Chapter 9 - The Montana Sky
One year later.
The sun was sinking low over the snow-capped peaks of the Rocky Mountains, painting the sky in breathtaking shades of deep orange, pink, and purple. The air was crisp, clean, and smelled of pine needles and fresh mountain rain.
I stood on the wide wooden porch of my newly built log cabin, holding a steaming mug of dark roast coffee.
Beside me, a massive German Shepherd named Bear rested his heavy head against my knee, his tail giving two slow, happy thumps against the floorboards. I reached down, scratching him behind his ears.
Ten acres of wild, untouched Montana wilderness stretched out before me. No crystal chandeliers. No velvet banners. No fake smiles or thousand-dollar scotch. Just tall trees, open sky, and absolute, magnificent peace.
A dust cloud rose down the gravel driveway as a red pickup truck pulled up to the cabin.
Out stepped Sarah—no longer Major Carter, but simply Sarah, having retired from the military three months ago. She wore a plaid flannel shirt, work boots, and carried a large brown paper bag filled with fresh groceries from the local town market.
"Hey, mountain woman!" Sarah called out with a warm smile, stepping up the wooden porch stairs. "Brought the steaks and some local craft beer."
"You're thirty minutes late," I teased, taking the heavy grocery bag from her arms. "I was about to send a search party."
"Traffic on the two-lane highway," Sarah laughed, patting Bear on the head. "A herd of cattle decided to cross the road."
We walked inside the warm, cozy cabin. A roaring fire crackled in the stone fireplace, throwing soft, golden light across the hardwood floors and comfortable leather furniture. On the mantle sat two framed photos: one of my grandmother, and one of my old military unit standing together in front of a helicopter, all of us smiling despite the dust.
We cooked dinner together, laughing and talking about normal, simple things—the local town festival coming up next weekend, the garden I was planning to plant in the spring, and the hiking trails we were going to explore.
May you like
For the first time in my thirty years on this earth, I didn't feel like I had to prove anything. I wasn't fighting for a promotion. I wasn't trying to earn a parent's conditional love.
I was just Maren.
