After the Letter Comes

Untitled Part 1

After the letter comes

Laura McFadin

Chapter 1

Sarah and her two small children were traveling through to see her mom after her husband died over seas fighting in the war in Iraq. She couldn't take living in the house anymore that they bought in North Carolina. She sold everything except her memories and left to see her mom. She wanted as far away from the military as she could get. Sarah hated following someone else's rules.

One day she loaded up the twins and took off. They drove till they seen this little town in Kentucky. They stopped at this café for lunch and to stretch their legs. While eating she noticed the sign in the window. "For sale by owners" She asked if there was a hotel in town. The waitress looked at her funny. "There is a bed and breakfast at the other end of town."

"Thank you, I think these two need a little leg stretching to get rid of some energy."

The waitress laughed "There is a park close by the B & B"

"Good" Sarah and the kids left the café. Sitting in the car in front of the café Sarah stares at the sign in window. Paul and Clara started getting fussy in the car without it moving. Sarah cranked up and headed down the road that ran through the center of the town. The town looked like something you would see in an Andy Griffin show. She spotted the park and the B&B. she pulled in the driveway of the house. Her and the twins got out and walked up to the porch. The kids went to the rocking chairs sitting on the porch. Sarah knocked on the door, no door bell. The house was wonderful. Two story colonial with the porch that wrapped around the side. There are two old rocking chairs that the twins were trying to get into. Paul was helping Clara get in one. Sarah stood at the door on one side of the frame was assign painted in antique blues and reds ' Doris' Bed and Breakfast welcome all' after a few minutes she knocked again a little harder this time. She walked over to the kids and helped Paul get up in the chair with Clara. She rocked them slowly so they wouldn't hit the house. A lady came to the door whipping her hands on a towel she had stuck in her apron. "Hello there. I've been expecting you."

Sarah looked up. "Hello I hope it's alright." She pointed to the kids. "Really how, I just got to town?"

"Betty called to let me know you were coming."

"Oh, I was wondering if you had a room for rent for a day or two."

"Ah honey their fine that's what they're made for and yes I do." She held out her hand. "Doris Day, no relation my mother loved her."

Sarah laughed it reminded her of her father. "Hi I'm Sarah Hirsch and this is Paul and Clara. My father used to say that about a bad man that had the same last name as us but spelled it different."

"Well it clears things up fast so no one's guessing. I do have a room for rent $50.00 a night that includes breakfast and dinner."

"I'll take it" they gathered the kids and walked into the house. Sarah looked around at the layout of the house a habit of hers. Doris had turned the old parlor into an office. They went in to fill out all the necessary papers. Then Doris showed them to their rooms. All the while Sarah is admiring the house, how they kept it as authentic as possible the moldings, floors, stairs, even the stain glass windows were the originals. "Wow" was all she could say for a moment. "Your house is beautiful from an architect's perspective."

Doris turned and looked at her. "Thank you we tried to keep the authentic beauty of the house and still make it functional."

"You have succeeded." They reached her room at the top of the stairs at the end of the hall. She opened the door to a huge room. They walked inside; Sarah could not believe the size of this room. One wall was nothing but windows with a sliding glass door that opened up to a balcony facing the back yard so you would have privacy. She came back in and looked a Doris. "Are you sure that's all this room is?"

"Yes dear it should do nicely for you and the kids."

"More than enough" Sarah said watching twins climb onto the bed.

Doris helped Clara up on the bed then Paul. "It's yours as long as you need it honey."

"Thank you."

"Ya get settled I have to check on dinner."

"Ok thanks again." she said as Doris was walking out. Paul and Clara were starting to jump on the bed. "Oh no you don't let's go get our bags out then we'll go to the park."

"Ok mommy" they said in unison. They climbed down from the bed and ran to the door.

The three of them settled into the room and made their way down to the park like she promised. While the kids played on the jungle gym Sarah was starting to like the small town of Turnaround Kentucky.