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ISBN: 978-0-9894814-5-8

eISBN: 9781483539263

Library of Congress Control Number: 2014942890

Published by Warren Publishing, Inc.

Charlotte, NC

www.warrenpublishing.net

To Haden, Hadley, and Gibson ~ my precious grandchildren.

For Blaire, Blake & Annie ~ my greatest accomplishments.

For my parents ~ the first to teach me about my ancestors and ancestors and introduce me to what would become a passion ~ the Civil War.

For Doug ~ my answered prayer, who makes me believe that I can do anything.

Special thanks and deep appreciation to my mentor and dearest friend, Charlotte.

Proverbs 17:17

Lost letters . . .

Ellie Morgan has just inherited an old house; musty, and full of other people’s memories. Hidden inside forgotten letters, she discovers a story of lost love and the soldier who draws her into his world. Will she find love for herself in its unveiling?

January 1, 1863

Martha Elkins listens carefully to the young soldier beginning to tell her what she should write. Poor boy, he could not be any older than my own boy, Thomas. So many boys; so young and full of promise.

Listening to the wounded soldier mumble his final words, her pencil scribbles hurriedly as she struggles to hear over the moans and cries of the wounded soldiers being carried in from the battle in nearby Murfreesboro.

“Soldier, what is your name?” she softly inquires.

“Raford Collins, ma’am, but my folks call me Rafe.”

Offering a weak smile, he succumbs to pain and surrenders to the abyss of unconsciousness.

The measure of a woman’s character is not what she gets from her

ancestors, but what she leaves her descendants.

~ Unknown

Chapter 1

Ellie Morgan closed the door to her classroom and walked slowly down the hall. Now what am I going to do for the next three months? Ellie thought to herself as she dug through her large bag for her car keys. In truth, she couldn’t imagine how she would fill her summer. With her divorce final and her only child, Cassie, working her first job in another state, life would certainly be quiet. There was that fellow from the technical department who had asked her to have dinner sometime, but she felt uncertain about him. He seemed interesting, but going on a date was another matter. Ellie had ended twenty-two years of marriage in a not-so-friendly divorce. She was just glad the whole experience was now in the rearview mirror. The marriage had ended for Ellie when her husband decided to revisit his old ways. Ellie tried to ignore the signs, but Brad Morgan was unfaithful, before and after their wedding. He promised it would never happen again. That was just one of many vows he broke. It actually was a blessing; it was Ellie’s way out. Now, here she was, at forty-three years old, starting over again.

Ellie’s nightly ritual had involved picking up the mail from the row of mailboxes, shoving bills and junk mail into her school bag, and then driving into the condominium garage. Once inside, she usually made a snack and got on her laptop to check her emails, talk to friends on a couple of social media sites, then sort through the pile of mail. Tonight, she decided to change her habits and call her best friend, Charlotte Hobbs, to have a dinner out for a change. Charlotte had never married, saying that no man could make her happy, so she would just date them all instead! Charlotte would have made someone a great wife; she was funny, pretty, and would have been a great mother, but didn’t seem to regret being childless. Charlotte had been a real estate agent for years, making good investments and surviving the recent market crash fairly well. She was always taking a cruise, going on weekend getaways with a friend, and was the one Ellie called when she needed advice or just a shoulder to cry on.

Ellie drove her father’s pickup into the parking lot of N’Kahoots, the local bar and grill in Newburgh, Indiana. The truck was one of Ellie’s dearest connections to her father, Frank Camden, who had lost his battle with cancer much too early in life. Everyone loved Frank. He was the high school basketball coach and church deacon. The red Silverado still smelled of her father’s pipe, a habit he promised Ellie’s mother to relinquish. Ellie breathed in deeply as the smell of English Leather cologne and Captain Black pipe tobacco filled her nostrils and brought a smile to her face.

“Hey you, are you going to sit in that truck all night? It’s happy hour, ya know,” Charlotte laughed as she tossed her long brown locks over her shoulder.

Ellie followed Charlotte into the dimly lit bar. After her eyes adjusted to the low lighting, she noticed her former husband sitting at a table with a very shapely young blonde.

“Good lord, the one night I decided to get out of my house, do I honestly have to see him?” Ellie had enjoyed several delightful weeks with no contact.

Charlotte, fearful the carefree mood was ruined, offered, “We don’t have to stay, ya know.”

Ellie didn’t intend to let her ex run her out of a public place. After all, they were no longer married. She could ignore him, or acknowledge him. Either way, he was sitting right in the path where the server would be taking them. Take the high road, Ellie.

Before the pair could reach their booth, Brad Morgan turned.

“Hello, Ellie,” he said sardonically.

“Hey, Brad,” Ellie countered as she moved right through the crowd, never glancing back.

As the two friends slid into their booth, Charlotte rejoiced, “Now that’s the Ellie I remember!”

Ellie looked flustered.

“Char, you know that he was hoping to draw my attention to the blonde. I wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction! Besides, I have had a change of heart since we talked last.”

Charlotte’s eyebrows lifted. “And just what epiphany did you have since Monday? Do tell!”

Ellie paused as the waitress placed their drinks on the table and asked for their order.

“How about giving us a minute? We haven’t decided yet.”

