Letters for Sally

Chapter 15

Chapter 15
Maggie yelled at Sally from the kitchen, "You are running late!! Come on and get your food child!"  Sally popped her head into the doorway and smiled at Maggie.  Then she went over to her and kissed her cheek.  Maggie smiled and asked, "What was that for?"  Sally tilted her head, looked Maggie in the eyes and said, "Thank you, thank you for loving me and waiting for me to come too.  Thanks for being a mother figure to me when I was alone and thanks for being such an awesome person. Oh and thanks for always cooking amazing food!"  Maggie smiled and winked at her, "You are very welcome but I think it is God we should thank."  Sally shook her head yes and then whispered, "Yes, I thanked him too, but you made the choice to follow Him and that deserves a thank you as well."  Maggie could not disagree.  She was so happy for Sally.  She knew where her new found joy came from.  Sally had a freedom about her that was refreshing and a gift only God can do over night.  When Harry walked into the door to get some food Sally went directly over to him and gave him a hug. It was a long hug and she held him tighter as tears stung her eyes.  She loved this man and he loved her.  She stepped out of the embrace and then stepped back to make eye contact. "Harry, thanks for loving my parents enough to come get me.  And thanks for loving me when I was a mess.  You and Maggie are my family now and I love you both. I appreciate you more than you will ever know."  She hugged him again and then walked out the door with a few pieces of bacon hanging out of her mouth and a biscuit in her hand.  "Gotta go to work I am late she yelled behind her." 

Harry and Maggie looked at each other and smiled.  They didn't have to talk; they both knew the miracle that had taken place the night before.  They knew God was moving in their home and using them as vessels.  They sat down across from each other and held hands across from the table and Harry blessed their food and thanked God again for His goodness.

Sally walked up to Hotah who was getting a drink of coffee and smiled at him offering him the biscuit in her hand.  He smiled and took it from her.  "You seem more beautiful than normal today." He said smiling down at her. "So am I normally ugly?" She teased. "There has never nor never been or will be anything ugly about you Sally." He said as he ate the biscuit and leaned back on a post.  She looked at him and smiled then said, "You and I really need to talk."  He tried teasing her again, "Am I in some kind of trouble?" Sally hit his arm and then laughed, "No sir, but you and I need to talk about some important stuff.  You do realize I am going to have to go back to the city soon and figure out my life, right?"  Hotah sighed and looked down at the ground, speaking much softer he replied, "Yeah, I do not like to think about that, Sally." "Why, are you worried I will be hard to replace around here?" She asked with a playfulness in her voice, trying to make eye contact. "Sally", he looked deeper into her eyes and sat up straight.  His body was close to hers.  He was looking down into her eyes and looking at her face and lips.  She could feel the heat rising in her face and hoped she wasn't turning beet red. "Nothing and no one could ever replace you around here."  He kept his eyes gazing into hers.  She wanted him to kiss her but she felt that was inappropriate until they talked about their feelings and future but she had never wanted anything so badly in her life.  He grabbed her hand and chills ran up and down her spine and her face got hotter.  This boy had some sort of power over her body and heart.  He could engulf her in an embrace and she would never want to leave. "Sally?" "Yes, Hotah". He wanted to tell her he loved her and didn't want her to leave, to beg her to stay with him forever, but he didn't. "We better get to work." Sally felt her body tense and she quickly responded, "Yes, these horses won't work, feed, water, and clean themselves."  She pulled her hand away and then grabbed a lead rope.  He regained his composure and mentally kicked himself in the butt. Why can't I tell her?  Why am I unable to express my feelings to her?  He tried to push the thoughts aside and just get to work.  He would tell her before she left, he just wasn't sure how.

Sally filled the water buckets up and hauled them to the horse's stalls.  She wondered if love was supposed to be this difficult.  She was so sure this morning but now it was like she was afraid of telling him how she felt.  But why?  Maybe she just didn't want to be disappointed by the reality that she had to leave soon.  Maybe she was afraid the signs she kept seeing from him was just friendship and she was misunderstanding his actions and body language.  But she was sure he looked deeper into her than just her eyes.  He looked like he wanted to kiss her and he grabbed her hand and just held it.  She wasn't an expert but she was pretty sure that meant attraction.  She needs to get her courage up before she has to leave for home... but now she wonders why the city doesn't even feel like home anymore.  Her old life feels like a distant memory.  She had to tell him how she felt and she had to deal with all these feelings and figure out her life.  But all she wanted to do was go back to Hotah holding her hand and maybe kiss him if he wouldn't kiss her.  Now she was sure she was losing her mind!