"I need to read you something," Maisey told Brett as he opened her door and helped her in. "Since your driving, I'll read it now."
"You know you could have left it with me right? I do know how to read."
She chuckled, "No way did I want to miss you hearing this for the first time." She waited for Brett to get on there road, "To a special woman," she read, "you won't know me, my name is Elizabeth Snow-now Franks--my sweet Ned calls me Lizzy.-- keep your eyes on the road Brett," Maisey reminded him, "Whatever wind brought you to our door, whether love, loss or sheer dumb luck please know how much you mean to Ned and our family. If you're reading this, that means you're a pretty special lady because that's who I told my Ned to give this to even though he doesn't know what it says. When I found this place there was just land and lots of it: I didn't know it belonged to the Franks. I was young and foolish and trying to prove to my daddy that I could make it on my own. I returned to that spot every day for a month to sketch before a young, and, yes, handsome young man told me to get off his property. Ned was every much his father: proud, loyal, hardworking, loving and gentle. When he saw my sketch of what I saw on the land we started talking about the potential. We stood and dreamed: a small orchard, a large herd, a big family--a cattle operation to rival all cattle operations. I had to draw it so I could never forget. It wasn't long after we met that he learned of my disease, I tried to leave him, to encourage him to get on with his life and find someone who could realize the full potential of his land and life with him, but he refused. Franks men are loyal to a fault and if you have met my sweet husband you know this already. We have had many good years together now, I've given him a son and we have had the joy of raising our nephew as a son and I have lived far beyond the expectation of the doctors and so I write this to you now, hoping that if you have come into his life that he has found someone to make him realize there is more to life than the land and to slow down. I hope that you will come to love the land and my boys as much as I have and so at my encouragement, Ned has left my house to you. He built in for me in the place where we spent many years standing and dreaming. This house is now yours," the letter finished, "just remember that a house is just a house if there is no love. Find a way to turn this into your home, full of live and laughter and you will never be unhappy here."
Brett had to pull over on the side of the highway, "I remember her writing that letter near the end," he told Maisey, "she was so sick and whenever she had energy she'd have me pass her the writing desk that would sit on her lap, I asked once who she was writing to and she told me it was for a very special lady." He rifled around the seat until he found a tissue box to hand to Maisey and then started driving again, "I wondered why Ned left you the house. It was quite a shock, but this makes a lot more sense."
They drove in silence for a while, "You remind me of her in some ways," Brett finally said, "She loved to sit on the porch and read when she wasn't working on some blanket or baby present. When she was well she would get together with some of the other women and bake or plan events. Blindloss was constantly celebrating something. Even when she wasn't well she tried to stay involved."
"She was a big part of the Bogs wasn't she?" Maisey stared out the window at the passing fields thinking.
"In Ned's time, yes," Brett admitted, "I think he'd have sold the whole thing and moved to Edmonton to be closer to her doctors if she'd have let him, but she insisted that he needed to find a way for their vision to come true."
"He has, you know," Maisey told him absently, "The Cattlemans Association President wasn't at your cattle sale for nothing--Ned got him there and all those others so that you could make the Bogs into something bigger. After she passed his heart probably wasn't in it. But it was very likely part of why he never let Junior talk him into selling."
Maisey loved watching the land they passed: so much of it was still green but it was changing with the seasons. Soon the final haying would happen. "Have you been meeting with a contractor?" she asked.
"Three," he admitted, "It's part of why I've been away from the house so much. I don't want to wind up with a contractor who doesn't have the same vision. Travis has been a big help, I didn't realize he was an engineer who prefers to work with his hands than with a computer." He smiled, "I should show you what the designs are looking like when we're home."
"Only if you want to," she watched a V of birds in the sky, "I don't ever want you thinking you need to answer to me about anything at the Bogs, he may have left me the house, but the ranch is yours and while we both live there I really know nothing about ranching."
"I appreciate that," he said, "But I think we established last night that I want to share everything with you."
Maisey smiled, "Yes but we both know how noble you can be where it comes to me and I really, truly don't ever want you to be angry with yourself for not doing something, or doing something, just because you thought it was something I wanted or that it would be the best for me."
