A Dream Come True

By H.L. Barlow

A love story of a young woman with dreams. Her life is good. She was raised in a home full of love. But good and bad can happen in a perfect life. Leta is raised to be an over-comer and her faith is the strongest at her weakness moments.

Leata and her mother Kathy prove that life never end on the right path.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Aug 28, 2019
• ISBN: 9781532080791

H.L. Barlow

I am from a small town in West Virginia. I love writing children’s stories, adult stories, poetry and using my imagination. My Grandfather and Father was a coal miner. As a child I didn’t realize what they were giving up to supply our needs. Their life was on the line each time they went inside that mountain, but never once complained . I believed friend and family are two of the greatest inspirations for writing. I love people and think that each and every one has a story hidden within them. My friends bring out the best in me. I hope each of them will maybe in some way find themselves as they read history.

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Copyright © 2019 H.L. Barlow.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

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ISBN: 978-1-5320-8078-4 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5320-8079-1 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2019912742

iUniverse rev. date:   08/27/2019

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A s you enter into the life of dreams, you may stumble along

the way, but I hope this story will in some way influence you not to give up.

This story is about a young woman. She has a dream and as she goes on her journey, she meets people and finds out sometimes it is a rocky road, but she never gives up.

Leta’s romantic dreams and career goals are bigger than her small town opportunities.

Her daddy was a coal miner. She always knew if her dreams were going to come true she would have to move from the small town she loved so much.

Not just for herself, but for her mother too.

Her father had been killed in a mine disaster and the memory would always be a continuous thing as long as she lived there.

Not that she minded, but to see reminders constantly was hard on her.

She could remember his laughter ringing through the house and everywhere she looked her father and Tommy were there.

Tommy was the light of their life. A little brother that was the sweetest child. He was always so frail from the time he was born. We kept him the center of attention.

In her mind, she knew she had to face the fact, her father was gone and her brother Tommy was gone. She could not do it here.

"Not that she ever wanted to forget. She has good memories of her dad and especially of her youth.

She is thinking how her dad had worked so hard to take care of them. The mining town was a good town and full of great people, but she needed to go on with her life.

She had never been anywhere except for the years when she went to college. As far as her personality, she was not shy when it came to strangers or fears of a larger town.

She returned to her home the same as she left, sweet and innocent.

Since her dad had died, she wanted to stay close to her mother. She could not imagine leaving her alone or being without her. She was also her best friend.

She was taught to respect others and have pride in herself. She was a dreamer and had read all the love novels that were in the town library and dreamed she was the one they were talking about.

She felt in her heart one day her knight in shining armor would come along and they would ride off into the sunset. She knew he would be tall, handsome, full of laughter and love life. Would also know the minute they touched they were right for each other.

She would look into his eyes and see fireworks like the Fourth of July. There would be suspense, but she would know what he was thinking. He would feel the same way about her.

The sun would shine every day, the moon would be full every night and they would set by a huge fireplace and dream the night away. This was her dream and she would never let go of it. He would have to be strong, loving, and kind. Her dad had left her with high expectations of what a husband should be.

As for her mother. Leta knew she would never leave her mother alone. Her dad would expect her to be there for her.

Not that she needing taking care of physically but just being there for her. Her mom was a wonderful, kind and loving person. She was still young looking and beautiful. The years had been good to her.

She was always there for anyone that needed her. She would never be alone; she would make sure of that.

Her father knew of his daughter’s dreams and always wanted what was best for her. He had worked hard to send her to college and to get the training she needed to work in the world.

Many times, he worked overtime in the mines to make extra money to put away for her college fund.

Leta fulfilled her father’s dream by going to college. When she returned she got a job in the real estate office in the small town where she had lived all her life. She was content with her job but knew something was missing in her life. In her mind, she knew this wasn’t filling the dream she had. There was something bigger out there and it wasn’t going to happen here.

Leta’s mom went along with her dreams and smiled when she talked about her Knight in Shining Armor. Her mother also knew in this small town no one like that would ever come along, no one to sweep Leta off her feet.

She could see the restlessness growing in her every day. She knew the day would come when she would have to leave, but did not think it would be so soon. She also never thought she would have to make the decision she was going to make.

Her boss, Mr. Taylor had been watching for an opening in another branch office, knowing she was too good a sales person to remain where she was and he didn’t want to lose her. She would still be working for him but in another city. She was good at her job, a great personality and good with people

He was just waiting for the opportunity to transfer her as soon as there was an opening.

Mr. Taylor was a good man. He had known Leta for years. He kept a place open for her in his office because he knew that was what she wanted to do when she graduated from college. He knew her Dad, Tom, and Kathy her mother for years.

