Alberta

Chapter Twenty Eight: Home

The walk from the rental car to the porch of Allies parents house feels miles long and I do not know what news will meet me as the door opens or even whom. I feel like I've run from here for so long that I'm walking through a dream now, to see the landscape, the mountains in the distance, and the warm tones all around.

The mountain air is cool, it nips at my cheeks and I pull my warm coat up further. The coloured stone path leads me to the porch steps and I finally raise my eyes and look to the red front door. The large gold knocker sits there in the middle and I am transported to my childhood when it would feel so large in my small hands. On tip toes I would stand and try my best, fumbling fingers so small and delicate trying to clutch its large metal ring and knock so that Allie would know I was here. I reach just like then, hesitating a second before rapping the wooden door with its heavy thud, a daunting sound when you don't know what awaits you. There is a scuffling, a movement and then the large door swings open.

"An answer to our prayers." Allie's dad declares before reaching out and pulling me into his large arms "Willa you are just in time" he says softly.

"Mr Anderson" I acknowledge with a gentle smile, slightly unsure of myself, to be at his door after so long, and with no call to announce myself first. "I'm so sorry to hear about Mrs Anderson" I say with a heavy heart.

"Call me Joseph you know we are long past formalities Willa... and thank you...now let me look at you... it's been far too long" he says holding me out as if to inspect. He smiles kindly "Yes you have grown up haven't you darling girl... your father must miss you. I couldn't imagine Alberta being so far away... but I am informed by my lovely wife, Helena, that there is reason for it and so I will not pry Willa but I know enough to tell you that we love you unconditionally in this household"

"I appreciate that Mr...Ander" and I almost falter to formalities "Joseph" I add. "It's all I've ever wished... to just be loved unconditionally"

"Well you will have that here...now come on in darling girl and let me take you to the lady of the hour. My beautiful wife, she awaits you and she only spoke of you this morning..."

I follow him through the door, gazing upon his elaborate cardigan, ones he always wore, something I always would enjoy at church. Which cardigan would Mr Anderson wear today, they were bold and sometimes ugly but he obviously loved them, and so we did too. His corduroy pants were patchy on the knees but it suited his look, especially now he had greyed and aged. Alberta's father was twenty years older than her mother. He was thirty nine when he married her and she had been nineteen. This wasn't unusual here, he hadn't been married before her but he was committed to being a scholar and teaching. He said once that he had never felt the desire to marry until he met Helena in the college courtyard one lunchtime. He had never felt a draw to another person like it, he said that was the day he stopped thinking about his books, and his teaching, as his only love, and realised that she was the missing pages of his own story. Helena was a striking lady, her family were part Eastern European and she had such unique features, some Alberta had inherited herself. The icy eyes, the straight nose, the intense red hair, and her personality had been just as intense in part.

Joseph spoke of Helena like a goddess from heaven that appeared to him as if she was a vision from god himself. I knew that feeling, Alberta had the same aura to me. They had five children earth-side but I knew they also had many who weren't here with the living. Alberta was the eldest, she bore the brunt of the responsibilities and she was always to be so perfect for her siblings, so that they could follow her example. Allie's parents were not mean about it, they just wanted to get parenting right so badly that sometimes as the eldest Allie felt like she was pushed and pulled and moulded by them into the perfect child, a part that was so very hard to play and live up to. It said a lot about her predicament now, that she had to do it all proper and well, no room for mistakes, hesitant but wanting so badly to break those rules. After Alberta came Abraham, he was just like his father, he had curly brown hair and a smile that could light up a room. There was more of a gap after Abraham where her mama would have several losses of her own... and then the twins arrived, Merrit and Augusta, they were nine years younger than Allie and seven years younger than Abe. I know for her mother it had felt a miracle after such an absence of infants in her arms to finally bring home two at once, a miracle and gods prayers answered. Her last babe in arms was Hyrum, the apple of the families eye. I always thought of him as a little pixie sprite with his tufty red hair, ears that seemed pointed, and icy eyes, and he was cute with it too, a beloved sibling and much loved for he was the baby.