The pretty young college student had plenty of other patrons waiting for service, so she smiled and promised to return in a few moments.

“Okay, Char, I am three hours into my summer vacation; my first summer vacation as a single woman, mind you! I don’t want this summer to be like all the others. I need to move on with the rest of my life.”

Charlotte, listening approvingly, added, “Ellie, you know I have been preaching that sermon to you for months. It’s high time you stopped living for everyone else.”

Ellie knew her best friend was correct. She had been staying in an unhappy marriage for Cassie, helping with the college expenses for the last four years. They had been close, but now Cassie was spreading her wings thirteen hours away. She would always need her mom, but Ellie was beginning to realize that she was the needy one. The grief that remained when her dad died had escalated into a void of loneliness. After that realization, Ellie had her Come to Jesus Meeting. She was still young, and it was time to start living again!

“Char, I’m thinking about going out with Sean Barrow, the computer technician at school,” Ellie confided. “He’s asked me a few times, and I am leaning towards accepting.”

She held her breath in anticipation of Charlotte’s response, “Sean, the metrosexual computer nerd from the high school?” Charlotte had a way of making everyone have a title.

“Metrosexual? Honestly, Char!” Ellie laughed at Charlotte’s assessment, but she could visualize Sean pulling off a sexy look.

Sipping her tea, Charlotte leaned in closer, continuing, “You’ve got three months to enjoy being a lady of leisure. You teachers have it made.” With that comment, Charlotte dodged the rolled up napkin Ellie sailed passed her head.

Ellie slept in that first Saturday of her summer vacation. Walking down the hall to the sunny kitchen, she rubbed her eyes, not used to the brightness. As she poured her coffee and began to eat her bowl of cereal, she began to leaf through the pile of mail that she had flopped down on the counter the night before. Evidently, credit card companies loved her. Each day, a new one appeared in the mail. She knew she had good credit, but she didn’t need any debt. The insurance bill for the truck was in the pile. Its tires needed changing, as her dad had been the last to do that. Dad, you weren’t supposed to die. It wasn’t fair! Ellie sometimes felt real anger for losing her parents. If her mother had been living, she doubted she would have married Brad, but then she wouldn’t have her precious Cassie.

The next piece of mail was unfamiliar to her. She had seen enough letters from Billings, McDonough and Pratt to last her a lifetime, but this letter was from an unfamiliar law firm.

The envelope was addressed to Ms. Ella Camden. In pen, the local postmistress had penned in her last name, Morgan. Ellie cringed. I wish I had dropped Morgan. I miss being a Camden. Ellie wasn’t sure who the letter was from, but it was someone who knew her from her younger days, as only her family and very close friends knew her given name was Ella. Her mother had loved Ella Fitzgerald, and had vowed that if her child were to be a daughter, her name would be Ella. Frank had started calling her Ellie right after they brought her home from the hospital. It was Ellie from then on.

The envelope was from The Law Offices of Langley & Murdock,

Hendersonville, Tennessee. Who in the world?

“Oh, for Pete’s sake, I won’t know if I don’t open it!” Ellie chastised herself, and began to rip open the envelope.

The letter looked official, with the letterhead matching the names on the envelope’s return address. Ellie reached for the pair of cheaters she kept in the basket on the table, trying to focus on the letters that seemed to blur. Note to self: make sure to get that eye doctor appointment this summer! The letter was addressed to Ms. Camden, so obviously the person who was trying to sue her didn’t realize she was married and now divorced. As Ellie began to read the letter, it became clear that no one wanted to sue her; quite the contrary!

Dear Ms. Camden,

It is with much sadness that I must write to inform you of your great aunt’s recent passing at the age of 101. Mrs. Lavina George had been living in the Bridges Retirement Village in Hendersonville, Tennessee, for the past ten years. She had recently suffered a stroke, and within a few weeks passed away. Your great aunt had been a client of my father’s for over fifty years, and I was present when her final will and testament were rewritten ten years ago. We will be reading the will on Friday, June 3. Your aunt named you the executor of the will, and you are required to be present for the reading. Mrs. George had no children and Mr. George passed away over forty-five years ago. My father has retired from the firm, but continued to offer Mrs. George assistance until her passing.

Please contact me at your earliest convenience.

Respectfully yours, Riley F. Langley

cc: Carol Pennington

Ellie sat with the spoon still in her mouth, dumbstruck from the contents of the letter.

Who was Lavina George? Surely this was a clerical error. Someone had made a terrible mistake. Ellie knew all of her father’s family. The Camdens were a close knit family who met yearly for reunions. She knew of no Lavina in the family. However, her mother’s side of the family was not close. Her mother’s parents had died before Ellie was in elementary school. She didn’t even remember hearing about her mother’s distant relatives, as they had lived in Tennessee and North Carolina. Liz Camden, Ellie’s mom, had been Elizabeth Caroline Ridgeway. Her father and mother had moved to Indiana after World War II, when her father had taken a job with the railroad. Liz and her brother, Loren, didn’t see much of their mother’s family after that. Maybe Lavina was a relative of her mother’s.

