The Length of Our Staircase

By Betsy Naglich

Have you ever started to climb a staircase and wondered when it would end? Each step an accomplishment, ending one step of a struggle. Climb the stairs with Rose on her journey to fulfill her dreams. Conquer each of the forty-seven steps. Fight the battles with her as she learns to trust her heart. The Length of Our Staircase is fiction, based on a true story about a strong, independent woman named Rose. While lacking confidence, she is determined to fulfill her late mothers wish, to adopt an older boy who needs a home. It is both heart-breaking and heart-warming as Rose adopts the child and then faces years of hardships and conflicts because of her son's abusive past. One problem leads to another, and Rose finds that her life now has a purpose: to succeed in creating a happy life for her son and a happy life for herself. It is the story of two unlikely people who form a bonding relationship in a difficult situation. You will find yourself on the edge of your seat, with a tear in your eye, hoping and praying that Rose and her new son finally get a break and find happiness. This story is for every mother who fought for their child in any difficult situation. Whether you gave birth to a child or have been there for a child in need, you will feel very close to this story, and it will remind you of your own journey and the staircase you climbed. Martin Luther King Jr. - "Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase."

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: May 7, 2021
• ISBN: 9781098078249

Book preview

Chapter 1

The Airport

Rose couldn’t believe she might miss her flight. The one time she really needed to get home. Not only was the traffic bad, but the cabbie also fumbled with the credit card transaction, and then his trunk wouldn’t open to unload her suitcase. To top it off, the flight was leaving from the farthest gate. She shouldn’t have used the employee standby ticket for this trip. Standby is just not the way to fly when you definitely need to be home at a designated time. What if she doesn’t make it to the gate prior to the ten-minute preflight deadline? She wondered why her mom thought this would be the perfect way to travel and the perfect job for Rose. Yes, back in the sixties, it was romantic and thrilling. Not too many people flew back then, everyone dressed up, and the food service on board was impressive. Today it is far less romantic. Almost everyone has been on a plane, and many people fly regularly. She had to admit that, most of the time, she enjoyed it. Her mom was right. It was just this one time that it was not working out to her expectations.

Running through the airline terminal, Rose spotted the monitor, which showed that her flight to Chicago was on time. She continued to walk fast and was determined to get to the gate before it closed. Rose was dressed in her business attire—as dictated by the airline company—so it was impossible for her to run, although as fit as she was, she knew she could have made it quicker!

Arriving at the gate, she saw that there was a line of customers waiting for service. The gate attendant seemed frustrated. The flight was going to take off in fifteen minutes, and there were still customers making changes. Finally, Rose was second in line. Behind her was a disgruntled customer swearing under his breath. Come on, people, move it along. How long does it take to get a seat and print a ticket?

She didn’t want anyone else to get in front of her because her standby seat might be lost to a paying customer, but as a good employee she turned around. Excuse me, sir, would you like to move ahead of me? It appears you are in a hurry. Rose strained to put on a smile.

The angry man moved ahead of Rose without thanking her. She continued to wait patiently, and it was finally her turn. With a smile, she handed her standby ticket to the gate attendant. Hi, I’m flying standby. I should be on your list.

Relieved that she had a nice customer, the gate attendant smiled back at Rose. Yes, I see your name. By the way, thank you for letting that irritating man go through before you. He was one of the worst customers today!

No problem, I wanted to help. I also wanted him to stop causing a commotion. I need you to get your work done, so that I could get on the plane too, Rose said in jest and smiled.

Well, thanks! Look, your kindness paid off. You are in the first-class cabin for your trip home! The gate attendant handed over the ticket to Rose.

Wow, what a nice surprise! My mom would be happy. She told me to work for an airline, so that I could travel the world in style. Rose remembered how her mom was always pushing her to get a job with an airline.

Tell her I said she was a very smart lady! The gate attendant was happy to hear that there were still people who loved to fly!

Oh, thank you. I wish I could, but she died seventeen years ago, back in 1981. Rose had a little sadness in her voice.

I’m sorry to hear that. Was there any other good advice or requests that she made? The gate attendant was packing up her desk, ready to move to the next flight going out.

Rose was the last in line, and she knew the gate attendant had time to listen. So she continued. Only one last request, and it was a whopper! I compare it to that big piece of chocolate cake at the end of a meal. You want it, but you know you’ve already gone over your calories. You hate to think what the scale may say in the morning if you eat it, but it may be the best cake ever! So should I eat it or not? Would I be missing anything? It’s a big decision!

The gate is closing, you better run! The gate attendant didn’t want her to lose her seat.

