by Stacey Ritz
Rainie nodded, focusing on the road.
“That’d be great if you’d do that, Vanessa. Thanks.” He ended the call, tucking the phone back into his pocket.
Vanessa. Rainie’s stomach tightened.
“Sorry…work.” Milo said again, shrugging. “Vanessa is a new veterinarian. She’s a recent graduate. She went to Morehead State University and then onto The Ohio State University and came back here to be with family. She’s the veterinarian who’s been covering my extra shifts…so I don’t have to work all of the time.”
Rainie let out a breath she hadn’t known she’d been holding. Vanessa was a new veterinarian. It was clear from the way he talked about her that he viewed her as a child, that there were no romantic feelings between them. Vanessa. Rainie shook her head, scolding herself for the jealously she had felt over that name.
“She’s doing well, but still has a lot of questions. She’s learning the business.” He cleared his throat. “She’s engaged and plans to move to Tampa next year…but I’m happy to have her help while she’s here.”
Rainie felt embarrassed at how skeptical she’d felt seeing Vanessa’s name on Milo’s phone in Corolla. Relief flooded her as they continued driving. Buddy was content with his nose out the window, taking in the scents as they headed down the road.
“Where are you taking me, anyway?” Milo smiled slyly.
“You’ll see.” Looking over at him, she met his eyes for a moment before turning her attention back to the road. She’d been apprehensive about leaving Lexington, but driving with Milo now, she realized home wasn’t a place, it was a feeling.
Milo wanted to ask Rainie why she’d come back. He wanted to ask how she’d been. Instead, he sat beside her, enjoying her presence. She was here, that was what mattered. She’d come back to him and he could feel her happiness radiating between them. Instead of asking her everything he wondered, he decided to wait and see what happened next.
A few minutes later they pulled down a long, winding dirt drive. The property sat far off the beaten path, close to Cave Run Lake and the Daniel Boone National Forest. The dirt drive was heavily wooded, as were three of the four hills that surrounded them. The fourth hill and the flat, vast property that sat before them was expansive and open. As the Jeep came to a halt at the end of the drive, Milo noticed an A-Frame cabin that sat a few feet ahead of them. Off to the right, a smaller two-bedroom cabin rested quietly. No curtains or blinds hung from the windows, making it clear that both homes were vacant. Three large barns sat to the left. One was old and wooden, the roof caving in at the top. The other two were fairly new and Milo guessed by the look of their exterior that they’d have concrete floors and electricity. Rainie stepped out of the Jeep. “Come on!” She motioned to Milo, while opening the back door for Buddy to hop out and run freely. Milo walked around the front of the Jeep and came to stand by Rainie. She reached for his hand and he intertwined his fingers smoothly between hers. “I broke up with Cooper.” She said, her voice nearly a whisper.
He waited a minute before responding. “You brought me to this vacant property to tell me that?” He teased, playfully elbowing her side.
She told him briefly how she and Cooper had never been a good fit and how they’d wanted different things from life. Milo nodded, soaking in her words. She rested her head against his shoulder as they looked out at the property, growing quiet together. Her mind wandered.
She’d been talking to her mom once a week since they’d left Corolla and she and Ronnie had talked nearly every day. Although it was a difficult time for Ronnie, they’d been connecting regularly and Rainie had been a good listener through Ronnie’s break-up with Andrew. Ronnie’s house was for sale now and her stomach was growing quickly. A lot of changes were taking place and she was grateful to have her older sister to help her through it. The miles that separated them no longer mattered.
Sarah-Jayne had been out on a run, she was training for Run the Bluegrass, Lexington’s annual half-marathon race that took place every spring. She now ran every day and had begun exploring different roads and routes during her training runs. She’d taken a new turn down a narrow road called Edington when she’d discovered the land. A large sign sat at the front of the magnificent property that read: “210 acres For Sale.” Sarah-Jayne had snapped a photo with her phone and sent it to Rainie right away. When she finished her run, she had called Rainie to tell her about it. “It’s perfect!” She’d exclaimed. “I know it’s not in Lexington, but it’s only ninety-minutes away…and you’d be closer to me.” She continued to tell her about her training and how she’d been increasing her weekly long runs from eight miles to eleven. She said she’d had a cough that came when she returned home from Corolla and it wasn’t going away, but she’d chalked that up to the increase in her training. “Can you believe your mama’s going to run her first half-marathon at sixty years old? That’s thirteen miles!” She’d said, proudly.
