by Tammy Lynn
Kitten had read the entry millions of times, but never had put so much sadness and yearning in as her mama just had. “Yes, mama, it says everything. I’ll come get you after we know exactly how bad it is. EJ will be here late, late tonight. In all that had been said between the two, Kitten forgot to tell her mama just who else was coming. He would be taking Shilo, but would he be bringing heartache and pain with him?
Chapter Five
In the following hours Kitten got word that half the men’s apartments were gone, 3 dead and the remaining men would be staying with friends. They had separated the pieces of wood they could reuse and the ones slated for burning later, lists of machinery, tools, and family heirlooms that were lost were made, and relatives contacted about the people that had unceremoniously lost their lives. Kitten and Lissa went into the house and started clearing out a place for Miss Alysia, Lissa, EJ, and Jaret. Lucky for her there were plenty of rooms on the second floor, and the third floor that hadn’t been used in decades, could be cleaned out if extra space were needed. Looking at her watch, she saw she had to pick up Miss Alysia from the nursing home, or assisted living home, that she lived in and told everyone to take a break, they would pick up tomorrow.
“I want to thank everyone for working so hard. You have went above and beyond the call of your duties here and that won’t be forgotten. Anyone who needs a place to stay, or they can’t stay with friends, even though the details have been ironed out, come to me and we’ll get you set up here. Whatever has been lost, we’ll replace. Give Randall the lists. One more thing. We’ll be having Miss Alysia back with us for a time, and I know that Randall is over your duties, but feel free to come and see her, to ask her opinion, or just sit and talk with her. I know she appreciates how each and every one of you have visited her and spent time with her over the last twelve years of her being gone and I do too. I’m on my way to pick her up now, so I’ll see every one of you bright and early. Come and see Randall before you leave and he’ll tell you what your duties will be until we get this mess all cleaned up and we can start to rebuild Her.” Kitten turned to leave until she heard a man’s voice behind her.
“Miss Kitten? We just want to say thank you for taking care of us. Many of us don’t have any real family but Tara here. We’re sorry She’s been destroyed, but all of us will help rebuild her to where you’re proud of Her again.”
Kitten nodded as tears rolled down her cheeks. “Thank you all.” She went to the SUV that had been spared and started her journey into town. This was going to be harder than she even realized. Kitten was half way to Miss Alysia’s when her cell phone went off. Pulling off the side of the country road she answered with a brisk, “Yes?” Not hearing anyone she asked again.
“Is this Miss Kitten Chambers of Triple C Plantation?” A lady’s voice came through the phone and Kitten was curious. She didn’t recognize her.
“Yes, what can I do for you?”
The lady’s voice came stronger through the phone now. “You don’t know me, but you know my husband, EJ.”
The first thing that came to Kitten’s mind was that something happened. “What happened?” Kitten closed her eyes, bracing for the worst.
“Nothing happened. I wanted to let you know, personally, that I’ll take good care of Shilo for you. I was really upset that you called here, but I do understand the situation, and I understand why you want Shilo back here instead of with your other horses. EJ is a good man, a good MARRIED man, Miss Kitten.”
Kitten knew what the lady was hinting at. “Could I have your name?”
Candra smiled at the steadiness of her own voice. “It’s Candra.”
Kitten had to give Candra kudos. There was no asking questions, no recriminations, no nothing. “I want to thank you for allowing EJ to come back here and help me out. I lost five women and three men today that had been with me from my birth. With so much going on, and with so much I have to do, I could only call on him. There are people that could have come and helped me, but they would be leaving their homes that were damaged, and loved ones that were lost. I know you’ll take good care of Shilo for me. Thank you Candra.”
Kitten heard the sob before she heard it in Candra’s voice. “I’m so sorry about your plantation, about your people you lost. I’ve read the diaries and the journals too. She sounds beautiful, and I’m sorry She had to suffer, but I know my EJ and he’ll get Her shining once more. Just one thing, Kitten, and I’m saying this because I know you’re suffering, if you need someone to lean on or talk to, call me. But don’t think of my offering as a way to take over my duties as wife while my husband is there.”
