Chapter 13

Becky looked out the window of the Horizon Air turboprop as it flew over the mountains on the short flight between Missoula and Great Falls. The sun reflected brightly off the snow-covered landscape below. The scenery was unbelievable but it looked very cold. Photos just couldn't capture the beauty of western Montana. She was excited and nervous; excited to see Bret and Amelia after more than two months apart.

Had it only been a little over two months since they had dropped her off at school in the beginning of January as they headed home to Montana? It was a fun four hour trip, much too short in Becky's mind, and she was bombarded with questions by Amelia about being a veterinarian and the kind of animals she cared for.

Bret and Amelia spent one night in Athens at Aunt Liddy's home, before leaving for Indiana, where they would spend a couple of days, and depending on the weather, pick the best opportunity, and route, for travel home to Montana. Amelia was excited about visiting Dan and Ellen, since Ellen had hinted that Santa had left a few things for her at their house.

They had traveled in the new black truck and Bret told her how he had lost yet another battle with his mother. She and his dad would bring the white truck to Montana in the spring — there was no way she would let her granddaughter ride home in "that beat up old thing!" Bret had related that story with a smile.

They were welcomed with open arms by Liddy who was thrilled to be hosting them. She had a big house, and Amelia didn't protest when they put her and Jack in one of the spare bedrooms. Liddy played along with the pretense Bret and Becky weren't sleeping together and assigned Bret a room of his own, but her smile told them she knew what was going on. Becky and Bret shared her bed. It was a standard double but it could have been a camp cot, because she glued herself against him the entire night, loving the smell of them after they'd made love.

Becky tried to keep from crying as Bret and Amelia drove away. Having found him again, and gained Amelia as a friend, she felt adrift as they departed. Liddy sat on the sofa next to Becky and hugged her.

"He is a marvelous man isn't he?"

"Yes." Becky sniffed.

"Well it's time you dried your tears ... you got what you wanted didn't you?"

Becky smiled.

"Yes ... But I want him now."

"Of course you do ... but you've waited this long ... and if you're worried about some gal back in Montana snatching him up ... Well don't. He adores you. And so does Amelia."

"Are you sure?"

"Damn right ... Aren't you?"

Becky thought for a second, realizing her insecurities were groundless.

"I'm stupid. I shouldn't be insecure."

"Love makes us all stupid ... but he does love you ... no doubt about it and unless I've seriously misjudged him, he a one-woman kind of man."

Becky nodded.

"And you do seem to enjoy each other!" Liddy laughed.

Becky blushed.

Becky had spoken to them every day since they left, and she did miss them terribly. And then one day in early February, a letter from her parents arrived, and inside was a wonderful surprise - a plane ticket to Montana for Spring Break. She had been on a cloud of joy and anticipation since as she made plans with Bret and Amelia. It had been funny to hear so many students rave about the sun and warmth of the beaches of Florida and Mexico, but she was going to a place for Spring Break where winter was still firmly in charge. When she left Georgia spring was in evidence everywhere.

As she looked at the snow-covered mountains below, she was nervous because everything was going to be new. She had never traveled outside the southeast United States. Bret and Amelia would make her welcome, but how about the rest of the town? She knew from the photos that Liddy had shown her, that Abigail had been much loved and respected in Choteau. Would people accept her? Would they think it was too soon after Abigail's death for a new woman to try to take her place?

She tried not to let it worry her, but she knew how important the community was to Bret and how it had become his home. Even at his age he was respected in Choteau. Abigail's death had affected the entire community. Had she made the right choice when she accepted his proposal and agreed to relocate to Montana when she graduated? They hadn't really discussed it. She was so much in love and happy to have Bret back that she thought she would have agreed to live on the moon. Should they have discussed it? Becky chided herself for having second thoughts after all she knew in her heart she'd be happy anywhere with Bret and Amelia.

She reached down and pulled Amelia's drawing from her purse. It was folded, but she didn't need to see it to know what it depicted. She carried the tear-stained picture everywhere and had looked at it many times since Amelia had given it to her that Christmas night over two months ago. It was their secret.

As she held that precious piece of paper, she smiled at the memory of that day.

She had been so nervous at the thought of seeing Bret again and joining his family for Christmas dinner. Somehow she had managed the right outfit and had avoided taking her pent up emotions out on her mother. Becky just couldn't believe Grace had agreed to dinner with the Dawson's. It required her to rearrange her entire Christmas schedule at the last moment. Looking back on it she could see it was a blatant move on the part of Grace and Caroline to get them back together.

Becky put her head back against the airplane seat and almost laughed. It had worked hadn't it?

