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Chapter 35 And He Flies Away

The June morning was clear blue skies and warm sunshine.  A meadowlark called from the pasture across the country road. The big maple tree in the front yard was full of leaves. The pigs banged the lids of their feeders up and down as they lazily ate to their hearts delight. Once in awhile you would hear a mother cow call for her baby out in the north pasture. The wheat fields were turning a golden brown.

You could hear the loud purr of the riding lawn mower as Kate went round and round the north brome patch, singing at the top of her voice. Bret came running out the back door, carrying his new purchased bread machine. Mark followed close behind carrying a box of Bret's this and that's and a back pack slung over his right shoulder. They were talking a mile a minute as they worked there together. Kate gave us all a big wave as she turned north away from us.

Sitting in the driveway was the old family 79 white Pontiac that was now Bret's. Hooked behind it was a 10 foot U-haul, its big back door open. Oh why did God make mother's hearts so different? Why did He make a extra strong apron string attached to their children. Why did He make it so tears flowed from a mothers eyes when others can see the excitement and have ways of accepting it as it is? I tried to be brave. After all this was a great opportunity for Bret.

About noon the motorcycle was loaded in the U-haul and the door was shut. There was hugs and "Be careful please's" and "be sure to call us when you get there's"  I slipped a sack of cookies, a cut up apple and some crackers into the passengers seat along with a jug of water. Kate just waved big as she came past the evergreens and continued mowing, singing all the way.

"Well enjoy yourself son," Mark said giving Bret a big bear hug. "We'll try to get out to see you in August."

"That'll be great cause like I said if I'm asked to stay on the first semester, I'll probably accept. I only have one semester left to finish college anyway.."

"Bye son," I said coming to him and throwing my arms around him. He was so tall that I had to look up to him. I didn't dare say anything else. I didn't want to start crying right here in front of him.

"Bye mom. Thanks for the snack and drink and all the goodies you sent with me." Bret answered bending down and returning my hug.

With that he hopped in the car, started it and made the circle around the drive way, honked at Kate and waved out the window. His white car and little U-haul turned east and he honked again. Mark and I stood there in the driveway, arms around each other, waving and waving with the sound of the mower in the back ground, waving and waving until the car disappeared beyond the trees. Bret had accepted a Coop job two states away. This was the first summer without him at home.

"Well I better grind a load of pig feed before dinner." Mark said walking toward the shed.

"K" was all I could get out. The tears were coming and I needed to get into the house and alone.

It was so quiet here in the house. It seemed so empty. I walked slowly down the stairs to Bret's bedroom. Turning on the light I saw that he had thrown the covers up over the pillow. One of his dresser drawers stood open and a sock laid on the floor just at the end of the bed. The closet was pretty cleaned out. His old everyday shirts still hung there cricked on the hangers. "Well I guess he won't need them anymore". A Louis L'Amour book laid open on the floor next to the bed. I just sat there for a while on that unmade bed. I sat there as the tears ran down my cheeks. After awhile I quietly got up, turned off the light and walked upstairs to prepare dinner for Mark and Kate. I would just leave that downstairs bedroom just like it was for now.

I was getting out the left over roast beef  and cutting up a couple tomatoes when I heard Kate run up the back steps and burst into the back door.

"I just remembered that I have to be at the Park and Rec at two mom!" she said grabbing  glass and taking a drink of water. "Remember I told them I could met them and talk about my job for the summer?"

"Oh great that's right!" I said setting the roast beef on the counter and hurrying to get some potatoes to pop into the microwave.

"Do I have time for a shower and get changed before lunch? Mowing sure was dirty this morning."

"Yea it will be about a half hour before dad will be in. Thanks for mowing. It sure looks nice." I said carrying over a stack of dishes to the table.

Soon after lunch, Kate headed to town and me to the field and Mark to the shop. So the day passed by and we all started to think of Bret and wonder where he was and when he would call.

The long awaited call came around 9:00. Bret had made it to Butches just fine and dandy. He had unloaded the car and had the bread machine going, and had already taken a fast jog on the trail behind Butches house. Now he and Butch were getting "acquainted" over a dish of ice cream.They were going to have a piece of homemade bread for breakfast along with some bacon and eggs we had stuck in the back seat.  We all took a turn talking to him. It sounded so good to know that he was safely there. He would have the week end to settle in and then start his new job on Monday bright and early.

"He sounded so happy Mark." I said that night as I laid beside my husband there in the dark room.

"Yes that's Bret. He makes himself happy wherever he is. It is going to take some getting use to but life goes on I guess"

"I just hope Kate won't get to lonesome with just us oldies." I said snuggling closer to him.

