The lucky one

Chapter 7

"Alright, I think I got everything" announced Oliver as he strolled down the stairs, placing his bag by the door

"Okay. But you'll at least join us for breakfast before you go right?" said Megan from the kitchen of the farmhouse

"Sure!" said Oliver, even if he knew from his two weeks passed in the place that he didn't really have a choice in the matter. As Connor had said, his wife Megan Kent was not to be meddled with.

Oliver had arrived on the farm two weeks earlier after he had met Connor in the small town of Hollis, in Oklahoma. At the time, the rancher was trying to put a very heavy-looking pack of planks in his pickup's box. Oliver had offered his help in loading it, along with the 20 other packs Connor had bought that day. As they did, Connor had explained that a tornado had destroyed multiple fences and a portion of the barn's roof back in his ranch.

The former vigilante had then explained that he was traveling toward Louisiana, and how he had come to be followed by a german shepherd. Connor had been very interested in how Oliver was trading manual labor for food for him and the dog and had offered the man to stay with him and his family for a while in exchange for his help in rebuilding the ranch. 

Oliver had accepted with pleasure and thus had spent the last weeks repairing fences, hunting down lost cows, and nailing planks on the roof of the barn. But now, the work was done and even if the rancher had offered him to stay and pay him, Oliver felt that it was time for him and his dog Zeus to go on their way. 

But as Megan had just said, he would gladly take one last meal with the cheerful family. Other than Connor and Megan the happily married owners of the ranch were also living the couple's adopted children Brion and Tara Markov and Megan's brother Garfield. With Oliver added to the mix, they had had quite a good time all together

As he sat down, Oliver could already see that this would be a tearful event. He and the kids had become great friends, especially he and Tara, who he helped by teaching her a few meditation technics to cope with her anger and anxiety. And she, that morning, was the only one not seated at the table.

"Where's Tara?" he asked

Connor sighed and pointed toward the ceiling of the dining room, which was directly under the young girl's room "She's probably sad you're leaving. That's how she usually deals with grief."

"Do you mind if I go speak to her?" asked Oliver

"Sure, no problem," said Megan

Oliver nodded and walked toward the staircase. Once he was on the second floor, he went directly for the brownish-yellow door as the end of the corridor. Truth be told, he had become quite fond of the little girl himself, her outspoken attitude and hardheadedness reminding him too well of Thea. And leaving her was also tearing at his heart.

"Tara? You there?" he asked after gently knocking on the door. He heard only sobs behind it and sighed, preparing himself to try to cheer her up. "Tara? Can you open the door please?"

Again he heard sobs but, this time, he could also identify bedsheets being moved and small steps on the cracking floor. He kneeled down as the young girl open her door, her eyes still wet from the tears that had reddened her face.

"Hey girl," he said, smiling gently "What's going on?"

"Today is the day you're leaving" she simply stated, more tears already rimming her eyes 

"Yes," he said truthfully, having learned that the truth was something she respected immensely "Today is the day that I am leaving"

"I don't want you to go," she said 

"And I don't want to leave you either girl"

"Then why are you leaving?"

"Because... Because I have someone to thank. For saving my life"

This seemed to confuse the child, who frowned at him "But if that person saved your life, why do you have to travel to thank them?"

Oliver smiled at the girl's perfect logic. Yes, why did he have to travel all the way to Louisiana on foot to thank someone when he could have taken a flight or just called. The truth was that he too needed the time alone. But that, that Tara didn't need to know and was probably too young to understand. However, she was old enough to understand something else.

"You see, I was in... the military. And after a fight, I found this" he said, taking the picture out of his wallet "I was seated when the sunlight reflected on it and right into my eyes. I was curious so I picked it up. It saved me from an explosion. Had I not moved, I might have died."

"But you don't know her?" asked Tara, seemingly even more confused "Then this belong is not yours"

"Yes, it is. And I searched, but no one that I asked knew of this person or who was supposed to carry the picture. So I had one of my friends track this woman down. I know where she lives. And I'm traveling there to go and thank her for saving my life."

"What if the soldier to who she had given the picture died?"

Oliver sighed and looked down at the picture, hoping for at least a millionth time that it was not the case "I hope it's not the case."

"What if it is?"

"Then I will thank her for saving me, and present my sympathy for who she has lost"

"I hope the soldier is okay"

"Me too Tara, me too. But there is one thing good that came out of me finding the picture"

"What's that?"

"I met you. You, a strong girl. A brave girl"

The child shook her head a little "Not yet"

"There's no rush." Oliver smiled at her as he put a hand on her shoulder "You have time. And you have Connor, Megan, Garfield, and Bryon. They're here for you. If you need to talk, do as I thought you, breathe, calm down, meditate. Once you have identified your emotions, talk to someone about it."

"But it's you that I want to talk to!" she said, hugging him.

Oliver closed his eyes and hugged her back. He too wanted to stay, but he knew that he at least owed it to the woman on the picture to thank her.

"You can always text me. Or call me if it's really urgent"

"You don't have a phone," she said, breaking apart from the hug. Oliver couldn't help but chuckle at her logic, which was once again spot on

"Well, in that case, I'll ask Connor to take to the village so I can buy one. Maybe you could come and chose it with me?"

That got a smile out of her and she vigorously nodded her head "Yes! I'll get you a pink one!"

'Of course' Oliver laughed inside 

"Why not, but for that, we must first ask Connor and also," he said, pointing to her stomach "You must first eat your breakfast"

"Okay!" she said, suddenly taking his hand to drag him toward the stairs. 

Two hours later, Oliver was once again on the road, Zeus by his side, a fond smile on his face and a phone with a bright candy pink case in his pocket.