Dollar Runaways

Chapter 32: Encounters

MONDAY MORNING, I found myself being shaken awake by Mom again. I felt bad because I knew she hadn't slept much that night - neither had I though. Chores were done quickly, I showered, let Mom braid my hair into two pigtails, and then headed downstairs to help Consetta. I was wearing a cute romper that I knew would be comfortable more than anything. Consetta gave me the hug that I needed and had me help her pile biscuits onto a plate. She had made sausage gravy to go with them and scrambled eggs too.

I filled my plate at breakfast that morning and was happier when Mom joined me. The conversations all flew around me and I just ignored them... I wasn't sure what I was going to do all day without Madison. Hank solved that for me though, "Ashley, your sister is letting me get you setup on her iPad for that hunters safety course. Would you like to get that done this morning?"

"Umm... I guess," I said.

So, with that I spent an hour going through the online course and was done quickly. At the end when it gave you a card to print out. I had to send that to Gloria's e-mail so she could print it out. Just before noon I went and helped Consetta out with the simple lunch of macaroni and cheese.

Hank took Mom and I shooting that afternoon like normal and I shot very well on both the new rifle and the larger handgun Mom had been using. I didn't think anything of the fact that we were shooting more than an average person would be able to... I just knew that I was getting good enough to hit the target when I wanted to!

"Why don't we run into town real quick and get Ashley's and your small game and fishing licenses?"

"Okay, let me tell Gloria where we're going," Mom told him. The three of us were soon off to a nearby general store that was halfway to town and filled out the forms. Mom had the printed copy of my hunter's safety certificate and everything was taken care of without any issues.

I could legally hunt small animals, something I wasn't planning on doing!

Hank pointed out though that I could also go fishing this way, and I could maybe see myself doing that if we went on the camping trip Mom brought up. She was planning on it being the two of us plus Collin, and Annie and her husband. I was looking forward to getting away from the ranch for a bit... It felt so empty during the day since Madison left!

When we returned from the store Hank had me sign-up for the draw for an elk tag or a deer tag online. If I got either of them, he would be taking me hunting he told me. I tried to get out of it, but he wouldn't hear of it. By the time I finished my riding lesson with Gloria I felt sort of grateful looking back on it – but I was still really squeamish about shooting a live animal!

Mom and I tried the routine again that night and I hoped against hope that I would be able to get a good night of sleep again. I had actually started reading an hour earlier out of one book and ended up finishing two by bedtime. Mom told me a story, tucked me in, and we both hoped for the best.

MEGAN LOOKED IN on Ashley one last time before going downstairs to the living room where Gloria was sitting up, reading a novel of her own. "How is she doing?" Gloria asked while marking her place and closing her book.

"Okay I think..." she said, "well, as okay as she can be right now."

Gloria nodded, "I really wish Madison had been able to stay two more weeks, her nightmares might have been okay by then."

Megan nodded, "I know, it's hard for her..."

"So, you're going to go do this camping trip for sure Friday?"

Megan nodded, "We're going to go up to the high meadow and then keep going around the old trail Saturday and come back Sunday."

"Does Ashley have hiking boots yet?"