Staring out the window of the kitchen, Noah watched as the sun rose over the horizon with a cup of coffee in his hands.
Texas could be a beauty in such a majestic and wild way. He could see the horses at the northern pastures scattered about, well at least the tiny dots that represented them from the distance.
Inhaling deeply the scent of the morning dew, he sighed as he turned back to the kitchen counter to take a seat on the counter stool, he ran his hands through his thick dark hair still wet from the shower like he'd always do when perplexed. He smiled a little sad smile as the word 'perplexed' flooded him with memories of his little sister.
He didn't have to get up this early, Ross the ranch's new foreman had told him to take a little while, that he and the other hands could handle the chores while he ran errands and sort out the funeral arrangements.
He had met with the minister yesterday and had finalized the funeral arrangement with him. It hadn't seemed a problem since his entire family since the founding of the church had been christened and baptized there.
Now all that was left for him to do was to go sort out the final details at the funeral home and he dreaded it. He was the withdrawn, extremely not-a-people's person one of the family and it had served him well enough all these years. It had afforded him to single handedly build a software he had sold to the DOJ at over 500 million dollars.
Being a computer geek in a working ranch was no easy feat but his family had supported him. His father had ensured he had all the gadgets he needed, his mother had taken him to tech events so he could "make friends", he never did.
Hearing a knock on the kitchen screen door, he was jolted out of his thoughts and stood up barefoot to go check who it was.
Opening the door without even checking who through the screen, he almost collided with whatever the little lady was carrying in her hands because she had it outstretched, he had to hold on to her shoulders to keep her steady else she'll have fallen in her face and taken him down with her
"Such clumsiness." He muttered
Recovering quickly he offered a muffled "Good morning."
"Good morning McKinley." She replied. He dropped his hands off her shoulders as she slipped past him with what seem like a baking pan covered with a foil and a napkin
Raising his hands up in helpless abandon. He followed the petite lady who wore a gean, boots, an oversized shirt, a lilac rimmed caty eyes shaped glasses and a face cap that showed little of her face.
Closing the door gently behind him. He walked towards the little lady watching her drop whatever was in the pan on the kitchen aisle and removed the napkin and began unfolding the foil wrap too. He sat back down on the stool he had previously been on and picked up his coffee mug while simultaneously staring at all that was going on before him, waiting for her to say what she had to and leave. He sure wasn't in the mood for visitors and his sister had always told him he was a little too grumpy in the mornings. He couldn't wait for her to get her condolence speech all done with and leave.
Seeing how uncomfortable she was when she peeked at him and saw him staring, she kept fondling with the foil wrap of whatever she had with her, and Lordy lord it did smell heavenly. His stomach rumbled silently, he could have continued to enjoy the uncomfortable silence and her fidgeting but a man's gotta eat.
"I'm sorry, who are you? what do you have there?" He asked, dropping his coffee cup. He knew asking was rude because haven grown up here and understanding how tight knit the community was should have prepared him for the visits he'd been receiving for the past week.
"I have cheese cake and butter cookies and for who I am; I am a friendly neighbor, Naomi's godmother and teacher who just dropped in to say hi." She replied frowning a bit as she finally uncovered her package
Leaning over he tried to get a look at her face beneath the cap that was practically covering half of her face and casting a shadow on the rest. All he could tell was, she had honey brown hair, she nibbled on the left side of her button lip when concentrating and she seemed somewhat familia but he couldn't place it.
Resigning not to bother her, Noah leaned over and took one of the cookies off the pan and nibbed on it; he couldn't help moaning at the sweet and buttery taste of the cookie.
"This is so good miss..." Expecting her to complete his statement
"Well, your mom was an awesome teacher." She said blushing a little bit as she reached for a plate by the sink to put in some cookies and gave it to him.
"Thanks, it is really good... Wait. what. Did you say my mom?" He said Picking another from the plate.
"Yes, your mom." She said nibbling again
"Miss.. Do I know you? You seem strangely familia."
"Well... It rather funny that you don't rememb...." She was stopped short as Naomi came into the kitchen and ran to give her a hug.
"Miss Ali!" She ran to give her a hug, almost taking the stool Alice was seated on down.
"Good morning my little lily." Alice said squatting to pull playfully at the Kid cheek making her giggle.
Noah was clearly shocked at the kids' lit up mood today. She had always been a timid kid but since her parents had passed she had retreated into herself more, being extremely polite and carrying on a slope on her shoulder too much for her six years.