Thanks again. Rose bent over to pick up her bags and scrambled to the gate. She grabbed her carry-on bag and purse but paused to hear the last thing the gate attendant wanted to say.

"Hey, about your decision. I think you should go for it, or you may always wonder, what if?" The gate attendant waved, shuffled her papers, and started off to her next gate.

Rose continued walking but looked back with a smile. The door closed as she rushed down the gangway to reach the plane.

Once aboard, she greeted the flight attendants. An older man in front of her was having a problem getting his bag up to the overhead compartment. Rose helped push the bag up and closed the compartment for the man. He thanked her and continued to his seat. She spotted her seat and moved toward it. Her carry-on was small, and she crammed it into a small space to try to leave the bigger spaces for the paying customers. Finally she sat, took a deep breath, and smiled. She got lucky and would make it home after all.

The flight attendants swiftly worked to make sure everyone was seated, bags were stored, and all doors and compartments were shut tight. The safety demonstration was given, and soon they were ready for departure.

After takeoff, one of the flight attendants appeared with a glass of wine for Rose. I noticed you were helping the customers, and I wanted to thank you!

Rose graciously reached for the glass of wine. It wasn’t a problem. I saw you were busy with others. I like to help out since I am a fellow employee.

The flight attendant moved to serve other customers. Rose adjusted her seat, grabbed a brochure out of her purse to read, and settled back for a long flight. She was in such a hurry that she had forgotten about the stressful day she had in store for her the next day. It felt good to finally relax.

Good afternoon, everyone. This is Captain Smith, your pilot. Today’s flight to Chicago will take three hours and thirty minutes. We will be flying at an altitude of thirty-nine thousand feet. We should touch down at O’Hare at 5:30 p.m. The weather looks good, and we should have a smooth flight.

The passenger to her right noticed Rose. He was happy that he was sitting next to a cute, professional woman who looked about his age, which was fortyish. He was hoping he would be sitting next to someone who wanted to talk. He glanced over at what she was reading and commented, I couldn’t help but notice the brochure. Can I ask why you are reading it?

Well, it’s a long story. Would you like to hear it? It starts back around thirty-four years ago. Rose thought it might be good to get another opinion about the whole idea. Sometimes it was easier to talk to a stranger than someone close.

I’ve got three and a half hours until we get off this airplane. Sure, I’m all ears! He smiled and was ready to listen. He needed a new story and friendly travel companion. He traveled for business, and sometimes it was monotonous. They clinked their wineglasses in agreement!

Chapter 2

The Farm

Nick drove down a rural farm road in his new 1963 Cadillac with his beautiful wife, Dolly, and their two daughters. Diane, a studious eight-year-old, was reading in the back seat, oblivious to the road or conversation inside the car. Rose, six years old, was the opposite. She sat with her head stuck between the gap of the two front bucket seats, listening and watching her mom and dad with open ears and eyes.

Nick watched the farms pass by and pointed to the next row of trees on the left. Look, there it is, the next farm on the left, after the row of trees.

Dolly watched as the land passed by and exclaimed, Is this all ours? How big is it again?

Yep, all of the land up to the next gate is ours. In order to see the back border, we’ll need to get out and walk. It’s eighty acres.

I never thought we’d own this much land! What will we do with it all? Dolly was amazed.

Hang on, let me pull the for-sale sign out of the ground and unlock the gate, then I’ll tell you my plans for the place. Nick pulled over to the gate of the farm. Dolly watched as her strong husband easily pulled out the for-sale sign. He popped the trunk and threw it inside. Then he unlocked the fence and climbed back into the car.

Nick started to finish his thought. As we drive down the driveway, imagine a row of apple trees on the right side. We’ll have tons of apples to eat and give away to everyone. You’ll see the house and the barn as we get to the end of the driveway. They’re really in bad shape, and I need to completely rebuild them. Look over there, an outhouse. There isn’t even any indoor plumbing in the house. Believe me, it really needs a rebuild bad.

Nick continued to drive past the house and barn and then stopped. This is where I am going to put two ponds and piers for fishing.

Maybe we can get some sand and add a little beach area for the girls? Now Dolly was imagining all sorts of things to plan, build, and enjoy.

Rose was still listening, with her head sticking into the front seat. She listened closely to the plans her father had made for the farm. She looked back and forth at them as they talked.

Nick, wouldn’t it be great to have a son to help out and enjoy our new farm too? Dolly looked away, not wanting to hear the answer she expected.

Dolly, we talked about that. The girls are enough. Nick was stern.

Dolly was sad and kept staring out the window. Rose noticed that her mom was sad and wanted to help. She didn’t like it when her mom was sad, and she didn’t understand why her dad didn’t want to make her mom happy either. She thought that maybe it might make her mom happier if she tried to fish with her dad and do some work with him.

