Chapter 4 #2
“I know just where I want to take you. It’s beautiful. I guarantee you’ll love it. The place was one of my mother’s favorites. Whenever she just wanted to get away from all of us, she’d go there.”
“I can’t wait.”
They rode in companionable silence through some of the most beautiful country Millie had ever seen. Green rolling meadows through a lush valley. A river ran down the west side of the property. She saw some cows getting a drink as they rode past. The land sloped up as they followed the river.
“Tell me more about this place we’re going,” said Millie.
“I’ve only been there once or twice. The time I most remember0 was with my mother, before they left on their skiing vacation.”
Millie heard the catch in his voice and reached over and laid her hand on his arm. “I’m sorry, I know this situation is hard for you. Not only losing them but being thrust into the fatherly position with your brothers. I’m sure some resented that.”
“Maybe a little, at first, especially Ben, probably because he’s the second eldest. The younger boys—”
She started laughing. “Boys! All of them are men, definitely not boys even Gabriel. How old are your brothers?”
He looked up for a moment and then started counting brothers on his fingers. “Ben is thirty-five. Christopher is thirty-three, Daniel is thirty, Everett is twenty-nine, Fred and Gabriel are twenty-seven. They’re fraternal twins.”
“I thought perhaps they were twins but didn’t know for sure.” Good grief. His mother must have been exhausted all the time, having so many children, so close together. And having three children in diapers! I wouldn’t have survived.
“They do look a lot alike, but they aren’t identical.”
They rode into a small valley situated between two mountains which were snowcapped even though it was late May.
Some places, hidden by rock overhangs or along the side of a stream, still had a bit of snow, too.
Her maternal Uncle Larry used to tell of being on a camping trip and waking up on May 30th to fresh snow on the ground.
This was Colorado and in the high country, which her new home was a part of, even June snowstorms weren’t that uncommon in the high country .
“This place is gorgeous.” Millie’s eyes were wide as she tried to take in everything.
Adam looked around them. “Wait until you see where I’m taking you. This is nothing in comparison.”
“I can’t wait.”
They’d ridden for another fifteen minutes when Millie suddenly heard a roaring sound.
“What’s that sound?”
“That’s what I brought you to see. Come on.” Leaning forward he urged his horse into a gallop.
Venus wasn’t about to be left behind and took off at a run to catch up.
As they rounded the corner where a small hill jutted out into the path, Millie’s breathing stopped.
Before her was the most beautiful waterfall, or maybe she should say waterfalls.
The river separated into five ribbons as it flowed over the cliff.
The sight was magnificent. “This is wonderful,” shouted Millie in an effort to be heard over the roaring of the water.
He swung his arm taking in the waterfalls. “This is why Mom came alone most of the time. She brought each one of us here so we’d know where it was, but usually after that one time we were never invited to go with her again. She valued her alone time.”
She cupped her hands around her mouth and yelled. “I can understand why. For another thing it’s too difficult to talk. Shouting’s not conducive to conversation.”
“Follow me.” Adam turned away from the falls and took a path up to the top of the little rise.
She and Adam came out above the falls, which she still heard, but the sound was just a low rumble now.
“Wow. This country reminds me of home.”
“Where did you grow up?”
“Just west of Golden, up on Lookout Mountain. I worked at Buffalo Bill’s Grave and Museum when I was fifteen. But I’m a mountain girl deep down.”
He cocked his head and crossed his arms over his chest. “I never would have pegged you for a country girl.”
“I’ve been to Steamboat before for fishing and camping but it’s been a long time and I don’t remember any of the places being as beautiful as this.”
“So you came here as a kid?”
She nodded. “All the way into my twenties and they changed the place of the family reunion. But then I came here with my boyfriend at the time who also came up here to camp and fish when he was a kid. We had a lot of very specific things in common which might be why we dated for so long.”
“What broke you up?”
“He died.”
Adam squeezed his eyes shut and released a long breath. “Oh, I’m so sorry. That must have been tough.”
“He’d been sick for some time and was in a lot of pain.
That was the only thing I asked the doctors for, when he was in the hospital for the last time, that he not be in pain.
” Her eyes filled with tears just like they did every time she remembered, even though he’d been gone for years now.
“They didn’t have to take my wishes into account.
I didn’t have his medical power of attorney.
But they did that for him…for me…he was unconscious most of the time but he wasn’t in pain. ”
“I’m so sorry you had to go through that.”
“Thank you. But it made me stronger for having done that.” Strong enough to reject Ricard, for all the good it did me. If he finds me here, a bloodbath could ensue. I have to make sure that doesn’t happen…if I only knew how.
I feel bad for having to lie to Adam about my background. If or when all this works itself out, I’ll explain to him that I wasn’t the one who was the country girl. That she was a friend of mine and that I was actually raised in New York City. Somehow I doubt that will go over well