Page 37 of Rabid

“Goodness, no. It’s a barren piece of land thatfit my budget. Not a lot I can do with it. I thought I would eventually build a house, but I’m getting old and don’t mind the trailer.”

“Move here permanently,” Willow said, trying to keep fear out of her voice. She didn’t like showing she was afraid of anything.

He looked at her and smiled.

“You’re young. Eventually, you’ll meet some people in town and make friends. You don’t need an old man like me hanging around.”

“I’ll pay you,” she said desperately.

“None of that. What’s really bothering you?” he asked gently.

Her gaze roamed the area.

“It’s too big and wide open,” she said when she met his eyes again. Dammit, she just needed to admit it. “I’ve never been alone, and I’ve never made friends. You can live here forever, and I won’t get tired of you being here. I’ll even keep the shotgun in the closet.”

He looked at her for a long time, and she thought he would refuse.

“I reckon I can stay. It’s possible Daisy would go into a deep state of depression without Max, so I’ll do it for her.”

“The same would happen to Max,” she said in relief. “We don’t want that.”

Dale stayed, and Willow’s new life began.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Photographic Memories

Willow took time to go through her grandmother’s closet. It was harder than she thought. In a box marked, Willow, she found a handwritten note from her grandmother.

Dearest Willow, your mother never told me where she lived, and the post marks came from different states, so I figured she moved around. I have treasured each image of you, and some day, I hope you find it in your heart to forgive your mother. I’ve kept her letters for you to read and you will notice them time-worn. I reread them at least once a year. Love, your grandmother who loves you more than life.

Willow wiped away her tears and searchedthe box. Most photos were of Willow, baby through toddler years, and then more sporadic from once a year to one every two years, up until Willow turned twelve and they stopped. Willow didn’t want to remember the years from twelve to fifteen, so it was oddly comforting that there were none. She had never seen the photos. After going through the pictures, she stored them on a high shelf, so they were out of sight. One day, when she was stronger, she would read the letters.

The underground shelter was next on her list. She loved the ingenious swing-away door that covered the storage below. There were additional supplies such as canned food, and five-gallon drums of water. The handgun Dale warned her about was attached to the side wall with tools and several knives. The blades were the defensive kind and something she couldn’t afford to be caught with. She found a sheath for the smaller of the three, and decided she would wear it on the property. It worked better for her than carrying a gun.

Next came Lucy. Her grandmother had named the truck after theI Love Lucyshow. She decided to take her out the first time without Dale, determined to do something by herself. Unfortunately, the clutch was beyond her. Dale smiled when she told him, stopped what he was doing, and showed her what was up. Lucy huffed and puffed for her inadequate driver, stallingrepeatedly, and causing tears to fill Willow’s eyes at her inability.

Dale couldn’t keep a smile off his face. “There are a handful of farm kids that can drive a stick,” he told her. It takes finesse and power because she’s old and they didn’t make it easy back then. Keep trying and eventually you’ll find the balance. If it were easy, they’d call it knowing, and not learning.” He walked off whistling.

It took three days before she could get Lucy out of the barn. Willow didn’t stop there and drove her to the dirt road north of the property. After only one stall, Willow felt she’d conquered the beast. Dale took her out weekly and gave her instructions on the rules of the road.

Three months flew by.

"Have you considered getting a name change,” Dale asked, over dinner one night.

“Change my name?” she questioned.

“I’m talking about your last name. Willow kind of works for you, but I thought it might be nice for you to have a new beginning. You can change both if you like or keep what you have.”

“I didn’t know it was possible,” she said, while thinking about the idea.

“It takes a superior court judge,” he stopped because he had to have seen the look on her face. “I would be with you every step of the way if you decide to do it.”

“I’ll think about it,” she said.

That was one of the nicest things about Dale. He gave her room to make mistakes and didn’t pry too deeply.

Within twenty-four hours she knew she wanted to change her name. Dale looked into exactly what needed doing to make it happen. The first being a valid ID. Willow took the driver’s tests and passed though she was more nervous than she expected. Dale printed the paperwork she needed from an online site and helped her fill it out for her new name.

---