Kitten was shocked, not by the warning, but by the offer. “Candra, right now, my mind is set on seeing Tara brought back, of making sure barns are rebuilt, machinery restored, apartments for my family reconstructed the way they were, and my plantation back up and running. I want to see my stables revived with the horses, including Shilo, in each and every stall. The last thing I have on my mind is romance or trying to relive what my ancestors had. I don’t have time, I don’t have the energy.” Kitten let out a long sigh.
“I understand and my offer is always open.”
“Oh, and Candra, Shilo likes to be ridden twice a day, an apple after each ride. I’ve spoiled him.” Candra smiled, said she understood and hung up the phone. Even though the words were spoken from Kitten’s heart, Candra knew that all it took was a simple helpless moment and her worst fears would come true, but she would trust in her heart, in her husband, and in God.
Kitten pulled back onto the country road and continued the drive to get Miss Alysia, the conversation with EJ’s wife running through her head. The thought did go through her mind though, what would happen if the situation would present itself in a moment of weakness. Would she accept love from the one man forbidden to her, or would she deny herself love because he was married? She shook her head in exasperation. She had already accepted his love, but if it happened again, she couldn’t rightfully say what she would do.
As she pulled up and saw Miss Alysia sitting on the porch of the assisted living home, she tabled the war with her brain and her heart. She had a new problem now. How would she tell her mama that her love was coming to town? How was her mama going to react to the news and to him? Probably the same way she would react in the same situation. It would be like coming home.
Kitten didn’t know exactly how to tell Miss Alysia that Jaret would be there later on with EJ. Should she wait and let her see? Maybe when Jaret came to pick up Shilo he would turn around and head back, but that wasn’t reality, he would be bone tired after traveling for almost twenty hours, and she wouldn’t turn him away.
“Did you hear me?” Miss Alysia was facing her daughter, worry on her serene features.
Kitten turned her focus on her mama and smiled. “Sorry mama. I just have a lot on my mind. I want you to prepare yourself for the sight of everything though. I can’t tell you how it looks because there are no words.”
Miss Alysia smiled. “We won’t worry about that. Let’s just worry about how we’re going to get Her to shine again. Not too much was said between the two, and as they stopped at the edge of Tara, Miss Alysia took Kitten’s hand and said, “Come on baby sweetheart, let’s go make Her shine.” Hearing the indrawn breath of her mama, Kitten looked at it again, only this time from someone who last saw it at its peak over a decade ago. The hand tightened on hers and as Kitten looked over she saw the sadness on her mama’s face. “STOP!” Kitten slammed on the brakes thinking that her mama either wanted to go back or she saw something that Kitten hadn’t. “Listen.” Kitten, for the life of her didn’t hear anything but the soft music on the radio. “What?” Miss Alysia turned the radio up a couple of notches for Kitten to hear, but it was perfect. “We had to break it on down, to build it back up, lean on each other when the times got rough” “I know this is a love song, but it signifies what we’re going to have to do. We’ll be stronger than we ever have.”
Kitten, even though s
he didn’t think she could cry another tear, did just that. “Who sings it Mama?”
That’s when Miss Alysia smiled. “Alabama does. They are just so hot!”
Kitten laughed at the term her mama had used. It just didn’t seem right. Continuing down the drive Kitten had to admit the song did seem to talk to her in two different ways. Both to her heart about her situation with EJ, and to her soul about the place she loved. Pulling up to the house Kitten noticed every person who worked the plantation was waiting for them.
Each and every one came to the SUV to wait their turn on giving Miss Alysia a hug and a kiss. In between, “We’ve missed you,” and “we love you,” they got Miss Alysia’s luggage out and up to her original room. As they passed by the General’s door, Miss Alysia reached out, touched the door, closed her eyes, and gently swayed. Kitten thought her mama was falling, but she just shook her head. “I told you baby sweetheart. It’s the rush of desire that gets me every time.” She put her hand on her heart and patted it gently. “My God, it’s like I’ve never left. I can feel him so close to me. I’m going to unpack. Don’t worry about me. I’ll come down later.”
Kitten watched her mama close the bedroom door and didn’t quite know how to feel. She should have never let her mama come home, but that would be mean, and it was still her mama’s home. While they had been gone, tarps were put over the kitchen area and sealed off with plywood. Windows were boarded up and as she was going down the stairs Doc was coming in.
