Ben turned down the road that was vaguely familiar to him. Some things were still a foggy in his mind, but he was pretty certain that he was going the correct way. When the house came into view his spirits were lifted. The sun was bright and obstructed his vision, but he remembered this place very well now. Anticipation began to pour over him as he advanced towards the house.
As he was approaching, two young women were leaving the house, and his spirits were dampened. He stopped walking and hung his head. The older of the two women had noticed him now, and called to him. "Can I help you sir?"
He looked away. "You wouldn't happen to know of the family that used to live here, would you miss?"
The young woman looked confused. "I'm sorry, sir, you must be mistaken. My family has lived here my whole life."
With that, Ben looked up and squinted in the sunlight to better see her. He raised a hand to block the sunlight and recognition came over him when he saw that her hair was red.
Of course! Why he was expecting to see a girl, he was not sure. It had been five years since he last saw her. Obviously she had grown up. "Felicity?"
Realization struck her like a lightning bolt as soon as soon as she saw his face. Her eyes grew large and she dropped the basket she held in her arms as she raised her hands to cover her gaping mouth. "Is that you, Felicity?" he asked.
"But you.......you're......" was all she could manage to get out.
Felicity could not move. So many emotions came over her at once. She felt herself about to become overwhelm by tears. Ben started to walk towards her, but stopped when he realized she was backing away from him and shaking her head.
Felicity couldn't stand there with him. She was overcome with more emotions than she had experienced in a long time. She found herself wanting to slap Ben across the face, instead, she took off running, leaving behind a stunned-faced Ben.
Ben was confused. He wasn't sure what to do. He had almost forgotten about the other young lady next to her until she said something. "So you're really Ben? And you're alive?"
Ben tried to place her. "But of course you wouldn't remember me very well. I was only six when you left for the war. I wouldn't have known you if I hadn't seen Lissie's reaction."
"Nan?" Ben asked. He remembered Nan now. "Why did Felicity run away?"
"Ben, we all thought you were dead. All of us excluding Felicity, that is. Felicity received a letter stating that you had been severely injured, and that was the last letter she ever received. Father and Mother concluded that you were dead, but Felicity would not hear it." Nan paused, and took a breath.
"Her whole demeanor changed after that. She waited for a letter every day, and was often staring out the window. She would push her food around her plate and wouldn't talk much to anyone. Ben, it was hard to see her like that. She stayed convinced for so long that you were alive, but you never wrote. Felicity pressed father to write to your family and ask them of your fate a year ago, and when his letter was answered there wasn't much left to give her any hope." Ben grimaced at this. He had dealt with his family's reaction only a week ago. It had hurt him to know that they had been in pain greiving for his loss for so long. "She had just begun to fully accept the fact that you were dead, and here you come strolling up to our front door. She's probably confused, and I wouldn't blame her for being angry. How come you never wrote, Ben?"
Ben ignored her question and asked one of his own. "Do you know where I can find her?"
Nan shook her head. "No doubt she's off riding again. She takes off riding whenever she's conflicted. None of us really know where exactly she rides to. I tried to follow after her once, but her horse is much too fast to be matched. I saw her stealing out to ride in the middle of the night once. She doesn't know that I know of her early rides. Your best bet is to wait in the stables until she returns. I must be off, Ben, but I am happy to know that you are alive." With that, Nan hurried away.