"Alright," Brett said and waved out the window at Anna and Lucas who were coming down the steps of the feedlot as they drove through town. "Bet's on how soon we're bombarded by them?"
"We won't be," she said and picked up her phone, "Yes Anna I'm alive and I let Brett drive my truck. No I'm not up for anymore excitement right now, but we'll see you at Slim's on Friday night. Yes, I'm sure. See you there."
Brett groaned, "You want to go to Slim's Friday night?"
"What's wrong with that?" she asked.
"Next week is the start up of the rodeo in Medicine Hat, there will be all kinds of cowboys around Friday night and not just our regular crowd." They pulled into the Bogs.
"I'll think about it," she told him with a smile, "Now show me your vision for the Bogs."
They wandered out to the office in the barn, nodding to one of the ranch hands. It was strange to think how much had changed in such a short time, Ned retiring, hiring a competent crew who knew how ranches worked, making changes. It made Brett proud of his uncle. The drawings were laid out side by side and it became quickly apparent Travis had made some notes on all of them. Maisey started looking them over, reading a few notes from the designers and some from Travis. Brett watched her, noting reactions.
It still amazed and surprised him how quickly Maisey had become a part of his life. She didn't even realize how amazing she was because of the abuse she'd suffered.
She spent more time on the second set of plans, "I would want to see 3d renderings," she said absently, "a model or a digital one. This one reminds me of the sketches that Lizzy included with her letter," she pulled out the letter and spread out the sketches."
Brett joined her and grinned at the similarities, frowned at the differences and wondered if his aunt had somehow been able to see the future of the ranch as she got closer to death. Travis joined them and got excited over the sketches. He started scribbling notes on the second design to make changes to match the sketches. Addie found them there when it was time for dinner: Travis and Maisey comparing details while Brett watched the process evolve waiting to add something but finding they considered all the details.
"Eat already," Addie grumbled, "It does not taste good cold."
Like she'd been in some kind of spell, Addie's words pulled Maisey back to the barn, "Thanks Adelaine, it smells amazing!" Addie blushed and excused herself as Maisey shoved a plate at Travis and sat down on one of the folding metal chairs that were in the room.
It was the first time she looked at the space they were in. The table was someone's old dining room table--she eyed it closer, teak if she wasn't mistaken-- but the chairs were a mish-mash of everything. The cabinets were old and in need of repair and a wooden shelf over the stove top made her realize this was the kitchen that was supposed to be used for feeding the ranch hands. She flipped the pages of the blue prints, "No kitchen," she commented, "There's no sign of a bunk house kitchen or living quarters for the Cookstaff."
"Addie wouldn't want that," Brett told her, "She mostly cooks at home or uses the kitchen inside."
"That's a temporary solution," Maisey shook her head, "The men deserve a cooking space and kitchen and I deserve my privacy." She picked up a pencil, her dinner forgotten and flipped a page over to sketch, "Something like this: everything in stainless steel so it's easier to clean, industrial dishwasher, double sink, a cooking galley with three ovens, and industry grill, and counter tops where multiple people can work. A walk in fridge and freezer over here, a rotisserie and a smoker there."
"You're designing a restaurant kitchen," Brett accused.
"It's practical," Travis was over her shoulder, "As the operation grows, staffing will grow, what she's just described will survive just about anything, allow us to feed up to fifty men easily and allow for plenty of food storage that means good food all year long and not just in season. If you build the structure and include just 1 oven, you can add more ovens and features as we grow." Brett could see the sense of it now and missed agreement.
"I think I like the idea of asking the designer for a 3d rendering." Travis said, "that way we can make sure weren't not missing any crucial structures."
Brett agreed and sent an email from his cellphone. He grinned when he got an almost immediate response, "He says it's already in the works, he'll send someone tomorrow for the changes we made and we'll have the render by 5 on Friday."
Maisey took up her plate and finished off the salad Addie had made but didn't eat the rest. Lizzy and Ned's dream was going to happen.