Noah cleared his throat feeling a tad bit jealous at the cozy scene unfolding before his eyes and how he was actually being ignored.
Naomi then walked across the aisle to throw herself at him giving him a big hug and kiss too.
He set her on his lap and kissed her hair. "How are you this morning Sweetheart?" He wasn't going to take this lit mood for granted
"Fine, Uncle Noah. You made cookies?" She asked reaching out into his plate to take one of them.
Just across the aisle, Noah could see the strange woman watching them, arms folded over her chest and a little smile on her face
"No, I didn't. This lady… Miss Ali baked them." Looking across the table at the still standing Lady. Naomi had called her Ali and if she wasn't going to give him answers, he could go with his nephew
"I have to get going now. I just came over to drop those and check up on y'all" Alice said, rubbing her suddenly wet clamy palms on her Jean.
Being a gentleman Noah stood up still cradling little niece in his hands.
"Thanks Miss Ali for the cookies, they are yummy." Naomi said rather shyly still stuffing some in her mouth
"Oh, that's fine little lilly. I guess I will see you tomorrow." she said, her words having a little sadness about it.
Tomorrow was the funeral and immediately a cloud shadowed Noah's face and she could see him struggling to keep his emotions in check.
Opening the door for her Alice stepped out and turned to give the little girl still in her uncle's arms a kiss and she caught the scent of his after shave making her inside tingle a bit. Pulling back like she had been burned she practically ran to the bike parked just a few feet away.
"Bye little lily." She called out waving a hand as she rode off the dirt road.
Noah smiled and headed back in to go do what he dreaded most; get ready to finalize plans at the funeral home.
★★★★★★★★
"Noami please come down or you will be late again."
Noah yelled from the kitchen, wondering what was keeping her anyway.
He could hear her moving around her room upstairs getting ready for school.
He sighed in frustration…... Opening the fridge he brought out a carton of milk and placed a cup on the kitchen counter to fill with milk for Naomi, also placing a plate of toast beside it.
"Naomi, would you ple....
"OK. Uncle Noah I'm coming." she ran down the stairs
"Slow down young lady, we don't want you tumbling down and breaking anything."
Without commenting on what he said, she stood at the kitchen door looking down at the green all-star she was wearing which she wore along with baggy camouflage shorts, a black T-shirt and her backpack slung over one shoulder.
Noah walked up to her and handed over her lunch of same toast and an apple to her
"Go eat up, little star." he said as he walked into the living room to pick up his cell phone which he left on the table the night before. He sighed when he saw 37 missed calls, he didn't even bother checking who it was from he picked up his car keys from the lamp stand. Noah leaned against the kitchen door post studying her.
Noami was leaning against the counter, her head barely reaching the top, munching on the toast quietly looking so sad. She had been calm all through the funeral yesterday not shedding a tear just holding on to his right and Miss Ali's left hand.
It didn't help that he couldn't see the famous Miss Ali's face either, and he had wanted to badly. He had been so mad that he could be thinking of her during his sister and brother-in-law's funeral. His best friend Lukas Greene had made it too, giving him the support he didn't know he needed badly.
Noah felt bad that he hadn't had the time to even thank Noah and his sister for taking care of Naomi before he made it back to Rocky plains. He would, when his head was settled enough.
After everyone had left that evening after the funeral, even Ross the foreman had made excuses to give him some alone time. He had gone out the front porch and sat on his father's rocking chair, still in his suit, he had disposed of the tie that seemed to be choking life out of him a long time ago.
Lost in his thought he didn't see Naomi standing in front of him till she gave his knee a little shove. Her eyes were still swollen from sleep and then her lips wobbled. Noah had gathered her to himself and rocked back and forth making cooing and soothing noises to Naomi's ears trying to soothe the grieving girl. He wasn't even sure he was doing it right. He wasn't sure he was doing anything right either.
He just kept at it till she dozed off and he too dozed.
He had been awakened by the chill late into the night and he had gone inside and delivered himself to his demons. It was a horrible night.
She seem to notice someone staring so she looked up at him "I'm ready uncle noah"
She picked up her lunch and slung her bag back higher on her shoulders. She walked past him and pulled at the back door shutting it with a silent tud.
He sighed and poured his half drunk coffee in the sink, placing her half drunk cup of milk in the sink too, he followed after her shutting the door he walked towards his car.