Rainie had been hesitant about the property at first. Two-hundred and ten acres was a lot of land. She currently owned fifty in Lexington. But the additional acreage would provide the room she desperately needed for the growth of the sanctuary. She’d been complaining about needing the room for expansion for a while now. At her mama’s urging, she drove to Morehead the next weekend to look at the property and at first sight, she’d fallen in love. She hadn’t told Sarah-Jayne she was looking at the property. She hadn’t wanted to get her hopes up. And it was something she’d wanted to do on her own. But she had told Ronnie. And of course, when she did, Ronnie had told her it was a sign. This time, she thought she actually believed her little sister.
Rainie had instantly fallen in love, not just with the privacy of the land, not just with the fact that it backed up to the Daniel Boone National Forest, not just because she could save hundreds of additional lives with this space and not just because it would bring her back to her hometown and closer to her mama. Those were all pluses, but what made her fall head over heels for the land was the thought of Milo.
Cooper’s parting words replayed in her head the first time she’d looked at the property. “Don’t you want more from your life?” This was more, she’d thought the moment she stepped out of her white Jeep and looked at the expansive land. This was what she’d been wanting. Not just the land, not just the location…all of it. It was all right here in front her. Her heart sung as she stood, her boots sinking into the muddy ground. She had peered in the windows of the A-Frame and then of the smaller cabin; so many possibilities. She’d opened the doors of the barns and instantly envisioned how comfortable the animals could be once she’d had a chance to hire out some improvements and adjustments to the place. This was it. She’d known it instantly. This was her more.
She’d driven back a second time, this time viewing the property with a Realtor. Still, she hadn’t told her mama she was in town to look at the property. She’d wanted to keep it to herself for the time being. Kentucky Farm Sanctuary currently housed one hundred and five rescued animals. By moving to the Edington Road property, she could double the number of animals they cared for, not to mention the countless wildlife animals they could continue to rehabilitate. The larger property would allow them to save additional animals which would, in turn, allow Rainie to expand her volunteer program for teens aging out of the foster care system. One small decision, the decision to move to the Edington Road property, could change everything. Her mind swarmed with possibilities. She had walked much of the property on that second visit and stayed until the sun began to set. She hadn’t wanted to leave and that’s how she knew she was home. One small decision. She told herself to take a risk and make the decision and everything else will fall into place.
“I bought it.” Rainie smiled back at Milo, shaking herself from her thoughts. They looked out at the property together, still hand in hand. Buddy chased a squirrel and then circled back to the two of them, sniffing their tangled hands and giving them a quick lick before trotting off once again to explore more of the property.<
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“Rainie, I’m so happy for you.” Milo turned to stand in front of her while Rainie’s back pressed against the Jeep. He leaned toward her and their lips met. Rainie knew without a doubt, in that moment, she was home. She wrapped her arms loosely around Milo’s waist. He was still wearing his white lab-coat that said Dr. Milo Rivers. His dimples gleamed back at her.
“I’m now the proud owner of two-hundred and ten acres on Edington Road.” She spread her arms, looking around.
“You said you wanted to expand…I had no idea you were coming to Morehead.” He smiled broadly.
“Milo,” She took his hand and they walked toward the A-Frame. Buddy trotted alongside them. “My life always points to you, it always has.” She stopped and looked at him and his eyes locked on hers. “When Mama found out this property was for sale, she told me about it. Of course, Ronnie said it was a sign that Mama had found the property.” Rainie rolled her eyes, laughing. “But this time, I actually believe her. Milo,” she continued. “It’s always been you. I had some things I had to work through. I know I tried to run…again. But I’m back. If you’ll have me, I’m home.”
