Letters for Sally

Chapter 17

Chapter 17
Maggie arrived about five mins before 1 at the stables and Hotah was getting the horses ready.  She was saddling two up and working on making sure he had water, and a few other items in the Saddle bags.  Hotah was always prepared when he went into the woods. Or out horseback riding that would be any kind of a distance from the barns and house.  300 acres was a big space and it contained bugs, snakes, wild animals, plants, and cliffs.  He knew anything could happen and he was prepared.

She put the food she had prepared into her saddle bags and went up to Hotah to give it to him.  He took the bag and his hand brushed hers.  Once again chills and now desire ran up her spin.  She wasn't sure how she could lose complete control of her own body but it was speaking a new language she had never spoken before and it seemed to only talk to Hotah.  She thought maybe she was going crazy.  She looked at him and smiled and then let go of the bag, apparently she had been holding on to it for a moment and hadn't released it to him.  Hotah laughed and said, "I promise I won't eat it yet I just want to put it up on the horse."  "Sorry, I was thinking about something."  Hotah replied, "Yes, I could tell."

They both mounted their horses and they settled into the saddles.  Hotah had taught her to ride and she had done very well but this was her first time riding in the open land.  She had only done lessons in an enclosed area.  She was a little nervous but she also was very comfortable on a horse and she knew this particular horse really well.  She took care of this mare and they had a little bond.  Hotah and her made eye contact and then he ordered his horse into the main pasture, Sally followed behind.  Hotah knew where he was going and Sally was happy to follow behind and look at the scenery.  It was spring and the flowers were blooming and the grass was green.  The mountains in the distance still had snow on the tops and almost looked purple.  The creek that went through the property was full and flowing.  Birds sang their songs all around them and busy bees hopped from flower to flower in the field.  She was mesmerized and was so happy to enjoy such beauty.  She whispered a small prayer under her breath, "Thank you Lord for such beauty, You're a great artist!  I just wanted to tell you that God, You really do good work."  She looked up at Hotah's back and continued, "You did good work on that creation too and I need help to know what to do about these feelings and desires I have for that boy.  Help me!"  Sally loved that her relationship with God was back to normal and actually a little better.  The experience of being mad at God but His grace and mercy and deep love toward her anyway made her love God so much more.  She was happy to be His daughter and to serve Him before but now she felt a deeper connection with God.  He was kind and gentle and so patient.  She trusted Him even more than before and she knew her relationship with Jesus had matured into something more adult-like because of all the anger and bitterness being resolved and healed.  When God healed her he grew her too.

Sally had a realization that she was truly growing up.  It wouldn't be long and she would be going back to the city and talking with a lawyer about her life.  She knew she would be 18 before she knew it but she still had to have a guardian or something until then.  Harry had the power to work on her behalf but she wasn't sure how that worked or if it could last until she was 18 years old.  Then she had her inheritance, her parents businesses and Estates.  She had not been taught how to manage all that.  She had no idea what to do.  She would have to go to business school to learn how to manage that.  However, her mother only partially was involved so she knew it ran itself and it had been running itself the entire time she had been gone.  Maybe she was over thinking everything anyway.  All she knew was that her future felt so unknown and it was stressful to even try and think about.  She looked over to her left to try and see something beautiful to change her thinking and she saw the bridge Harry had shown her that her dad first kissed her mother on where he had proposed.  "Hotah, Stop!"  He turned his horse around to face her and looked her up and down and then into her face, "What's wrong are you ok?"  Sally loved how concerned he was over her, he was a natural protector and provider.  She never had to worry about anything with him.  He took care of whatever she needed all the time and seemed to detest the idea of her getting hurt in any way.  "I am fine. I want to share something special with you."  Hotah's body relaxed and he smiled, "Ok, please share, I would love to hear about it."  His eyes were on hers, he was ready to listen to anything she would say and his attention to her was complete.  "Over there", she pointed to the bridge. " That is where my father first kissed my mother and where he proposed to her.  Isn't that a beautiful place?  My dad was a romantic and my mom was very logical, practical, and intelligent, well my dad was intelligent too." She giggled.  My dad was silly and fun also, and my mom seemed to have been when she was with him."  Hotah looked at this woman before him he had grown to love and adore, "Sounds like you're a lot like your mother and have a little of your dad in there too."  Sally smiled at the thought of being like them.  They were a part of her.  They would never truly be gone because their personality lives in her.  She knew they both were with Jesus and that she would one day be with them again.  But for now she had this man she had grown to love looking at her, smiling and knowing her so well.  He paid attention to her, closely and he knew her better than maybe she knew herself at times.  Sally had never met anyone like him, well except maybe Maggie.