Road to Colorado

Chapter 1

Charlotte Meyers was on her route as a mail carrier, savoring the weather that Tuckerton, New Jersey, was enjoying in late September.

It was a casual Wednesday, just a little past nine in the morning.

While the day wasn’t exceptionally warm, the gentle atmosphere seemed to wrap around the neighborhood, creating a comforting sense of peace.

She found herself immersed in thoughts about everything she had faced over the past few years, reflecting on it all with resilience.

The loss of her husband a year before had left her shattered, yet she had found the strength to begin moving forward.

She realized that staying strong for her sixteen-year-old daughter, Sophia, was essential.

To Charlotte, Sophia was a precious blessing, and she would do anything to protect her and ensure her well-being.

Jacob’s tragic death in a wrongful-death incident had shaken their lives, and although Charlotte had received a significant settlement, it couldn’t replace the love they had lost. She’d made the difficult decision to move in with her parents, Liam and Evelyn Davis, believing that family support was what Sophia needed most during the challenging time, even as she navigated her own path toward independence.

Charlotte still felt a profound emptiness in her heart from Jacob’s absence, and the grief weighed heavily on her every day.

Yet, amid the pain, she remained determined to keep pushing forward.

Planning for a future without Jacob felt daunting and surreal, and even after a year, the reality of the loss was still overwhelming.

She understood that healing takes time, and as she embraced each day, she held on to the love that would always connect them.

“Stop it,” she muttered. “It’s a beautiful day, and that’s what you need to focus on.”

Over the previous year, she had taught herself to do many of the things Jacob had always handled.

It never made it easy, but she did her best. Charlotte had just pulled into a parking space she had used for years, and after a few minutes, she had collected the mail for the street and was out of the truck, walking to the first address.

She had never been a nosy person, but she found comfort in reading who people received mail from.

The letter on top was addressed to Connie, an older woman who had lived in the area for as long as she could remember.

She was a delightful woman who always stopped to talk to Charlotte when she caught her walking up to the porch.

That morning, she spotted the curtain moving just as she approached, and a moment later, the door opened.

“Good morning, Charlotte,” Connie said. “You’re moving a little too quickly today.”

She laughed. “Seems like the mail is light today. I might actually finish earlier than usual.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you here this early. I was beginning to wonder if I’d forgotten to set my clocks after the last power outage.”

“Nope, not this time. I’m way ahead of schedule. How are you feeling today?”

Connie sighed. “About as good as I’m going to get. You know, that’s what my Jack used to always say. He would tell me that as long as you’re still breathing, then it’s a good day.”

During a heartfelt conversation nearly a year earlier, Charlotte had discovered that the woman’s husband had passed away many years before.

Connie had never moved on or found the courage to remarry, and the loss weighed heavily on her heart.

She often told herself that she could never let go of Jacob, a reminder of the deep love they had shared that lingered with her every day.

Still, she was only thirty-eight, which left a long time to be alone.

“That’s a wonderful way to look at things.”

“Maybe, but I’m not sure there’s any other way to look at it at my age. When you get to be this old, you’re just happy to wake up in the morning.”

“Well, you look great, and I wouldn’t guess you’re any older than fifty.”

Connie smiled. “Oh, stop it. I know my age, and you probably could come up with a better guess than that.”

“Does it ever get better?” Charlotte asked.

“Jack being gone?”

She nodded. “Jacob has been gone for a year, but it still feels like he was just here with me.”

“Things can get easier, but I don’t know if they’ll ever get better. Jack was the love of my life, and we were meant to be together, even if God had other plans. Your loss will become a strength, but it won’t be easy.”

Charlotte nodded. “I was just wondering. Sometimes I feel okay for a little while, and then it hits me hard.”

“That’s how it was for me, and even after all these years, it still feels like Jack is with me sometimes. You know, Jack and I had a long life together before he left. We had a lifetime together, but you lost Jacob at such a young age. There’s still life in you; don’t forget that.”

“I won’t, but I can’t even go a few minutes without thinking about him. It’s going to be a long time before I ever think about being with?—”

Before she could finish her sentence, her phone chimed, and so did Connie’s.

It wasn’t any of the ringtones she was used to, so she quickly pulled it out and glanced at the screen, surprised to see a random number.

No matter how many times she tried to silence it, the noise didn’t stop until she opened the notification.