Milo kissed her again, this time her hands reached up touching the sides of his face.
“I’m glad you’re back.” He squeezed her hand. “I’ve missed you.”
“I’ve missed you too, Milo. We have years to make up for…” Her voice trailed as she felt tears pooling in her eyes.
Standing behind her, Milo wrapped his arms around her waist as they both peered into the windows of the A-Frame. “Well then, we’d better get started right away.”
“And just for the record…” Rainie paused for a moment before reciting the words she’d said to Milo years before. “No matter how much I say I love you, I always love you more than that.” She smiled, grabbing his hand.
She could tell by the look in his eyes that he remembered those words, just as she had. “I love you too, Rainie.”
A few minutes later, Rainie looked up at Milo as he held her, “What do you want to do first?”
Their eyes met and she turned to face him, their lips magnetic to one another’s. Buddy barked from afar, jogging briskly across the property. An owl hooted in the distance, reminding them of their seclusion on Edington Road. Rainie smiled slyly, “I think we should start making up for lost time.”
14
EPILOGUE
SASHA / DOG
Sasha, a pit-bull terrier, came to the sanctuary after she found herself on death-row at a Kentucky animal shelter. She was slated to die through no fault of her own. Sasha is now living out her happy golden years at the sanctuary where she is friends with everyone; the other animals, volunteers, employees and visitors. Dogs can smell feelings and perhaps because of this trait, Sasha has been especially helpful with the teen volunteers at the sanctuary. In fact, a dog’s sense of smell is estimated to be 100,000 times greater than humans.
FACTS: There are approximately six-hundred million dogs in the world. It is estimated that nearly four-hundred million are strays. In the United States, approximately 2.7 million companion animals are needlessly killed every year in animal shelters. Homeless animals outnumber homeless people five to one. Current statistics show that only one out of every ten dogs will find a permanent home.
In the year since Rainie purchased the property on Edington Road, a lot had changed. Rainie moved into the A-Frame and successfully transported more than one hundred farm animals from Lexington to Morehead. It hadn’t been an easy feat, but with the help of her loyal employees and volunteers and with the support of the town of Morehead, Kentucky, who were eager to have the Kentucky Farm Sanctuary in their back yard, the move went as smoothly as could be expected. Jackson, along with four other volunteers who had been a part of the program for those aging out of the foster care system, moved to Morehead and now worked for Rainie as employees.
Milo helped secure the large wooden Kentucky Farm Sanctuary welcome sign to its new home, at the front of the long winding drive. The town name had been carved into the bottom of the sign. When Rainie had noticed, she’d thrown her arms around his neck and kissed him.
The barns had been repaired prior to the move and fences had been installed. Enormous shipments of hay, straw and feed had been delivered during their move and once they were settled, they threw a welcome party and invited the entire community to come and tour the sanctuary, asking each visitor for a small donation to assist in funding the farm. The party had been an enormous success and they’d raised much needed funds to continue the growth of the sanctuary. In the last year, the sanctuary had rescued an additional eight pigs, two donkeys, five ducks, a rooster, three turkeys, five cats, six miniature horses, eleven alpacas and four llamas. They had plenty of space for everyone. The move allowed them to also begin hosting Open Barn days, welcoming the community to visit with the animals once a month.
Rainie and Milo had been dating since the day she purchased the property on Edington Road. She’d come back into his life, despite the fears and trepidations of the past. She’d intertwined her fingers between his and never looked back. From the moment they’d met in kindergarten, all those years before, they’d been inseparable. They’d been tied together by an invisible string that had never worn away. When Rainie ran away at eighteen, it was still there. Some things, she now realized, were meant to be.
The day Rainie moved into the A-Frame on Edington Road, she was greeted with a surprise. On the kitchen counter sat a gift wrapped in a bright red square box with a giant white bow holding it together. She embodied a child on Christmas morning as she laid her hands across the box and wondered what it contained. The card on the front read:
Rainie :
Welcome home!
