Strangers In The Night

She loved the rain, but something didn't seem right about this storm. "I sure hope Mother Nature isn't upset about something. That sky doesn't look good at all. Oh, man this rain is crazy. It's coming down in sheets. I might as well turn the lights out and go downstairs to the safe room. First I'll turn on the radio and see if there are any warnings out for this area."

The drenched man came tearing through the door and yelled, "Do you have any rooms for rent? My friend and I are stranded out here. She blew a tire on her truck. We both have horses to care for. This is just a mess, I'm telling you. So do you  have a couple of rooms?"

"Yes, I do have some rooms. You need to get your friend in here and I'll will take you to the safe room. I have to notify the rest of the folks. The electricity might go out soon if this keeps up. Go! Don't worry about paying me yet. You need to get your friend now!"

With that she went door to door waking people up and telling them to get dressed, grab their important papers and handbags and follow her to the safe room. She didn't have time to think about the man at this point, but the fact he said they had horses bothered her. Oh how she loved her horses. "I don't have time for wool gathering now. I have to make sure these folks are safe."

About that time the lights started to flicker. The room looked a pinkish gray from the neon lights that were giving it their all to light up the parking lot. Soon they too gave up and she was in the dark except for her phone. She urged all of her guests to follow her. She told them to keep calm and follow the hallway with their hands if possible. She felt a rush of wind and stomping of feet. She knew it was the last couple to come in. "Come on quick. Follow me. There is a tornado headed our way. Come quick!"

She led her customers quickly but safely to the underground room that had been used by many travelers over the years. There were some cots and even a crib for little ones if needed. There were lanterns and bottles of water. There was a hand-crank weather radio if the phones went out or if God forbid the cell service went out.

The room was shadowy with lantern light, but almost welcoming to the strangers. They started introducing themselves to each other. When it was Maddison's turn she looked at the man she once was engaged to be married to, took a deep breath and said, "My name is Maddison. I'm on my way to the Double D Ranch. I'm hoping to buy it if the price is right." 

"Over my dead body you are buying that ranch. I'm on my way there, I'll have you know. That ranch is mine no matter how much the old man wants for it."

Virginia thought she would be sick to her stomach. Who were these people and why did they want to buy her and Edward's ranch? Surely he wasn't going to sell his dream. They had made a good living on that ranch. The only reason she finally left was that he was never home. He was always at the mine trying to get more and more money. She wondered if he sometimes forgot that he was ever married. She shook her head and wondered how many years it had been since she had been "home." 

Virginia's thoughts immediately returned the eminent danger of the storm and her responsibility to her customer's safety. She saw in the corner a young mother singing softly to her baby girl to comfort her.

Against the wall was a young mother of two. She had gotten her two little ones to sleep, but was pacing and looking at her phone. "I can't get service down here. Do you have cell service down here? she asked Virginia. "Yes, I normally do. I'm worried something has happened to the tower. We will all have to be patient. I have a weather radio that we can listen to to find out what's happening out there. Just remember you all are safe down here. This room has protected many folks over the years."

Virginia thought about the man she had loved and married and wondered if he was safe from this wicked storm. "I think I will text him to see if he's alright. He probably won't answer me though. I'll just let it be. It's been so many years now. Yes, it's better to let it be."

Edward woke to the smoke alarm screaming. He sat up in his chair and wondered for a minute where he was. He couldn't see across the room. It was raining in his living room. Over the high pitched noise of the smoke alarm he could hear hail hitting the roof and breaking the upstairs windows. He needed to get out and see to the horses. But first he had to get his legs to work. He couldn't feel his legs for some reason. "Virginia, I love you and I always will. Save the ranch."

The next morning the county search and rescue team made a thorough search of the house then it's bunkhouse and barns. There was no sign of the owner or any of the ranch hands. The ranch was deserted.

Love Is Not Gifts And 'Maybe' Is A Very Long Word

 He had a beautiful home and a warm fire. He had a ranch that was bought and paid for. He had memories of what he considered a happy life and a few pictures. He haphazardly looked through an old photo album that his wife had left behind. "She had asked me for very little and that's exactly what I gave her. She wanted to travel, I wanted to make money and get rich. She wanted to go fishing and I told her we needed to stay on the ranch and take care of the horses. She told me one day that she had always dreamed of riding a motorcycle and seeing the country. I told her she was nuts; you could get killed on one of those things. After months of telling me that's all she wanted for Christmas I bought her one. We even had our picture taken on it and she had New Years cards made. She sent them out wishing everyone a happy New Year. He looked up on the wall and frowned when he saw her happy face. "A motorcycle wasn't really what she wanted. I guess she didn't want all the money and jewelry I gave her either. She wanted my attention and my company. I gave her an empty chair and half eaten meals because the mine and the ranch was more important to me than she was."