The firm in Lexington had a salesperson to retire at their branch office and needed someone to fill the position. Mr. Taylor felt as if she could handle the job and was well qualified if he could talk her into moving.

Everyone that knew Leta had heard her talk about going somewhere else, moving on up so to speak. She was perfect for the job. Leta had dreams of going someplace else and she knew this was meant to be. The opportunity was here and she knew it was right.

It was a much bigger place than either one of them had ever been. She could handle the responsibility.

The thing was, would her mother leave?

Mr. Taylor told her about the job and told her to think on it. The other person was leaving in two weeks and he had to know as soon as possible if she would take the position.

At first, Leta was afraid to make the move, but then again she felt secure in the fact that God was in control of her life and had raised this opportunity for her to make a choice.

The more she thought about it, the more she knew this was it. She wants her Mom to move with her, and here it is, the perfect opportunity.

She began to get excited about it. Now all she had to do was convince her mother to go, and this was going to be the challenge.

She knew she would not go alone, not without her mom. She would never leave her mother alone and she did not want to.

Her mother was also her best friend, and she could not imagine not being with her.

She prayed she would know this was right, that God had put this in motion, now to follow his plans.

She told her mother all about it and she tried to be as convincing as possible.

"Mom, she said, this could be the dream I’ve been waiting for. I have always wanted to go to the city; it has been the desire of my heart. It is a chance, But I won’t do this without you.

It’s not that far away. Lexington is a beautiful city. Full of things to do and so much history behind it. Think about it please.

Mrs. Nelson ask Leta. Are you sure? We have all our friends here. Do you think we could really survive in a different place? I mean, you are young and I know you have dreams, and they can never come true here. I know I will be okay. It is what you want that counts. I mean I am nervous, but if it is the Lord’s will I know we will be just fine.

All I want is for you to be happy.

"Oh Mom, I know we can do it, we’ve always made it. Since Dad died you have taken care of me, been here for me, now it is my turn to take care of you.

My salary will double and we can have all we ever wanted. They will be new excitement, new friends and all kinds of things to do.

"Let’s do it. She waited as she watched her mom.

Once Mrs. Nelson seen the excitement in Leta’s eyes, she knew it had to be done.

"Yes, her mom said, let’s do it, we’ll be fine and it’s your dream. I have had mine, your dad and all the love a person could ask for, it is your turn honey.

I have read about Lexington Kentucky, and you are right, it is a beautiful place. I only ask for one thing.

If we could just live in a place that feels like home. With a place for a flower garden and surrounded with huge trees like those that I read about. Quiet and peaceful. I do not want to live in the city honey.

I would never be happy in the city and you would not either.

So they decided, knowing it was going to be a change, but the Lord was in everything they did so together they knew it was his plan.

Now to make a decision as to what to pack and what to leave. As they talked about it they decided to take all they could.

Leta knew the concern her mother had about leaving. She said, we can’t leave our memories behind.

We’ll hire a U-Haul and they’ll pack the big things and we can pack all the small things. I can put a lot in the trunk of my car that might get broken, special things. I’ll empty the trunk, they’ll be plenty of room.

Leta looked in the trunk of the car and thought. Should I take the spare out?

She decided she would, that will make more room for the things they wanted to take.

After all the tires seemed pretty good and she had never used the spare, so she laid it aside thinking, she would put it back in if there was room.

SO THE JOURNEY IS ABOUT TO BEGIN

Not just the journey to a different city but the journey they are going on with packing and deciding what to take.

Neither knowing what they would have to go through just packing and looking at things they hadn’t thought about in a long time.

Small things they had taken for granted. Things that were in their place, memories they knew were there.

It’s funny the things you take for granted until you are making a decision as to what you might have to leave behind, and what you want to take.

She found herself doubting many times if she was making the right decision. But yet, Leta felt in her heart if she missed this chance she may never have another.

As they packed, they were both very quiet. As they looked around all the memories of the big old house came back.

As she looked around the house she saw them, the marks on the door facing, the lines, the numbers.

She smiled as she remembered. Dad would stand me and Tommy, my little brother against the door facing and make a mark to measure us. He put our height and our age. All these years and I never thought about them, just walked by the facing.

Guess I just knew they were there. Funny the things we take for granted when we’re young.

The marks were from three years old up to ten for me and seven for Tommy. She smiled to herself. She reached out and touched the markings dad had made of Tommy and her eyes filled with tears.

After that I wouldn’t let dad do it anymore, I was just too big, so I thought, not knowing there was a reason behind everything that my dad did.

Her thoughts went back to when she was a child, he’d chase me through the house carrying Tommy under his arm and almost catching me. I’d laugh and run till he’d pick me up under his other arm and make us both giggle.

