, 27 Dec 2014 02:33:19 +0000
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