The woman behind the desk bid her to sit and took her information, glancing at the provided documents she asked a few verifying questions as she did a computer search. She was satisfied that this was in all likelihood Samantha Russo, formerly Samantha Winston of Delaware. She stood and proceeded to the small photo copier behind her desk. Coping the documents and returning them to Samantha she pressed another button on the copier which sent electronic copies of the identification documents out for further verification. Samantha waited patiently. She realized that there were procedures that needed to be followed and that she could not rush the process. She did have yet another request to make. She asked to use the telephone at the embassy to call home to her parents. She hoped to put the wheels in motion to have a plane ticket sent for her. She called her mother's cell phone knowing that she always kept it within arms reach.
“Mom,” she began, thrilled to anticipate her mothers voice.
“Samantha dear, it's so good to hear from you. How is Italy?” her mother gushed into the phone.
Samantha swallowed hard and told her that they had both been right. Her life here was miserable since she arrived. She left out the part about the pregnancy, she told her just that she was at the US embassy in Rome awaiting a replacement passport. She sheepishly added that she was hoping to return home if her parents could send her enough cash and a ticket for a flight back.
Mrs. Winston was concerned but wisely realized that this was not the time or the place to discuss the why or what had happened. She agreed to rescue her daughter and told her to give the phone to the woman at the embassy. Sliding her American Express gold card from her wallet, Mrs. Watson proceeded to tell Myra, the embassy worker, that her daughter had apparently made a horrible mistake and that anything Samantha needed should be provided her. She then dictated the numbers from the gold card and gave the woman her cell phone number as well as the phone number for the house if any other problems or needs came up.
Myra handed the phone back to Samantha. Mrs. Winston reassured her daughter that everything would be taken care of and that she should be on the next available flight to Philadelphia and home. Her mother's voice came through the phone as clear as though she were standing right in the room next to her. In the midst of so much uncertainty her mothers voice reassured her and let her know that she was going to be OK. She breathed a huge sigh of relief as tears welled up in her eyes. The embassy employee, seeing her distress, produced a box of tissues from her desk drawer as though this were a regular occurrence and strangers often sat at her desk and cried. Samantha fought to regain her control and was soon standing thanking the woman from the embassy and asking how she could go about finding a secure room until her flight were due. She hoped that she would not have to encounter the hired muscle that her father-in-law had sent to collect her. The woman from the embassy had a sense that there was more to her story than she had shared. The Marines had text-ed the embassy that the men who were looking for Samantha Russo had been picked up by the Italian police but that they would likely be bailed out in an hour or less to face charges later. The alert had been issued. Myra, having read the alert, invited Samantha to sit again and wait until the passport was produced saying, “It should not be too long now.”
In the interim, Myra proceeded to book a room within the embassy, she then preformed the impossible, although it was Friday night and high travel season, she booked a flight out of Rome bound for Delaware the very next morning in Samantha's maiden name, her US passport had not been changed over to Russo so to them she was still Samantha Watson.
Myra turned to Samantha and announced her arrangements and that her mother had covered the costs of her needs. Her substitute passport was put into her hands and she was told that she would have an escort to the airport and through to her gate in the morning where she would be issued her ticket. Her escort would be instructed to stay with her until she boarded the plane. Again tears threatened but Samantha reigned them in before they spilled over and embarrassed her again. She thanked Myra profusely and asked if there were any way she could find a restaurant. Myra informed her that her meals were provided with her room which delighted Samantha beyond words. Not to have to brave the world outside of the embassy at night was beyond her expectations. Who knew where those employees of her father-in-law had gotten to. She shuddered thinking, they could be waiting outside the embassy gate right now for all she knew.
Chapter Four
Samantha dined far more royally then she expected for both lunch and dinner. For breakfast she had the choice of bacon and eggs, hot cereal or Italian pastry. Admitting to herself that the one thing she would miss about Italy was the pastries, she choose the sweet treat one last time savoring the satisfying marscarpone cheese filling.
Surprisingly she did not suffer at all from the traditional curse of pregnant women everywhere. Though she used it as an excuse to escape her husbands family, she was delighted not to have experienced morning sickness with her pregnancy at all. She took two cups of rich Italian, “caffe normale,“ and finished one and a half of the lovely pastries.
Samantha was ushered into the basement by Myra after she finished her breakfast. She was put in a car with fully tinted windows seated next to her escort. There were two other such cars also with their engines running, they all left at the same time and all appeared the same to anyone on the outside. Brilliant she thought. In spite of her recent ordeal she thought, chuckling to herself, “I'm now traveling like an international spy or a foreign dignitary. Who knew I was this important?”
