2. Changes and Challenges PT 1

   I awoke very late in the day. Shame brought a rush of color to my cheeks as I flew out from under the covers and started to rise. Then I remembered. Yesteryday. The accident. My parents......... I couldn't even bring myself to say it aloud. I slowly got up and decided to at least fix myself before trying to tackle today. I changed into a light creamy-green cotton dress and pulled my hair into a braid that nearly reached my waist. Mother would always say about how long and soft it was. My heart ached just thinking about it.

   My stomach began to growl painfully, reminding me that I hadn't eaten since breakfast yesterday. I finished my hair and walked into the kitchen. This was going to be harder than I thought. Just walking in brought a wave of emotions. I knew then that I wouldn't be able to stay here long alone.

After a breakfast of stale cornbread and milk with a hint of honey, I hurried to milk the cow, gather some eggs and check the rest of the animals. As I made my rounds, I found myself studying the animals closely and mentally figuring how much they might bring if I was to sell them. What other choice did I have? I finished my chores and found myself at a lose of what to do, this is when Mother usually began informing me of the days plans.

I first thought of getting in touch with an attorney to settle some of the legal parts of all this and as I began to go through some of the papers Father kept in his desk, I came across something that turned my ideas completely around. There, listed among other odds and ends of importances, was the name Margaret Tara Lewis, my great-aunt.

"How could I have forgotten", I mumbled to myself as I sank into a chair beside me, the paper now firmly in my grasp. Great-aunt Margaret, or Auntie as we called her, was my father's aunt and probably the only other family I had left. She and I were very close when I was a toddler but when we moved here to Kentucky, she had to stay behind in Kansas. I figured my parents respected her more than I realized because they named their one and only daughter after her, Tara Holden, which happens to be me.

I knew instantly that this was my way out. Here I had a relative who at least knew of me and considering my circumstances, would at least take me in for a time. I also knew that writing to her would take too long and decided then and there what I was going to do. I was going to move to Kansas and live with my great-aunt.

Things moved rapidly after that. I began to slowly prepare for the journey, packing a little daily as I had many other things to attend to. I sold our farm animals, the house, land and other builds that sat on the property under the condition that nothing happened till I was on my way to Kansas. Papers were signed and hands shook. I made one last trip into town. Saying goodbye to old friends who knew me for nearly a decade.

My stagecoach was scheduled to arrive in the mid-afternoon of April the 20th. The trip itself would take a week or more, depending on weather and.............unpredictable circumstances, such as Indians. They turned out to be my biggest fear. Leaving the only home I'd ever known, selling all my possessions and going to some far off place didn't scare me near as much as the possiblity of coming across Indians on my journey. I lay awake at night, my mind wondering to the stories I'd heard growing up, about men and husbands being scalped, woman and children either killed or forced to join a tribe and marry. The thoughts made me shutter with fear.

In only a matter of days since my parent's tragic accident, I stood straight and firm as I awaited the arrival of the stagecoach. My luggage lay around me in the most unorganized fashion and I watched with a hint of embarrassment as a couple made their way around it. The husband helped his wife over one of my larger chests before giving me a dissaproving look. My cheeks heated and I dropped my head and turned away. It was only minutes later that I heard the rattle and horses-hooves beat the dust earth that I began to double check my luggage and gripped my handbag a little tighter. I sure hoped I was making the right choice.

A middle-aged man was kind enough to see that my luggage was properly stored and secured on the stagecoach as I made my way in and sat down, shifting my heavy petticoats and skirt into a more comfortable and out-of-the-way position. I was a bit surprised when the man then pulled himself up on the seat and prepared to leave. In a bit of a panic, I leaned forward and called loudly to him from my seat saying "Are there no other passengers?"

"Nope, just you miss".

And with that, the stagecoach shoot forward, nearly slamming my back into the hard wood behind me. Situating myself once more, I began to study my quickly-changing surrondings. The once rugged mountians of Tennessess and Kentucky were left in the distance as great plains of wide, open prairie filled the horizion. My stomach knotted as I began to fully realize what I was doing. I instantly shook myself and inhaled deeply. I was making the right choice.

Reviews

[Craig2591]

Not much to comment on so far. The story is well written and flows well.