Chapter 9 -- Training Camp

"It's like she has absorbed Susan, Aurelia, and every girl she knew at school. Now she is absorbing Olivia." Alex hugged his sister as they stood watching the conveyor belt at El Paso International Airport's Baggage Claim. "She is becoming more girly every day."

"That's not so bad, is it?" she quibbled as they both watched her daughter Olivia and his daughter Vicki chatting and giggling away in the bank of seats that bordered the baggage claim area. "I mean, look at her, she is happy." They turned back to the conveyor as the bell rang announcing the arrival of luggage.

"Yes, you know, she really is so much happier than Victor was. And he was happy. Anyway, it is so good to see you. I have missed my darling sister. Thank you so much for coming. You haven't changed a bit." He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.

"Liar! Although, you have become more handsome. You look so much like dad now. Do you think he would have been proud of us?"

"I know he would be proud of you. You have raised a charming daughter. Who, by the way, will be a counselor at The Village. Her first summer job working in the nursery with Vicki and Susan. And, she will be there with Vicki helping us take care of our family's latest additions, Stacy Helen Martin and Harlon Alexander Martin."

"And, I get to take care of Mom." she sputtered out indignity.

"She needs you." She could hear her brother pleading in the way he said it. It was Alex, she knew, who had taken care of their mother for all these years. Not her. That was unfair to him and she knew it.

"I know." her voice dripping with resignation.

The ride back to Deming was filled with lots of catching up. The only stop they made was to visit the roadrunner statue along Interstate 10 out of Las Cruces.

Pulling up to the home she hadn't seen for eighteen years, aunt Vicki was tense. In stark contrast, Vicki junior was thrilled. Senior had avoided coming here feeling her her dad had been forgotten. Junior was excited because she was with family. Upon entering the house, Senior said, "Hi mom!" They exchanged an awkward hug. As Vicki junior gave her grandmother a hug, Vicki Senior announced, "And this is Olivia."

"Hi Grandma." She gave her grandmother a wonderful hug and kiss. "Thank you for all the letters, cards and phone calls over the years. It is so good to finally meet you in person." She cast an angry glance back at her mom who turned away feeling embarrassed.

A knock soon came at the door then squeals of giggling. Aurelia came over to see her best friend and was pleasantly surprised to find her in a dress. Then all the young girls crossed the street while the adults sat down for a long overdue reunion and a serious discussion about the future of the oldest one there.

Across the street, in Aurelia's room, Olivia shook her head as she watched the two girls playing with dolls. "I used to be just like you two." she observed. Then she joined them and was having fun when Mercedes came into the room half naked.

"Aurelia, quit taking my hair dryer!" announced a perturbed sister. Olivia took note that Vicki gave only an unconcerned glance at the topless girl.

Since the girls were being poor hostesses, Olivia took matters into her own hands. "Hi, I am Olivia Martin Jackson, Vicki's cousin."

"Oh, hi. Sorry, I am Mercedes. I heard Vicki's family was coming out from Wisconsin. Must be a shock to be here."

"Sure is. I have never seen the desert southwest. Although, it is less of a shock since I get to dump my bratty ten year old little brother Jason. Now, what's fun to do around here other than drying one's hair after a shower. Any cute boys?"

Mercedes laughed and motioned her to follow and they went off to her room.

"Why do you keep doing that to your sister?"

"Because I like to annoy her." The two girls continued to play. After a bit, they heard laughter coming down the hallway.

Aurelia chuckled, "See, I told you they would get along." She then rubbed her chest. "I can't wait to grow boobs. When do you think you'll grow them?"

Vicki sighed heavily after finishing dressing Ken. "I'll have to wait. I asked and my doctor. He says I won't start getting them until I am eleven." Sounding exasperated, she exclaimed to her close friend, "Three whole years."

"Bummer. Your cousin doesn't have big boobs." Vicki shot a questioning look at Aurelia. "My mom says that if you look at the girls in a family you will know how big the breasts will be for your friends."

"Yeah, mine will be pretty small. But, still, they will be pretty nice to have." Vicki said smiling at the thought of going that direction in her life.

