My Appalachian Alpha

2

The drive home is peaceful. The little town I've made a home in is small and quaint but there are enough people to where you don't feel too isolated. I laugh to myself because I realize that I now feel a couple thousand people are "enough".

It's amazing how your mind can acclimate to such an abrupt shift in environment. How once you've allowed yourself be submerged in nature, you can't imagine leaving. I pass by the small log cabin turned in to the cutest country ice cream shop and smile. Dad and I have a date once a month and we eat dinner and then grab ice cream at the log cabin.

I turn off the main road and start driving deeper into the mountain. Luckily, I drive a Jeep and the old girl handles the winding dirt roads with ease. As my home appears in the distance, I see the lanterns illuminating my drive way and the porch light is on. Dads here.

I park and head up to the door. I walk in and smell the most delicious smell. Dad must have made dinner. Tomorrow is the six month anniversary of my mom's death and I don't blame dad for wanting some company.

Fish comes running up to me, meowing loudly, and I drop my things and kneel down and pet him. He purrs loudly, rubbing all over my legs, and licks my hand. He may be a little rascal but I adore him. The month I got my own apartment in college, my mom came up to visit me and my house warming gift was a tiny kitten I promptly named Fish when I realized he absolutely loved the water. Mom and I had joked that he was part fish and the name stuck. My mom had said that he would protect me and although I'm unsure of his guard cat abilities, he has been a steady comfort. 

I walk in to kitchen and see my dad setting the table, still wearing his apron.

"Perfect timing sweet heart. I just pulled the lasagna out of the oven. Are you hungry?"

"I'm starving. This smells so good dad, but you didn't have to."

"I did. I know tomorrow is a hard day and I wanted to make sure you're at least fed."

"Well thank you," I reply. I watch my dad as he finishes setting the table and then pulls a chair out for me. I sit and he pushes me in and then sits across from me.

"So how was work?" Dad asks.

"Busy as usual. We could easily use two more doctors. Today was particularly bizarre though. We've had a huge increase in unusual cases lately."

"What do you mean?" Dad asks as we begin to eat.

"A lot of animal attacks. Today a patient said it was an ogre that attacked him."

My dad choked a bit on his food and then cleared his throat and took a drink of water. "An ogre, huh?"

"Yeah. It looked like a boar attack with the deep puncture wounds. I fixed him up," I say with a smile.

"You always do. Is your streak still intact?" Dad asks.

"It is." I've never lost a patient and I'm hoping I never will. Even critical patients that are brought in always seem to pull through. Sometimes the healing that occurs defies science. There's a lot that goes on that some would classify as miracles. Whether it's magic like Tom thinks or it's miracle, I don't care. I'm just thankful for it.

"Cookies and cream or cookie dough?" Dad asks.
With dinner finished and the dishes clean, it's movie time with a huge bowl of our favorite ice cream.

"I think today calls for both," I say with a huge smile.
"That's my girl," Dad says as she scoops us both some ice cream and settles down on the couch next to me.

"Emma, come on kiddo, time for bed."

"What time is it?" I ask as I blink my eyes open and try to orient myself.

"The movie only started about twenty minutes ago. You feel asleep right after it started. I'm going to head home and get some sleep myself."

"Okay. Let me walk you out," I say yawning.

"No need. I'll lock the door behind me. You get some sleep, okay?"

"Okay Dad. Love you. Text me when you get home," I say as I hug my father and then smile as he heads out. I hear the door lock and then his truck start up. He should text me in no more than seven minutes if his drive home is uneventful. Although I hate being paranoid, my dad is all I have left.

"Meoooooow," Fish cries loudly while rubbing on my leg.

"And you, Fish. Where would I be without you?" I say as I pick Fish up and walk into my bedroom.
I get changed quickly and brush my teeth and wash my face and as I look at myself in the mirror I wonder what I'm really doing here. What are my plans for the future? Do I even have any?

The mountains have been healing but my mother wouldn't want me to be so stagnant, would she? She always told me how I was destined to do great things, that there was great strength within me.
But I don't feel strong. I don't feel....anything. Maybe I've hidden behind the numbness too long. Maybe it's time to take a step forward. Take a step toward something new.

Something new like Mr. Mountian Man from the clinic? I roll my eyes at myself for being so ridiculous but then remember the way he looked at me. There was something between us, right? Can there be something between two strangers who barely say two words to each other? I'm not a hopeful romantic, I don't believe in love at first sight, but still...there was something.

A text from my father distracts me and lets me know that he made it home safely. "Goodnight," I text back before I crawl into bed with Fish purring and snuggling up next to me.