The house rang with laughter. At night we would all snuggled together in front of the fireplace and he would tell us stories or read to us from our favorite books.

Leta looks over at the old fireplace and stops for a moment and thinks to herself. Sure going to miss that fireplace, lots of memories there.

She just sat there for a moment and didn’t even realized there was a smile on her face.

Even after working sometimes two shifts. Dad was there for me. He never missed anything that went on in my life.

His shoes were going to be hard to fill. She just hoped and prayed her mom would be happy.

With her dad gone it was her turn to make her mother happy.

Then the memories started flowing through Leta’s head of her dad. She remembered how he always sat in the same chair to relax, and he had his favorite chair at the dinner table.

No one sat in Daddy’s chair. Even when we had company no one sat in Daddy’s chair, not out of fear, but out of respect for him.

"Oh goodness she thought, can Mom do it, could she leave here and leave the physical memories of dad?

Leta had almost decided not to go, the decision was so hard. She didn’t want her mom to know how she felt.

Then Leta stopped packing for a moment, she was thinking of all the times her mom had cooked on the old stove, it was one of those big ones with double ovens, for sure they couldn’t take that. Mom loves that old stove and always loved fixing for the neighbors.

She remembered mom and dad working together fixing breakfast on the mornings he was home, he always put the coffee on and he helped with setting the table and they would laugh and hug.

Their love never grew old, but always remained as it was in the beginning.

Leta had seen this all the time and loved her parents very much. They had taught her what love is supposed to be like.

She had seen her dad looked across the table at her mom like she was the most beautiful woman in the world. Mom would always blush when he did that, like she was a young school girl, like they could read each other’s thoughts.

As Leta was having her own thoughts so was her mother. She stopped and looked over at her mom.

As her mom was taking the dishes from the cupboard Leta noticed she slowed down and she knew she was thinking also.

She watched as her mom reached for dad’s favorite cup. He always had his coffee in that same cup. She had a fresh pot ready for him in the evenings. It was something she did out of love for him. Leta hesitated as she watched her mom.

Mrs. Nelson was holding the cup, she could feel Tom’s presence, she closed her eyes and knew he would always be in her heart.

She closed her eyes and she could see him looking over the cup with that smile on his face. He always said the same thing.

"Honey, why is it, this coffee always taste better when you fix it? He knew how to make me smile. I knew he just wanted me to fix it for him and hand it to him, then sit down beside him as he drank it.

He worked so hard to get us everything we ever needed. He never promised me or the children anything he couldn’t get for us.

So we knew if he said something, he meant it. If we wanted something, he let us know if we could afford it or not. The children always understood. He taught them our needs and our wants were different.

She put the cup up to her face and kissed it gently trying not to cry.

She didn’t see Leta watching her.

Leta looked away, her heart couldn’t take what she knew her Mom was going through, she looked into the dining room and there it was, the singer sewing machine.

She knew they definitely would take that. There was no doubt in her mind. Her mom used it all the time. She made all the curtains for the windows. They were the same style as what Mom seen in the catalogs.

She loved making things for the house, I know sometimes her hands were tired.

She even made many of my school clothes, always kept up with style.

Leta thought back to when her mom saw the Singer sewing machine in a store window and dad saw her looking at it but neither of them saying a word.

Leta smiled as the thought came to her mind. She had me and Tommy by the hand and when she stopped we wondered why.

There it was, in the window all bright and shiny, black with silver letters on it. I remember thinking why they put Singer on it and why did mom just stare at it. I found out it had always been the desire of her heart to have one. She knew we couldn’t afford it, so she never mentioned it.

Dad then began to save and make payments on it in order to surprise her. I had never seen my mother cry, but when dad had that delivered, she put her apron over her face and cried.

She kept hugging and kissing my dad. She knew we couldn’t afford it, and he sacrificed to buy it.

He had doubled back in the mines when someone couldn’t make their shift, just for the extra money.

My dad never believed in owing for anything.

He always said, If you owe a man in turn he owns you.

As Leta looked around, she was still thinking of her dad. He seemed to be everywhere in the house. Mom loved dad so much, and I know she’s thinking of him now just as I am.

She lowered her head so mom couldn’t see her face as the tears fell down her cheeks. She missed him so much, his loving hands, the caring heart.

Mrs. Nelson looked across the room at Leta, as she did Leta closed her eyes and turned her head.

She thought Leta was just having one of her day dreams. She didn’t see the tears. Mrs Nelson just thought she was day dreaming again. She knew she had to do this for her daughter.

She has her dreams and she gets that from me.

Her father was always my knight in shining armor, but he was realistic about things. As for me, I always had dreams, so I guess it’s real, because now one of Leta’s is coming true.

I know in my heart I have to do this for her. I’ll have to be brave and