"You mean that?" The voice asking it sounded incredulous. Vicki turned to see Mercedes and her cousin Olivia standing there in the hallway. She then realized the two teenage girls heard the whole conversation and that by the expression on her cousin's face that it was Olivia who asked. Mercedes, was fully dressed now, was sticking her tongue out at her sister. Vicki blushed not knowing what to say to her cousin. Did she just say that not to be discovered? No, she though, she really wanted them.

Mercedes saved the day. "Be grateful Vicki. Big tits can be a pain in butt. I am not looking forward to being a double-D like mom."

Aurelia, shocked by her sister's comment thinking she really meant it, asked worriedly, "Do you really feel pain in your butt when your boobs get hit?"

On the other side of the street, Alex brought his sister a root beer. She chuckled. "You know I am allowed to drink the real thing now."

"It's my Vicki's favorite. At least while she was staying with Mom." The realization that she had a same named niece was the intoxication that came with the drink causing her to grin from ear to ear.

"So you think Vicki looks a little bit like me?" she asked her brother in passing.

Her mom responded wistfully, "A lot like you dear. She even acts like you did at the same age."

The two didn't know it, but the ice was beginning to break and in the next few minutes it would really break for good. Rosemary began to cry softly, "Alex, Vicki, we need to talk about what is going to happen to me before I lose all my senses to dementia."

"Mommmm." Alex protested.

"No, Alex. It is important. I want to be cremated like your dear sainted father and my ashes placed next to his. They are in a vault buried in Mountain View Cemetery."

"Next to the airport, right?" he asked.

"Yes, Mountain View Cemetery. The company your dad worked for gave that one to me for free. But, he is in a big vault and there is more than enough room for my ashes too. So, you are to bury me with him. When you do, I want you take out the suitcase there. He won't need it anymore since I will be there with him." She continued to cry and mopped her face with some tissues.

Vicki gave her mother an astonished look. "You mean the purple suitcase that used to be next to his desk?"

"The very same. I knew he would be lonely without us. I didn't even know if I was going to be able to keep the house at the time meaning we couldn't visit him. I felt so numb. So, I put his suitcase next to him in the burial vault so he would have something to remind him of home and I could go one without him." She drifted off as she cried like the two kids hadn't see her do in a long time. She quieted down and seemed to be deep in thought. The countenance of her daughter melted into confusion and repentance.

"I thought you sold that stuff off to pay for his funeral." she said softly with a mixture of bitter and apologetic tears rolling down her face now.

"No, dear, the company paid for the funeral. He died on the job and it was their policy to pay for burials if that happened. Sort of a get out of a lawsuit policy a lawyer told me. What I did was trade the casket they offered for a cremation. But I found out I was still stuck with a burial plot and a vault for the casket. I wouldn't get anything for the vault per cemetery policy. So, I buried your dad with his precious memorabilia so he won't have something he considered precious. It was so he wouldn't feel alone until we were reunited. I miss him so very much." Her mother broke down into gentle sobs. It was the first time she saw her mother cry over her dad.

Vicki began to see her mother really did love her dad. She realized that in the fog of her own grief, her mother's grief wasn't good enough. All these years, Vicki conflated her mother's coldness back then with a false narrative that she didn't love him. For the first time, she could see the stoic wall she had presented was a band aid hiding a still broken heart.

Rosemary turned to Alex, "And I have to thank my wonderful son for making me a sewing room so I could earn money on the side too. You have no idea how scared I was back then. I was numb with fear. I don't know what I would have done with out your kindness." She looked around the room. "Sometimes I felt so lonely in this house. Over the years, I hove gone into Vicki's room to just sit there. It lets me remember all the good times we had as a family. And lately, I had the marvelous two plus months with your little Vicki, Alex. We would do puzzles together and so many things. Vicki is so very special. You do things with her. You hear me, Alex. I know you lost Victor. But, it is as though things were set right. Like little Vicki was meant to be."

"Mom?"

"Yes Vicki."

"Would you show me my room through your eyes, please?" Years of a bitter ice cold wall between the two broke out in a refreshing cool springtime rain in the next few hours.

