“But you work for a ranch that deals with them?”

“I was lucky enough to have my eyes opened for me.” He stated. “It had started a couple years ago, actually, but last year it was all pulled into focus for me.”

“What was that?”

“Well it's kind of a long story....” He looked at the fuel pump and realized he had time. “But for me, it started a long time ago...”

The story of a ranch that is a safe haven for children who are LGBTQ and a man who had a falling out with his Transgendered sibling and his journey that takes him back home again.

While no actual sexual abuse is depicted, other than an attempted rape and pictures, the cautions are there for other mentions of sexual abuse. And harsh language

Hope's Ranch

They had pulled off at a truck-stop in central California. Larry had taken care of fueling up, while his passenger worked on the wind-shields. The person who was following him was one pump away. A year earlier he would have had to do the whole job himself, but that was almost like a different life now. He leaned against his drivers door, a sign by his shoulders. In large black letters were the words. “Hope's Ranch.” It wasn't painted on, but a sticker, put on by the ranch to help him out with bills on his rig, this way someone helped out with the high insurance he had to pay every three months. Just under the window were the words“High Plains Cowboy” done in a flowing script. His truck was in need of a new paint job, and a good washing. He leaned against his truck and his mind went back to a woman he had known for several years. She had become his favorite dream and biggest regret. He hadn't spoken to her in over a year and when they spoke last, it had seemed awkward, but that didn't stop his feelings for her.

“Hope's Ranch?” A female voice cut through Larry's day dreaming. “Isn't that the place for the runaways?”

He nodded as he gathered his thoughts. There was a female trucker, on the pump next to him. She had that tired look that most drivers who have seen too many hours on the road seemed to wear. “Yeah, but it's more then that. Its more of a place that will take in the kids that the world shuns and it helps them better themselves.”

“It's where those kids...those Transsexuals go, right?” The lady asked. Larry looked at her and realized that she didn't look angry, just curious.

“It is.” He said with a nod.

“I heard about you guys on the radio a week or so ago. It was on a news show one night.” She said. Her head cocked to the side slightly, as though she was getting a better look at him. He had seen several female truckers over the years. A lot of men felt intimidated by them, like they were stealing the jobs for the men, but Larry never had an issue with women drivers. He only had problems with people who gave truckers a bad name. “You look familiar. Didn't you used to do over the road trucking into the Midwest? I swear I seen you somewhere in Nebraska, could have been Wyoming? I think it was about five years ago? A fist fight at a Mrs. B's? I swear they said it was the High Plains Cowboy.”

“I used to stay in the Midwest, Nebraska, Wyoming, Utah. A lot of the Interstate eighty corridor. And yeah, that could have been me. I was pretty stupid back then. Fought at the drop of a hat and it didn't matter whose hat it was.” He said with a nod. “But I'm helping at the ranch now.”

“Not to sound rude, but you don't look like the kid of guy who'd be helping transgendered kids. I recall you were a bit of an ass to those kinds of people several years back. I remember hearing stories about you at a couple different truck stops about you being homophobic.” He didn't get mad. He knew in all his travels, he'd meet someone that had heard about who he was before he began working for Hope's Ranch. Before his life was changed over the years.

“A few years ago, I would have agreed with you. And I was always a jerk to gays and transgendered people.”

“Why?” She asked.

“I had a brother that decided he was born a girl and my first reaction was to hate him. When he gained the support of my parents, I hated them. I finally left over ten years ago, when I got mad at all of them. I left that day, after slugging my brother and telling off my parents. I figured that was the last time I'd ever deal with a Transsexual again.”

“But you work for a ranch that deals with them?”

“I was lucky enough to have my eyes opened for me.” He stated. “It had started a couple years ago, actually, but last year it was all pulled into focus for me.”

“What was that?”

“Well it's kind of a long story....” He looked at the fuel pump and realized he had time. “But for me, it started a long time ago...”

~o~O~o~

Ten years earlier.

