Dear Pa,

     I’m writing to you from Richmond, Virginia where I’ve been for the past three weeks. I know I haven’t written much. There’s so much to say, and yet, I barely know how to begin . . .

 

Adam crumpled up the paper, and with a sigh of frustration, tossed it across the hotel room. It landed at Sissy’s feet, where she was swaying back and forth in the rocking chair Adam had purchased for her. He waited, hoping his outburst might get a reaction, but she remained silent. Her eyes were open, but they were empty, holding not a hint of either joy or sadness. Adam had hoped by bringing her to Richmond, with the bigger and better hospital, he might be able to find some help for her, but the doctors had all agreed that her shock had been too great. After the visit with Denton, she had retreated to some far corner of her mind and though, when guided, she would eat, walk, and sleep, she was no more than the remaining shell of the young woman he had known.

Given her past history, the doctors had encouraged him to make her comfortable in an asylum and move on, but he couldn’t bring himself to leave her. She had been through so much, and he knew, if he were to leave, she would slowly wither away and die. He watched her now as she sat rocking back and forth.

Getting up, he crossed the room and knelt down next to her, and then taking her hand, he spoke gently. “Sissy, I’ve been giving this a lot of thought. I think it might be a good idea for us to leave Virginia. I’ll take you to the Ponderosa, and you can finally meet my pa and brothers. You will love the mountains there. They’re not like the ones here in Virginia, not a whole lot of grass, but there are miles of some of the most beautiful pines you’ll ever see. Strong, and so tall they touch the clouds, and there’s the most amazing lake. I think it might be good for us to get away . . .”

He stopped talking; watching, waiting, but there was nothing except empty silence. Slowly placing her hand back in her lap, he stood and headed out of the room. Having previously made arrangements to have one of the hotel maids sit with Sissy when he was gone, he stopped downstairs at the desk to inform them he would be going out for a while.

Richmond’s streets were busier than Charlottesville, and as he walked toward the stage office, he soaked in the sights around him. He hadn’t been out much, except to visit Sissy when she’d been in the hospital. Up ahead, he heard the ringing of a bell, and a minute later, he stood back as a crowd of happy school children ran from a large church building. He smiled for a moment, caught up in their carefree laughter, but then they were gone, and his heart once again grew heavy.

Deciding to cut through a little alley way to save time, he stopped and stared in wonder when he came out the other side. The alley exited into a large, circular market place, similar to the one where he’d first met Sissy. He walked around for a while, browsing at the different shops and stalls. At the end of a long table full of fresh breads, he caught sight of the fruit stands and an idea hit him. It was a long shot, but maybe, just maybe . . .

 

Thirty minutes later, Adam was back at the market, this time with Sissy in tow. Even though she remained impassive, he walked her around for a while, letting her get used to the sights and sounds before he led her in the direction of the fruit carts. The third stand they came to had what he was looking for, and he quickly made his purchase. Then opening the bag, he pulled out one of the dark sweet cherries. Taking her hand and whispering a prayer, he placed the small fruit in her palm.

“For the pleasure of your company,” he said and waited.

For a moment, he thought his plan had failed, but then suddenly, her expression changed. She looked startled, as if she’d seen a ghost. It took him a few seconds, but then Adam realized it wasn’t what he’d said. She was looking somewhere past him, and he turned. Just a short distance behind him stood a little girl, no more than five or six years old, and she had her hands help up toward the sunlight as she twirled around in her cottony white dress.

“Sissy, what is it?” he asked, turning back to her. “Are you all right?”

Sissy didn’t speak, but slowly, she raised her hand, pointing a shaking finger toward the small girl. Adam turned again, and he watched as the little girl ran to a nearby cart.

“Mama, Mama,” she said, coming up behind a young woman busy choosing vegetables. The woman turned and smiling, took the little girl’s hand.

Adam whirled around when a strangled gasp came from Sissy. Her eyes were pooled with tears as she watched the mother and daughter. She opened her mouth, but no sound came out. Adam spun again, watching as the woman, with her little girl, started to walk away. Sissy took a step forward, her hand reaching out, but still no words would come.

It couldn’t be.

     It wasn’t possible, it couldn’t be true, but he had to try. Cupping his hands around his mouth, he shouted across the market place, “Meg.”

And the woman stopped. Turning, while still holding onto the hand of her child, she looked in his direction. She gazed at him in confusion until her eyes fell on Sissy. She froze, her eyes becoming wide, and then, suddenly, as if the final log had been torn from a dam, they were both rushing toward each other.

Adam had never seen a more joyous reunion as the two cousins collided in the center of the market. Their tears mingled with laughter as they wrapped their arms around each other, and then Adam heard a sound so beautiful it brought tears to his own eyes. Sissy spoke.

“Meg, oh, my Meg.”