Dolly, get the girls ready, and we’ll park the car and walk around. Take the camera, and get some pictures too. We should save the pictures of how the farm looked on our first visit. Nick pulled onto a gravel area and shut off the car.

Okay, Nick, I want to get a picture of you and the girls too! Dolly reached for the camera case and got the girls out of the car.

They walked around the farm, looking at the different fields, the creek that separated fields, the duck blind site for hunting, and the sites for the horse stable and barns. They took pictures and enjoyed their very first visit. After a few hours, they got back in the car and closed the gate behind them.

As the year went by, the family came to the farm week after week. The projects they planned became reality. Little by little, the farm became a beautiful place. The house was a huge project, and Nick had some friends helping with the construction. He had his own pet projects that he worked on himself. Even though Rose was young and small, she tried to help her father in any way she could. She followed him around and handed him tools or fetched things. Dolly noticed Rose helping her father work and always smiled.

The following year, Nick planted the row of apple trees along the driveway as promised. Again, Rose was right alongside her father digging with her little shovel, noticing how happy it made her mom as she watched.

Each year, Nick progressed and completed the barn, the stable, the ponds, and the piers. As the farm improved, friends and relatives started to visit and enjoy the place. The pond was stocked with fish, and the kids started fishing. The sand was poured for the beach, and the kids started swimming. The more work Nick put into the place, the more enjoyment came out of it.

Next, the plans came together to make the farm a hunting haven. He added a duck blind by the pond and planted the thorny bushes that the pheasants would hide under and then added more trees by the creek for the deer.

The friends and relatives started to depend on the annual celebration at the farm. Nick roasted pigs and lamb, along with the usual staples at a cookout, such as hamburgers, hotdogs, and Dolly’s world-famous potato salad. The farm became the place to be in the summer.

As the kids got older, there were minibikes, dirt bikes, snowmobiles, and golf carts. Nick bought the fun vehicles mainly for Rose’s enjoyment. He loved watching her learn to ride each one and conquer them. As she grew older, he started to challenge her and started buying the minibikes with manual gears. Rose learned to change the gears all by herself while her father watched. She struggled and the bike died out, but she just kept trying, and hours later she was buzzing around the farm on the new minibike like an expert. Nick loved watching his little tomboy. He loved her spunk and stubbornness.

Next, Rose learned how to shoot a gun and hunt for pheasant and rabbit. Nick showed her the safety lessons once and then just kept loading the clay pigeons over and over until Rose started to hit some. Finally, she got the hang of it. Pretty soon she turned into a decent shot. Another success for Nick and his daughter.

Rose started bringing her friends to the farm to enjoy all the fun. One of her best friends was Cindy. Cindy and Rose rode the minibikes to town and all around the farm roads. Memories of a lifetime were made together. They sang songs while riding down the farm roads. They hunted for butterflies, ducks, and boys! They played hard and constantly laughed!

The farm had kept their life busy and active, but as the years went by, the relatives visited less and less frequently. Their children had activities like baseball and ballet, and they found that they couldn’t get to the farm on the weekends anymore. Slowly, the farm got lonelier and lonelier. Nick and Dolly spent more time at the farm by themselves.

As Rose turned into a teenager, she was less interested in the sports and activities that her dad enjoyed. She started to date and got interested in her education. She decided that she wanted to become an accountant and knew she’d need to go to college. Her schoolwork became a priority. She still wanted to make her parents happy but had less time to do it. Instead of working alongside her dad and fishing with her mom, Rose brought her boyfriend, Don, with her to the farm. He worked with Nick and loved to fish, so she could sit and study for school. Things worked out beautifully. Everyone seemed to be very happy, until one day when she was at the farm and her mom wanted to talk.

Rose, sit down with me and talk. Dolly was a little melancholy.

Okay, Mom, but just for a while. I want to get back to my studies. I have a test next week in chemistry and want to get an A. It’s important that I do really well during my last year in high school, so that I can go to college. Rose was determined to get straight A’s.

I know that is important, but you can spare thirty minutes for your mom too. I’ve got something to show you. Look, I found this ad in the newspaper. United Airlines is looking for flight attendants. It says that you need a high school education and you can apply. Dolly loved to travel and enjoyed trips with her two daughters when they were younger. She would’ve loved for Rose to become a flight attendant.

Mom, you know that I want to be an accountant! Rose loved bookkeeping class during her sophomore year and thought she’d like to pursue it as a career.

Well, airlines need accountants too. Dolly was eager for Rose to give it a thought.