A day later, Vicki sat in a cold conference room with Mr. Jensen at her side, a camera in front of her giving her testimony of the accident. Vicki felt so small with all the big mean men asking her questions. Holding Mr. Jensen's hand gave her strength. She was dressed in simple summer dress with conservative earrings. A hint of perfume. Nails polished and she was wearing her lucky friendship necklace that reminded her that she wasn't alone. The deposition lasted only two hours because she was a minor. She spoke of how sad she was that she wouldn't be able to have children. She lamented how much she missed playing baseball with her friends in Silver City. She complained of how painful it was and how frightened she was at being attacked by a boy and a mean girl at school. She talked about how scared she was now at being discovered and being rejected at the camp. The part of her testimony that caught her lawyers attention was her description of the surgery to give her a proper vagina that wouldn't need to be dilated. She cried as she described how degrading it was to be dilated and how Dr. Smith put her needs ahead of another patient.

Afterward, as he was packing up at the conference table and the opposition lawyers had left, Mr. Jensen asked her about it. "Oh yes, it was very nice of Dr. Smith. He told me he had a patient who needed it more because she was having problems."

He nodded and said, "That was very nice of him."

Without prompting, Vicki added, "And Dr. Alvarez too. I think she was the patient who needed it."

This caught Fred's attention more than Vicki realized. She didn't understand the importance of his next question, but he did. "What makes you say that?"

He squeezed her hand in appreciation as she declared, "The way she looked at him with tears in her eyes. She didn't think I saw them. He looked at her with a nod and told it would be okay."

Mr. Jensen looked away towards the door and her waiting father who had just appeared in the doorway. "Well, that does explain a lot. Thank you. Go to your dad now." He joined her and told Alex, "She did awesome. I think they will settle out of court now." As he went back to his office from the conference room, for the first time Jensen started to understand Dr. Alvarez's reluctance to become more intimate with him. The confusing signals she had been sending now filtered out to one he loved. He made a mental note to become more supportive.

Soon afterwards, the start of summer at the camp begin. The families arrived and settled into their various cabins. All in all, there were about seventy children this year ranging in ages from newborn to seventeen. There were seven counselors excluding Olivia who was now the Nursery supervisor under Sally with Vicki and Susan as her helpers. The community has an community stage and circle too. With the families assembled, there was a welcome meeting and an established once a week meeting thereafter with the heads of the families until the end of summer.

Helen stood stoically at the center of the stage waiting for everyone to settle down. Bluetooth speakers were set up on the sides of the stage so everyone could hear.

"Hello, test, hello test. Can everyone please be quiet. I have some announcements about this week and for the rest of the summer. First, those of you who are doing merit badges for Scouting, see me afterwards. I am a merit badge counselor for horsemanship, leather work, cooking, and swimming. Plus a few more. Okay, this year there is a change in the use of horses. Last year, the son of one of our staff here used to get horses ready for a ride and then expected was expected to cool down and take care of the horse after their rides. Well, he wasn't told that was the job of each rider, was he? That was not nice. This year, you operate do your own horse maintenance. And, we have given that unhappy boy the summer off. He won't be around to help you anymore."

Walking to the other side of the stage, she announced. "This year, we have a nursery for children under the age of two. It is going to be staffed by Sally Martin." There followed applause. "And family from Wisconsin?" Sally nodded yes. "I would like to introduce Vicki and Olivia Jackson." More applause followed. "And Debra and her daughter Susan you ought to know already. The nursery is next to the pool and is there so you ladies can take a break from child care and enjoy your family or just take a relaxing break at our pool. We have plenty of activities planned for the summer, so if you have any questions, come to the community room behind me and check out what we have available. Be sure to sign up for the activities you would like to participate in."

Helen came over and sat down with the group. "Well, Sally, I think that should give Vicki some privacy."

Back in Appleton, Wisconsin, Stew Jackson walked out on his porch with Jason, his ten year old son. "Dad, have you told mom yet?"

"No Jason, I will tonight."

"You accepted the job." Jason said fatalistically.

"Yes. We're moving to Deming. I am going to be one of the new managers there at their Wal-mart. It will include a pay increase." He put his arm around his son's shoulders. "I know it will mean losing friends and a whole different way of living. But, your mom needs to be there for her mom."

"What's Grandma Martin like? Is she really as cold as mom says she is?"

"No son. I have tried to tell her that and she just says I don't know her like she knows her. I have stayed out of her family squabbles for a long time, but no longer. Your Uncle Alex says your grandmother has dementia. And, well, I need to sit down and talk to you about your cousin Victor." His son gave him a curious look.

