Summer in Montana

© 2012 by Brenda Cheryl Gillespie. All rights reserved.

All work copyrighted by this author, August 2012

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse   09/19/2012

ISBN: 978-1-4772-6985-5 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4772-6986-2 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2012917118

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

CONTENTS

DEDICATION

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 6

CHAPTER 7

CHAPTER 8

CHAPTER 9

CHAPTER 10

CHAPTER 11

CHAPTER 12

CHAPTER 13

CHAPTER 14

CHAPTER 15

CHAPTER 16

CHAPTER 17

CHAPTER 18

CHAPTER 19

CHAPTER 20

CHAPTER 21

CHAPTER 22

CHAPTER 23

DEDICATION

This book is dedicated to my amazing mother,

Mary Puckett Little, who encouraged me to write… .

To my loving husband, Ronnie, who taught me

about love… .

To my grandson, Tyler, who asked me to write

the story in my heart… .

And, to my loving sister, Mary, who encouraged me

and made my book possible.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Brenda Cheryl Gillespie was born in Tazewell, Virginia. She is the fourth of seven children born to loving, hard working parents, who showered their children with love and instilled a deep appreciation for the joy and beauty of life. Brenda has been married to her loving husband for forty-seven years and has raised and nurtured three wonderful sons, the loves of her life. She has lived her life as a Christian, teaching others the value of having Godly morals and being a living example of these same values. Brenda is inspired by simplicity, goodness, children, and nature. Even though Brenda’s writing is a work of fiction, she incorporates a reality that appeals to her readers.

Coming Soon… . Winter Comes to Montana

CHAPTER 1

Opening the door and feeling the sunlight on her face, the hope of freedom to live a new and exciting life was finally here, a life that Elizabeth had dreamed of since becoming old enough to dream, a dream that came disguised in the local newspaper.

The plane ticket held firmly in her hand and her ride waiting brought the dream even closer to reality. She picked up the suitcase that held all her worldly belongings and made her way to the taxi. She did not look back as she entered the coolness of the ride that would take her away from memories that she no longer wanted to be a part of her life.

As the driver pulled into the traffic and the street signs disappeared one by one, excitement filled her being, excitement as to what this new beginning would hold for her. Her crisp new blue skirt, white blouse, and blue sweater draped over her shoulders showed off her slender build. Her red hair highlighted her green eyes that showed the determined look on her young face. The grace of her walk drew attention as she exited the taxi and made her way to the airport entrance. The attention eluded her as her mind was only on the trip ahead.

She walked to the ticket stand and placed her ticket on the smooth glass. The lady behind the counter stamped her ticket and gave Elizabeth a smile as she handed the ticket back to her. She told Elizabeth to have a seat until her flight was called.

Elizabeth sat down near an elderly lady who was knitting a sweater. The elderly man beside of her read a book that seemed to have captured his total attention. Small children laughed and played around their parents’ feet, a sight rarely seen by Elizabeth during her lifetime. She was surprised at the feelings of sadness she had at seeing the children interact with their mom and dad. It had been a long time since she allowed these feelings to surface, feelings that she had tried so hard to bury as the years had passed.

Life in an orphanage had taught her to hide these tender emotions that came naturally to most people. She wondered if these children understood how fortunate they were to have loving parents. She realized that, to most children, this was just a natural way of life, and why should they feel any other way? Children who have never known any other life than the one shared with mom and dad would not understand a life without a family.

The crowd moved around as they waited for their flights to be called. A beautiful woman who looked like a model fixed her makeup and ran her fingers through her long blonde hair. Her bright red dress matched her fair skin and perfect blue eyes. She seemed unaware of anyone around her.

A businessman wearing a nice suit went to the newspaper stand and purchased a paper. He quietly sat back in his seat and read the paper while enjoying a cup of coffee.

Elizabeth couldn’t help but wonder where each person was going, where they came from, and each one’s story. She wondered if anyone was like her, alone and unsure, just waiting to see what lies ahead of them.

It had never occurred to her that someone might be watching her and pondering the same questions about her. She didn’t notice that the elderly lady had put down her knitting and was watching her with a look of interest and curiosity.

When she noticed that Elizabeth had seen her, she introduced herself, I’m Connie Downs and this is my husband, Ron Downs. We are going home after a visit with our children. We love to see our family, but we also have a love for travel. While we were busy raising a family, we didn’t get to travel very much. The kids were always involved in sports, music and school activities, and we were tied down. We didn’t complain because we loved being parents, but we still had our dreams for retirement. We like to travel by car, plane, trains, ship, or bus. We go as much as our health will allow. My husband retired several years ago so we travel as much as possible. We really enjoy seeing new places and meeting new people. If you don’t mind me asking, do you travel very often?