Her Uncle Loren had been in a nursing home since his wife passed away. His mind was good, but he suffered from a heart ailment that had confined him to his wheelchair or bed. Maybe she should drive over to visit him. He would remember her, even though it had been two years, and perhaps be able to fill in the blanks of the family’s history. The letter went into the wooden bowl that sat on the dining room table. Ellie would take care of that next week. I will see Uncle Loren and put an end to the mistaken identity. In the meantime, she decided to give Sean a call. It was time to start her new life!

Newburgh, Indiana, isn’t what most people would call a big city. Ellie had lived in this small town since she was born. She had found her job right out of college, even with a small baby. Brad had been fortunate to have a job with his father’s construction company. Playing basketball at Bellarmine College in Louisville, Kentucky, gave him a business degree, and his father’s business ensured a career until he wanted to retire. Brad and Ellie weren’t wealthy, but they lived in comfort. Cassie always thought they were the tightest parents who ever lived, but they wanted her to appreciate her things, not expect them. Ellie felt that she was part of Newburgh, and couldn’t imagine living in a big city. When Cassie announced she would be moving across the country to work near the large city of Baltimore, Maryland, Ellie had cringed.

Having lived in the condo a year, it was time to think about getting her things out of storage, and selling what wasn’t sentimental or donating it to charity. Sean Barrow had offered to help her with the heavy things, even hauling them to wherever she decided. She had forgotten about his offer until now. Maybe that would be a good excuse to have him come over, and then fix him dinner. As her mind began to race from first one thought to another, she had to laugh at herself and the little flutter that was in her stomach at the thought of a date. Goodness, how long had it been since she had actually had a date? Twenty-five years? Well, no sense putting the cart before the horse. She would have to call Sean first.

Before she could find the staff directory from school, her cell phone began to ring. Ellie answered the phone and heard Cassie’s voice on the other end.

“Hey! I thought while I had a minute, I’d give you a buzz.”

As the mother and daughter began to talk, it was clear that Cassie needed and missed her mother, no matter how she acted three weeks before!

“Mom, there is so much to do at work, so much to learn! I just don’t know if I can do it!”

Ellie wasn’t sure what Cassie was expected to do, but knew that her first job as a television reporter had to be overwhelming! She accepted a job working in the newsroom, with an opportunity to work some weekends on air, once she proved herself capable. Cassie had taken the job at the television station after an interview four weeks before. Her move resembled a whirlwind. Cassie understood Ellie wasn’t able to help her move due to end-of-year responsibilities, including graduation ceremonies. Brad had rented a van and driven the thirteen hours to the apartment complex near Hagerstown, Maryland. Ellie would be flying out to visit her daughter in two weeks.

“Cassie, what’s wrong?” Ellie asked, hearing the anxiety in Cassie’s voice.

Cassie explained how the newsroom producer was irritated with the soft spoken mannerisms she used interviewing subjects.

“Things are paced so much faster than they were at the station in Evansville,” she said. Cassie had interned at the Evansville station for three years while attending the University of Evansville, and felt she was prepared to take on this role.

“You know, Cassie, all jobs take some getting used to. I think things will start to settle down once the producer appreciates your style. We’re all different!”

Cassie could hear her mother’s support through the phone, but added, “Mom, you have to say that. You’re my mom. Besides, I don’t know a soul here, and I am really tired of having no one to talk to besides my friends online!”

Ellie could tell she and her daughter were both experiencing loneliness.

“Why don’t you ask someone to go to dinner? Are there any single girls or guys who have just been hired?”

Ellie could tell that suggestion didn’t go over well when Cassie fired back, “Mom, it isn’t like living in Newburgh. People are, well, friendly, but not welcoming. It just isn’t like I thought it would be.”

Ellie felt her mothering defenses start to kick in, and she wanted to walk down the hall to her daughter’s room, hug her, and tell her it would eventually all work out. She realized even though Cassie was a woman, she would always be her little girl. Ellie smiled as she remembered that her father had always referred to her as his little girl, too.

“Well, you know I’m coming out there in a couple of weeks! I’m really looking forward to seeing your new home, Cassie.”

Cassie’s tone changed. “Did Daddy tell you about my apartment?”

“No, I have only seen your dad once since your move, and we really didn’t have a conversation, but I saw your pictures that you posted online. It is just lovely, honey!”

“It’s really nice, Mom. I think I need some advice on decorating though. Your visit is just what I need! I’m really looking forward to you coming. I hope you won’t be bored while I’m at work, though.”

The days wouldn’t be boring to Ellie. She had already decided to hit the historical sites in and around Baltimore. First on the list was the battlefield of Antietam, then a drive to Gettysburg for the day. Cassie had never been interested in history, even though Ellie had hoped her love of the subject would rub off on her only child. Cassie took after her father, in that her loves were sports and television. The two agreed that she would spend the days sightseeing and the nights helping Cassie settle into her new home. Cassie then changed the topic of conversation by asking her mom about her social life.

“Mom, are you going to start dating now that I’m not living in Newburgh?”

To say Ellie was surprised was an understatement!

“Cassie, is that what you think? That I was waiting until you moved to have a social life? That couldn’t be further from the truth.”

Cassie rolled her eyes. “Mom, I didn’t mean anything bad by it. I just figured you were trying to make things easier on me.”