“I just wanted to tell you that I’m leaving now. I’ll put them all in the new stables out back of my house. I have more pasture land for them to run in than by the office. I’ll make sure they’re taken care of, Kitten. Don’t worry about these big babies. Shilo is racing around in the arena I put her in. You’re sure you don’t want me taking him too?”
Kitten looked at the young vet with admiration for doing this for her. “I’m sure, Doc. Nothing against you, but I’ve had him less than a year, and, even though he’s fine around me, and you, I’m just concerned about him, so I’m sending him back to Maine. He’ll come back when all is done.”
Doc grabbed Kitten’s hand and they both walked out the door together. Just looking at all the damage she still had to clean up and, knowing that her horses, her pride and joy, were leaving her, that Tara might never be the same again, she covered her face with her hands and sobbed uncontrollably. Doc pulled her into his embrace, stroking her hair, rubbing her back, and trying to comfort the strongest woman he had ever known, besides his own mama.
“I’ll be okay,” Kitten said in a teary voice. “It’s just so hard looking out there and seeing the damage that 24 hours ago I didn’t have. That, and it’s been a really long day.” She walked with Doc to his large truck and said good-bye to all her horses.
While she watched Doc drive away, she went over to the arena where Shilo was still racing around. Calling him to her, he walked slowly, prancing each step of the way. Kitten climbed on top of the railing to cross over, but just stood on the top and held onto a part of her history. Arms wrapped around Shilo’s neck, she let the last of the tears seep into his magnificent black coat, and whispered that everything would be okay. He would be back with her soon, and not to worry. Before she could do anything, what felt like a pair of steel bands wrapped around her waist and hauled her down. Kitten screamed at the unexpected.
“What do you think you’re doing? Are you trying to kill yourself too?” That deep voice that had haunted her the last couple of days growled in her ear.
“EJ? Oh, my God, you’re really here.” Kitten threw her arms around his neck and held on like she never wanted to leave.
He took her arms away and stood her away from him. “Yeah, and I hope I never see you standing like that. You could have broken your foolish neck doing that.”
That made Kitten bristle. “I’ve been doing this for years. I wanted to ride him one last time before I went back into the house. To feel the freedom that I always have when I ride. It’s going to be the last time I see him or ride him for months.”
EJ looked at her, really looked at her. Her clothes looked worse for the wear. The jeans she had on had blood stains on them, they had a long tear down the inside seam, a couple of worn tears on the legs. Her tee shirt was ripped, bloody, and paint stained. The long glorious hair was tangled around her, but shining so brightly in the moonlight that he almost didn’t see just how messy it looked. Her face got to him though. Puffy eyes, still holding a trace of tears, bloodshot in both of them, dirt smudges all over her face, but she never looked prettier to him.
“Yeah, I know, I must be just so beautiful right now, huh?” Kitten smirked and it was so unexpected that she ended up smiling.
EJ laughed at the sarcasm. “Actually, you look like you need a shower and a good night’s sleep.”
Before Kitten could say anything another deep voice came behind her, but unlike EJ, this one didn’t cause the rush of desire. Instead it caused a rush of warmth, one of safety.
“Dad, this is Miss Kitten Chambers. Kitten, this is my Dad, Jaret Chamberlain. Doesn’t she look like Miss Victoria?” Kitten tried to hide her face behind her hands, but EJ wouldn’t allow it.
“Yes, son, she does. As beautiful as Miss Lily and Miss Alysia too.” Jaret looked at Shilo with pride. “Looks like I’m taking this beautiful creature home, huh? I don’t blame you. Shilo will feel home there.”
Kitten looked at both men. Almost exact same features, except EJ was broader and in her opinion, built harder. Then she remembered Miss Alysia upstairs. “EJ, I need to talk to you for a sec.” EJ followed her halfway to the house.
“What’s the matter? If you’re worried about-”
Kitten shook her head, “It’s not about us.” She looked over at Jaret. “It’s about Jaret and Miss Alysia.”