A thousand miles away, outside of Dr. Alvarez's office, Fred paced back and forth waiting for his lunch date. Maria exited her side door and greeted him. "My, don't we look handsome today." She looked up and down Fred. He was in a polo shirt and dress slacks. Not his usual suit and tie which he wore to work or court.

"Ready for a nice quiet lunch?" They headed out to a local hangout. Fred had arranged for a quiet spot where the two could talk without interruption.

"Maria, during the deposition, Vicki said something. I need you to be honest."

"I can't violate client privacy." she said defensively.

"Not hers. Yours. Is the reason you keep pushing me away is that you can't be intimate due to ..." He blushed and struggled to find the words, which was unusual for a a lawyer. "... female trouble?" Now she struggled to find the words to respond. He put his hand on hers. With a tear in his eye, he went on, "Because if it is, I am okay with that. I love you. Sex would be a bonus with a sexy doctor, sure. But, it's just the thought of not having you in my life at all that really hurts." A tear fell from his face and dropped onto her hand.

Maria broke down in tears. She had never known love like this. She was scared. Finally screwing up the courage to confront her biggest fear, she asked him, "Do you know what I am?"

He grinned, "A beautiful woman who used to be an ugly boy."

Startled, she stammered, "You knew?"

"I may be a hick lawyer, but I know how to use Classmates.com. I was curious about how you looked in High School." He chuckled and squeezed her hand.

Maria asked impatiently, "And how did I look?"

"I plead the fifth. But, what I do see now is a major improvement!" With that, he leaned in for a kiss. The good doctor responded by taking her medicine cheerfully.

At that moment, miles away, Stew ushered in the crew to pack up the house in Wisconsin. Leaning up against the wall, Jason asked, "I miss Grandpa and Grandma too. Why did they move and where?"

"They couldn't take the climate anymore. They've moved to to Apache Junction, AZ."

"Couldn't we move to Arizona instead?" he fumed. "My cousin is now a girl. And I don't know anyone there."

Ignoring his son's angst, he unfolded a truth to him, "No, it is your Grandma Martin's turn. We've ignored her long enough. Plus, we will only be four and half hours apart by car for them to visit us. It is a win win. And, you'll be going to the same elementary school as Vicki did. She can tell you all about the boys there."

Searching for holes in his dad's vision for them, "Why can't we visit them in Deming instead?"

"They live in a 55 year old community now. We can only visit for a very short time according to the rules."

Stew patted him on the shoulder. "Son, we will still get to see them lots of times. Don't worry."

"And what about Mom?"

"She had already quit her job to take care of your mom. She wasn't coming back for at least a year." Stew wasn't going to let that happen. He didn't like making unilateral decisions, but this one he would because he knew in his heart it was the right thing to do.

Around the corner from the Martin home in Deming, Mrs. Charlene Farmer heard her phone ring. "Hello, is the mother of Lucas?"

"Yes, who is this?"

"My name is Sally Martin. Your son was in the same class with my daughter Vicki and he expressed an interest in learning to ride horses."

"Yes, Vicki?! Isn't your daughter that unfortunate girl that got exposed in the girl's bathroom at school. Sorry didn't mean to pry. The poor girl."

"Sadly, yes. The boy and girl who orchestrated the whole ugly thing got expelled too. It hurt Vicki deeply. But, she does speak highly of your son Lucas. He sounds like a very nice boy."

"Oh he is. He is a very polite boy. And he does want to learn to ride." Lucas looked up from his Louis L'Armour book with a questioning look.

"Well, I just wanted to let you know that we are going to be offering free riding lessons and before we arrange them, I need to get a group of students together."

"Where is here, here?"

"A ranch near Buckhorn. We run a summer camp for families who belong to a software company out of Phoenix. They are looking for ways for the camp to provide income during the off season. Anyway, Vicki mentioned your son's interest and wanted to give him a chance to try horseback riding."

"That is very sweet of her to remember. Lucas does, but I don't get it. Why is it free?"

Well, long story short, we are going to do what they call alpha testing, or what I might call bored executives wanting to mess with the system because they make way too much money and wish to ignore spending time with their families which is why they set up the camp in the first place."

Lucas' mom got the giggles. "When?"