He kissed me then and just held me as we drifted off to sleep as a soft cool breeze drifted in through the open window.

The golden wheat heads bent low in the fields, and the alfalfa laid in windrows. Summer life went on around the farm. Kate now owned a car of her own and was making trips into the Park and Rec every afternoon. She was instructor for a group of young kids teaching them the safety of riding bikes and taking them on riding lessons. It was just up her alley.

The combine was setting in the middle of the shop where Mark was giving it the final going over. I was cleaning out the grain trucks and washing the windows and fueling them up. The end gate was put in place. We would be in harvest next week.

We were just getting ready to set down for supper on Saturday night when a knock came at the back door. Kate got up to answer and just stood there holding the door open. On the porch stood a tall, thin man. He had a beard and mustache and his hair was pulled back in a pony tail down his back. "Hi" he said and let out a laugh. I ran over and couldn't believe my eyes.

My long lost cousin, Lyle stood there looking at us That crooked smile lighting up his face. Behind him in the drive way sat his little blue Nissan car and hooked to its bumper was a short little camper trailer. He had come for a visit all the way from California.

I couldn't believe it. By this time Mark had joined us at the door. "This is my cousin Lyle." I told them giving him a hug. "We go way back to childhood. Lyle meet my husband Mark and daughter Kate."

"Glad to meet you," Mark said holding out his hand. "Come in and we'll find another chair. We are just setting down to supper."

That was a talkative meal. We learned that he had decided to make a visit to all his relatives who he hadn't seen in years. We were his first stop. We caught up on all the news of his folks, and sister and brother.

 He pulled his little camper down into the west brome patch, and parked it beside the creek. It was great getting acquainted with him again after all those years! He would ride with me to the elevator some and he loved the horses. We learned that he had a bad heart and didn't know how long he would have, so he wanted to make one more trip to see us all.

He stayed in his little camper at night but during the day he would help me in the garden, or take a dip in the pool. Once in a while he tried his hand in farming. Mark would let him move bales in from the fields. On a Sunday afternoon or a evening, he and Kate would saddle the horses and off they would go ambling down the road.

"I'm going to give Bret a call this evening," I said in late June.

"Tell him that we are done with harvest and the yield was good." Mark said. "I'd talk but I really need to finish up some thing before coming in.

I finished the dishes and then dialed Butches number.

"Hello" came the voice from the other end.

"Hi Butch. This is Carrie. Is Bret in?"

"No he's not right now. He is out with a friend."

"Oh....well could you have him call us when he gets in?"

"I'm not sure if you'll be up at that time."

I was getting to wonder by this time. "Oh....well we could call another time then."

"Has he not told you about his new friend?"

"No  Is it a boy or girl?"

"Well this happens to be a female species" Butch said with a chuckle.

"Oh I see! Well....That's Bret. We would be the last to know. Goodness! How exciting!"

"She is a very nice young lady." Butch said into my ear as I stood there kind of in shock.

"Well you just tell him we will call again soon. Thanks for everything you are doing for him."

"We are having a good time being bachelors together."

"Hopefully we will get out there to see you and Bret in August. It sounds like there are a number of "folks" we can look forward to met!" I said with a smile in my voice.

"We would love to have you. Come anytime." he answered.

After we hung up I ran out to the shop to tell the news to Mark. He had the hood of the pickup up and was leaning up over the front, his hands a greasy mess. After I told him the exciting news, he reacted just like a man. "Oh that's nice. Could you bring me that 3/8 socket over there on that barrel?"

"Mark did you hear me? Bret has a girlfriend!" I said handing the socket to him. "Isn't that exciting!"

"Yea it is. What is her name?"

"Shoot I didn't ask! We'll have to remember to ask next time. Bret has a girlfriend! Wow how exciting."

About a week later, I went to the mailbox to get the mail. There among the advertisements and bills was a letter addressed to us. It was from Bret. I stuck the pile of mail under one arm, and ripped open the letter. Inside was a short note with the words." Here is my Emma." I stood there in the middle of the drive way, the mail still under my arm and looked at that billfold picture of Bret''s Emma. Her mouth wore a soft smile and her eyes were kind and gentle.

I didn't know at the time that I was looking into the gentle face of our new daughter. I didn't know at the time that she would become very dear to us. I didn't know at the time that in one short year we would be setting in her mom and dad's living room as our son placed a ring on her finger. I didn't know any of that but I was very anxious to meet this little lady who had won our son's heart.

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