To celebrating the past and to looking forward to many new beginnings.
I love you, always and forever.
-Milo
She hurriedly opened the box, a smile spanning from ear to ear. Inside, she pulled out a heavy blue book. She carefully opened it, running her fingers across its contents. It was the start of a coin collection. There were seven coin books in total; one for dollars, half-dollars, quarters, dimes, nickels, pennies and one specifically for Liberty head dimes. A few starter coins were inserted into each book. To new beginnings, she thought, her eyes filling with tears. Overwhelmed with gratitude, Rainie realized that Milo had never stopped showing her how much she meant to him. Love, she thought, wasn’t what you said, it was what you did. They didn’t have to talk to know what the other was saying. They spoke to each other in a hundred different ways through their actions.
Buddy eagerly licked Rainie’s hands as she walked toward her mama, her tall boots sloshing against the muddy ground with each step. He barked, running to grab a stray tennis ball and dropping it at her feet. He looked at her with his big brown eyes and three perfect legs, his tail wagging in delight. She picked up the ball and threw it, watching him sprint with enthusiasm toward his target. Buddy fit right in at the farm. He’d instantly made friends with the other animals and had acted as the welcoming committee when they’d first arrived.
“How are you doing today, Mama?” Sarah-Jayne was sitting next to one of the pigs, petting her oversized stomach. She’d been overjoyed when Rainie had told her she’d bought the property and was moving home. She’d started volunteering at the sanctuary four times a week. Sarah-Jayne had also started to work part-time at the local library. She was still running, too. She’d completed the Run the Bluegrass Lexington half-marathon the past spring; her longest race to date.
The past year had brought a lot of changes for Sarah-Jayne and her two daughters. Sadly, not all of the changes were good. At the completion of the half-marathon, Sarah-Jayne had coughed up a substantial amount of blood. Rainie and Milo had rushed her to the hospital. The symptoms had all been evident, but she’d been ignoring them, blaming them on one thing or another. She’d thought she’d been training too hard for the race. She’d thought she’d been grieving the loss of her husband. She tho
ught, maybe that’s what happened when you turned sixty. She’d hoped that if she ignored it the symptoms would simply disappear. But the doctors told her a different story. Her shortness of breath and her nagging cough had been trying to tell her that she needed help. She had lung cancer.
“I’m going to beat this, you know?” Sarah-Jayne kept her focus on petting the pig as Rainie knelt down beside her, rubbing her back.
“I know. I know you are, Mama.”
“My girls are home…all of my girls.” She smiled, still not looking at her oldest daughter. “And that makes my heart so happy. Rainie,” She sighed. “There’s nothing a woman can’t overcome when her heart is this happy.”
“You’re a strong woman, Mama.” Rainie reassured her. “And remember, they caught it early.”
“It’s a blip on my journey. I’m not going anywhere anytime soon.” Her words were firm and Rainie wondered for a moment if she was talking to someone other than her.
“The animals will help you heal. Have I ever told you Miss Peggy’s rescue story?” Rainie sat beside her mama and began the story. Sarah-Jayne loved hearing the stories of the animal’s rehabilitations. Rainie knew that it gave her mama the same hope and strength that it gave to the teens she worked with through her volunteer program at the sanctuary. She’d started the farm sanctuary to help animals, but she’d found throughout the years that the animals helped not only Rainie herself, but other people; volunteers, employees, and visitors. The animals were living, breathing examples of resilience, strength and courage.
Rainie spent the afternoon sharing stories with her mama as they moved around the farm visiting the animals. When she’d grown tired, she turned to Rainie and thanked her for a great day. “I’d better head home. I’m worn out.” After Rainie walked her to her car, she added, “Tell your sister I’ll be over for dinner tomorrow night after my shift at the library.” They said their goodbyes and Rainie headed over to the small cabin that sat a few feet away from her A-Frame. She didn’t bother to knock when she reached the front door.