There was no sense beating around the bush since Cassie opened the door.

“So, you’d be okay with me dating someone?”

Excitement was evident in Cassie’s voice, “Are you thinking about it, then?”

“Well, there is someone with whom I might go to dinner. It would be nice to have some adult conversation after teaching kids all year!”

Cassie laughed at her mom’s sudden defensive tone.

“Back off of the ledge, Mom. I am perfectly fine with you having a life. I’ve been doing a lot better with the divorce. I’m still angry with Daddy, don’t get me wrong, but he’s my dad. I love you both, and I want you to be happy, Mom.”

Ellie knew she had raised her daughter to honor her commitments, and she felt that she had let her down by divorcing her father. Hearing Cassie sounding more supportive than ever, she decided to wait until their time together to tell her about her date, if there was one.

“Well, I’ll call you in the middle of the week to see how things are going, so be sure and keep your phone charged. Also, remember that you’re not living in Newburgh, Cassie. I hope you are taking our advice and being cautious.”

Cassie rolled her eyes at the sound of her mother’s admonitions.

“Mom, I am living in freaking Fort Knox here. I don’t think you and Dad could have chosen a more secure location for me to move. I can’t believe Daddy paid my first year’s rent.”

Ellie was glad that Brad had thought ahead to do that.

“Cassie, he just wanted you to have a safe place to live until you could find something more to your liking once you were established.”

“I know, Mom, but I feel like most of the people here are senior citizens! Everyone is old!” Ellie had to laugh at her daughter.

“Cassie, it is better this way for now. You’ll meet so many new people once you’re settled. I promise! Maybe you should think about getting a kitten!”

Ellie knew how much Cassie missed her cat, Miss Kitty, who had to be put down just two months before her graduation from the university.

“I’m thinking about getting a dog,” Ellie confessed. “It is so quiet here at night, and I am living around old people!”

They both laughed at that, and then Cassie continued, “Mom, I’m getting another call. It’s Daddy.”

Ellie remembered Brad’s expression the night before at N’Kahoots with the blonde. Ugh.

“Well, it’s okay, go ahead and take his call. We’ll talk later in the week. You be careful, honey. Remember what I said.”

“I will, Mom. It was so good to hear your voice. I love you!” “And I love you, Cassie.”

The conversation left Ellie thinking about her daughter being all alone in a strange city. Ellie was lonely, but she had Charlotte. Cassie’s best friend had gotten married the week that Cassie moved. Her wedding was the last time she had seen her friends all together. Ellie walked out to get her newspaper, thinking about looking in the classifieds for a puppy. After entering the condominium, Ellie relaxed in the large leather recliner that had once belonged to her father. I guess I really should call Sean while I have my nerve up! Ellie sat the paper down and reached for the cell phone laying on the table. As the phone was ringing, she thought to herself, He really wasn’t a computer geek, but metrosexual? Well, maybe.

The phone call didn’t last more than a few minutes. Ellie was not nervous, but she did find herself having a hard time forming her thoughts into words.

“Hullo,” Sean sounded like he had been asleep. Was it that early?

Ellie looked at her watch as she said, “Sean, its Ellie. Did I get you at a bad time?”

Sean Barrow immediately perked up when he heard her name.

“Ellie, how are you? Have you already crashed your laptop in the twenty-four hours since we left school?” Sean laughed.

Ellie swallowed, wondering why her throat felt so dry.

“Well, I was hoping you weren’t too busy this weekend. I want to move some furniture of Dad’s out, and bring some of mine over to the condominium. But if you’re busy. . .”

Sean interrupted her mid-sentence. “Sure, I’d be glad to. And to think I was just gonna have a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants day!”

They both laughed, and Ellie exclaimed, “Well, thank you! How about you come over whenever you’re ready, and I’ll put you to work!”

“Sounds great! I’m going to mow my folks’ yard, but I can be there around 4:30. Is that too late?”

Ellie smiled. What a great son he is!

“No, that would be just fine. What sounds good for supper? I haven’t been cooking much lately, but I think I still remember how to fire up the grill!”

Ellie couldn’t believe she’d just invited him to dinner!

“I’d love it. I’m tired of the frozen entrées I have here. Whatever you fix would be great!”

Ellie had to get in gear! She wasn’t sure she even had steaks in the freezer.

“Okay then, I will feed you first, but then you have to work it off!” Ellie was surprised at the ease with which the two of them conversed, having not said more than a dozen words throughout the school year to one another.

“Good deal! I’ll see you around 4:30, then!” Sean ended.

Ellie thanked him, and put the cell phone on the counter.

She would have to go to the grocery and get some food. Ellie had forgotten to ask him if he drank beer or wine. She had a good supply of soft drinks and iced tea, so to cover all her bases, she added beer and wine to the list. Now where did I put my keys last night when I came inside? Ellie rummaged through her purse, but couldn’t find the key ring that seemed to get bigger by the year. As a creature of habit, she usually left the keys on the front flap of her purse, held on with a purse hook.

