AUTHOR'S NOTE: I'm sorry it's taken so long for me to get the next update. RL has taken its bite out of my time and now I'm finally being able to get things done again. I hope to be able to work on this more and have updates more frequently.

The Road Not Taken

Chapter 21

January 1, 1974

It was the beginning of the year and Sam was home with his family. He had quite a bit to look forward to this coming year. Donna would be graduating this year from Lawrence and he was finishing his junior year. They had decided to wait until Sam finished his bachelor's degree to marry so they would an engagement of a little over a year and a half. The tentative wedding plans were set for June 1975 when Donna would get her wish to be a June bride, orange blossoms and all.

At present, Donna was in Spain with her mother. Sam knew that the two Elesee women took trips far a field during the holidays. He had asked Donna about it and she'd told him that after her father left them, neither of them had wanted to be 'home for the holidays.' It had become a tradition for them. Sam wondered if Donna would be willing to change that tradition once they were married. He loved Christmas and being with family.

Katie had asked to spend the night out at Sarah's again. Thelma wasn't happy about the amount of time her daughter was spending away from home but Sam said it was just being a teenager; she'd grow out of it. Thelma had relented although she had complained that Katie spent the night away from home more times then she was comfortable.

Both Thelma and John had gone to bed early. Sam had asked them if they wanted to greet the New Year but both said they were tired so basically he had the house to himself. He watched an old movie on TV, having popped some popcorn and drinking a Diet Coke. It was a Marilyn Monroe movie, "Some Like It Hot." Sam had thought it was a little strange to show during the holiday season but reasoned that perhaps the person doing the scheduling just thought the idea of something 'hot' would be a good idea. He was glad, though. It was his favorite Monroe picture.

After the movie ended, he went out to the kitchen to wash out the bowl and saw that it was 2:00 a.m. He thought for a moment that it must be 8:00 a.m. in Barcelona. He smiled and hoped that Donna and Patricia were having a good time, then he headed up to bed.

The next morning, Sam awoke to the sound of knocking on his door. "Yeah?"

"Sam, Donna's on the phone. She wants to wish you a Happy New Year."

Sam rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. "I'll be there in just a second." He got up and pulled on his blue woolen plaid robe and headed down the stairs. Reaching the phone he found his father talking.

"…Pretty much the same, Donna. Dairy farming doesn't really change a whole lot from day to day…Oh, here's Sam." He handed the phone to his son.

"Hi Donna." He curled around a bit, seeking privacy. His parents looked at each other and headed towards the kitchen, giving the engaged couple a chance to talk. As they walked off, Sam heard his mother reminiscing with his father.

"I remember getting your letters, John. Having the postmarks from Italy…it felt like that part of the world wasn't so far away when I read your words."

Sam watched as his father smiled at his mother. It gave him a warm feeling that even after almost twenty-nine years; his parents were still so obviously in love. He hoped that he and Donna would be as happy.

"Hi Sam. Happy 1974! Donna's voice came through the line a bit crackly

"Happy New Year to you too! I'm not sure we have the best connection." He paused a moment and then asked, "So, are you and your mom having fun?"

"It's wonderful here, Sam. The Gaudi architecture is like nothing I've ever seen before. He was such a master!"

"Lot's of sights to see?"

"Oh yes. And the Tapas bars. The food is fantastic." Her voice started getting a little more excited. "And you'll never believe it but I met…" Suddenly the static on the line got so bad that Sam couldn't understand what Donna said.

"What did you say?

"I said the food is fantastic."

"No, I got that. Something about who you met."

"I said I'd met someone who's also working with Dr. LoNigro. His name is…" and the line went staticy again. "…it was really cool talking physics with him and he has such a brilliant mind." Knowing it must be costing Donna a fortune to call long distance, Sam figured he'd just ask her the guy's name when she got back.

"I'm really glad you're having such a great time." A little softer he added, "I miss you, my Dulcinea."

"I miss you too Sam. Mom and I will be home in three days. I'll call you again then."