He had seen it coming. His brother was slowing becoming the sissy he always knew he was. Larry had beat Earl up many times over the years and as they got older, the beatings seemed to get worse. As kids it would end up with Earl having a bloody nose, or a fat lip. As they got older, black eyes became a normal thing. No matter how much he beat on his brother, the younger boy always seemed to remain a quiet and kind person, which just made him hate his brother even more. He could never understand why his bother was the way he was. There were no girlfriends, but then he had very few male friends either. He often remained by himself, or he stayed near their mother. Larry just figured that was to keep from being beaten

Larry knew he should have seen the writing on the wall when his brother first came out to his parents. Larry didn't know what was going on at first, only that his father got distant to both of them, which made Larry hate Earl even more. Then their mother began doting on his brother, which annoyed him. Larry seemed to get more chores around the house, at least he thought he had.

Larry could still remember the fishing show he was watching the summer that he was twenty and his brother of sixteen had let his parents tell him his big secret. He figured his parent would want him to stop it from happening, so he tired his hardest. He told all his friends, which wasn't many people, due to their remote location, he increased the beatings, but was stopped more by both his parents.

Finally one day it all came to a head. He could remember the argument like it happened five minutes earlier. He was twenty one, just obtained a CDL and was working for a local company. He had come home for the evening and his parents stopped him at the door.

“Son, we're going to help Hope out.” His father said. “We know you have problems with it, but Hope is our child and we've always said we'd help either of you if you were in need.”

“We don't want to do this, but you can't keep attacking your sister.” His mother said.

“That's my brother!” He yelled back. “He's got a dick, that makes him a man! You'e just helping with the problem!”

“Son, if you can't accept Hope for who she is, then you can't stay here anymore.” His father said.

“But Dad, you need help here. I can help you!”

The old man shook his head. “Son, I need help and you've been working. Hope is getting very good in the fields. We don't need a violent thug with no love in his life.”

The arguments went back and forth, but one thing remained, they were supporting his sibling, no matter what. Finally his temper snapped. He faced his sibling and glared at her. “You ruined this family!” Larry struck out, his fist catching Hope's chin. She staggered back and hit the ground on her ass. Their father moved to get in between his children. Larry just glared at all of them. “This is all your fault! I hope you all rot!” He turned and stormed off for the trailer where he kept his stuff. Ten minutes later, from the safety of the house, they watched their son take a bag of clothes and throw it into the sleeper of his big-rig tractor. Their father watched, feeling nothing but sadness as his son pulled out of the driveway, for what he thought was the last time.

~o~O~o~

Nine years later

Larry had no home. He rented a small apartment in Truckee, but he had no home. He wasn't sure why he settled just an hour from his parents, other then his love for the mountains. Through other drivers, he had heard the stories of how his sister had turned his farm into a haven for more people like her. Through the years his temper had softened, but he still was unsure how to deal with it. He was still angry, and lashing out, but he wasn't sure if he had been wrong all this time.

The first couple of years in his studio apartment were quiet. It was only four years after his self imposed exile that he began talking to his next door neighbor. She was a good woman, very smart and very friendly, plus a damn good cook. He had often wondered how it would be to marry her, but he was still in a self loathing mode. He knew if he could ever get over it, He'd be on one knee, holding the biggest ring he could afford.

In the years she had known him, they grew close and finally one night, after several beers, and while watching the news, a story about his family's ranch came on the news. Halfway through the interview, he got up and shut the TV off.

“Hey, what was that for?” Liz, his friend asked. "I was watching that."

“I can't take that anymore.”

"Can't take what? You hate vegetables?" She asked with a grin.

"No, I....it's like she's everywhere." He said.

"Who?" Liz asked.

"Everywhere I turn, someone is bringing up Hope and the damn ranch."

"And why should this bother you?" She asked, now curious what his problem was.

He wanted to scream out and throw things, mostly because it felt like Hope was winning and taking over more of the world then he could. Instead he sighed, dropped onto the couch and looked to the floor. "Hope...Hope was my brother. The ranch is my families ranch." He began telling her about Earl and the transition to Hope, then his last time on the ranch.

Pieces fell into place. She had talked to him a lot over the years, but he had rarely ever spoken his families name. She knew of a brother who had done something that Larry didn't approve of and his parents backed the sibling. And now she knew what it was. "So, all this time, you've been running from the past."

"Yeah." Larry nodded.

"Larry, I want you to know two things." Liz said.

"What is it?"