As she began to retrace her steps, she remembered setting them on the table along with the mail. The mail. The letter. She would have to let the attorney know that he had made an error, but first needed to visit her uncle Loren. It was only half past twelve; she could drive over to Hampton House, talk with her uncle, and still make it back from the store by three o’clock. Ellie quickly put her hair up in a ponytail and grabbed the keys to her dad’s truck.

When she arrived at Hampton House, her uncle Loren was sitting in the dining hall. At first, he didn’t notice her. He was watching another resident having dinner with his daughter and granddaughter.

“Hello, Uncle Loren.” Ellie smiled and touched her uncle’s broad shoulder.

Even having aged, he still had quite the large build. His heart may have been giving out, but he still had the upper body of a much younger man.

“Ellie! How are you, kid?”

From her earliest memory, Uncle Loren had always called her ‘kid’. Being his only niece, he enjoyed spoiling and teasing her. It had been two years since she had seen him, and suddenly she felt ashamed she’d let the time lapse.

“How are you feeling, Uncle Loren? You look great!”

Ellie tried to sound upbeat, but Loren bluntly countered, “Oh come on. I feel like I’ve been rode hard and put up wet, Ellie. You can see that.”

Loren didn’t mince words, and Ellie stopped pretending.

“I’m sorry. How bad is it? Does your doctor come to check on you often?”

Loren became engulfed in deep coughing, and the fit clearly took a great deal out of the elderly man.

“Well, Doc says I have congestive heart failure. Just a matter of time until the old ticker quits. I guess I already knew that, but it still kicks ya in the gut, ya know?”

Yes, she knew. She was still having a hard time accepting the death of her father, and now it seemed she would lose her only uncle before long.

“Uncle Loren, do you remember having an aunt named Lavina George? She lived down South.” Ellie hoped the name struck a chord.

“Lavina George? Well, sure I remember her. She was quite the spitfire!” Uncle Loren snickered.

Ellie suddenly didn’t know if hearing the bad news of her passing would be the best thing to tell her uncle.

“Why didn’t Mom ever talk about her? I think I would have remembered her.”

A smile spread over his face.

“Well, your mom probably didn’t talk much about her because Lavina didn’t like your daddy.”

Ellie couldn’t believe there was a soul on the face of the earth that didn’t like Frank Camden!

“Lavina only met him one time when the family went with Mother and Father to a family reunion down in Tennessee. Your daddy and mother had only been married a short time, and they took you along. Aunt Vinnie loved children. She couldn’t have her own, so all the babies had to be plopped down on her lap first thing to be kissed and petted! Your daddy felt like you needed to warm up to her first, and that didn’t set well with Aunt Vinnie. Besides, she felt like your momma could do better than a teacher and coach. She thought the girls in the family should marry doctors or lawyers. But the worst of it was that she married a Yankee. I think she was still having a hard time believing that the South lost the war!”

Loren began laughing, which was promptly followed by another fit of coughing. So there was a great aunt named Lavina. Once the coughing had passed, Loren took a drink from the large glass of tea on the table.

“What made you ask about Aunt Vinnie, kid?”

Ellie wasn’t sure if telling Uncle Loren about his aunt’s death would unduly upset him, but she felt she couldn’t lie.

“Well, I received a letter from Tennessee today from her lawyer.”

“I thought she was getting on in years, but why would her lawyer need to contact you?”

Loren seemed confused.

Ellie explained, “It seems that Aunt Lavina had a stroke some time back and never fully recovered. She passed away a few weeks ago.”

Loren seemed saddened, but not upset.

“A stroke, you say? Well, she lived a long, good life.”

Ellie continued, “The lawyer says that she was one hundred and one years old and died peacefully. He also said that she changed her will, naming me her executor.”

Loren seemed interested, but not overly so.

“Is that so? You’d think someone on Uncle Shelby’s side would have done that. How’d Vinnie find out where you were? She hadn’t seen you in over 40 years.”

Ellie wondered that very same thing.

“I don’t know, Uncle Loren, but I have to go for the reading of the will. I don’t know any more than that.”

Loren thought a moment then said, “I remember going to see her and Uncle Shelby back in the early seventies when your aunt Becky and I went to Florida. At that time, they lived around Nashville. He was a banker, as I recollect. Mother always said her family had money, but I don’t think she ever saw any of it. Aunt Vinnie was Southern, that’s for sure. I remember she had that accent that just floated off her tongue like a mist. She wasn’t bigger than a minute, but she could hold her own against the most cantankerous of characters.”

With that, Loren began to cough again.

Not wanting to wear him out further, Ellie said, “Thank you for telling me all that you did. I had no idea I had an aunt named Lavina, but I will honor her wishes, make a trip to Hendersonville, and see to whom she left all her riches! Like most wealthy women, she probably left all her worldly belongings to her French poodle named Claude!”

She quickly pecked her uncle on the cheek and promised that she wouldn’t wait so long to return. Loren asked her to let him know how the visit went, and commented that it was so good to see her again. He told her that she looked so much like Liz. She hadn’t thought of her mom in a while, and the mention of her brought tears to Ellie’s eyes, even after all these years.

“I miss her just as much as I did the day she died, kid. It never goes away.”

“I miss her too, Uncle Loren.”

And with that, Ellie bent down, kissed her uncle on his whiskered cheek, and said goodbye. She turned and walked out of the facility with many questions running through her mind.