"Okay. I love you, darling"

"I love you too, Sam. Well, I best be going."

"Yeah. Bye. Remember to call me as soon as you get home!"

"Okay." The phone went dead and the dial tone came back up. Sam placed the handpiece back into its cradle. For a moment, he almost felt jealous of Donna having someone there to discuss physics, which, despite his arguments that he preferred agriculture over physics, wasn't the truth. He sometimes found himself thinking of how things worked at the fundamental level of existence and missed being able to talk with Donna about such concepts. He shook his head and decided there was really nothing to be jealous about. After all, this was just a passion that Donna had as well. The idea that she'd met someone on her trip that she would be working with when she joined Dr. LoNigro's research team had to be exciting to her.

His mother came around the corner, noting that Sam was off the phone. "How is Donna?"

"She fine, Mom. She said she and her mother will be back in three days. I'm sure I'll hear about more about the trip then."

"Well, I have some breakfast casserole in the kitchen. It's the kind you like with the crumbled sausage and cheese."

Sam smiled. "I sure miss your cooking, Mom. The cafeteria at school just doesn't cut it sometimes."

Thelma smiled. "You know I love to cook, Sam. Having my family happy is the best reward of all."

Sam nodded and followed his mother back to the kitchen. His Dad was already at the table and was reading the newspaper. "Morning Dad."

"Morning, Sam. Says here that the organic movement is really taking hold. That was a good idea you had, Son. Elk Ridge was right at the beginning of this because of you."

"I'm glad so many have been able to take advantage of it."

"Yes, but there are still too many of our friends losing their farms. I tell you, Sam, before you know it we'll be surrounded by houses instead of farmland." John shook his head sadly.

"It doesn't seem right, Dad. Some of these farms have been in people's families for generations. To lose them to the bank just doesn't seem right."

"It isn't, Sam. The bank just keeps getting so many into the cycle of buying new equipment which can't be paid for with the small margins of profit that it's almost impossible for a farm to keep in business.

Thelma put a plate of breakfast casserole in front of Sam. "This smells really good, Mom!"

Thelma smiled again. "Would you like coffee or juice, Sam?"

"Can I have some of both, please?"

"Of course." Thelma brought over a mug of coffee and then went back and poured a large glass of orange juice. "It's been nice having you home the last week, Sam."

"Well, I have another week before I have to get back to Purdue. Coach wants to start practice before school starts up again."

Thelma fixed her own plate and sat down at the table with the two men. After taking a sip of her coffee, she asked, "How is the team coming along?"

"I think we'll do fine this year, Mom. I hope you all will be able to come to a few more home games this year."

John spoke up, "Sam, you know we'll get to as many games as we can."

"I know, Dad. It's just that it means so much to me having you there."

A knock came to the back door. Thelma started up to open it but Sam said he'd get it. It was Ezra. "Good morning, Ezra," Sam greeted.

"Good morning, Sam. I think you may want to come out to the barn. One of the cows seems to have come down with what looks like hoof and mouth."

"Darn. That's not good. We'll get Dr. Tarkens on the phone and get him out here. In the mean time, we should move her to another holding pen and get her stall washed down with antiseptic."

"I've already started on that."

"Good work, Ezra." Sam turned to his parents. "I'm going out to help Ezra. Dad, can you please call Dr. Tarkens? Let him know we might have an outbreak of hoof and mouth. We might need to vaccinate the other animals."

"Sure, son. I'll get right on it." John smiled. Since Sam had insisted that he be allowed to follow an agricultural program, he seemed to be taking to it well. While Thelma sometimes voiced her concern that perhaps Sam wasn't really as happy with that choice, John pointed out it was his life and they needed to support what Sam wanted. John couldn't say it didn't make him happy that Sam was following the family business.

Sam left to take care of the animals. As he walked towards the barn, he figured that doing so would most likely be the most exciting thing he'd deal with in real life. He pursed his lips. Well, it wasn't like he didn't plan this for himself.