"First of all, what you're feeling is normal. People always fear what they don't know."

"And the second thing?" Larry asked,

"Larry, I've always kept this hidden, but I'm like your sister. I was born a woman, in a man body."

"You....." He blinked several times as the information was processed into his mind. "You're like Hope? You....you were a man once?"

"Not since about twelve years old. But only in name and body, in my soul, I was a girl." Liz said. "I've lived like a woman since I was young. I got the surgery when I hit eighteen and then moved out here."

Larry blushed and turned away from her. "So all this time, you've been hiding it from me?"

"Honestly, it's not any of your concern." She snapped at him. "Do you tell everyone every little part of your medical history? You going to tell each woman you are with about any hemorrhoids, or any other embarrassing bits of information? That's what being male was for me. I was embarrassed to be born like that. It was when I started living like a girl that things fell into place an only when I got the surgery, did I finally feel right. As far as I knew, you were just a friend. Not hing more then that, at least you never said you wanted more."

His cheeks went a deep red and he turned away from her. She could see it in his actions that he had thought about more with her, but their schedules had never matched up for anything more then a dinner here and there, or beers at night. She knew she had to work it right, to save him from himself and to keep herself safe. “Larry, it's nothing to be ashamed of. Face it, before you just found out, did you think I was a man, or a woman?”

“A woman.” He said.

“And I am, both inside and out now, but there was a time when I was a woman just on the inside. It doesn't make me less of a person, just misunderstood. But when I had to act like a man, it hurt.....” She stopped for a moment, the thought of something. “How would you feel if you had to be forced to dress as a woman, all the time and act like one?”

“I'd hate it.” He replied.

“You would. I can almost bet that your sister hated being a man the same way you'd hate being a woman. Does this make any of us less of a person? I don't think so. Face it, had you not known Hope, you would think that woman on the TV was born a woman.”

“Okay, so she was always a woman.” He replied. “I mean years later, I can kinda see it, with the clothes and hair and stuff.”

“Then you're almost there.”

"But it's so confusing." He replied.

"Try living in her shoes." Liz said. "You got your mind saying one thing and the rest of the world saying another. You can either live to make yourself happy, or the world."

Larry nodded at the logic to her statement. "Yeah."

Liz wanted more information on his blush, so with her beer helping her courage, she decided to ask the question. "Now, tell me, honestly, have you really been wanting more?"

"I...." He blushed again. He wasn't sure if he could do it. A part of his mind reminded him that she had admitted to being born a boy, but he had seen her at the lake and he had never seen anything under her swimsuit to make him think she was anything but a woman. He wasn't sure what to do and he was getting flustered. "I....I should get going, I got to take care of things. I got an early run tomorrow."

~o~O~o~

three weeks later

The sleeper of his truck had been his home for nearly three weeks. He hadn't seen his apartment for more then eight hours on the days he was lucky enough to be home and that was enough to sleep and it seemed that his job was working to slowly kill him and keep him so tired that he couldn't think about anything. He was on the homeward swing of his last trip for the company who had employed him for the past nine years. Nine years and then they wanted cheaper workers. His trailer was empty, there were no pressing jobs for him to do, so his plan was to return to California, renew his license, the tags on his rig and then look for a new job. His rent on his apartment was taken care of. That was one thing he made sure, to pay his years rent at one time each year, and with money he had saved up, he was able to do it.

He was parked in a rest area in Wyoming and he knew he had to move again at some point. The rest area was empty, mostly because of the unseasonable cool weather. He was awake for the day and he decided that he'd stretch and get a start on the day before the sun fully rose. But for some reason, something kept him from starting his truck, instead he sat behind the wheel and watched the sun slowly raise in the east. There was just one other rig in the lot, parked a distance from his.

He was about to start his engine when he heard someone scream. He scanned the lot and he saw the passenger door open to the other rig in the lot. He watched as the two girls scrambled out of the truck, the eldest staying between the younger one and the man who jumped out of the cab and followed them. He could hear the little girls yelling, and crying and the man was threatening them. He wasn't sure, but the man seemed to be closing his pants. The bigger of the two girls was trying to push the younger of the two into a bathroom. The man kept coming at them. Larry saw the name on his truck “Blacktop Romeo” And he recalled many of the stories he heard of the man. The other trucker had a reputation for loving the ladies, and sometimes it didn't seem mutual. A few of the stories made it seem that he was crossing the lines and even fewer stories painted the man as a pedophile, but nothing had ever been proven. Some people swore his ex-wife kicked him out of the house for trying to touch their daughter, others claimed it was a story she made up so he would not pursue custody of his children.