"Not sure. They are still in the planning phases. My job right now is to get them a list of potential students."

"Well, provided we get a little warning, I will say yes."

Later, as Sally brushed Vicki's hair, the two chatted. Vicki was pleased to hear that Lucas would be getting lessons. "So, your grandmother enjoyed doing this with you?"

"Yeah, I guess so."

"How did it make you feel."

"Weird at first. But then I got used to it."

"And now, with my doing it."

"Nice."

"Just nice? Nothing more."

Vicki thought for a moment. "It's like when you make cinnamon rolls nice on Saturday mornings."

"You mean you look forward to it?"

Vicki giggled. "Yeah, like that." She became a little more serious, "Mom, I gotta a big problem?"

"What's that dear?"

"I only have boy swimsuits. I can't go swimming. I have nothing to wear!"

"Yeah, that is a problem. You, realize that means we will have to go shopping?"

Vicki smiled big. "Yeah. Can we do it with Aurelia. I love shopping with her too."

Astonished by the response, Sally replied, "Of course Aurelia can come. But, look, little lady. You used to hate shopping."

"I don't remember that."

"Don't lie to me, you did. I had to drag you out kicking and screaming to go shopping."

"Well, I like to now."

"What changed?"

With a coy smile, Vicki dropped the bombshell. "I dunno. Maybe the clothes got interesting."

Sally hugged her little girl and kissed her on the head as she finished brushing her hair. She lead Vicki to her bedroom. "You're too funny. I love you."

Turning around just before she got to her room, Vicki hugged her mom goodnight. "Mom, if I am so funny why are there tears in your eyes?"

"Just because. I don't know. I just wonder if it is wrong to love you so much when I still love Victor. It doesn't seem fair to him."

Vicki thought about what her mom said after being released from her hug. Before climbing into bed, Vicki raced back and hugged her mother again, this time with all of her might. She sputtered out, "He understands, Mommy. Victor understands and he still loves you too." After she let go to head back into her room, she didn't see her mom going down the hallway in tears as she climbed into bed.

A week later, Mrs. Lincoln watched Vicki changing a little girl's diaper. "You will make a good mom, Vicki."

"Thank you Mrs. Lincoln. I like working in the nursery."

"Better than all the kids who dumped their horses on you last year I bet?"

"I liked that. But, yeah, they weren't very nice to me."

Alex and Fred came into the nursery quietly. They waved to Mrs. Lincoln. Alex said in a low voice to Vicki, "Howse my little princess?"

"Fine dad. Hi Mr. Jensen!" She gave each man a hug.

Fred smiled and said quietly, "We have reached a settlement with the company and their insurance provider, Vicki. It may not mean much to you now, but you will have your hormones and medical care taken care for the rest of your life. Included is four years of counseling. Plus a moderate income to help offset the damage to your future. In addition, you and your family will have an initial payment that will allow you all to purchase a home for the inconvenience also caused to your parents for having lost biological grandchildren."

Mrs. Lincoln responded, "I hope that doesn't mean we are going to lose you too in addition to Sam?"

Vicki chimed in, "Yeah Dad, I like living here."

Alex chuckled. "I don't want to move, really, Helen. I love this job. I suppose we could pay off the home in Silver City, but that would still leave a whole bunch of money. I guess we could invest it."

An idea hit Helen, "You know Alex, we have been in negotiations with the adjoining five acres north of the entrance, you could buy that and build a home there. We could even guarantee a buy out should you ever move. That way you could have a place all your own, but still work here. We could even purchase the kits for you."

Fred, ever the negotiator, chimed in. "Alex. You could pay off your home and have a nice one here to live in too. That's a win win."

The three adults went off to work out the details. Fred also arranged at that meeting for Vicki to began therapy sessions once a month with Mrs. Gillian, a therapist in Las Cruces that specialized in gender identity disorders.

Later that day, Mrs. Lincoln came into the nursery and pulled up a chair next to Vicki. She handed Vicki a root beer which brought a smile to the little girl.

"I've had a talk with your mom and we discussed some things. They may not mean much to you at nine years of age, but in the future they will."

"What about Mrs. Lincoln?"

"God's covenant with man after the fall was that if he would multiply and fill the earth, God would send him a savior. That has certainly happened. There are billions of people on the earth now. And there is a savior, Jesus Christ."