"I just didn't realize how rich I was with her as my wife. The mine wasn't my wealth, it was her love and her companionship. Now since she has left I am the poorest of the poor. I want nothing to do with this ranch anymore. I haven't listed it with a realtor yet, but I've let it be known that I'm done ranching."

The older man paid no attention to the weather on his television. There was a tornado warning out for his area. He had left a cigar burning on the coffee table that went unnoticed as his eyes burned with unshed tears. He had finally fallen asleep after many nights of pacing the floor at night and watching for her car coming down the driveway during the long and lonely days.

                                                            &&&&&

Through the torrential rain and the bitter words that were screamed at each other in competition with the raging wind, Maddison and the man she loved to hate settled her horse and changed her tire. Her spare was worn and not capable of getting her far. There was no choice but to stay the night in the nearest motel.

She followed the dratted man slowly and ever so carefully until she saw his blinkers flash and his truck and trailer turn off the interstate. "Oh goodie. That looks like bed bug city. I can't believe he intends for me to stay in that horrible place. I'd rather stay in my truck. I will not do it!" However, she did pull into the parking lot and watched his stooped back fight the rain and walk through the office door. "Well, good for him. He can get eaten up for all I care." She was so cold and wet and for that matter she was starving! She hadn't eaten anything, but a candy bar for hours. "If he was half a man he would buy me  a can of soda, or some chips. But he's so selfish all he thinks about is himself. A skunk is always blank and white. They never ever change their colors. That's what he is; a skunk for sure."

                                                             &&&&&&

He was relieved to hear the clerk behind the desk tell him that there were two rooms left in his motel. He paid for them and turned around and looked out the window. The rain was coming down in sheets. It was all he could do to make out Maddie's truck and trailer. She would always be Maddie to him. She had been the love of his life, but chose his path of training and showing horses instead of being her husband. "I just wasn't ready to settle down, but she was. We each had our own dreams and paths to follow. Oh well, maybe we can be friends. This mishap might give us a chance to catch up on each other's lives. Maybe is a very long word sometimes, especially in Maddie's book." He shook his head and went to the door and waved at her to come in. Nothing. "Oh boy, that's Maddie for you. She'd rather stay out there with a tornado coming than come inside with me. Stubborn stubborn woman.! If she even thinks that I will go out there and force her to come inside she has another think coming!" With that he opened the door and ran out to Maddie's truck to do just that.

Maddie saw his hand on her window, but couldn't believe that he would brave the storm to come and get her. "No, go away. I'm staying out here. I'm not going to get eaten up with bed bugs or what else could be living in that place. No!"

Just then she felt the truck move and rock to one side.  Her door jerked open and she felt herself being dragged through the storm into safety. He really was her love even after all these years of being a jerk.

Marlee Wonders If Her Picture Will Be In Grandma Lu's Stories

 Marlee was looking at the pictures on her I Pad that Grandma Lu had put in the stories she had written. She would smile, frown, and sometimes laugh as she scrolled through the many adventures. Grandma Lu was nice, but she didn't get to see her very often any more. She was a big girl now and was in school. Grandma Lu, Joann, and Grandma B used to go out for lunch and have a good time, but like B told her; 'Things change as we get older.' Today she didn't have school. There was some kind of teacher meeting she thought.

Grandma Lu still wrote stories, but she wasn't in them all the time, just sometimes. Lately she was in pictures wearing her prairie dress. She loved that dress and so did Whitlee. Hers was pink and Whitlee's was yellow. She had worn that dress several times in the last couple of years. B told her that the latest story was in Texas. Supposedly she and her family had gone to Texas on vacation and her mom had accidently bought a horse ranch. "That would be fun. I like horses. Mom used to have a horse. I've seen pictures of me on it when I was a baby."

She heard Grandma B talking on the phone. Soon her grandma came in and said, "How would you like to go over to Grandma Lu's house? She asked if we could help her clean out some cupboards that she can't reach. It's hard for her to stoop over nowadays." Marlee grinned and said, "Sure!"

When they got to Grandma Lu's house she got a great big hug. It had been a long long time since they had seen each other. She and B got busy and grabbed up some cleaning rags and went to work on those bottom cupboards. It seemed like fun working along side her grandma, but out of the corner of her eye she saw Grandma Lu out on her porch cleaning. "Is it alright if I go see what Grandma Lu is doing? Maybe she needs my help out on the porch too." Grandma B grinned and said, "Sure. Go see if you can help. I'll be done here in a minute then I'll come out there too."

Well, it was about fifteen minutes and B was finished. She decided she'd better see what Marlee was up to. This is what she saw when she followed the sounds of giggles and laughter. Marlee and Grandma Lu were playing shuffleboard!

"Hmm, did you really need help cleaning cupboards, old friend, or did you just want a little company today? she grinned. That looks like fun, Marlee!"

After a little more shuffleboard they all had pizza and had a grand time. On the way home Marlee said, "That was so much fun! I wonder if Grandma Lu will put my picture in the stories playing shuffleboard." Grandma B said, "I wouldn't be a bit surprised, Marlee. Not a bit."

