Under The Montana Skies

12- An unexpected letter

"Brady. If you go in there and he hits you, knocks you over or even just bumps you, you could do more damage to your spine. I won't allow it."

Clenching my jaw, I turned towards the boys… watching as they struggled with what I had suggested them to try.

Growing up on my family ranch, I was used to all the hard labor during the day and in my spare time when I wasn't training for rodeos… I trained horses, even the ones they said were impossible. It wasn't work for me and I actually enjoyed it. It relaxed me but I was anything but relaxed right now.

"Greg, we have to calm him down!" I yelled out to the guys.

"What the fuck does it look like I'm doing?" He snapped back.

I heard thunder in the distance and the wind had started to pick up. It was only a matter of time before the rain started and I knew the guys still had a few more things to get done before it hit.

"Put him away. We'll try again after this storm passes."

I backed away, almost running into Melissa.

"Brady, wait." Jake yelled.

I turned back towards the guys, seeing Jake running over towards me.

"What?"

"Maybe it's time."

My heart sank. There was nothing worse than putting a horse down and I knew if we let him go, he would never make it out on his own.

"I'm not done trying yet. Put him in his stall."

I heard Jake say something but I didn't care, I wasn't done trying yet.

"Come on Charlie." I whistled to my German Shepherd.

He ran over, following me up to my room.

Nora's P.O.V.

I jumped at the loud thunder that shook the house.

It was really coming down now. Normally I loved a good storm, especially at night when I slept but being alone in a place I didn't know many people didn't feel as comforting.

I wiped the tears from my eyes and shoveled another scoop of Ben and Jerry's chocolate fudge brownie ice cream into my mouth and continued watching 'The Notebook'.

Lighting struck again and another big boom shook the house, this time cutting the power.

"Well that's just great." I groaned, with a mouth full of ice cream.

I got up, grabbed the lantern I had ready and went into my bedroom, polishing off the ice cream and went to bed.

The next morning I ate breakfast. The power was still out but thankfully the little food I did have in the fridge and freezer was still okay but probably wouldn't make it through the day too. Edward had stopped by to check in on me and to tell me he talked to the power company. It was taking a little bit longer to restore because of the storm but should be back on around noon, so I had to just wait it out.

I went upstairs and decided to clean since I didn't touch that the day I got into town. I set the lantern down and opened the window blind.

It was a large, single room that was once a bedroom that my grandparents kept as storage and a work area with a desk.

I started dusting off the shelf full of books. Some I remembered were my grandparents and some that were new, possibly from when Wallace had lived here. There was anything from cookbooks and Romance novels to Army tactics and books on horses.

I grabbed a romance book off the shelf that I hadn't read before and put it over by the stairs so I could start reading it when I was done up here.

After dusting off the bookshelf, I dusted off the other things in the room so it was ready to vacuum when the power was back on.

Noticing a beautiful storage chest under some of Henry's old Army uniforms. I sat on the floor, pulled it out and opened the large box. To my surprise, it wasn't just my grandparents' things, but some of Wallace's stuff too.

Pictures of Wallace and Anita, some of them in frames and the rest in an album. I smiled when I saw the family picture with them and Henry, sitting on the front porch of this house, smiling for the camera.

After looking through the pictures I looked in the storage chest again. Henry's Army metals, coins along with other knick knacky things. I opened what looked like a journal but it was the family history, pictures and information throughout the years on this ranch.

I skimmed through it landing on Wallace's pages. At the end of his pages were pictures, not of just Wallace... but of me growing up. Christmas cards, my dance pictures and a letter that was addressed to me?

Did my parents send this stuff to Wallace throughout the years?

I set the book down, narrowing my eyes as I opened the letter, wondering what it was going to say. Tears filled my eyes as I started to read.

'I have many regrets in my life, but my biggest regret was never meeting you. Unfortunately, I made some very selfish choices in my lifetime and if I could go back in time, I would. I would have supported my son in his decisions… he met a wonderful woman, your grandmother and I'm so proud of the life he made for himself.
I'm writing to you so you know I thought about you often. Your father would send me pictures and updates on you and both your father and Henry tell me you have the most beautiful voice. I just know you will grow up to do great things, I just wish I was around to see it.
Henry told me one day this will all be yours, which means you're here now. I pray it brings you much happiness, little one and that you keep the Thornton book going.
All of my love, Great Grandpa Wallace.'

I wiped my eyes and set the letter back in the page I found it and turned the page where it started when Henry and Eleanor moved here, seeing they added to it also. It was only a few pages compared to the others and on the next blank page was a picture of me and some information about me and where I was to add to next.