Though I wasn’t looking to hook up with my new boss, it did help that there would be something nice to look at on the ranch.
The interview went well and, by the next day, I got off work to find a job offer waiting for me on my voicemail. I’d waited as long as it took for me to get to my car to drive home before I called Hank back to accept.
Hank’s ranch, the Break-Ridge Ranch, agreed to pay for my moving expenses. I needed time to settle everything in Las Vegas before I made the big move. There was a lot I had to do, including packing the things I wanted to take with me to Montana and separating out the things I wanted to put into storage and the stuff I’d planned to toss. There was also the fact I wanted to wait out my lease so I could get my security deposit back and wouldn’t have to pay a hefty fee to break the lease.
I was grateful for the time they gave me to get all of my affairs in order. In the end, it took three weeks to accomplish everything. I counted down the days until I was scheduled to leave Las Vegas, marking them off on a calendar I kept hanging in my bedroom. I’d never tell anyone this, but I’d drawn a heart around the day I was to fly out.
I felt bad that I didn’t really tell anyone but my family that I was leaving the city. I especially felt guilty that I hadn’t told my friend Sascha. She’d always been such a good friend to me, but with her job hunt, she’d been busy a lot lately. The day I’d planned to tell her, she had to rush off before I’d had the chance.
I decided to email her, letting her know about the move, about my disconnect from the city, from my life. How I was depressed by the turn my life took. I made sure to tell Sascha how much I’d always valued her friendship and that I would remain in touch. Maybe I could invite her to come visit sometime down the line. That made me feel a little bit better.
As for everyone else, well, there really wasn’t anyone else other than my parents and sister.
Some acquaintances and coworkers and a few ex-boyfriends, but that was about it. My depression made me isolate myself from nearly everyone and rebuff the people who’d tried to enter my life. I’d been miserable longer than I cared to admit, keeping it to myself, and lying whenever my family or Sascha asked how I was.
No, I just wanted a clean break from my old life, a truly fresh start. I didn’t exactly want to reinvent myself when I got to Montana, but rather wipe the slate. I hoped I would finally found the place I was meant to be, but only time would tell.
I paused Golden Girls and looked at the time. There was still at least forty-five minutes until we were set to land. I sighed, eager to get off the plane. My leg started bouncing again and I saw the guy next to me glance my way again. He sighed, no doubt eager for me to get off the plane too.
My eyes wandered back to the window, taking in fields far below us. That tingle of anxiety returned, making me a little nauseous. I squeezed my eyes shut and prayed it would soon subside. I didn’t want to feel sick on the first day of the rest of my life.
Seki
I hated airports. I really hated airports. Everyone ran around like chickens with their heads cut off and never seemed to know where they were going despite both the airport employees and numerous signs telling them where to go.
After parking the car at Missoula International Airports’ lot, I dodged numerous distressed people frantically running around, their suitcases trailing wildly behind them. I walked to the gate that Jada Hartville, the new vet for the ranch, would soon be walking through, and waited.
Not wanting Jada to wait if the plane landed early, I arrived at the airport well ahead of time. I sat down to wait, cracking open the paperback I’d brought with me to pass the time until the plane landed.
The original plan was for Hank to pick our new vet up from the airport, but when I saw he was up to eyes in paperwork and behind on it, I volunteered to go. I’d finished most of my duties for the day and had the time in my schedule.
Besides, I was curious about the woman that would be spending so much time with the animals on the ranch. As a veterinarian myself, I would soon be spending a lot of time with her too. I was glad Hank finally agreed to hire a full-time vet for the ranch. With the ranch expanding, I wasn’t able to handle everything myself anymore, especially since I worked as a ranch hand as well. Someone who could tend to our animals’ welfare full-time was exactly what Break-Ridge Ranch needed.