Okay, Mom, I’ll think about it. What are the plans for this weekend, Mom? Who is coming down to the farm? What are you cooking? Rose tried to change the subject.

Dolly sighed. Rose, the days of the big parties and all of the activities here are over. Everyone is running around with their growing kids, and they don’t have time left to come to the farm.

Oh, Mom, you are exaggerating. I am sure if you called people up, they would love to come to the farm and have fun! Rose was sure that there were people who would still enjoy a weekend on the farm.

Rose, you don’t understand. It’s not that easy anymore. People are staying in the city around their houses. The years of the family activities here are over. Dolly had tried to continue the cookouts each year, but as the years went by, the turnout was less and less.

Dolly got up and walked over to the sink to wash some dishes. Rose felt bad that her mom’s life on the weekends at the farm had slowed down and become less enjoyable.

Is there anything I can do? I bet some of my friends would love to come to the farm this weekend. Rose tried hard to make her mom’s mood change and get her excited about having people out.

Dolly finished the dishes and walked back to the table. She hesitated, but she finally talked to her daughter about what she wanted.

Rose, remember that orphanage down the street from your part-time job? Dolly doodled pictures on her tablet while talking. She was always writing lists and doodling. She kept a list of the calories she ate, things needed from the store, and other chores that needed to get done.

Yes, Mom, I know the place you are talking about. Why? Rose had started working a year ago and would drive about fifteen minutes to her part-time job in the next city.

Well, maybe you can stop there and ask if they will let you bring a little boy to the farm? Maybe there is a boy there who needs a home. You can pick him up and bring him to the farm. Maybe a boy who would love to spend some time fishing? Dolly was hoping for a positive answer from Rose. She knew it was a stretch but wanted to suggest it anyway.

Mom, I really don’t think they would allow a teenager to take a boy out of the orphanage and bring him to the farm to fish. Rose felt like rolling her eyes but didn’t want to upset her mom. How could a sixteen-year-old be trusted with a child from the orphanage?

Dolly was sad and walked away from the table. Rose knew that her mom always wanted a boy. She tried hard over the years to do the things that a boy would love to do to make her mom happier. She fished, hunted, and worked alongside her dad, just like a boy would have done. She thought that would be enough, but her mom was still yearning for that little boy she never had. Rose sat and was silent. Her mom continued to work around the kitchen.

Chapter 3

The Drive Home

The plane was just about ready to land in Chicago. Rose was finishing up the story to her new friend in the next airline seat.

That was a great story. You must have had a nice childhood with the farm in your life! The friendly passenger was truly interested in what Rose had to say.

Yes, the farm was a great place, but as the story told, there was always something missing from my mom’s life. Rose stopped and gazed straight ahead.

Did telling me the story bring you closer to your final decision? Are you going to go through with adopting an older boy who needs a home?

Yes, I think our conversation helped me know that this is something I have to do for me and for my mom. Rose put a smile on her face. She had come to a decision that had taken a long time to make.

Well, good luck to you. I hope everything works out as planned. The smile Rose had shown was catchy and appeared on his face too.

There are a few more obstacles that I need to clear up before things can work out as planned, Rose pondered.

You have a good head on your shoulders. I am sure you will get through anything you need to and make your dreams a reality. He touched Roses arm lightly to share his approval.

Thank you for your kind words. You were a great companion on this flight. I will remember you. Rose started preparing to get off the plane.

The flight attendants prepared for landing. They came down the aisles and picked up the trash and glasses from the passengers. The seat belt sign illuminated. The pilot gave the final talk about the arrival in Chicago.

Please put on your seat belts and prepare for landing. It is seventy degrees in Chicago. We should be at the gate in ten minutes. Thank you for flying with us today. We appreciate your business. The pilot ended the announcement and shut off the speaker.

The plane landed and taxied to the gate. The passengers were waiting impatiently to get off the plane and go forward with their lives, especially Rose.

The plane stopped at the gate, and everyone started to hustle, grabbing their suitcases and other possessions. She popped her seat belt and stood to run out of the door as soon as it opened. The flight attendants thanked everyone as the passengers moved toward the door and out of the plane. Rose also thanked her fellow employees for the nice treatment while she was on board. She walked quickly down the gangway and out into the airport.

It was a Sunday evening, and the airport had already started to clear out for the day. She moved past other people as she scurried to the exit. She was fit and walked fast. She learned to walk fast to keep up with her father at the farm. He was a tall man, and he didn’t slow down for her. It was her job to learn to keep up with him, and she did. Just like everything else Rose tried, she usually got things accomplished!

She jumped on the shuttle to the parking lot where her car was waiting for her. It wouldn’t be very long now. She just needed to get home and see how everything was going. She had only been gone for two