He watched as the two girls ran for a womans bathroom. Larry wasn't sure why he had stayed there, but he knew the girls needed help as the man walked in after them, trying to grab at the bigger girls arm. Larry sprinted across the lot and stopped at the door as the man had gone all the way in and was trying to pull the pants off the older girl. "You owe me you little bitch! Stop fighting this!" She kicked and screamed at him and Larry knew he had to act.

“Hey!” Larry yelled and the man turned and saw him standing there in the doorway to the bathroom. He could see the older of the two girls standing there, fighting to keep her pants on and staying between her sister, who was on the floor and under the sink. “Leave those girls alone, asshole.”

“Keep your nose out of this buddy, or you'll be sorry!”

He wasn't sure why he didn't back off, but he grabbed the man's shoulder, then used his free hand to release the man's grip on the girl's pants. Larry spun him around. Once they were facing each other, Larry's hand struck out and his fist connected with the man's chin. The man staggered back and tripped, landing on his ass. He stared daggers at Larry who stepped in and glared at him. “I'd stay on that floor, before I break every bone in your body.”

Larry didn't take his eyes off the man, but he spoke to the two frightened girls. “Girls, I want you to walk over to me, but stay against the wall. I promise I won't hurt you and he's not going to touch you again." The bigger girl pushed her sister up and away from the sink. “You get up and I hurt you. You follow me.....well, lets say you won't follow me.”

“Say's who?” The man said as sat there.

“I'm taking these kids up the road to a local police station, so you can either back off now, or answer why you were trying to touch these girls and why you were in the ladies room with them and trying to pull off one of their pants. I'm sure they'd love to talk to you about why you tried to touch two kids that can't be older then thirteen.”

Larry waited till the girl reached the door, then he lashed out, kicking the man in the chin. The man's head connected with the wall and he hit the ground in a lump. At first Larry was worried he had killed him, till he saw the mans chest move. "Stay in here and maybe someone will be by shortly to arrest you."

Larry stepped out of the bathroom and found both girls watching him. He waved them away from the bathroom. “Come on kids, I can't leave you here.” He said as he headed to his truck. “Not with that asshole.” He got to his truck and he opened the door and looked at them. “Girls, I know you have no reason to believe me, but I won't hurt you, but if you stay here, he may.” The smaller girl nodded to the older one and they both followed him.

“Our stuff.” The younger of the two said, pulling her sisters arm and moving to the mans truck.

“You still got things in his rig?” Larry asked. The younger girl nodded.

"Lets get it."

Larry felt a little bad about getting into the mans truck, but the girls had to get out of there. As he opened up the door and the older girl climbed in and went to the sleeper, he looked and saw the tips of several pictures, just inside the pouch on the mans drivers door. He wasn't sure why he did what he did, but he quickly pulled them out, as the older girl grabbed her bag. Larry's stomach churned as he saw the top picture, of a girl who was no older then seven or eight, totally naked and in a very lewd pose. The next few pictures were the same. Then there were a couple of pictures, of a little girl, no more then eight, naked, crying, while sitting in the truckers lap, then a couple more where the other man had done something no adult should ever do to a child. He put the pictures back in the mans door and fought the urge to just throw up on the spot. He wanted to go in and beat the man senseless. In Larry's mind, there was no lower form of life than a pedophile.

When the girls got out of the rig, he shut the door and the tried to erase the picture of the images he had seen from his mind.

“You gonna take us to the cops?” The older girl asked in a southern accent as he took them to his truck.

“Why shouldn't I?” Larry asked, but in a friendly tone. “You're hitchhiking, right?”

“Mister, you can't.” The older girl said. “We can't go back. We've come so far.”

“Can't go back where?”

“I ain't sayin.” She said. "But Dad will do what that man did. He does it to our sister and we're next."

