Meeting In Douglas

Chapter 1: Two weeks ago

NOTE: I hope people will enjoy this story better than some of my others. I worked on it for along time before I even thought of putting on Wattpad. I hope you like. comment, vote, fan... :)

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Two weeks ago my life was simply perfect, or as close as it could get to it. Know I'm sitting in an uncomfortable airplane seat with tears welding in my eyes waiting for it to land in Casper, Wyoming where Gram is coming to get me so I can live with her.

Two weeks ago, my parents were breathing, but that's never going to happen again. Mom and Dad were going on a date for their anniversary, they never came home. It was 2:30 in the morning when I got the knock on our door. I col-lapsed at the police officer's feet, begging him to tell me he was confused or had the wrong house. Of course he wasn't. The report said that the car was broken into and my parents were killed brutally; bashes to the head with a baseball bat. It also said there was a struggle, but unfortunately they couldn't find any evidence leading to a suspect.

So here I am with an awful stomach ache and a horrid heart ache hoping Gram is okay. Fortunately, Gram and I are extremely close. Ever since Grandpa died when I was 10 I have visited Gram in the summer, all summer long, it is my favorite time of the year and I hoped it wouldn't be any dif-ferent between us, now that she is my legal guardian and I'm living with her. Wyoming is my favorite place in the world. If I had to choose anywhere in the world to live it would be Douglas, Wyoming, right where Gram lives. It is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen, it's out of this world. I have no clue why my dad ever left that place and went to Illinois, where he met my mom and where we had lived my whole life.

A tear dripped down my cheek and I quickly wiped it away so no one could see. The plane finally landed on the ground and my heart dropped to my stomach. The man sitting next to me got up from his seat as quickly as he could, but before he left he looked me in the eyes and said, "I hope whatever is bothering you soon disappear." I smiled at him, half fake and he smiled back and basically ran off the plane. Jeez, I didn't know I was that scary looking when I cry. I wish my hurt would disappear, but I don't think that's going to happen anytime soon.

I looked at my feet as I walked out of the terminal, not wanting to show my red face. I heard someone call my name, "Lilly" It was Gram and I looked up and she smiled at me with caring eyes, her face was red like mine. I smiled at her. She held me in a hug for a long time and I was content in our position. She pulled away and held onto my shoulders and got a good look at me, as if she hadn't seen me in years when it had only been a couple of months. "Hi, Gram; you want to go home?" I asked. It almost hurt to speak the words.

"Yeah, let's head home." She said and rapped her arm over my shoulder as we walked out of the noisy airport and into the rainy atmosphere. We raced to Gram's Toyota and slammed the doors shut, escaping from the showers. It was over an hour long ride to Gram's and I was relieved when I saw Gram's dirt driveway extending almost a half mile from the road. I was instantly calmed when I saw the familiar back-ground of the rocky landscape. I scanned the ground and no-ticed something that wasn't there the last time I was.

"Gram, when did that get there?" Next to Gram's small country cottage was a newly built house twice the size, sharing the same driveway as Gram.

"Oh, that. That is the Veltom's house. Wonderful family, and so friendly; they loved the land and I couldn't blame them. They were so kind to me when they asked if they could buy part of the land, I couldn't refuse. "I stared the house down as if it was threating me.

"Okay." Was all that escaped from my mouth. She nudged my shoulder.

"Don't worry. I am most certain you will make friends with the twins." I rolled my eyes and smiled, she always knew how to make me laugh even in the worst of situations. I was glad I had her in my life, she is the most beautiful person I know and I think I will ever know.

"Ahh, we are finally here. It felt like forever." I nod-ded in agreement. We ran to the door and when she opened it I was overwhelmed with the familiar smell of happiness I thought I would never come in contact to again. I immediately jumped on the couch and sat absorbing my new reality that was finally coming together and it was hitting me hard. All my thoughts were getting clouded with all my sadness and every-thing felt like it was falling apart.

I jumped back to my feet hoping to wash the feeling away and Gram a hug before going to my summer room that was now my permanent room. I unpacked the couple of bags I had and I came upon my now most valuable possession, a picture of my family. Gram was hugging me and Mom and Dad were on either side hugging us. A single droplet dripped to my cheek and I quickly wiped it way scared that if I let it fall more would follow in its path. A knock came at the door and it made me jump and grabbed my heart as Gram entered the bedroom.

"Hey, darling, are you hungry?" She asked.

"No, I think I'm just going to go to bed, it's been a really long day." She smiled and gave me a quick hug and a kiss on the head.

"Just tell me if you need anything." I nodded my head and gave her smile before she left. Once she was gone I slapped myself onto the bed and let my emotion erupt from me. I closed my eyes hoping this horrible, sad reality would disappear when I opened my eyes.

I was sadly mistaken.

I opened my eyes slowly and saw I was in my room at Gram's house, that everything was the same as yesterday, that my parents weren't alive and that now I'm living in Douglas, Wyoming. I stood up from my bed and went to the mirror on my dresser, staring myself in the eyes as the tear dripped down my face. I sucked them back and wiped my face and told myself, I could do it; live happy with Gram, which is what my parents would want me to do.

I smelt the sweet cooking coming from the tiny kitchen only a few feet away. Gram was standing over the vintage stove with the fume of eggs filling her nose. I sunk into a chair at the small table and let the smells circulate through the atmosphere. I realized then how small and cozy Gram's house really was. It was maybe 900 square feet, a little less.

"Good morning, Darling, are you hungry?" Gram asked turning to give me a morning smile. Her hair was half up, some falling in curls in here youthful face. I was glad I looked like her.

"Good Morning. Those eggs sure smell good." I an-swered trying to sound happy.

"They're coming right up!" She said with enthusiasm as she placed the plate of eggs in front of me.

"Thanks Gram, you know how much I love your eggs." She sat down across from me with another plate of eggs and we dug in. The only sound was of teeth chewing until Gram talked.

"Lillian" She said.

"Yeah, Gram" I asked looking at her and she was looking at her plate before she picked up her head revealing a loving, mischievous smile.

"You have a surprise waiting outside."