The house seemed awfully quiet after B and Marlee left. She mentioned it to her husband and said, "Yeah, they really livened the place up, didn't they? What's for supper?"

What do you mean? You just ate pizza! I'm going to go write for awhile. We'll figure out something for supper, but not quite yet. You go watch your tv. I'll be around in a bit."

"After their visit it's kind of hard to remember where I was at in the story. Oh yes, Madison had a blowout on her front tire and the weather was terrible. She was on her way to The Double D Ranch to see if it was still up for sale. It was in the '60s. Someone had stopped to help her. Someone she hadn't seen for many years and had hoped to never see again. Okay, I'd better see what I can do for those two. They both want the same thing; the ranch. Is it possible for them both to live their dream? You need to work at it sometimes, that's for sure. I definitely think that these two need a lot of work. Mercy, they are stubborn; the two of them! Let's see what I can do."

If It Wasn't For Bad Luck She Wouldn't Have Any Luck

 As Madison was driving she noticed some black clouds in the south. "I'm sure my luck will be that I'll be headed into a storm. I have my personal black cloud that follows me around just for the fun of it. I've got to quit thinking like that. I'm off to Texas to start a new life. I'm just hoping that the old man that used to own the Double D hasn't sold it yet."

She looked in the rear view mirror to check on the horse trailer. Cooter, and her love, her only love at the moment seemed to settle into the trip quite easily. That made her smile when she remembered the last time she had ridden him. What she really wanted to do was barrel racing. When she saw youngsters at the shows she always had this feeling that she would be a good teacher. "Yes, if I get the Double D that will be a large part of my life. I'd love to see the smiles and the sparkling eyes of the kids when they show their stuff; stuff that I can teach them."

Sure enough with each mile she drove the sky got darker. "Well, this is just great. I suppose I'd better find a place to stay the night. I'm not anxious to drive through a wicked looking storm today." She started looking for motels that were close to the highway and had large parking lots. Large drops started to splat on her windshield. "Come on, people. I have to find a place. I'm not looking forward to this at all!" About that time her truck veered to the right and at the same time she heard a loud bang. "No! I just blew a tire. How could this happen to me at the same time it's raining cats and dogs."

The sky had suddenly turned an odd shade of green and black with a wind that made her heavy truck seem like a child's toy. "Surely, there isn't going to be a tornado. No, no, no." She edged her truck and trailer over to the side of the road. Noticing that there was barely enough room to let traffic by her. "Cooter is going crazy back there. I've got to get out there and reassure him he is safe. I have to be good at this and make him believe me. This is going to take some doing." About that time a crack of thunder was so loud it made her ears ring. She noticed that it was getting colder too. Soon the hail hit her truck with a vengeance. She could hear Cooter in the trailer. He was scared to death. She could see the size of the hail stones were getting bigger and bigger. They were getting as big as golf balls so she couldn't get out of the truck yet. Just as her windshield cracked with the biggest hail stone she'd ever seen she could see a hand banging on the window and a black shadow.

                                                            &&&&&

He saw the truck and trailer swerve and then pull over to the side of the road. "Pretty fancy driving there, fella. You picked a terrible time to have a blowout though. I'm really glad I threw an oil skin coat in the truck. You just never know what the weather is going to be like in Texas. As he got out of his truck he ducked his head and ran ahead and knocked on the driver's window. "Hey, can I help you out? It looks like your horse is in trouble back there." 

His words were lost in the raging wind and rain, but when he saw the driver turn to look at him his thoughts were lost as well. "No. I can't do this. Not again." He turned to leave.  She could just sit in the rain, but of course, he turned back. "Madison! Come on! Get back to my truck. Let's check on your horse first. I'll help you change your tire as soon as the storm lets up. Yes! No, now come on! You are just being stubborn like always. Here, get under my coat. Let's go! My horse is none too happy either. Let's move it, girl."

                                                                         &&&&&

"I'm going to look at that old book that Marlee bought at the auction. She seems like she's fascinated with it." Marlee's mom walked over to the chair by the lamp to look over the "treasure" that Marlee had bought at the auction. "I wish I had only spent two dollars at the auction. Oh well, it will soon be over and we can go back home. I'm getting tired of four of us living in this camper.  Let's see now. Oh wait a minute. This old picture looks a little like Marlee did when she was little. No wonder she loves this book.

 Who is this? It looks a little like the little girl at the cafe. Hmm. I wonder if this isn't an ancestry book of some sort. I think I will try to make out some of the entries. The writing is so faded with age it's hard to read."

"No way! This says that there is a silver mine on this property! Come look at this! We might be rich! And there's that little girl again sitting by what looks like an old mine! This is weird!"

As her husband walked over to look at the book he said, "Something just dropped out of that book. What is this?"