At that moment Miss Alysia walked out of the house and looked down the lane and then at her daughter who was in front of EJ. “Can someone tell me why it feels like the past has suddenly become the present? Why is it I feel such a rush of longing and love?”
Chapter Six
Kitten knew the time had come. “Mama, come here please. I want to introduce you to someone.”
Miss Alysia walked down off the veranda with grace. Her almost white blonde hair done up in a bun, her makeup perfectly done on her, and the contacts that made her eyes a bluer shade were in instead of the glasses. “Mama, this is EJ Chamberlain. He came to help with the rebuilding of Tara.”
Miss Alysia shook his hand and smiled as he raised it to his lips. “Ahh, a charmer. But I have to tell you, you’re not why I’m feeling this way.”
EJ smiled and said, “No, but I know who is. Wait here one second.”
Miss Alysia followed EJ with her eyes as he went to the arena and talked with the tall gentleman over there. “Oh, my goodness, Kitten, is that who I think it is?” Before Kitten could say anything, EJ returned with Jaret who looked just as shocked at Miss Alysia did.
“Jaret?”
“Alysia?”
They said the names at the exact same time. Jaret went to her and touched her face as she touched his.
“I told you I would be back for you. I told you love never ends.” Jaret leaned over and kissed her lips. “Just like I told you that I would forever be yours. Please tell me that I’m not seeing things, feeling things that aren’t here.” Jaret looked at Miss Alysia and smiled. “You do know, now that I’ve found you again, I’m never letting you go. You can bet Tara on that one!” Jaret took Miss Alysia’s hand and held it like he was never letting her go again. “You look like you haven’t aged a bit.”
Miss Alysia just smiled and shook her head. “You need thicker glasses. We saw each other for a little over three days and that was sixty years ago. I know I’m getting old, the wrinkles and hair show me that fact everyday.”
Jaret took Miss Alysia’s face in his hands and smiled. “It might have been sixty years ago, but it seems like just yesterday that I saw you. Looking around Tara he not
iced an absence of gentleman there. “Where are all the men at?”
Kitten looked at Jaret with a little sadness. “We lost three guys and the other twenty-two are with friends or family until their apartments are rebuilt. We have generators going, do you want to come in?” Jaret and Miss Alysia looked at each other and nodded, still holding hands as they walked toward the veranda. The moon was shining bright with an orange glow, a hunter’s moon her mama used to call it, and Kitten didn’t know how much longer she could stand on her own. Almost twenty-four hours she had been up, but then so had EJ and he wasn’t looking like she did.
EJ grabbed Kitten’s hand and forced her to look at him. “I’m so sorry sweetheart. I know what She means to you. I’ll be here until you don’t need me anymore.” Kitten smiled to herself. If she had her way, which she didn’t, he would be there the rest of his life.” As if reading her thoughts, EJ said, “I know.” EJ looked at Jaret standing on the veranda with his hands wrapped lovingly around Miss Alysia. “He found her again. I’m glad.”
“What about your Mom, EJ? Won’t she be upset?” Kitten just happened to think about that.
“Mom passed away about ten years ago. He’s always wanted to come here, but didn’t know if she was still alive, and if not, it would break his heart. Mom knew she was loved, but also knew that Miss Alysia held his heart. Just like Josh’s wife knew the same.” Kitten looked at EJ and exhaled deeply. “Josh and Miss Victoria were together for two years while he was getting well enough to return home, so I can see how they fell in love. I bet it was tough for him to leave her and for her to let him go.” EJ smiled as they walked towards his truck. “I know you’re bone tired right now, but I have something for you.” Reaching in he took out a bundle of books. “I thought you’d like to have them. They’re Josh’s, Elijah’s, and my dad’s. All of them together. Thought you’d like to see how it all started.” Kitten couldn’t believe he was letting her have these. “Mine isn’t in there. I did keep up the tradition, but just so much emotion goes into writing it that sometimes I can’t do it. See, I felt you a long time ago. You know how twins can feel the other? Well, I could feel you. So long ago, but didn’t know the feeling. I didn’t find Dad’s journal, he gave it to me. Then he told me the stories, I read them, and I couldn’t believe how the feelings were the same, for someone I had never met.”