The ranch is one of the biggest ones in the country. I’ve been married to this man for twenty years and still haven’t seen all of it.
Our home has five bedrooms and six bathrooms. Matt told them to build everything to my specifications, so when I say it’s my dream house. It really is my dream house. He let me do whatever I wanted, though I still consulted him whenever there was a major decision to be made. I love this house, but more importantly, I love the man who I share it with.
“It’s built as well as they can build a house that has to face heavy snowstorms every year,” Matt says and walks across our bedroom to open the French doors to step out on the veranda that spans the length of our home. Despite the forecast, the sun is shining, and the horizon is blue. “This really is one of the most beautiful places in the world.”
I walk up behind him to give him a hug, slipping my arms around his waist and peering out to the beautiful sunset behind the mountains. There is a river running near our house and the sun is sparkling as it rushes over the rocks. The remnants of the last bit of snow from two days ago are sparkling like diamonds. The colors are magnificent.
Matt turns and takes my face in his hands and kisses me. I still get butterflies when I see him. His kisses still make me weak.
“In just two weeks, you’ll have everything taken care of for the winter season on the south end of the ranch and you will be done. The kids and I will be anxiously anticipating your return,” I smile. “Two weeks will go by like that!” I snap my fingers for emphasis.
In truth, I hate it when he has to go on these drives. There is a huge void in our home when he’s gone. The loss is palpable.
“Ewwww,” our sixteen-year-old daughter, Kara breaks into our romantic moment. “Get a room,” she says, making a face, but grinning at the same time. She loves her father and she likes seeing us this way.
“We’ve got one,” I throw a pillow at her. “And you’re in it!”
“What are you talking about?” she asks and I notice just how much she’s become a woman at sixteen. Everyone says she looks like an exact replica of me, but I think she is far prettier than I could ever hope to be. Her eyes are bluer, her skin clearer and her hair is much shinier than mine has ever been.
I grab her and bring her into a group hug with her father.
“Your father wants us to leave tomorrow when he does and fly out to spend some time with Mimi and Papa in Florida while he’s gone,” I tell her. “He’s concerned about Snowmaggedden.”
“Oh that,” she says and by the tone of her voice I can tell the topic doesn’t interest her. “Luke says it’s just going to be a regular old snowstorm, nothing to get excited about. Even if it does get as bad as they’re predicting, we’ve got enough supplies here to last us a year. We won’t starve, and the generators will keep the electricity going until the power company can get things up and running. We’ll be fine.”
I look at Matt and raise my eyebrows in a “See?” expression.
“Snowstorms can be deadly!” My husband warns. “They’re not something to take lightly or to joke about.”
“Sorry,” she half apologizes to him and rolls her eyes. “I just don’t think this one is going to be that bad. They never are. It’s too early in the season for snow like that.”
“I hope they’re wrong,” he says. “But it could be bad. It’s not the probability of something like that happening, it’s the consequences if it does. Wouldn’t you like to spend a week down in Miami shopping and getting a tan on the beach instead of huddled under two feet of snow?”
“Does it have to be tomorrow? Can’t we wait and leave on Monday?”
“Why?” I ask, raising one eyebrow. “What’s going on that you don’t want to leave until Monday?”
“Kelly is having a party Saturday night and if I’m not there, I just know Rachel is going to make a move on Luke. I can’t let that happen.”
“Well by all means,” I say, my voice dripping in sarcasm as I give her my best exasperated look. “Far be it for me to keep you from a party.”
“Really?” she says, excited. “We can wait until Monday?”
“I don’t see why not. I happen to agree with Luke and think this storm is going to take a curve and stay up in Canada. That’s what the local weather guy said this morning. Even if it does hit, I don’t think it’s going to be as bad as everyone is saying.”
She gives me an excited hug and I realize she’s taller than me now, by at least two inches. She got that from her father.
After hugging her father, she rushes out the room again, probably to call her friends.
“So, you are leaving, but not until Monday?” Matt asks, sinking down onto our bed, clearly relieved.
I shrug.
“I guess so, but I really don’t think the storm is going to hit anywhere around here and she’s all about that teen drama right now. We’ll be okay. I promise if things look like they’re going to change, I’ll reevaluate and make her cancel her plans.”
He nods, and I notice how tired he looks.
“Hey,” I walk over to him and start kneading his shoulders which are very tight. “Everything okay?”
He sighs.
“I’m just tired. I spent most of the day helping the hands get stuff ready just in case the storm does hit. I don’t want to do this. I don’t want to be away from the family. I look at Kara and it feels like she’s become a woman overnight. Heck, Jake is a man. I looked at Graham this morning and realized he’s fourteen now. In four years, all of our children will be adults. Where did the time go?”
I laugh and give him a squeeze. “Then it will be just the two of us and we’ll be empty nesters. Whatever will we do with ourselves?”
“I just want to protect them and keep them safe.”
“I know,” I say, sitting on the bed beside him. “Me too.”
We both sit there, holding hands each lost in our own thoughts. For the past twenty years, life has only gotten better with each passing year. I feel blessed.
“We’ve had a good life together,” I squeeze his hand. “And we’re going to have a great future. Hey, why don’t we plan an epic vacation for this summer? How about Europe? The kids are old enough to appreciate the trip and we can go and experience all of the countries as a family before they get so old they don’t want to go with us anymore.”
He smiles.
“I think we would enjoy that very much. It will give us all something to look forward to as we get through the worst part of this winter.”
He gives me another hug and kisses me. “I’m really going to miss you these next two weeks.”
I pull away from him and walk to the door, closing it and locking it. He looks at me and his smile widens.
“I’m going to miss you, too.” I smile as I walk toward him. “Let me show you how much.”
Faith
As I drive towards Jackson, I can feel the high winds pushing the SUV all over the road. It’s not snowing yet, but you can tell by the sky and the feel of the atmosphere that it’s coming. The Weather Chanel tells me it should start snowing tomorrow night. My predictions and the locals were wrong. The blizzard is going to hit.