I don’t mind your asking, and no, I don’t travel very much. This is my first trip on a plane. I’ve never really traveled anywhere. I’m very excited and a little scared at the same time.

Elizabeth felt a little nervous, but Connie’s quiet, pleasant tone was exactly what she needed right now. Nervous or not, she had no doubt that this was what she wanted to do. She knew answering this ad in the newspaper was the right decision. She hoped to meet a lot of people like Connie along the way, a stranger who was willing to show her kindness in these unfamiliar surroundings.

A voice came over the loudspeaker announcing Elizabeth’s flight. She said her goodbyes to Connie and wished the elderly couple well. She left the couple standing, watching her out of sight. Connie commented on the nice young woman.

When the airplane left the runway and the sunlight streamed through the window, Elizabeth’s spirits soared. She had never had such a feeling of coming to life. The higher the climb, the higher her spirits rose, being transported into a new and different world; a world that she was so anxious to explore. She thought about the eagle and how it must feel as it spread its wings into the freedom of the air.

The clouds swirled around the plane causing her to feel as if she were in a dream-like state. She began to feel as if she might pass out, but she knew she would not let that happen. This was everything she ever imagined, and she didn’t want to miss a single minute.

For someone who had lived in the unknown all of her life and felt like darkness would always surround her, she finally felt alive. For the first time, a joy for living completely engulfed her.

She knew no spoken words could explain the emotions she was feeling at this very minute. She so badly wanted this new life and this new chance that was just beginning for her as the plane took her higher into the sky.

The plane leveled out and Elizabeth was brought back to reality when a stewardess asked if everything was alright. Elizabeth didn’t answer her immediately, and the stewardess smiled, as if to say, I understand.

If you need anything, just let me know.

Elizabeth smiled back at her, still unable to speak. Elizabeth was sure the stewardess was used to first-time flyers.

If anyone knew how to return to reality from a dream, it was Elizabeth. She had learned early in her young life to face the fact that life sometimes hands out the back side of the card before you turn it over to reveal the front side. Seeing the back side of the Queen of Hearts is nothing like seeing the front side where the queen is depicted in all her glory. Elizabeth’s hope at this moment in time is that she will finally see the front side of the card.

She always thought of the front side of the card as the beginning of one’s life. She only hoped that she would be smiling instead of wearing a frown like the Queen on the card always wears. Why would someone who had everything and was so adorned with beauty ever want to be pictured with so much sadness on her face?

But, no one knows the inside of another person. Maybe the Queen wasn’t happy after all. She hoped the Queen had not seen the darkness after the light.

Her own personal deck of cards was packed inside her small purse. She usually carried the cards with her everywhere. She didn’t use the deck for anything like telling fortunes. This deck had belonged to her since her early childhood. Everyone wants to have something that belongs just to them and only them. Other people carry pictures of their families and friends. Elizabeth carried her deck of cards because there were no pictures of family.

Being raised in an orphanage, everyone is family for a while, but that changed too frequently to make strong and loving relationships.

Elizabeth reached inside her purse and brought out her deck of cards. She opened the small box and the shiny cards slid out into her hands. The cards were old but in good shape. Elizabeth didn’t keep them in order like most people would, as they were when she first opened them. She always kept the beloved Queen of Hearts as the front card and the Joker was kept in the back of the deck.

While the Queen was her favorite in a deck of cards, the Joker was her least favorite. He had a great smile, but it always seemed to Elizabeth that it was a smile with such deceit. The Joker reminded her of the back side of the deck of cards. Elizabeth called the back of her cards the dark side of life.

She often thought of the Joker when it came time to be adopted and it never worked out. When would it be her time to turn the cards over and become the Queen of Hearts or the Queen of someone’s heart?

She shook her head trying to forget the huge disappointment or the terrific hurt the decisions always cost her. She remembered returning to her room and picking up her deck of cards and thinking about the luck of the draw.

Why would a young girl want to play with a deck of cards? Toys were donated to the orphanage, but they were given out to the younger children first. Elizabeth chose the deck of cards because she knew no one would try to take them from her, like things she had chosen before.

She remembered with fondness her first doll that had been taken away and given to a younger child. She loved that doll very much. She felt the hurt for a long time afterwards because of the importance the doll played in her life. She chose the cards to avoid the hurt of losing what she loved and cherished and to avoid the heartache.

