Alex was so tired of all the noise on the plane. It had already been a rough week and she did not need screaming babies, kids fighting and 'Chatty Cathy' that was sitting next to her. Just as Alex made up her mind to create a scene and tell everyone what she was thinking, She heard the wonderful voice of the captain. "Ladies and gentlemen we will be landing in 15 minutes, weather today is a hot 102 in Dallas enjoy your stay."

Thirty minutes later Alex was celebrating her exit from the plane, happy that there was some pushing and shoving on her part. Now she just has to wait for her idiot cousin Mel.

Mel and his wife Trudy had a ranch, that she inherited from her father, near Gran out in Reagor Springs. Trudy has been taking care of Gran but as Mel says 'she is too delicate to handle Gran'. Trudy is a mousy little thing that thinks Mel hung the moon. Mel is an arrogant blowhard that wouldn't have a pot to piss in if he hadn't married Trudy.

I sat down outside the terminal to wait. He knew my plane got in at 11 am but, Mel being Mel, he probably didn't leave home until 11 just to make me wait. Alex hated sitting. Sitting lead to thinking. So here she was now contemplating her life. Two failed marriages, being fired from her job and running out of options.

Alex met her first husband Adam when she was 16 and he was 19. Swearing eternal love to each other they eloped and got married. To say her daddy was pissed would be an understatement. Then two years later they realized that they were in lust not love, so that was the end of marriage number one.

Three years later she met John. He was her whole world and she would do anything to please him. After 17 years of marriage their lives were settled into a routine. John traveled for business and she was the happy home maker or so she thought. Then he came home one night, not on his usual schedule and asked her for a divorce. What she didn't know was that the last 10 years of her life had been a lie. John had not 1 but 2 mistresses and one of them was pregnant with his second child. The oldest was 10. I was devastated. He always refused to have children, said he didn't like kids. I see now that he just didn't want any with me.

The cherry on the cake of my life was when I was fired from my job. After John left I spent days crying, drinking and laying in bed. I used up all my personal, sick and vacation time before I was able to go back to work. Needless to say that when my car broke down that morning I was worried. I called to let my manager know that I'd be late and she told me to come to her office when I got in. Three hours later I was sitting in front of her desk hearing those dreaded words, ' per company policy I had no more time to use for this morning and I was being let go.'

Two months later there I was with no income, no job prospects and very little money. Then I got the call from Gran to come out to Texas.

That week as I was packing up I made a resolve that I was done with men, after all I did not want to end up like my cousin Rose. On her 4th marriage and it was on the rocks.

I was so busy thinking I didn't hear him walk up. "Alex Rodgers! How the hell are ya?" Mel smirked.

"I'm fine Mel, what took you so long?" I glared at him irritated.

Of course he just ignored my question, like the jackass that he is and grabbed my bags.

This is gonna be a long drive to Gran's.

One year later

Alex had gotten into a routine. Wake up, shower, dress then wake Gran. Once Gran finished her morning bits, it was on to the kitchen where Gran set in her wheelchair at the table sipping a cup of coffee while I made us breakfast. After breakfast I took her back to bed and finished any chores around the house. The only change was an occasional trip to the Walmart in Waxahachie or the bank. That is until this morning.

I knew it was gonna be a bad day. I woke up late, I was at the local bar til midnight, I had to skip a shower and get dressed. When I got to Gran's room she looked as if she was still sleeping. Gran has always been a tiny woman with fiery red hair and piercing blue eyes. Just like daddy, except he got his height from Papa who was over 6ft.

As I watch her laying there you can still see a few wisps of red among the gray. The only thing I got from daddy were a few sprinkles of freckles on my nose and across my cheeks. I look like my mama. She was a Cherokee so I got her black hair, tan skin and dark brown eyes.

As I was about to leave she spoke, "Come on in child I'm awake."

"Gran your as bad as me sleeping in this morning." I said in a lighthearted voice.

"We have a lot to do today baby girl." She sounded so tired.

"Let me get you up and get going. After breakfast we can talk about what you need done."

"No child we don't have time. You got to listen to me." She said with such a sad voice.

"How about I bring your food and coffee in here?" She just shook her head and asked for a glass of water. I had never seen her like this and it worried me.

"Alex get me a pen, paper and an envelope please honey. They're on the dresser." As I went to get the items, I was now getting curious as to what was so important. "Bring my check too honey." I fetched her items and brought them to her. I watched her write and really wanted to look over her shoulder to see what it was. I had to bite my lip to keep from peeking.

As she was was putting the note and check in the envelope she began to speak "Now, you run this on down to Mary at the bank and stay there until she is done." Then Gran sealed the envelope, which really surprised me, she has always just handed me her check and told me to take it to the bank.

"Alright Gran you get some rest and I will get there and back as quick as I can." I said with a smile.

The whole ride to town I kept looking over on the truck seat at that envelope. You know the saying, 'curiosity killed the cat'. Well I'm sure Gran would kill me if I opened it up. I pulled the old truck to a stop in the parking lot and went inside. Mary was not busy and she ushered me right into her office. I sat tapping my fingers on the chair arm while Mary read the note with a frown. She started tapping away on her computer and printing pages out. "Please excuse me I'll be right back." She smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. Now I knew something was wrong, Mary is super nice and always friendly. Mary came back and proceeded to place the papers she printed into a manila envelope. What really surprised me is that she sealed it and taped it shut.

When I got home Gran was sitting up in bed looking at the picture of her and Papa that she usually kept on her nightstand. I handed her the envelope and she gave me a small smile. "Well, it is time to get down to business. Go over to my closet and look in the left hand corner at the bottom and you will find a wooden box. Bring it to me." The box was beautiful! It was hand carved out of cedar with nature scenes all over it. It had what looked to be gold hardware and a little lock shaped like a heart. Gran pulled a chain from around her neck with a gold key. She used the key to open the lock and place the envelope inside. I was mesmerized, just watching her.

"Now sweetie," she began. "You are to take this box and key and put it in a safe place. Make sure it is somewhere your cousins can't find it. You know how they are, once I pass on, they will strip this house bare!" I just nodded still unsure what to say. "You are only to open the box when they have all cleared out. Only open the envelope once you are out of this house. Everything you need will be in there. Now you go on and take care of that. I need some rest."

"Gran what about something to eat? You missed breakfast and it's past 2 now." I said with worry lacing my voice.

"Oh no baby girl I'm not hungry today. I just need to rest. I want you to take care of the box and get you one of them beers you like and go sit on the porch swing and just relax. There will be plenty for you to do later." She gave me a big smile and I gave her a kiss on the cheek.

The hordes had left and I just sat on the edge of my bed, bone tired. Gran passed away that day sometime while I was drinking my beer. That's when the hoopla started. Gran was right, they were going through the house as soon as we got back from the gravesite. Mel inherited the house and he started raising holy hell when my cousins started bringing in boxes to pack up and take Gran's things. Mel was the last to leave and I promised him I'd lock up and not let anyone else in until he got back.

I stretched out on the bed and my last thought was, I just want to rest for a minute. Then I was gone to the land of dreams or in my case the land of snores and pillow drool.