Vicki gave her a look that said what she was saying was beyond Vicki. "Do you know what I mean?" Mrs. Lincoln asked.

"No. Not really."

"It means in you and others like you that chain is broken because of what has happened to you. Maybe broken forever. The special signature that your body would contribute to the diversity of the world's population will not be able to be shared with another person as God had intended."

She had Vicki's attention, but not her understanding yet. She changed her discourse to one more appropriate for a little girl. "And that means you will have to adopt a child instead of fathering one." Vicki heard one of the babies let out a small cry. Mrs. Lincoln smiled at Vicki's reaction of concern for the baby as Vicki checked it in its crib. After Vicki returned, she pressed on with her discussion. "You like these babies here, don't you?"

"Oh yes, Mrs. Lincoln, I love them. This has been so much fun. Especially taking care of my baby brother and sister. They are so cute." Vicki giggled. "And Dad says it gives my Mom a much needed rest."

"I am so glad you do love them. I have seen how much you do for others. I just want to let you know that if you continue your path to grow up into a godly woman full of grace, I will do what I can to find you a baby to call your own. That is my promise to you. My covenant. Cross my heart and hope to die."

"That is very kind of you Mrs. Lincoln. Thank you. But, how are you going to do that?"

Mrs. Lincoln patted her on the head, "I have connections." Olivia came back into the room with a load of freshly cleaned laundry and the two girls started to fold sheets for the cribs.

Back at her grandmothers in Deming, the doorbell rang. Vicki senior answered the door and was shocked to see her husband standing before her.

He boldly announced after a hug and a kiss, "I have rented our home. Moved our stuff here. Found a house to rent just around the corner. And I am the new store manager for Wal-Mart for this district."

Vicki senior was thrilled. Later, she confessed to Stew, "I didn't know how to tell you we needed to move here. Or if you even would."

Summer passed by quickly, and soon, it was time for Sam, Debra, and Susan to leave.

Sam and Alex finished loading the U-Haul. They hugged only to be interrupted by bawling children. Susan and Vicki seemed inconsolable. It didn't matter to Susan that she was moving closer to family. Her uncles and cousins had also moved to Roswell to become part of the oil crews as well. Susan didn't understand that her dad's welding experience was in high demand and would earn him three times what he made at the Village. She was losing a sister, a friend, and a willing accomplice in her adventures.

Vicki was losing half of the team that taught her how to be a girl. Between Aurelia and Susan, Vicki had learned how to think, walk, talk, and act like a girl in the last five months. But, it was more than that. Susan was her last memory of Victor too. It was Susan who gave Victor his boy creds before March playing doctor up in the barn loft. And, in a sense, it was Susan that defined the difference between Victor the boy and Susan the girl every time they played. She was his and her journey of the last four years of this nine year old girl.

The adults and the children could not see that in a real sense, Susan had to leave so Vicki could find out who she really was. This alone time would be the vacuum that sealed Vicki or Victor's future. This lead to a visit to Mrs. Gillian in Las Cruces.

"Hey Sweetie." Mrs. Gillian smiled at the lumbering child in an effort to cheer her up. Her head, shoulders, and everything slumped as she came in. Vicki plunked herself down on the soft chair in front of Mrs. Gillian. This was their third meeting.

"What, no hug? Sniff, sniff." Mrs Gillian feigned being hurt.

"I don't feel like it." she grumbled.

"I'd ask you to tell me how you feel, but I think I can tell."

"She was like a sister to me."

"You love Susan, don't you?" Vicki nodded yes.

"Have you talked to her since she left?"

"Almost every day. But, she spends lots of time with her cousins and the phone calls are getting shorter. It is like she is forgetting me."

"That is only natural. You don't have anyone to play with. Maybe you should spend a few days with your grandmother and Aurelia."

"Yeah. I wish I could do that. But she is back in school and I have to home school."

"I've talked to your dad. He says you two have a trip to make to the Dakotas next week to get some horses. I bet when you get back, there is going to be a new family and a girl your age."

Vicki perked up. "Really?"