The stewardess came down the aisle and smiled at Elizabeth again as she passed by her seat. Elizabeth smiled back, so thankful the stewardess couldn’t read her thoughts; the thoughts of a young woman heading for what she hoped was a new life and leaving the familiar life behind; a life that she thought would be easy to leave behind; and a life that she hoped she would be strong enough to step outside of to begin the new life and new experiences that she so desperately wanted. Life at the orphanage was not a bad life but very routine. Now she wanted to live a life that was of her own making. The orphanage was always a reminder that she was a person with no identity of her own. She hoped with this new beginning to create her own identify.

She slid the cards back into their box and placed them into her purse. Past and present hopes and dreams placed neatly in a box; hopes and dreams that belonged only to Elizabeth Winters.

CHAPTER 2

Elizabeth laid her head against the seat’s headrest and looked out the window at the blue skies. Things were so beautiful up here away from the real world. Elizabeth wondered if other passengers who traveled a lot felt the way she was feeling each time they boarded the plane. As she looked around, she knew the answer to her question. Several passengers were sound asleep and others were reading magazines or newspapers.

She watched as one couple seemed to be unaware that anyone else was around. They talked and laughed, obviously enjoying each other’s company. The woman smiled as the man reached for her hand, and she did not hesitate to respond. It was apparent that these two were very much in love. It seemed that this woman was indeed the Queen of Hearts to this man. Elizabeth thought how good it must be to never feel alone, something she was more than willing to find out. Elizabeth just wanted to belong somewhere or to someone. Right now, she was working on the somewhere. She hoped the someone would be part of the package someday.

Elizabeth’s thoughts were interrupted by the cry of a young child. The cry came from across the aisle. The beautiful blonde, curly haired, blue-eyed baby girl looked up at her mother for the comfort and assurance that she needed.

Elizabeth was struck by the tender way the mother responded to her baby’s needs. The young child began to quiet down as the mother began to gently talk to her and tend to her needs. A warm blanket placed around the baby, a bottle of milk, and the love reflected on the mother’s face were all that the small child needed. The baby returned to a dream world and all was well again.

Elizabeth often wondered about her own mother. Being left at the front door of the orphanage as a newborn, she didn’t know anything about her mother. She was told that a note inside her blanket said, Take care of her and tell her I did what I thought was best. Elizabeth always tried to be fair to her mother, but who can say it was for the best when they give up their child forever. Wouldn’t you want to come back and check to see if she had been found and that she was treated well? Wouldn’t you try hard to change your situation and come back to reclaim your child? Why do mothers give up their children? A woman carries her child for nine months inside her body. The bond must be overwhelming to most women. Elizabeth knew she would always question why her mother left her, but she tried so hard not to let herself hate and become a bitter person.

There was no first or last name left in the blanket when she was found and that was something else she questioned. She always felt so alone, not knowing who she was and if there was anyone out there who might be her family or even wonder where she was. She was not even sure what day she was born. She was given a birth date about two to three weeks from the day she was left at the orphanage door. Did anyone think about her on her real birthday?

Mr. Mason, the overseer of the orphanage, tried to find out through nearby hospitals who Elizabeth might belong to. The baby girls born during the time of her birth were all accounted for with their families. He had come to the conclusion that she was born away from the city and her parent or parents brought her to orphanage.

Mr. Mason gave her the first name of Elizabeth and the last name of Winters because it was the middle of winter when Elizabeth arrived at the orphanage. At least she had a beautiful name, even if it was not her own. She used to try and imagine what her name might be, but somehow she just couldn’t think about being anyone else but Elizabeth Winters.

Even though she had a beautiful first and last name, she saw no beauty in the rest of her person. She had red hair, not dull red hair, but a red color that made people take a second look. Elizabeth hated every minute of those second glances. She had a sweet smile and beautiful green eyes that also drew attention. Sometimes you missed the sweet smile, because you could only focus on those big beautiful eyes.

Of course, Elizabeth could only see a skinny, red headed, green eyed, lost little girl. She knew that was why no one ever wanted to adopt her. Most people wanted the chubby little babies with beautiful blue eyes and blonde curls.

When Elizabeth reached the age of ten, she asked Mr. Mason to stop putting her up for adoption. Each time someone came to the orphanage to adopt a child, she always hoped it might be her, but it just didn’t happen. The pain was too great. Mr. Mason told Elizabeth he had to let prospective parents meet her. It would not be fair for her to miss out on a family of her own.

Elizabeth hated those meetings with people looking at her and asking her all those questions. She hated to see pity in their eyes. The last thing she wanted was pity from anyone. Maybe she didn’t have the best of lives, but she did have a place to live and a place to try and make a life of her own.

As time passed little by little, Elizabeth began to notice that when someone was coming to adopt, she would be assigned to tutor a child or she had an appointment that would take her away for the day.

Mr. Mason would apologize to her because she missed out on so