Larry kept the emotion from his face. He knew these girls were doomed now if they went home. “Where you headed to? Or is that a secret too?”

“California.” She said.

“Okay, that works.” He thought about how they looked, both way to thin and he had seen a bruise on the elder girl's back. They were dirty and tired. He considered if they had hitchhiked this far and had actually got into the man's rig in order to get someplace, they would do it again. They stopped by Larry's truck. There was a part of him, a tiny little voice that seemed to be pleading with him to take them, to get them to California safely, or they'd never see their next birthdays. “Okay. I want honesty. Did that man touch you two?”

“No, but he tried to.” The elder girl said.

“That's why you got out of his truck?” Larry asked and both girls nodded. He knew leaving them there for the cops would be bad and waiting could get him hurt from the man in the bathroom. “Did he take off his pants?”

“Ho opened them, pulled his thing out.” The elder girl nodded, but her eyes stayed on the ground. “Said we had to pay our way to California. He tired to lay in the bed with us.”

“Tell you what. I'll make sure you get to California.”

“You gonna touch us too?” The elder girl asked.

He opened the door to the truck and pulled out a tire tool that he kept in his door for protection and he held it out for the eldest girl to take. “Let me get you away from here, but if you think I'll hurt you, use that. If I touch you, you can hit me and then call the police to arrest me. But you have to trust me, I won't touch you in a bad way." He gestured to the truck. "But we have to get going, or the cops may show up and take you back home." A pair of vehicles pulled into the lot and Larry began to worry that he'd get in trouble.

“Girls, climb in the truck and get in the back. Hide. One of them is a cop.” Larry said as he noticed a squad car. The two girls climbed in and went to the sleeper and sat on the floor. Larry climbed up and watched a woman get out of the first can and she went into the bathroom, a little girl in tow. Then he saw the officer get out of his squad car and quickly jogged to the men's room. "If they see you, you may go back home."

Larry sat still in hsi seat truck and was about to start his truck, when the woman screamed. The little girl ran out and a moment later, the cop ran out of the mens room. Larry didn't start the rig, he just kept watching as the officer pulled the man he had hit out of the bathroom, while the woman kept trying to kick him.

Once the man was in the car, the cop was talking to the woman and Larry realized if the man spoke up, he could get in trouble, so he decided to let the officer know about the man. Larry walked over to where the cops were and he leaned in close. “Excuse me, officer, I got information about that jack ass who was attacking that mother and her kid?”

“Yeah.”

“Figured you'd want to know about something.” Larry said as he pointed to the man's rig. He knew it was a lie he was about to tell, but he knew that a sick man could be arrested and the property impounded if the cop had reasonable cause to search his truck. “He tried selling me some pictures a little bit ago. Sick shit man, pictures of little naked kids. He had a couple with himself in the pictures too, touching little girls in a sick manner. I watched him put them into the pouch on his drivers door.”

"Really?" The cop asked, now very interested.

"Yeah. He was really proud of them. I almost beat the shit out of him, I thought he went to the mens room, but I guess I was wrong, if I knew he was in that rest room, I would have never let that woman in there."

Larry gave his information and several more squad cars showed up to make sure everything was okay. After a little while he was allowed to leave. None of the cops had checked his truck and he had waited for everything to die down, so the girls could use the bathroom, then they left. He was on the road and headed for California almost an hour after they had dealt with the man.

~o~O~o~

Larry realized that Jasmine was looking at him a few miles down the road. "Did they arrest that man because of us?”

Larry nodded. “No. They got him for being in the bathroom with that woman and her daughter.”

“Did you tell them about us?”

Larry shook his head this time. “No.....Kid, he had pictures in his truck, bad pictures. I saw them when you got your stuff. I told the cops about that.”

“Of the little children? Yeah, he tried showing them to me, when he open his pants. He offered to take pictures of Sally and me. He said we'd be famous if he could take pictures of us."

“I see.” Larry nodded slightly. His hands gripped the wheel as he drove and he tired to calm himself. He just kept thinking that a sick man was now behind bars.

“I think he was going to rape me.”

“He could have.” Larry said. "Had I not shown up....."

Jasmine started to cry and her sister moved up and sat in the seat with her. The two of them hugged each other tightly while Larry drove. After a few minutes, he asked the eldest girl.