As promised she was escorted to the gate and her escort, a youngish man with a mid-western flavor to his speech went with her. She learned his name was Samuel, he too was a Marine and that he had been assigned to the Italian embassy service for over a year now. She was not put through the usual security screening at the airport, they just walked through a metal detector and they were at the gate. Sitting leafing through a brochure from the embassy Samantha waited to board at the gate. They were approached by a young woman who gave her name as Jo Jensen, she stated that they must come with her immediately. Samantha, accustomed to trusting those in authority and assuming that this woman held the authority she professed, began to follow the woman but her escort gently took Samantha's elbow to restrain her and challenged the woman. He was met with a shrug of resignation and the classic expression of frustration in Italy, her hands flung shoulder high in obvious frustration. The woman, in spite of the Anglo name she gave, was apparently an Italian. This would be Samantha's husbands last attempt to hold her in Italy. Samantha thanked her escort for keeping her safe before she boarded the plane.
Chapter Five -
The ten gallon hat, “Did people really still wear them?” she wondered as she looked up to him from her seat on the plane. His voice when he offered to help, warmed her, she could not get enough of it. It was deep, warm and rich, like creamy, dark chocolate. The sound of his voice sweetened her ear with it's West twang. It was the voice that attracted her to him, the accent was intriguing, new to her ear and different, she thought. His voice, his voice was honey to her ears. She smiled and asked his name, just wanting to hear him speak one more time.
Her seatmate replied, “I'm Roy, I'm from Nebraska. I had a little cattle business to attend here in Italy and I am on my way back home.”
“A cattle rancher,” intrigued, she replied, “I never met anyone who worked on a cattle ranch.” The distraction of conversation was just what she need right now, the sound of his delicious voice was a bonus.
“We have a little spread we call the Double Point Ranch, it's a bit west of Norfork in north-east Nebraska. I'll fly into Omaha and then take a puddle jumper to Columbus. Hank will pick me up at the airport 'n bring me to the ranch. It's about 20 miles north west of there.”
Finished with her tears of regret and enjoying the distraction, Samantha asked. “Is Hank your brother?” she was intrigued by this easy talking stranger with the lovely speaking voice, she wanted to hear more.
“No, Mam. I don't have any family left on the ranch. My little sister went off to California, she's married to a film studio guy and my brother, Joe, he died in the war. He made me promise that I'd not let the ranch go, it's 'cause of him that I'm still keeping it going. It's a nice spread, we've got good rich grasses and plenty of water but there's not much money in cattle these days. What with so many vegetarians and Mad Cow Disease, we've been hit pretty hard, I don't know how much longer I can keep it going.” “Hank is one of the ranch hands who works harder then he ought have to. He helps me stay afloat.” he finished.
Samantha's had to ask “Is there anything else your land could support? Perhaps ostrich or bison? They are both meat animals and folks back east will pay a hefty premium for bison.” “Most of the bison in our markets comes down from Canada. It would be great to have some raised here in the States.” a fan of bison meat herself, she could not help but think of the possibility. She knew that bison could be raised on the same land that supported cattle, it would not be too drastic a transition.
Now Roy was interested. He turned in his seat to face her, “Do you know much about raising bison? Are they aggressive or temperamental? Do they need to be brought in to feedlots before market? How much land would I need for every 100 head.”
Roy was thinking that this idea might help him keep the ranch, perhaps even make it profitable again. This crying woman, he did not even know her name, may have just hit upon a solution to his dilemma.
“I'm so sorry mam, I don't even know your name and here you are helping me out when it is I who should be helping you.”
“Samantha Winston” Samantha replied offering her hand formally. “I'm from Delaware.”
He took her hand. She noticed the restrained strength in his grip, the callouses and size of his hand. Though not an exceptionally tiny woman, her's looked like a doll's hand in his. He had a deep running scar across the back of his right hand that disappeared up his sleeve, it was old and well healed but it piqued her curiosity, she wanted to explore it to it's end.
He was impressed with her handshake and confidence. Her hand was warm and dry, her handshake without pretense. She had appeared so deeply sad and injured just a few minuets earlier, she certainly recovered quickly. He was now thinking beyond a discussion about his ranching problems. He was interested in this attractive young woman.
“I'm pleased to meet you Samantha.” “Do you have any experience raising bison? I don't imagine there are all that many bison ranches in Delaware.”
“Ah, but there is one. There's a small bison ranch down in the southern end of Delaware and there is another over in New Jersey, across the river in Reddington county. I doubt that they are even near to the size of your ranch though. They are both just little boutique outfits, tiny compared to a Nebraska sized ranch.” Samantha paused to breath.
“I visited the one in New Jersey once. They have an annual Fall Festival pumpkin picking party that I attended as a child. Their bison were quite mild natured. I'm sure that such tameness can't be expected from all bison though. Their animals are hand raised. It makes a huge difference as I'm sure you know.”
“Well Samantha, you sure have a lot of cow sense for someone who grew up in Delaware.” he smiled at her showing his teeth, they were perfectly white and healthy but his eye teeth, those pointy teeth to the side of a smile, were turned in the jaw. It was a charming imperfection, In Delaware, she thought, he'd have had braces to correct it but leaving his teeth as they grew did not hurt him. It gave him a uniqueness that, she thought, added to his individuality.
