Kentucky's Best

Chapter 26

Five years later.

Rose never thought she would come back home, but she missed this place so much. She's glad now she never sold the place, she thought as she parks her brand new 4x4 pick up in the driveway. For the past 5 years Rose has traveled around making millions showing off her unique abilities to the nation. It never cease to amaze her what or how much people will pay a person to pet a wild animal. She now had more money than she knew what to do with, so she decided it was time to come home. Andy was getting to the age where he would be starting school soon so her traveling needed to stop, plus she was sure Harry wasn't looking for her and has moved on by now. Getting out of the truck Rose opens the back door.
"Come on Andy, we're home." Rose tells her son who is the spitting image of his dad. Rose quit pick Andy up a few years ago when she realized he was going to be very tall like his daddy too. The kid is 5 and was already almost half as tall as she is.

"Momma, is this where we live now?" Andy asks.

"Yep, I lived here when you were born, went to school here." Rose tells him.

"Is this where my daddy lives too?" Andy asks.

"He used to." Rose says as she unlocks the front door. "Honey, I don't know if he still lives here or not, I haven't seen him since you were a baby."

"If he does still live here can I see him?" He asks him mom.

"Of course you can." Rose says. "You have a sister too Andy, she's an amazing girl, beautiful and so sweet." She adds with tears in her eyes. Rose walks into the kitchen then freezes when she hears a roar from the back yard. Running to the back door she throws it open. When she sees Waikiki in his enclosure Rose takes off running with Andy right behind her. Pulling the gate open Rose runs into the cage and falls to her knees crying. "Oh Kiki, you're still here." Rose sobs.

Andy stands in the doorway of the cage watching his mom. He's seen his mom many times over the years just walk right up to lions, tigers and bears, but this is different. She was acting like this huge cat was her pet. Stepping in the cage Andy walks to his mom's side. They found out recently he has the same unusual abilities with animals she has.
"Momma, who's you friend?" Andy asks her.

Rose smiles. "Andy, honey, this is a tiger your dad and I saved years ago. His name is Waikiki, but we call him Kiki." She tell her unique son.

Andy turns and looks the tiger in the eye, he then smiles and hugs him. "Wow, mom. He really loves you." He laughs.

"Good, because I love him too." Rose says. She was about to add more when she hears a female voice call out.

"Oh my God. Momma." Steph yells as she walks around the corner of the house. Harry freezes but Steph takes off running.

As soon as Rose hears Steph's voice call out "Momma" her head jerks up and sees the much taller and more beautiful child running in her direction. "Oh God Steph." Rose cries opening her arm just in time for the girl to run into them. "God baby I've missed you so much." Rose sobs as she squeezes the girl she loves as her own. Pulling away Rose looks at the child in front of her. "Good heavens, Bug you are so big, I bet you're almost as tall as I am." Rose giggles.

Harry was so shocked he was finally seeing his Rose where he alway wanted to see her he didn't even notice the boy that looks just like him right beside her until he spoke.
"Hi, are you my sister, Steph?" Andy asks the girl hugging his mom.

Steph turns and looks at the boy that's as tall as she is. "Bubby? Wow, you're so tall, just like daddy." She laughs, pulling him to her and hugging him.

Andy hugs his sister back. "Well I wouldn't know that, I've never seen my dad." Andy says causing tears to come to Rose's eyes.

Rose then realizes that if Steph is here that mean Harry was to. She looks toward the house and sees Harry slowly walking in their direction. Reaching out she pulls Andy to her side and whispers to him. "Andy, honey, that's your daddy. Why don't you go say hi to him, give him a hug."

Andy looks up and green eyes meet green eyes. Harry is so shocked again he stops in his tracks and he and his son just stare at each other for a few seconds. Then suddenly Andy takes off running at the same time Harry starts walking again. They meet half way, Harry falls to his knees and Andy runs into his arm much like Steph did with Rose.
"Oh God son, I've missed you so much." Harry sobs. "I never stopped looking for you and Momma." He says as he holds his son to him for the first time in 5 years. Harry stands with Andy still in his arms, he slowly raises his head and looks right at Rose. "He looks just like me." He chokes out.

Ignoring the tears on her cheeks, Rose nods. "Andy's a smart little boy too." Rose whispers due to the huge lump in her throat.

Taking a few steps closer to Rose and his daughter, Harry had so many emotions running through him he wasn't sure which one to focus on first. It's been 5 years, he has missed seeing his son learn to walk, say his first words, hell a lot of thing, but most of all he missed her. Harry missed his Rose, looking at her now she looks the same as she did the day she left, not one day older, well she was thinner, like she wasn't eating like she needed to. But other than that she was still the beautiful girl he fell in love with. What Harry didn't know was his son could feel every emotion he was going through even the anger, and Andy didn't understand that.