"So, kid, what's your name?"

"Why?"

"Well, I'd rather call you a name, not just kid." Larry said.

"I'm Jasmine."

The younger girl spoke up, wanting to be a part of the conversation too. "I'm Sally."

"Larry Rawlings." He replied, with a friendly nod of his head.

~o~O~o~

Night time found them almost ninety miles east of Reno, at a small rest area that had port-a-poties and no running water. He had pulled over because he was at his legal limit for being able to drive for the day. He had given up his bed in the back to the two girls. He still felt a bit nervous about having the girls in his rig, but he couldn't stand the thought of leaving them at a truck stop where god knew who would have picked them up. At least he knew he would get them to California safe. Sure, he knew he was breaking several laws, mostly the Mann act and then they would throw kidnapping on him as well. But what had surprised him was it seemed that there were no cops, anywhere. In fact no one seemed to look at him at all, which made him paranoid. He was waiting for that other shoe to fall.

“Jasmine?” Larry heard the little girl whisper.

“What's wrong Sally?”

“You think Carol is okay?” Sally asked.

“I don't know.” The elder child replied.

“Were we to wait for her?”

“No, Sally. Carol said she had to stay, or dad would find us. We had to get out of Alabama.” Jasmine stated.

“I hope he didn't hurt her.” Sally replied. “I miss her, Nancy too.”

“Yeah.” Jasmine agreed. Then both girls went silent for a few moments. Larry just stayed in his seat, with the back reclined. He was about to close his eyes and try for sleep again when he heard the youngest again.

“What if he can't take us to the ranch?”

The older of the two kids whispered. “He gets us into California and past the mountains and we can find a new ride to Hope's ranch.”

Larry's eyes opened at the name of their destination. It was like being slapped in the face. He did his best to not say anything and the girls kept talking unaware that he was awake.

“What's so special about Hope's Ranch?” The little girl asked.

“I've told you before.” The elder of the two whispered.

“Tell me again.” She asked in that sweet innocent voice all kids have. Larry was reminded of the scene from Annie where the little girl asks to hear a story, one she has heard several times before.

“You saw the video. At Hope's Ranch, we can be who we are. I can be the girl I'm supposed to be, not the boy Dad claimed I was. I'll never hear the name Kenny again. Dad's not there to hurt us. No one will touch us in a bad way ever again. It's our chance at a new life. We can live off the land and there are kids who are like me there.”

“What about Carol? Could we get her to come out? We could be a family again.” Sally asked.

Jasmine was quiet for several moments, finally she sighed. “I don't know.”

“I miss her.” Sally said.

“Me too, but you heard her. If she went with us, Dad would have known we left, so she stayed to keep us safe.”

“Does Dad touch her, like he tried with you? And like that man did?”

“I don't know.” Jasmine replied, but Larry heard something in her voice that made him think the bigger girl knew something else.

“I like Larry. He's nice, not like Daddy.”

“Well, don't get used to him. We're only with him till California.”

“Jazz....I trust him. He's not like that other guy.”

“I know Sally. Just don't get used to him.”

~o~O~o~

The next day started just like the day before. Larry pulled out of the tiny rest area, after letting the girls go to the bathroom. He knew they needed shower soon, both the girls were getting a bit dirty. He hadn't had one since he had been in Nebraska. His new passengers had disrupted his whole plan on how would get home, including his thought of renting a hotel room. A part of him had wished he would have asked Liz to come along with him for the ride, but now, with the girls, he was glad she hadn't.

They were only on the road for about half an hour when Larry turned on his turn signal and started talking to them. “Welcome to Fernley Nevada.” Larry announced as he pulled off the highway. “Okay girls. I need fuel here, or we're not making California, heck we wouldn't even make Reno. Speaking of Reno, when we get there I'll need directions.”

“Just California is fine.” Jasmine replied, still not trusting the man.

“Kiddo, California is big. If I go south and let you out in Southern California, Near say L.A. and you're going to the northern part of the state, that leaves you with one hell of a walk and I don't feel comfortable in leaving two young ladies near LA all alone. Same if I go north and you want south. That's the best part to where we are right now. We get up to Three-ninety-five and I can go one of three directions and that's west on Interstate eighty, north and south on three ninety-five and each can lead us to California.”

