“Oh really?” I smile. “And how many acres does his family have?”
“Just under ten thousand, but that’s not why I’m interested in him. I’ve had a crush on him since I was a freshman in high school and he was a sophomore. Of course, he never noticed me much aside from being Matt’s little sister, but I’ve since changed that.”
“And does he have any brothers and sisters?”
“Lord yes!” she smiles. “He’s got ten brothers and sisters.”
“Ten?”
She nods. “I don’t know how his mama did it. Most of them want to leave Jackson and move some place more exciting like Nashville or Dallas.”
The mention of Dallas makes my palms sweat and my heart beat a bit faster from the anxiety settling in the pit of my stomach.
“But not Caleb?”
She shakes her head.
“Caleb’s just like Matt. He wants to stay right here and be a rancher like his dad. And I want to be a rancher’s wife.”
I smile at her and nod my head. I’m not sure what a rancher’s wife does, but I can tell Ava will get whatever it is she’s going after. She has a determined look in her eye.
I almost feel sorry for Caleb.
Almost.
Ava is a very pretty girl and her personality is certainly vivacious. Caleb will be a lucky man if he follows Ava’s plans for his life.
“How old are you?” Ava asks. “You look about my age. I’m nineteen.”
“I’m twenty,” I say, realizing that I lost almost an entire year of my life in the hospital.
“You okay? You looked a little funny there for a second.”
“Yes, I’m fine.”
“Some people don’t like to give out their age. But I figure we’re young, why hide our real age, right?”
“Right,” I agree with her. “I don’t mind. I’m happy to be alive and aging.”
She looks at me kind of funny when I say that, but then just nods her head.
“So, do you go to school or what?”
“I’m not sure what I’m going to do yet. My parents wanted to move to Wyoming and I decided to come with them. I’m still trying to decide what I’m going to do about school.”
She smiles. “I’ve always known I wanted to be a rancher’s wife and look after my family and the animals and stay right here in Jackson. There’s no better place on the face of the earth than right here as far as I’m concerned.”
“I think I’m going to like it here,” I admit. And I do. The clean fresh air and the breathtaking scenery are already leading me to a more relaxed feeling.
I don’t think I would have gotten that in New York or Los Angeles. I believe this new place will be good for me.
And if these new neighbors are any indication of what the people here in Jackson are like, then I’ll be happy to call it home.
“Want to go to a party tomorrow night?”
“What?” Her words make my heart race with fear.
The thought of going out in public terrifies me.
“I-“
“I think that’s a wonderful idea,” my mother breaks in and walks over to us. “You don’t want to spend all your time cooped up in the house with your father and me. Get out and meet people your own age. Make some new friends. Ava’s parents just invited us to come along too, so we’ll be close by if you need us.”
My heart starts beating a mile a minute.
“Okay,” I stammer. “I guess I’ll go.”
“Great! We’re having a pig pickin’ and no one can do a party like my mama!”
“Pig Pickin,” I repeat.
“You’ll love it! I promise!”
“So is this going to be a fancy party or should I just wear my jeans?”
“Jeans! Definitely jeans!”
My newfound friend startles me by giving me another boisterous hug. “We’re going to have so much fun!”
Then it dawns on me what it is about Ava that has such familiarity. She reminds me of Julianna’s exuberance for life. She’s one of those people who embrace it and all of its ups and downs just as she embraced me, a stranger.
“Thank you,” I tell her. “Thank you for welcoming me into your life.”
She gives me another hug and a smile that could brighten anyone’s day.
“So, what exactly does a rancher’s wife do?” I ask, curious to find out why this appeals to her.
“Well, I’ve grown up on a ranch and love the lifestyle so much. You stay busy all the time and there’s always something new going on. There’s the animals and the land and …” she raises her hands to frame the breathtaking landscape in the distance. “That!”
“It is beautiful,” I agree.
“I really always just wanted to be a wife and a mother. I love this life and I want to keep at it as long as God will let me.”
She gets a startled look on her face and her eyes grow wide.
“You’ll have to come to my church! Everyone goes to my church! You’ll love the minister! He’s so cool!”
“What church is that?” I ask. I’ve missed going to church. If it wasn’t for my faith, I don’t think I would have gotten through this last year.
“It’s called the People’s Church and we have a potluck every Wednesday. You’ll have to go with us this weekend and then to the potluck next week.”
“Yes!” Ava’s mother chimes in. “Please do come with us this weekend. There’s a picnic after church and then, as Ava said, a potluck every Wednesday night. It’s a way for all of us ranchers to get together, thank God for His blessings and keep in touch with one another. I hope you’ll come.”
I smile at Ava’s mother. I imagine with all that land, there’s probably a lot of money involved in that family; however, judging by my first impression you don’t realize it. They seem very down to earth and are dressed in jeans and cowboy boots. Their truck is nice, but well-worn. Nothing about them screams money.
“We’d love to,” my mother replies.
“Wonderful!” I can tell by the smiles exchanged between my mother and Ava’s mother that they will be fast friends. I’m glad. I feel like my parents gave up so much for me and at least they’ll have new friends to bond with.
“Hey,” Ava breaks into my thoughts. “Why so sad? You’ll have fun, I promise! It’s not one of those stuffy old churches you may be used to. It’s very relaxed and we always have a great time at the picnics and the suppers!”
“I was just thinking about my old friends,” I say, only halfway telling the truth. “I miss them.”
“You’ll have to invite them out here! They’ll love it!”
I smile at her friendliness.
“I don’t think my friends will have much time to visit me,” I lie. “They’re quite busy with school and boyfriends and well … life.”
“Then we’ll get you a new set of friends right here!”
We all exchange goodbyes where I receive yet another hug as well as a hug from Ava’s mother before they depart down the road to their own ranch which I find out is about five miles to the east of our ranch.
“Well that was nice,” my mother says, as their large truck disappears around a corner down the road. “They seem like a very close family.”
“Yes,” I agree. “Ava is really nice.”
“Her outgoing nature reminds me a bit of Julianna.”
I look at my mother.
“I know. I thought so too. I can’t help wondering what happened to her. What he did to her.”
“We may never know,” my father puts his arm around my shoulders and gives me a quick hug. “I’m just thankful you’re still with us and we can start this new life together here in Wyoming far away from all of that.”