Suddenly, she heard her dad's voice behind her. "And, it seems that your aunt Vicki wants and Jason for the next year to home school with us. He is having a hard time adjusting to living in Deming. It would be just for the school year. Then you would return to regular schooling after the first of the year, so that means he will be staying with us. Come outside, I have something to show you." The ladies followed him out in front of Mrs. Gillian's office. There was a huge white Ford pickup truck hauling a huge horse trailer.

"Vicki, my dad loved to go on adventures with my sister. I would like to do the same with you. The company gave me this truck and trailer."

"Adventures, Dad?"

"Yes, he traveled all over New Mexico with her. Very much like we have over the years. But, we never had such a great vehicle as this to do it with. We can travel almost anywhere we want. We can attend horse shows. I can give horsemanship lessons in Deming over the weekend." Looking over his treasure, he breathlessly exclaimed, "I don't have to leave you at home anymore or ask someone else to give you a ride." He picked up Vicki and held her. She could see a tear in his eye. "Vicki, I want to show you the world before you go off into it on your own." He tenderly caressed her face and gave her a kiss on the cheek. She hugged him back.

Alex and Vicki returned home. When they walked back in, Helen was drinking a cup of coffee cheerfully arguing with Sally about where the best place was to get Mexican food in the area. "Hey stranger. You have been working so hard on the cabins, I haven't seen you for a few days. How did the session go at the therapist."

"Excellent."

"Where is Vicki?"

"Feeding the horses."

"Well," said Helen proudly. "Should we tell Sally about Sam's replacement, our new camp manager and the big surprise you just brought home?"

Alex sat down with them. "Jim and Sarah Haskell are arriving with their nine year old girl Brenda and there twelve year old boy Mike the first week in October from New Hampshire. I talked to him already. He used to work at one of the ski resorts up there. I know he said something about working the Wildcats. Anyway, they have had it with New Hampshire property taxes. And, they want to travel during the off season and explore the southwest."

"Wonderful news. Vicki will have a girlfriend. So who is the new camp manager, Helen?"

"Yes. I am getting too old for this job and I certainly don’t need the money. I will still spend summers here, but I am a grandmother, Sally. I want to travel or maybe do missions. Alex has done such a good job that I convinced the board to hire him be the new camp manager."

Alex just smiled and basked in the glow of Sally's smile. "And, it means you just got a company truck too." Helen added.

"What! No way!"

"Yup. It's out front. Along with the new trailer. I traded in our old van too. We will be getting a new van tomorrow. So, this means Vicki and I can get some Appaloosas in the Dakotas."

A few days later, Vicki climbed into the truck. She smoothed out her skirt, made sure she had her purse, and checked herself in the mirror. Then she buckled up. While she did all that, she asked, "Daddy, if your daddy spent a lot of time with Aunt Vicki, why didn't you feel left out?"

Alex arranged the maps and went over his checklist. As he was doing that, he said, "Maybe in the beginning I did, but, your grandma is right. My dad really did love your aunt and me equally. In actual fact, I think that is where I learned how to be a good man and a good father by watching how he treated her. Once I realized that, I never felt left out. Oddly enough, I felt very much included when your aunt Vicki would tell me about their adventures. Daddy always gave me a wink when he went and did something special with her as if to say this was our time too. So, I started to wink back to let him know I understood that was what Daddy's do."

Looking up at him with a sweet smile, she inquired, "Daddy, would you mind very much if I remain being a girl forever?" Surprised by her sudden change of subject, he looked back at the house to Sally holding the babies. He winked at Sally giving her an air kiss. Sally smiled and winked back sending back an air kiss of her own. Then, as he started the truck, he smiled and reached over drawing Vicki close to him and gave her a long kiss on her forehead after which he nuzzled his nose in her hair. Then he tweaked her nose. She giggled knowing that was his answer. She felt warm, safe, and loved.

Putting the truck in drive, he exclaimed, "Come on Vicki, let's go get us some horses." With that, Father and daughter headed off on an adventure to the Dakotas in their brand new truck and trailer not looking back to where they had been, but very much looking forward to where the future was taking them.

To be continued in the "Vicki Chronicles" ...

Copyright © 2021 by AuP reviner

[ Many of my readers know I draw inspiration for a story, or a chapter in a story, from a song I am listening to. This story was born from a very moving video. I suggest watching it all the way through despite it being in French. It's message will melt the coldest of hearts. Enjoy --> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjrTd8VeP64 -- AuP ]