“Tell him.” He heard Sally whisper.

“No, We can get there on our own.” Jasmine said, but Sally decided to spill the beans.

“We're going to Hope's Ranch!” Sally replied.

“Hope's Ranch? That ranch that takes the runaways?” He asked. Jasmine clamped her hand over her sisters mouth, but he saw the young girl nod. “I know exactly where it's at. Heck, I think I still remember the address.” He said as he went for the right lane to get ready to enter into the truck-stop.

“Mister, just leave us where ever in California. We can get there on our own.”

He sighed. “Jasmine, you have any idea where it's at?”

“No, but we can find a map or something and walk it.”

“Jasmine, I know where it's at. It's in the Northern California Mountains. That's not really a good place for two young girls to be walking. There's mountain lions and bears all over. Plus it gets damn cold at night even in the summer and you two are not dressed for that kind of weather. I also don't trust leaving you two alone, not after that guy in Wyoming.” He cast a glace over, to check his mirror as he pulled forward to a free pump. When he shut off the engine, he reached for his wallet and pulled out a twenty and his fuel card. “Girls, I can have you to Hopes Ranch in just about two hours, after we fill up. It's near a tiny little mountain town. By nine o'clock this morning, You can be at the Ranch. But stay in the truck. With you two coming across state lines, you could get into trouble for being runaways, and Nevada has cameras everywhere. If someone knows you ran away, they may take you home.”

Larry got out as both girls went to the sleeper and sat on the bed. He put in his card and started the pump, then he headed into the little store, knowing the girls needed something to eat.

The girls sat in quiet for several minutes, till Jasmine broke the silence. “Come on, Sally, we can find a new ride. He's asking too many questions.”

“No. I trust Mr. Larry.” Sally whispered back. “He's a good person. Not everyone we've met is. 'Member that one guy? How he kept touching your leg and tried to put his thingy in your hand? And those pictures he showed you? He looked at you like Dad did. And others look at you like he looked at Carol. Mister Larry hasn't done anything like that.”

“We can get a new ride.” Jasmine got up and went to the passenger seat, then grabbed the door handle and was about to open it, so she could get out, her sister turned away and sat on the bed.

“I'm not going. He said we can be at the ranch by nine. That's two hours from now.”

Larry came back and sat the back of goodies on the step to his truck, then he leaned against his truck and dialed the old number to the farm. He had it memorized after all these years. “Hope's Ranch, how can we help you?” He knew voice and a part of him panicked, then he hung up the phone. He looked to his hands and noticed that they were shaking as he sat on the step to his truck. “Dammit Hope. Why does it have to be this hard to say I'm sorry. Come on Larry...These girls need you to get them to her.” He didn't realize he was muttering to himself.

He was also unaware the girls were listening to him, through the open window. Both of them moved so they could watch him dial again, and panic once more when the phone was picked up. “All these years Hope and I'm so freaking scared of what you'll do. Can't blame you though.”

He opened the door to the truck and he saw Jasmine on the passenger seat and Sally on the edge of the bed. He put the bag of goodies he had bought on his seat, then he turned and took the nozzle out of his fuel tank and he shut the pump off. When he was finished, he went back inside, to clean the diesel off his hands. As he came back, he tried once more to call, but once more, fear got the best of him. He took a deep breath and went back to the rig, putting on his best smile for the girls.

As he settled into the seat and fired up his rig, he noticed that Jasmine was watching him. It was then that she noticed that he had a few tears streaking down his cheeks.

“You know Hope, don't you?” Jasmine asked as Larry fired up the rig. “Of Hope's Ranch?”

“Yeah.” He nodded as he wiped away the tears that had formed in his eyes again.

“How do you know her?” Jasmine asked.

“It's a long story, but let me tell you.”As he began to pulled out of the truck stop he stopped at a stop sign and looked at them for a moment. When they hit the highway, Jasmine moved to the front seat of the truck and Sally sat on the edge of the bed. “Sally, if you'd pull out the food, I'll tell you two.”

