Colleen's Reply
Disclaimer I do not own the characters in this story. I wish the people who did would use them and create new series.
Peter was seated in the Mess Tent having just finished his dinner. The telegraph operator from Manitou had ridden out to hand Mr Tate the bundle of mail while they had dinner. Normally they'd have to go into town but the operator received a small amount of compensation for his trouble. He'd come out after business hours. Then only if mail had the official seal of the Kansas Pacific Rail Road on it. Any other mail being held was a bonus. Hence Peter was handed the letter. Looking at it he saw that it had been sent from Colleen. He gaped at it, he had thought and even hoped that she'd reply, but not expecting it to ever happen. He was over whelmed by the fact that she had. Her hand writing was elegant and she had used a green ink not the blue or black as usual. He walked off on his own and found a secluded spot under a tree and tentatively opened the envelope. His Chinese work mates had given him a little bit of jip over the letter, he didn't care much about that at this moment. He smelt it and inhaled the scent that was only faintly lavender. Luckily the shift for the day was over, his tiredness and fatigue had evaporated as soon as he'd been given the envelope.
Miss Colleen Cooper
Colorado Springs
Colorado
Dear Peter,
I was extremely happy to receive your welcome letter. I thank you so much for it as I did not expect to hear from you again. I appreciate your nice comments about my nursing you. But I was only doing what I would for any patient of Ma's. You are so generous in your praise of my abilities. I only did as Dr Mike my Ma has taught me. With what you told me about your illness I decided to investigate an idea. Luckily my idea was right. You responded quickly and this excited me. Peter your temperature was very high and making you extremely sick. I am very pleased I was able to assist you.
I did look at the full moon on the night as you suggested. I sat out the back of our home away from the barn were Ma has her vegetable garden and tried to imagine where you would be. It was extremely peaceful. I have never really looked at the sky before Brian had received a telescope from Grandma. It was broken when he wouldn't share. So we only had a small glimpse. It was like black velvet and all those stars so bright. I've not been aware that they twinkle as well. The Milky Way and then shooting stars that Cloud Dancing told Brian are souls travelling to their ancestors. Reading about comets imagine big slush balls of ice and dust hurtling around Earth up there. We had a scare when the paper suggested that the world would end as well. Everyone went to the church but it had been a prank from a major paper thinking meteorite would crash into us.
It was so sweet that your country has such a lovely festival. I cannot imagine what it would be like to live away from my family. Also how it would feel not to be part of a family. We are lucky you have Mr Tate but it's not exactly the same is it? Dr Mike has been so good for us. She has been a great person and shown us such love and compassion since our real Ma died. Our real Ma died from a rattle snake bite Dr Mike tried to save her but it was too late. Since then we have lived with her at the home stead Sully built.
What other festivals do you celebrate in China? You will be aware that we have Christmas, Easter, and Halloween here just to mention a few. A lot of countries have so many different ones you read about them in the books. We also study some at school. I like to read and finish two or more a week. What about you?
Sully is like a Father and Brian loves him, we all do. They do a lot together. Ma and Sully will be getting married soon. Sully is building a new home for us. He has been very busy. The house will be beautiful and I have my own room. This is the first time ever. I am so excited about that, Sully says I can decorate it as I please. He is building all our furniture as well. I want a bed with tall ends so I can have a canopy if I choose later.
Did I tell you that I want to become a Doctor when I grow up? What is your position on the rail road? I know Mr Tate is a surveyor as he told Dr Mike while you were sick at the clinic. He said the rail road was heading for El Paso is that correct? How often do you move camp? It must be awful moving around and nor settling down. I cannot imagine that at all. All my life I have only moved a few times. Before our real Pa took off and left Ma on her own. Once to a mining camp and a small farm I don't really remember as I was little then.
I hope your well and I am looking forward to hearing from you again.
Your Friend
Colleen.
Peter read the letter three times as he wanted to reread her words. He was stunned and amazed that she had replied. Already he had some ideas what to write in his next letter that wouldn't be too long. Not tomorrow that was too soon but not too long. He would put the letter with his other treasures he had in a wooden trunk he'd brought over from China with his Pa. It was black lacquer with red and gold Chinese symbols decorating it. Also there were geranium flowers seen on much Chinese furniture. In it were the last memories of his father (fuh chin), mother (muu-chin) and his life before arriving here in America a life of dreams. The photos, letters in Chinese calligraphy the book of sayings and all the other small things he'd collected to bring with him.
Jackson Tate had handed Peter the letter when it arrived with all the other mail after dinner. He had watched Peter disappear near a big oak tree. Now he leaned against the tent pole watching his son with a smile on his face. He was pleased that Dr Mike's daughter had replied to Peter's letter. That was good.
Please comment.
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Trivial I wanted to mention our Southern Cross and Saucepan and Other stars we see Down Under. But realise most would not know what I was on about. Look at our Aussie and New Zealand's flags.