By the time Ellie made it home from the store, it was already half past three, and she hadn’t even started the meal! The afternoon was beginning to look like a storm could blow in. The cotton candy clouds had quickly turned into a swirling mass of bubbling charcoal, offering a rumbling of thunder now and again that signaled something ominous. Living in the Ohio Valley, Ellie was used to sudden changes in the weather, and Indiana in the late springtime offered up a variety to those living within its borders. While she fired up the grill and skewered the veggies, the weather radio began to go off. Oh great, a storm brewing and me wanting to move furniture. Ellie wasn’t sure that part of the evening would work out, since her furniture was across town in a storage facility. She wasn’t sure she had a tarp in her dad’s things. Maybe she should put that on hold. Sean would be finished cutting his parents’ lawn, probably just getting ready to head over to her house.

While she was changing into a comfortable shirt and jeans, the doorbell rang. To Ellie’s surprise, she felt a flutter in her heart. She remembered getting that same feeling when the phone would ring in the middle of the night when Cassie was out with friends. It was a sudden panic, the thought that something could be wrong. But why would she have that feeling with Sean? It was just dinner. Period. As she came down the hall, she could see him standing outside the window. He was actually looking over her pitiful landscaping, which was nothing to brag about.

As she opened the door, he turned, smiling, “Hi Ellie! Did you order this weather so you don’t have to grill?” Sean laughed and stepped inside.

He seemed to be taller than she remembered, and Ellie took a whiff of his cologne as he brushed passed her. Nice, but I’m not so sure about the metrosexual part. She let a chuckle escape.

“What’s so funny? Do I need to have my mom check out my choice of clothes for the day?” Sean asked.

“Actually, I was thinking how nice you look, Sean, pleasantly different from work.”

A big grin spread across his face. “I like the way you look too, Ellie.”

Ellie suddenly seemed embarrassed at their compliments. She smiled as she asked Sean to make himself comfortable. He looked very casual in his jeans and t-shirt. In the thirteen years since they met, Ellie had never been with Sean in a social situation outside of work. He always wore a tie and dress slacks at work. She didn’t know him beyond their connection with school, but she felt that she could be at ease tonight.

“What can I get you to drink? I wasn’t sure if you were a tea or beer drinker.”

Sean walked over to the bar that separated the kitchen and dining area, bringing him closer. Surprisingly, Ellie liked it.

“I think a beer would be great!” Sean said.

Ellie handed the bottle of Miller Lite to Sean, and then put a slice of lemon in her tea.

“I never acquired a taste for beer, but I do like a Captain Morgan with pineapple on occasion!”

Sean took his beer over to the recliner in the living room, and Ellie followed. The two began to talk about their plans for the summer, and Ellie volunteered her upcoming trip to Baltimore to see Cassie.

“That is really great that she found a job right out of college. With so many out of work, her qualifications must be excellent to get hired so fast!” Sean complimented, as he took a drink from the bottle.

“And what a relief, too,” replied Ellie, as she excused herself to check on the steaks and veggie kabobs on the patio.

“Is there anything I can do to help?” Sean hollered from the living room.

“Sure, I need the potato salad out of the fridge.”

Ellie started setting out plates and silverware and then Sean helped her carry the steaks.

“I’ll grab the kabobs, and then we’re ready.”

“This is really nice. Thanks for dinner, Ellie.” Sean was speaking softer now, but still keeping to a casual distance.

“You’re welcome, but don’t get too excited. I haven’t cooked in awhile,” Ellie replied.

During dinner, the two discussed which pieces of furniture to put into storage and where the storage barn was located. They decided to take the items that were being sold to the storage facility that she still had from her divorce. Brad had agreed to pay a year’s lease for her, during the civil days of their divorce. She had taken over the last few months’ payments, and it was evident this was a bill she could do without. Thus, the sale.

After the dinner dishes were put away, Sean excused himself to bring in some moving straps and gloves from his car.

“Wow, you look like you’ve done this before!” Ellie exclaimed.

“Well, I got divorced a few years back, and at the time didn’t know anyone. It was just my dad and me doing all the heavy lifting.”

Ellie could tell that it wasn’t something Sean was proud of, but sensed he didn’t dwell on it. I have worked with him thirteen years, and I didn’t even know he had gone through a divorce!

Ellie put her hand on his shoulder, “I’m sorry, I can’t believe we work together and I didn’t know!”

Sean seemed unemotional about her comment, but smiled and said, “It’s okay. I didn’t broadcast it. My ex decided that the grass was greener where the city cop lived across the street.”

“That’s horrible. I’m sorry. I know how hard it is when you find out you’ve been played for the fool. I was for most of my married life.”

Ellie found herself feeling sympathetic to Sean, but more than that, finding out that she really didn’t know what her coworkers were going through made her feel uncaring.

“Well, let’s stop feeling sorry for ourselves and get your condo cleaned out!” Sean grinned and gestured for Ellie to show him where to start.

“I really appreciate you helping me, Sean. I have to get this place updated, and the first place is to start with this stuff!”

After Ellie and Sean got the bedroom suite and dining room furniture moved, they finished their date with a trip to Dairy Queen for ice cream.