Bret's unexpected invitation to join him and Brendan for the trip to Mike Anderson's store was the catalyst that moved them that one extra step toward being back together. The way Bret looked at her as he held her hand as she showed him Taylor's ring made her knees weak. It seemed that was the moment that both saw their future together.

And when Bret had pulled her to him on the porch and kissed her for the first time in over five years she knew. It was unlike any kiss they'd ever shared. They were both surprised, and she never wanted it to end. All her questions about how they might get back together were set aside by that feeling of love that coursed through them on the Christmas Day.

And Amelia - her little treasure Amelia, always trying to push them together. After getting Becky invited to the ranch, she had insisted that she and Bret put her to bed that Christmas night. They sat side by side on Taylor's bed with Amelia in Becky's lap as Bret read "The Velveteen Rabbit". As always, Jack was keeping watch nearby. By the end of the story Amelia started to drift off. Becky put her in the bed and they covered her. When Bret kissed her she hardly stirred, but when Becky kissed her she opened her eyes and gave them a sleepy smile.

"Daddy ... can Becky stay for awhile?"

"You need to go to sleep ... you've had a busy day."

"For just a couple of minutes?"

"Well okay."

He turned to Becky and smiled.

"You know where I'll be."

She was so full of emotion she only nodded.

As soon as Bret left the room Amelia pulled a folded piece of drawing paper from under her pillow and handed it to Becky.

"What's this honey?"

She unfolded the paper and saw a fairly sophisticated color pencil drawing of a ranch house with three people on the porch; a man in jeans and a work shirt holding hands with a dark-haired little girl with green eyes, who was holding hands with a blonde woman with blue eyes. Above the ranch house in the fluffy clouds in the blue sky, and above the mountains, was a smiling face — a beautiful woman with dark hair and green eyes.

It was amazing how much these figures drawn by a four year-old looked like Bret, Amelia, Becky and Abigail.

As it dawned on Becky what this represented, her eyes filled with tears.

Amelia hugged her.

"Did you draw this today Amelia ... at your new desk?"

Her green eyes were very serious.

"No ... I had a dream at home ... mommy told me she loved me and missed me, but since she couldn't be there to take care of me and daddy, I needed to help her find us a new mommy. She said there was someone who loved daddy a lot and I had to help him find her. So when I woke up I drew this picture so I'd remember what she looked like from what mommy told me."

Becky didn't know what to say; she just held Amelia as the tears streaked her face.

Amelia looked puzzled at the tears.

"Becky ... don't you want to be my new mommy ... and take care of daddy and me?"

"Oh Amelia..."

She hugged her not even trying to stem the tears.

"I would love to be your new mommy."

Becky let go of Amelia to grab a tissue from the night stand.

She wiped her eyes and said,

"Amelia, do you think your daddy wants me to be the new mommy?"

She looked at Becky as if she had just asked a stupid question. Adults were very puzzling creatures sometimes.

"I've been watching daddy ... and I see that he looks at you like he did mommy. He loves you..."

"Do you think so sweetheart?"

Amelia nodded.

She looked back at the picture.

"And mommy said she'd always watch over us ... and Jack and the horses and the kitties ... from up in heaven."

"I know she will, Amelia, because she loves you and daddy."

She nodded again and asked,

"Becky ... when can you come?"

She smiled at Amelia. In her mind things were already settled and Becky would simply come to Montana and move right in. Too bad life wasn't that simple.

"I'll be there in May sweetheart ... after school."

"But we have school in Montana."

"I know ... but I'm in a special school and I have to stay here ... but I promise I'll see you in May ... and we'll talk on the phone every night before I come. Okay?"

Amelia thought about that for a few seconds as Becky dried her tears.

"Okay."

"Now it's time to go to sleep ... I have to go talk to your daddy."

Amelia yawned.

"Will you be here tomorrow?"

"Yes ... how about we go out to breakfast ... just you and me?"

Amelia smiled and nodded.

Becky kissed her one more time and pulled the covers over her, as she whispered,

"Goodnight Amelia, Merry Christmas."

"Goodnight Becky."

She took the drawing and turned off the light. As she walked down the hall toward the upstairs bathroom her mind was overwhelmed with all that had just happened. She washed her face to try to remove the signs of tears and reduce the puffiness around her eyes.

As she looked at her reflection in the bathroom mirror, she said,

"Okay, Becky girl ... you love Bret ... and he most certainly loves you ... even though he hasn't said it yet ... Amelia says he loves you ... so what's the problem?"

She laughed.

"Let's see ... another year and a half of school ... two thousand miles ... a place I know nothing about ... living on a ranch ... learning to ride a horse ... terrible winters ... easy stuff."