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I wish I had more interesting things to talk about. It’s weird that I don’t have a hobby or anything like you do. I loved the blanket you sent by the way. I didn’t notice any flaws like you claimed there would be. The stitches were perfect.
A couple of the guys looked at me funny for having a blanket like that sent, but I told them it was a handmade gift and they let it go. I think they thought it was from a grandma or something. Or from someone in a caregiving role at least. I’m not sure. Didn’t stop to ask really.
There’s not much else for me to say. Another day, another sandstorm. Hopefully, this time my letter makes it to you a little quicker. It’s anyone’s guess with the way things get handled over here.
In case it doesn’t get to you in time, I wanted to wish you a happy birthday. It feels weird saying that cause I’ve never met you in person and also because you’re younger than me. Is it creepy that you write to some old guy who is stuck in the desert?
Either way, I hope your day is great, and that someone makes you all the delicious sweets you deserve.
Your friend,
Ashley
Chapter Six
Ashley
Settlingon the ranch wasn’t all that hard. My first full day working with the guys felt more like a reunion than anything. I wanted to tell them I knew bits and pieces of them, but I figured it would make things more awkward.
Corey and I still hadn’t said how we met. I could see the others giving us curious glances from time to time as we ate or worked together. Not one of them pressed the issue though.
I think it had more to do with all the other stuff happening than their lack of wanting to know. Gerald was still gone a week after being released and the men were getting desperate.
“We should put up a missing person’s report with the sheriff,” Travis said at breakfast after the first two days proved useless. “At least then they’ll be looking for him.”
“That’s not always the case. It’s a big area for the sheriff to cover. I doubt he’ll be on the hunt for just one person.” Harlan, who I’d learned was exactly as grumpy as I’d been told, spoke up to correct the young man.
Elton jumped in to explain further. “He’s not wrong. Unless the person is famous, the authorities tend to add it to their case files. It’s not like it’s murder or something.”
“Easy, baby. There’s no need to get so dark about it.” Bobby Allen’s use of my nickname didn’t send the same power of desire through me like when Corey used it. The two men were so wholly different that I didn’t feel as if I were in danger of answering the wrong Daddy, thank goodness.
We decided to give it until the end of the week before anyone went to the authorities. Since it was now the weekend again, I sat at the kitchen table patiently as I listened to who would call it in.
“I think it should be me,” Corey said when the room went quiet after finishing their food. Harlan’s food sank in my stomach at the fierce determination in his furrowed brow.
Was there something there? Had there been? I know he never mentioned it in the letters, but my own insecurities had a way of making me question it all.
Oblivious to my inner turmoil, the men kept up the discussion on what would happen next. Atticus spoke up to ask why Corey felt he was the right person to do so.
“It’s my ranch, and he technically works for me. I don’t understand your logic,” he’d said.
“That's all good and true; however, I was the one who dropped him off. My name is on the paperwork showing he checked in.” Corey sighed as his shoulders fell. “I feel like I should have noticed something along the way. Maybe if I’d asked him aboutafter, then he’d have shared his plan to run.”
“That’s not how it would have gone,” I said before thinking about it. All eyes turned to me with curious glances.
“Care to elaborate?” Atticus motioned for me to expand.
I took a deep breath before saying, “There aren’t a lot of guys who go AWOL or decide to end their lives while enlisted, but there are a few. Those men tend to keep their plans close to the vest. Anytime they’d interview friends and family, they’d all say the same thing — they never suspected. It wasn’t even a possibility in their minds. Gerald running after rehab wasn’t inthe plan. You never suspected he’d do this. See how similar it seems?”
“Well yes. This is different, though.” Sean spoke up before Atticus could reply. The other man’s eyes were unfocused, like he was lost to his own line of thinking.
“It’s not all that different. At the root of it all, he kept part of himself hidden. He’ll either come back on his own, or you’ll have to search high and low to find him. It might be a mix of both before it’s all said and done.”
The group of men took my words at face value. Murmurs of agreement rang out, though I couldn’t really hear most. My left side could pick everything up fine. The right was less functional. I’d been adjusting to keep that part of me covered up since arriving on the ranch. So far I hadn’t had anyone mention anything.
Most surprising Daddy hadn’t pressed for details even though I was sure he knew something. I was thankful for that since I didn’t want to relive those memories quite yet.
Corey might have been keeping our past a secret from the others on the ranch, but he wasn’t the only one with things to hide. I had things he didn’t know as well. Memories that I wanted buried beneath my conscious mind.
