Love and Family and the Hills of Kentucky

They were teenagers in love. They stood before the preacher and vowed to love and honor each other “until death do us part”. Joined as one in the eyes of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, they were ready to change the world.

The young couple felt as if they needed to fly, to spread their wings beyond the ancient hills where their family planted roots many generations ago. The young married couple wanted away from the small community where everyone knew everything about everybody and family was far too close….and in their opinion, too nosey. Their dream included a new start where they would create their own place, their own future, where they could make new friends and be away from the same old things they had known all their young lives.  

He soon graduated from college with a degree in journalism. She wanted a career in education. They decided to chase their dream so they packed everything they had in garbage bags threw it in the back of their old jalopy and headed south leaving behind family and loved ones and the landscape that had shaped them.

The old car made it to the land of sunshine and white beaches. Their journey took them to Miami Florida. Night life, the endless ocean, career opportunities, new friends to be made, a whole new life awaited them.

A tiny apartment not far from the beach and in walking distance to all the major event venues seemed just perfect. They were ecstatic with life and each other.

He soon found his dream job as sports journalist with the largest newspaper in Florida, the Miami Sun. She took some time away from college and got a part time job at the public library. He attended all the major sports events, met the biggest names in the industry…she filled her spare time making their apartment uniquely theirs. Happiness radiated all around them.

Together they spent evenings at the beach, going to concerts and just being together. They saw all the big name bands, not the little local groups like back home. Weekends were spent at the beach or sports events. There was never a dull moment in their lives. They were truly living the dream.

The hills were far behind them. Conversations with family back home were few and far between.

            As time flew by it seemed the concerts were all the same and the large crowds were hard to handle. The beach didn’t create the same thrill as it did at first. They sat in the sand and looked across the endless ocean but the excitement wasn’t there anymore. It was always the same.

            He knew something was weighing on her mind because her giggle wasn’t perky and she recently had become very quiet, almost withdrawn. 

            “Something doesn’t seem right”, she said one evening. “I feel something is missing”.  Days went by then she came to him and said quietly, “I want to have a baby”.

            He felt the same. Perhaps a little one would be exactly what they needed to renew their enthusiasm toward life. Yes, a baby would make their family whole.

            A few weeks later the EPT showed positive. The same thrill they felt the day they were wed filled the tiny apartment. They couldn’t wait. Happiness radiated from their faces. They began looking for a larger apartment and buying baby clothes.

            “I don’t want to tell Mom on the phone about the baby. Let’s go for a visit” she said.

            It had been three years since they left the family and hills behind. Maybe a visit would do wonders. Maybe it would remind them of  why they left their childhood home far behind.

            They threw a few things in the back of the car and took off.

            The conversation was lively for a while.

            “What will we name her” she asked

            He called off names of great sports figures.

            She shrugged them off.

            She talked about pink paint and ballerina shoes

            He spoke highly of baseball and college sports

The car became very quiet with each watching in awe as the hills of Central Appalachia popped into the horizon.

            She spoke first “Who will watch our baby?”

            “We will find a day care place” he answered

            “But how will we know if they really watch her”?

            Both were remembering their childhood and the days spent with family, on the farm, and growing up with cousins all around.

            “Let’s not worry about it right now”, he said, “we will find someone to come to the apartment if that’s what you want”.

            She remained quiet.

            “Look there’s where we saw our first movie together”, her voice trembled

            “And there’s the Mountain Arts Center where we went to our first concert” he was excited too.

            As the car followed the twists and turns of the mountain terrain, both knew what they had been missing. It was early spring. Red buds and dogwoods lined the roadways. They were filled with awe at the beauty they once took for granted. “This is what’s missing”, he said. “The hills are never the same”.

            They pulled into the drive way of “home” and family was waiting in the yard, by the road and poured from all doors to meet them.

            Hugs and kisses and “where you been so long”, and “welcome Home” and “we’ve missed you” and more hugs and more kisses welcomed them. She glanced at him from the corner of her eye but turned away when she saw the tear on his cheek.

            A country supper with all the trimmings was a part of the gathering. With the announcement of a new baby, the house broke into cheers.

            That night they sat on the front porch, gazed at the stars in the night sky and listened to the sounds of their childhood. Crickets and whippoorwills filled the air with song while song and lightening bugs danced to the tune.

            “I don’t want a stranger to keep our baby” she said.

            He put his arm around her shoulders. He knew she was holding back tears.

            “Who do you want to be the babysitter”, he asked as gently as possible.

            “I want to come home. I want our baby to grow up with family and know where he came from and who he is. Can we come home”. Now her tears were more than she could hold back.

            “I think that’s the greatest idea yet”, he said

            He gave two weeks’ notice, she packed up the apartment. They moved back to the hills that wrapped them in love and bought a mobile home. He got a job with the Salyersville Independent as sports editor. He covered every high school game in the region. She got a job at McDonalds. They went to concerts of local bands and danced to traditional music. Happiness radiated from them.

            That little boy, named after two great sports stars, grew up with family and is now a sophomore in college.

            And they truly lived happily ever after.