Anora St. Clair found herself sitting on her final plane ride, to Helena Montana. She started in Charlotte then flew to Dallas, then from Dallas to Helena. The State of North Carolina shipped her belongings last week to her Uncle Silas. Her uncle had two sons, Cyrus and Atticus. Cyrus has been texting her everyday since getting her number a week ago, while Atticus calls her instead. They both are excited for her to live with them.
Minutes away from 'touchdown' in Helena, Anora found herself more nervous than excited. Never seeing her Uncle made her wonder if he would resent her because of her father. After all they didn't have any contact with one another for as long as Anora could remember. Exiting the plane with her Under Armor backpack and Coach purse, Anora felt sick to her stomach. Filtering her way to the baggage claim, she felt her stomach rolling in unease. Distracted by the nausea, Anora almost missed her baggage claim point. But once her bags were taken off the belt, she turned to walk to the exit. She received a text from Cyrus when she landed, saying that her Uncle was picking her up and he'd be outside Exit 12.
Anora found herself walking the slowest pace possible. Exiting the doors of Exit 12, she found herself sucking in a breath. Right outside the exit leaning against a lifted Jeep Rubicon, was her father. To stunned to say a word or move a muscle, her grip on her luggage slipped. The loud clunk of the heavy bag caught the mans attention. Focusing his gaze on Anora he was stunned as well.
"Anora?" he questioned. Only able to nod, the mans suspicion dissipated and smile became present on his face. "So this is my only niece." Standing there looking at each other, silently taking in each other, Anora found her voice.
"Your my Uncle Silas." He nodded, curiously he asked.
"Of course what'd you expect?"
Shifting nervously Anora quietly replied, "not a replica of my father." Silas was floored. He truly didn't expect that answer.
"You didn't know that your father had a twin, did you?" Anora shook her head, upset that her father never told her about her Uncle being his twin. "Well no need to cry over split milk. Yes, your father and I were twins. Sure I haven't seen the man in nearly 23 years, but there's got to be something different between us."
Anora looked over her Uncle. After a few minutes scrutinizing his stature she spoke up. "You're taller by a couple inches, I'd say your about 6' 5". You're paler, but that's because of where you live. You have a scar on your temple and your hands are more calloused. Your hair is shorter and darker. You have a different stance; you're more relaxed yet just as confident. Father was only confident with his work." Silas couldn't believe Anora's depiction and view of him. He was quite surprised really, nearly speechless.
"I didn't know how different Calvin and I really looked. I'm shocked to hear how much he changed over these years. He and I seemed much more alike when we were younger. Although he really changed after...the family confrontation." Confused yet curious, Anora was about to ask about it , but her Uncle spoke up before she could. "Well we need to get going, we got a bit of a drive back to the ranch." Silas was putting Anora's bag in the back when she questioned her Uncle.
"Ranch? As in horses, cows, chickens, the whole-she-bang." Silas couldn't help the laughter that tumbled out at seeing his nieces expression.
"Yes, that's what the St. Clair ancestry is based off. We go back generations, ranching has always been in our blood. After your grandfather past away, your father, the oldest didn't want to continue in the family business. In the next six months of getting the ranch signed over to me, your grandmother past away as well. We believe it was from a broken heart, but at that moment I blamed your father. My own brother, my twin of killing our mother. He quickly left after the finalization's were done. After that, I only heard from your mother a couple of times. Basically just enough to keep me in the loop about certain things, mostly about you." Anora found herself staring at her feet, trying to hold back the tears. Silas noticed this and gently cupped her cheek, bringing her head up to look at him. Meeting her Uncle's equally bleary gaze. Anora couldn't hold the tears back any longer. Jumping up to wrap her arms around her Uncle's neck she let lose her tears. Silas gripped his niece with just as much intensity as her. He couldn't believe these last few weeks, finding out about his brother and sister-in-law's deaths, his only niece without a home. Getting her room around, and getting the school paperwork work done was just a small matter compared to her trauma.
After a few minutes Anora slowly unwrapped her arms, Silas gently setting her back on the ground. Wiping her tears she gave a hesitant smile. Silas gave her a more convincing one back. Opening the door Anora clumsily climbed into the Jeep. Silas couldn't help but laugh.
"Oh shush Uncle!" Silas laughed louder.
"You know doll, you're gonna have to get used to larger vehicles. Cause that's all we own." Sighing heavily Anora finally landed in the passenger seat.
"Well maybe you should get a smaller one for me." Chuckling Silas replied.
"Sorry doll, you'll just have to get used to it."
Mumbling to herself "Go figure." Silas of course heard it and belted another round of laughter. Shutting her door Silas climbed through his easily. "Show off" she retaliated.
"Your just jealous. You'll learn fast, I don't doubt that. The boys will have you driving like a pro soon." Silas replied turning on the Jeep. First thing Anora did was change the current radio station. She liked country, but if she's going to be in Montana listening to this genre 98% of the time she defiantly needed all the time she could get listening to rock. But for the life of her she couldn't find a station playing rock that came in clear enough. It was all country. She was slowly going crazy.
"Uncle is there only country here? Please tell me there's more than this." Anora pleaded.
"Well I have some CD's in a case under your seat or that cord for iPod's. I listen to classic rock when not around the boys. They listen to country or that hip hop, rap crap. I can't stand that stuff, there's no soul." he announced. Anora pulled out the auxiliary iPod cord and her iPod from her purse.
"Who's your favorite band Uncle? Silas looked at her.
"You got any of the oldies?" Anora scoffed
"Do you have gray hair? Of course I got the oldies!"
Laughing he told her, "well my dear, how about some AC/DC or Def Leppard."
"Coming right up." A few seconds later the sound of cymbols and bass was heard. Then the opening guitar to 'Back In Black' was heard. Anora and Silas shared a mutal look of ease, as he drove away from the airport. Getting relaxed Anora started to sing along with the songs she played, this of course got Silas's attention.
"Since when can you sing?" Anora gave a small smile.
"Mother wanted me to do something girly compared to all the sports I did. I didn't like the dance option as much, so I chose singing classes instead. Then later took up some music classes."
"Sounds to me that was a good choice, you sing beautifully" replied Silas. Anora couldn't help the light blush that appeared at the compliment.
"Thank you Uncle." When Silas started singing, or trying to sing, Anora joined in. For the next couple hours Silas and Anora sang along to rock songs until she eventually fell asleep.
