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Emily was chatting with Belle, as Stormi walked up with a vaguely familiar women, though Emily couldn’t quite place her.
“Emily, this is Katherine Grazinski,” Stormi introduced them.
Emily remembered the name immediately. Her family owned the dairy farm next to Living River, and her father was well known around these parts as not being the friendliest to deal with. Katherine had chased after Noah for years until Margaret had finally made an honest man of him.
“Nice to meet you,” she said, shaking Katherine’s hand.
“I can tell from your face; my name precedes me.”
“I have heard a few things about your family. You own a vast farm next door to Living River Ranch, correct?”
Katherine chuckled, “My father does, yes. He is a bit of a traditionalist, though, and so I have come to learn some new animal husbandry philosophies from Stormi. I would like to show him my ability to add value, but despite attending vet school, he still wants me to simply marry and leave the business of farming to others.”
“That must be tough. I know Stormi is doing great things with our program here,” Emily said, confidently.
“We are waiting for another new arrival that was booked through MSU for an internship here. I thought I would kill two birds with one stone today, so I invited Katherine to tag along,” Stormi advised just as a beat-up old pickup rattled up the drive of Living River.
Emily didn’t recognize the vehicle, thus assumed it was the newcomer student that Stormi was waiting to meet. As the girl exited the vehicle, it was clear she would fit in on the ranch, from the work-worn boots, chambray button-up shirt, jacket loosely thrown over her shoulders, and hair piled up under a cowboy hat, this was someone Emily could easily envision at the ranch.
“Annalise Heath,” Stormi asked, moving forward to greet the girl.
“Yes,” she said, shaking Stormi’s hand before turning to Belle, Katherine, and Emily for introductions.
“I am so grateful to get this internship; Living River Ranch is famous in our school for your animal science program as much as your liberal art therapy internships,” she gushed.
“We love to hear it,” Belle interjected.
Emily stood staring at the lady, amazed at the way she reminded her of Stormi. Her mannerism and even facial features presented an uncanny resemblance. Maybe all-female animal workers had similar mannerisms in this field. But the resemblance was uncanny.
“Did you grow up around animals?” Stormi asked after a long moment.
“Not really. I was a foster kid in Portland since I was eight. I took advantage of the free public college for kids in the system, and just found my passion working with science and animals in particular.”
“I was a foster kid as well,” Stormi said. “Sounds like we will get along famously. I didn’t even know my parents, and the system was a tough place to grow up in. Living River though gave me purpose, and animals are my passion and my life’s work.”
“I’m finding that it will probably be the same for me,” Annalise said with a huge smile, “we have so much in common. I didn’t have much of a relationship with my mom growing up, because she was kind of a hot mess most of the time. When I was eight, she lost custody of me for good, and then passed away a few years later.”
“Do you have any siblings?”
Annalise’s face fell. Emily wanted to reach out and hug her from the discomfort showing on her face. “I think I might.”
Belle looked confused as she added, “what makes you think that?”
“My mom on her death bed acknowledged that she had another little girl that she abandoned years before me. She wanted me to know about her so I might find my family someday.”
“Do you have any other information? Have you found this sister?”
“I haven’t looked yet. I barely have time between my job as a waitress, school, and interning places. I know her birthday is August 5, and that she was abandoned here in Little Bend at a church,” she said as Stormi gasped out loud and her face went ash white.
“I’m sorry,” Annalise said, bobbling backward, “I don’t even know why I told you all this. I didn’t mean to cause you alarm. Just forget it, and we can,” she babbled on, stopping when Stormi stepped toward her.
“What brought you here today?” She demanded.
“This internship was advertised by my professor,” Annalise replied, confused. “I just–I don’t know, I was intrigued and submitted my application that evening. You guys responded inside of a day, selecting me.”
“You were meant to come here,” Belle added.
“I don’t understand,” Annalise said, lightly glancing about between them.
Emily watched everything but couldn’t find any words. She thought the dots were connecting and was taken aback at the turn of events. She had seen some big coincidences bring people to Living River Ranch over the last year, but this one had her shaking to see the outcome.
“I don’t understand what is wrong,” Annalise said.
“I was abandoned at the Little Bend church on August 5, 1992, and my mother was never found,” Stormi whispered, with tears in her eyes.
“Shut up!” Annalise said, her hand covering her mouth. “Are you messing with me?” She said, as Emily watched tears well up and slide down her cheeks.
“No, she’s not,” Belle said, standing in shock at what had just transpired.
“OH, my goodness,” Katherine whispered reverently, with hands rising to her cheeks in shock.
“You think – you are my sister,” Annalise said.
Stormi just stood, eyes wide for a moment. “I didn’t think I would ever find anyone that was related to me.”
The silence that ensued had goosebumps rising on Emily’s arms as the momentous turn of events registered. There were ways to confirm the facts, but it was too coincidental not to be true. There were no words to describe the feelings being experienced by everyone. Shock, awe, and wonder found a home in the group as they took a silent moment to put themselves together again.