“Now this is my kind of date, Sean!” Ellie laughed delightedly. “Anytime. I’m all about showing a girl a good time!” Sean flashed Ellie a sexy smile and a wink.

It was obvious that the two were hitting it off, and Ellie was glad that she decided to have Sean come over. He was just what she needed after being rejected.

After Ellie parked the truck, Sean walked over to unlock his car door, saying, “I really enjoyed tonight. Even though you used and abused me, it was fun!”

Sean had an upbeat personality that Ellie found refreshing.

“Even though I’m whipped, I enjoyed myself, too. Thanks again for all the help moving the furniture. I really appreciated it.”

Now was the awkward part; they had done so well all night. The conversation and time together had been surprisingly easy. Now was the time when the guy usually made a move, wasn’t it? Good lord, it’s been so long since I’ve been on a date, I don’t know what to expect.

“You get a good night’s sleep, and call me when you get back from Cassie’s. I’d like to take you out -- my treat!”

They both wanted to make it easy, so they hugged. Ellie hadn’t been in someone’s arms, even for a friendly male hug, in a long time. His hug was quick, but Ellie could tell there would always be an option for more.

“I’ll call you, and dinner would be great. Drive safe, and I’ll talk to you later!”

“You too! Night, Ellie!” Sean said as he backed his car out of her driveway.

Ellie closed the door and locked the deadbolt. She had made it through her first date. In record time, Charlotte was calling to get the update, just like when the two were in high school.

“Hello, Char. What’s up?” Ellie liked teasing her best friend.

“What do you mean, what’s up? How did it go? Was Mr. Metrosexual worth the steak?”

Charlotte was not one to beat around the bush, and the two had always been able to tease one another and understand the meaning.

“Yes, actually he was worth the steak!” Knowing what Charlotte would assume, Ellie didn’t let her mind run for long.

“I got two rooms moved out to the storage shed. He even popped for ice-cream afterwards,” Ellie laughed.

“Well honestly, what is Sean Barrow all about, Ellie? Are you going out again?”

Ellie wasn’t sure Sean meant to keep the date, but she told Charlotte about their plans to go out when she returned from her Maryland trip.

Ellie wanted to tell Charlotte about the letter, about discovering she had an aunt who had passed away leaving her as executor of her will. Charlotte would love this. She was always interested in a story! But Ellie decided she would wait until she made contact with the attorney, Riley Langley. The idea of having to drive to Tennessee alone wasn’t too appealing, so she might just ask Charlotte to take a few days off and come along. It would be fun; a long awaited road trip that the two had wanted to take since the divorce. Ellie would fill her in tomorrow.

“We are who we are because they were who they were.”

~ Author unknown

Chapter 2

On Monday morning, Ellie began to organize the week ahead. She dropped the bills off in the mail and arranged for the auctioneer to come by and load up her father’s belongings. As she started crossing off items in her mind of the things she must accomplish, one item kept invading her thoughts throughout the day: Lavina George, her long-lost great aunt. Now where did I put the letter?

Ellie began tracing her steps back to the dining room table where she had placed the letter and envelope Friday evening. Being executor of a will was still a recent memory because she was the executor of her father’s will, besides being his sole heir. She had already been through the reading of a will, but this time should be much easier. She didn’t even know the lady. Besides, if Lavina had money, one could be sure every relative who had any claim would be there. Ellie began to wonder why Aunt Lavina didn’t choose Uncle Loren as executor. More questions filled her mind. Now where is the number for Mr. Riley Langley? Ellie found a pen and tablet, and after copying the telephone number for the Law Office of Langley and Murdock, decided to get it over with and call. The sooner she made contact, the better. She would fulfill her obligation to the aunt she didn’t know.

The receptionist answered the telephone in the Southern drawl that Ellie had always found poetic, almost as smooth as melted butter dripping off an ear of sweet corn.

“Langley and Murdock, this is Carol Pennington. How may I direct your call?”

Ellie swallowed and began, “Hello, Carol. My name is Ellie Morgan. I received a letter from Mr. Langley in regards to my great aunt’s estate and the reading of her will. Do you think it would be possible for me to speak to Mr. Langley?”

Ellie could feel her pulse race as she suddenly felt nervous about speaking to the lawyer.

“Please hold a moment; I’ll let Mr. Langley know you are calling,” Carol answered.

Ellie smiled through the phone, “Okay, thank you.”

As she waited, the music that she heard was a familiar tune, although she couldn’t place it.

Just as she was trying to sing the words in a low voice, a very deep and Southern voice began, “Ms. Morgan, how good to hear from you! I must again offer my deepest condolences on behalf of my father and myself in the passing of such a dear lady.”

Ellie felt obliged to thank him for such a heartfelt sentiment.

“Mr. Langley, I must tell you that I was very surprised to receive your letter last week. I didn’t even know Mrs. George was my aunt.”

“I knew that you were unaware of your aunt, Ms. Morgan,” Riley said. “That is why I had hoped you would call me so that we could speak at greater lengths. You see, she was quite the business lady, even though your great uncle was the one who worked for many years as the president of the local bank here in Hendersonville.”

Until then, Ellie hadn’t given much thought to her great uncle.

