Chapter Nine
Cecilia wrinkled her nose as she stepped into the old barn, and let the familiar scent of mold, old wood, and straw wrap around her like a favorite blanket. She'd loved her life in Chicago, but there was something tranquil about being back in a slower environment where time was dictated by the sun, not the opening bell. She walked down the empty aisle, reminiscing about the days when the barn held horses, goats, and the occasional chicken that had escaped the coop. Her mom and grandmother had sold the big farm equipment when Mariah had gone off to college. The only reason the two hadn't retired to Florida was because of her grandmother. Her beloved abuelita had been born in this house, the youngest of 6 children in a ranching and sheepherding family that relocated from northe