The meal service interrupted their conversation, Samantha choose the chicken, Roy opted for the beef. She had to smile, he was every inch a beef guy, knowing that the beef airlines served was always grossly over cooked and pretty flavorless, did not seem to stop him. With their trays in front of them and their plastic service in hand they ate their meal both lost in thought. He, chewing his beef, trying to tame it to swallow it. She was absorbed by her chicken and her thoughts.
“He's going on to Nebraska,” she thought sadly, “I'll never see him again.”
“But I need to focus on myself. I'll have this baby to think of and I need to divorce Rafaele, perhaps it is for the best.” “He sure looks like a keeper though.” She sighed, “I wish he were closer to Delaware.”
“She's just what I've been looking for.” Roy was thinking, “Why are all the good ones so far from home?” “I can see my life with her, she would be a perfect,” he thought. Then he had a thought and shared it out loud, “ I should stop in the east and visit one of these small ranches that you speak of.” “ I could stand to learn a bit about raising bison.” “Might I be so bold as to ask, would you be available to give me a tour?”
Samantha’s heart jumped. She panicked, how could she come home and introduce this man to her mother now? After all she had been through, she had just met him on the plane. She decided she needed to share, she needed to explain her situation to this man whom she thought might be so dear.
“Roy, let me tell you about the current chaos in my life,” she began.
He listened patiently as she went on, “I recently made a huge mistake and married an Italian man, I followed him to Italy and was treated miserably there.” “I am on my way home to Delaware to file for divorce.” “I would love to get to know you and spend more time with you. I find your company delightful. But right now, my life needs straightening out before I do anything else.” She looked at him pleading with him for understanding with her sad blue green eyes.
“You poor girl” he replied. “Of course you need to work on getting your life in order.”
“Might I hope that once you are ready, you will be bold enough to let me know. Might I give you my e-mail address for that purpose.” when she did not protest he went on, “Samantha, I find you intriguing, easy to talk to and rather easy on the eyes.” he smiled, somehow managing to look like a little boy when he did, as he said that.
He asked no questions about her experience in Italy and asked nothing of her beyond a future contact. He seemed more than willing to wait. He wanted only to get to know her. He was such a sweetheart of a man. She accepted his proliferated business card and asked if she might verify that she had the email address correctly entered in her system before her life was in order. He agreed, delighted at the prospect of hearing from her sooner than expected, he relished the thought of maintaining contact.
Parting at the gate as he shook her hand to say, “Good by,” Roy bent and kissed Samantha gently on the cheek. It was a very formal gesture, being held apart by their still clasped handshake, but she felt it promised much. That she did not protest or pull away, for him spoke volumes. They parted, leaving the gate at the Philadelphia airport, both were walking on air.
Chapter Six -
Arriving home it was as though she had never left. Samantha fell into all of her old habits. Helping with the cooking and household, pushing her little sister to work on her College studies. Gossiping with her about boyfriends and cloths.
She signed up to substitute teach at the local school districts. That would give her pocket money and allow her to get out of the house for a few days a week.
The pregnancy proved not to be. She was both delighted and saddened when her cycle returned to normal. She spoke to her gynecologist and learned that it was probably her emotional state that caused her system to pause. She was very under standing and gave her a business card of a counselor who worked mostly with woman’s issues in case Samantha needed to talk to someone. Samantha confided in her mother and her mother just hugged her and told her that, in time, she could have as many children as she might want. She told her that it was right that it was a false pregnancy and that now, Samantha could get on with her life.
There had been no mention of Roy to her parents. Samantha e-mailed him but beyond polite conversation there had been little else forthcoming. She still held out hope that there was something more, that he was holding back waiting for her word.
Her divorce would be final in a few weeks time, Rafaele had reluctantly signed the papers and sent them back to her when she told him that there was no, “Bambino.” Rafael wrote her, accusing her of having an abortion but she could not care about his accusations now. She just needed to leave him and the entire experience behind her.
She decided to invite Roy east once her divorce papers were in order. She hoped he would be willing to come. She hoped that the ease and relaxed nature of their brief, in flight encounter, would continue. She found him some nights in her dreams riding across a vast grassy landscape on a great horse. The horses breath could be seen in the cold air and Roy rode with purpose as though he had somewhere to get to. She only observed him from a distance in her dreams but those dreams caught her breath in her throat and made her heart race.
Chapter Seven -
It was the week before Christmas when Samantha finally got her papers, she was single again. She hugged herself and ran to her computer to issue her invitation to Roy. She thought and decided that she would couch the invitation as an offer to escort Roy on the tour that he had asked for. That way, if he declined, she could save face. Neither of them should be embarrassed. She issued her invitation and waited anxiously for his response.
Love, she thought . . . Page 2