“Ms. Morgan, would there be a time in the near future, say within the next week, that we could schedule the reading of the will?” Riley asked. “As the executor, I need you to be present.”

Ellie was prepared to settle the arrangements while she had the lawyer on the phone.

“I was thinking about driving down on Thursday. I could meet you Monday morning, if that works with your schedule.”

After pausing a moment, Mr. Langley answered, “Ms. Morgan, I have to be in court early Monday morning, but I would be happy to clear the rest of my schedule for the day if you could be here, say, around eleven o’clock?”

“That will be fine,” Ellie agreed.

In less than a second, Mr. Langley’s Southern hospitality kicked in, “Just give me a call Monday morning and we will give you directions to the office. My cell is 615-555-0189. Please don’t hesitate to call if you have any problems, and my secretary, Mrs. Pennington, will be happy to offer suggestions for lodging while you are here.”

“Thank you for rearranging your schedule, Mr. Langley. I’ll see you on Monday,” Ellie replied.

“You’re welcome, Ms. Morgan. I’m looking forward to our meeting. Good day.”

Riley Langley seemed like a very kind, Southern gentleman. Ellie had had a preconceived notion about Southern men, probably from the yearly ritual of watching Gone with the Wind with her mother. Ellie was suddenly reminded of how much she wished her mother had told her about her life and family. If only there had been more time, time to grow older together. Okay, enough of the pity party, Ella! Ellie laughed for calling herself by her given name. To think that her now deceased great aunt knew her by this special name only made her want to know more. After writing her appointment time and Mr. Langley’s phone number on a post-it note, she went about the rest of her day. The call was quick, and much to Ellie’s dismay, Charlotte couldn’t get away for the weekend. She was committed to a real estate closing on that Monday, but was intrigued by the whole matter.

“You have to promise to call me right after you have the reading. That is so exciting!” Charlotte bubbled.

“Char, I’ll be sure and give you all the details about how many of my long-lost relatives show up with their hands out!” Ellie laughed.

For the rest of the week, Ellie made plans for her trip. Char would come by and check on the plants. She also called Sean, to thank him again for helping her over the weekend. Ellie thought pleasantly of the time she and Sean had spent together just hanging out. She liked her life at the moment.

For the past year, she had learned what it was like to live totally on her own, without the help of her father or a husband. Granted, when her father passed away, he had left everything to Ellie. He had seen two wives pass on before him. Mary Lou had come into his life after Ellie’s mom had been gone ten years. Ellie thought very highly of her stepmother, and was so thankful that her father had found someone to share his life. Their marriage only lasted five years, as she was diagnosed with breast cancer and died within a year. When Frank passed, he was financially sound. He left Ellie a home and a truck that he owned outright. Who was this long-lost aunt, and why hadn’t she tried to contact me before her death?

Early on Thursday morning, Ellie filled the truck with gas and headed out of town, making a quick stop at the cemetery. The dew was thick that morning, and she felt the moisture immediately as her feet slid sideways in the flip-flops she had donned that morning. The squishing sound seemed to be amplified by the quiet, peaceful setting of the cemetery.

She walked straight back through the generations of headstones to the dark granite stone with the grass just starting to grow again. She took a tissue out of her purse and wiped the headstone to remove the grass clippings that had been recently thrown against it during the lawn service’s trimming. She bent to pull the stubborn weeds that were snaking around the two urns that flanked either side of the headstone.

She put two bouquets of flowers into the urns and then, in a whisper, said, “Mom, I am going to be the executor for your aunt Lavina. I wish you’d said something about her or some of the other people in your family.”

Ellie then touched the stone and added softly, “Dad, I know you and Lavina didn’t quite hit it off, so please don’t be upset if you aren’t mentioned in her will -- not that it matters to either of you now.”

With a quick, “I love you both,” she stood and brushed the dried grass off her knees.

The sun was shining brightly through the trees, reaching down to the ground like a beacon from heaven. Ellie felt the warmth on her face as she made her way back to the truck. It’s just too pretty outside to be all cooped up inside this truck. Ellie rolled down the windows and headed south towards Hendersonville, Tennessee.

The drive to Tennessee was relaxing for Ellie. Since Char couldn’t join her, she listened to several of her favorite CD’s. She enjoyed the feel of the warm breeze coming through the window as she made her way through Kentucky. By three o’clock, she was crossing into Tennessee. It was around five o’clock when Ellie came upon the exit for Hendersonville. As she made her way down the off ramp, she noticed how the city had a modern flair as well as Southern charm.

The downtown area was divided by the Cumberland River. Ellie should have done her homework before making the trip. It would have been the perfect opportunity to learn some of the history about the town.

The town was larger than she had imagined, and the first item on her list was to find the hotel. Having already programmed the GPS, she shouldn’t have any trouble finding the Hampton Inn on the east side of town. The timing for Ellie’s arrival wasn’t well planned, however, and Ellie found herself in the middle of rush hour. Traffic was bumper-to-bumper as she made her way down Main Street.

While she sat waiting at a light, she scanned both sides of the street. She noticed the Civil War marker beside the street, but she wasn’t able to make out the inscription. Traveling further down the road, she noticed a sign that read Civil War Trail. I love this place already!