05.S01 Chapter Five, Snippet One

New Prairie Woman
Susie Rosso Wolf
Chapter Five

              Friday night traffic heading inland from Northridge was the worst case of hell I could think of, other than undergoing another surgery. Kurt and I trudged along in Blackie, bumper to bumper, while the fresh baked manicotti and garlic bread that sat in a heavy cardboard box on the floor in the back seat replaced the new car smell of the leather interior of our 2005 Ford F150. Two dozen over-stuffed shells lay side by side in the large tray and were put to bed under the rich red cover of my finest sauce, then covered in mozzarella and provolone cheese. The aroma was almost too much to ignore but my stomach was flip flopping from intense anticipation so food was actually the last thing on my mind. Nearly two hours had passed by the time we pulled into the designated Denny’s Restaurant where Brenda, Snowflake and Cricket were waiting for us to arrive. We parked in front of a large window and I could see the girls playing a game on an arcade style machine. I walked up to the little sidewalk between the truck and the glass and tapped on it. Cricket turned and looked right at me and immediately grabbed her sister and began to scream as they both jumped up and down. I could see them run for the door and it was when their arms embraced us that the hell from the long drive swiftly became heaven.

            Brenda was sitting at a table drinking a cup of coffee and working on a grilled sandwich and fries. She stood up the moment she saw us walking toward her, looking like she too, had seen paradise. She was absolutely beautiful, glowing from joy, she simply radiated. Her heightened spirit was contagious as we all smiled broad smiles, laughed, hugged and caused quite the commotion. The late for dinner crowd watched closely as our little family rejoiced in the momentous occasion. The waitress came with menus but neither of us ordered anything except a coffee for me and a glass of milk for Kurt. The girls had plates of food from the children’s menus sitting in front of them but they were only picking at their meal of chicken fingers and fries. Ceremoniously, Brenda insisted that we all join hands to say a quick prayer of thanks for this miraculous event that was about to happen in just under two hours’ time. “Father God,” she prayed with her eyes clamped shut and her southern drawl heavy, “thank you Father for bringing us all together again and thank you for your loving grace. Lord, you know the work you’ve done to make this night happen and we most humbly ask you now, Lord, to grace us one more time with a good and loving reunion of these two special people and my son. Please God, let there be love and peace in our family tonight. We ask you this in Jesus’ name, Amen.”

            “Amen,” we all said.

            “Amen,” I whispered mostly to myself, while my face began to hurt from smiling so much. It was a wonderful, thrilling feeling, knowing I’d be seeing Robert again. Surprised by my decision to take this leap of faith, I sat in awe of the collective energy and jubilance that we all felt. Even Kurt, who is usually difficult to read, was excited and it showed in his grin from ear to ear and in his sparkling blue eyes. He squeezed my hand under the table, reassuring me that it would all be okay, telling me in his quiet way, that something wonderful was about to happen.