They were back on the highway in a matter of minutes as the girls tore into the goodies he had bought. Sally handed him a bag of jerky and a soda, then she went back on sat on a seat that was in the sleeper part of the cab. “I'm the elder of two kids. I was born on Rawlins Ranch during a heavy snow storm. My little brother followed about four years later. As we grew up, Dad did his best to raise us as men. My brother was always different. He was quiet, and shy. I always thought he was weak.”

“I made it my job to beat him up every chance I got. I was a jerk, I hit him, just to hit him half the time. Finally one day he went to my parents, when he was about sixteen and told Mom and Dad that he should have been born a woman. I was still living on the property, but in a trailer of my own, but finally I snapped when Dad sided with him and the last time I seen my family, I had punched my sister.”

“I've spent the last few years of my life running from everything. I found someone like my brother, should have been born a woman, but was born a male, and she told me that my sister had always been my sister, just with plumbing issues.” Jasmine had slowly began to worry if Larry was the right person to get her there. A fear of being taken into the woods and beaten to death started to form in her young mind.

“I know you're most likely worried right now and I can't blame you. But I promised to get you to California safely.” Larry sighed and gave Jasmine a quick smile, before looking at the road again. “See kids, I know where Hope's Ranch is, 'cause it belongs to my family. Hope's Ranch used to be Rawlins Ranch.” “Hope is my sister. When she first came out, I got mad. I hated her for years. I left the farm and went into over the road trucking.” He sighed. “There's always been something in the back of my mind telling me I should go and patch things up with her. Finally something gave me the courage.”

“What?” Sally asked. He looked at them for a moment as they merged onto I 395 and headed north. Both girls were looking back and forth at the different sites in the Reno and Sparks area.

“Two little hitchhikers that I found in Wyoming named Sally and Jasmine.” The conversation stopped as they drove north, past the suburbs of Reno. The girls were pointing out what little they could see as they headed north. Finally Larry shattered the quiet.

“Hey...Welcome to California, Girls.” He pointed to a big sign that Jasmine could see out of the drivers window. Both girls let out squeals of joy. He smiled as they began to slowdown for a weigh station. He rolled to a stop and leaned out the window. “Howdy.”

“Hey, No cargo?”

“None." Larry didn't mention the girls and the man didn't see then from his angle.

The guard did a quick check and he could see by the weight that the truck was empty. “Drive safe.”

“Will do. Stay out of the heat.” Larry said in reply. He slowly pulled out of the check point and went north another mile of two. Soon he slowed down for the turn on to highway seventy. As they started to climb up Beckwourth Pass, he could recall the last fight he had with his now sister. He could still hear the sounds his truck made as he sped away from there rang in his ears. The past was interrupted by a little girl's voice.

“Mister Larry? I thought there were farms around Hope's ranch?” Sally asked.

He glanced over and saw that Sally had moved to join her sister in the passenger seat and was trying to look out the window as they neared the top of Beckwourth pass. “There are. We got to get over the pass first.” He said with a smile.

“But all I see are mountains.” Sally insisted. Jasmine still felt worried and now that they seemed to be driving into the mountains, she was beginning to worry again.

“Just wait. The farm is after the pass.” He replied as they reached the top. Then they started down a slight grade and both girls gasped. Way off in the distance were mountains, but not near them. Instead of mountains, it opened up into flat land, with farms in all over as far as they could see.

“Wow. There's farms up in the mountains?” Sally exclaimed.

“Why sound surprised. This is almost the same elevation as parts of Wyoming.” He eased back on the throttle as they kept moving along.

The silence almost filled the cab of the truck, except for Sally pointing out every point of interest to her sister, or her sister doing the same. They went on for about ten miles, till Larry broke the sightseeing up.

“Hey. My side of the truck, starting.....now.... is the border of the ranch....at least it used to be...fence is gone.” he said, noticing the old fence was gone and the fields seemed to be merged. He got to a side street and he turned, keeping the farm on his left. The girls let out a squeal of triumph when they saw the big sign with huge Black letters, giving the name of the ranch.

HOPE'S RANCH

All of her fears about being attacked melted away, as did the stress of the past few days of hitchhiking. Jasmine hugged her sister, who was crying for joy, and she asked. “What do they grow here?”

“Honestly...” He said with a chuckle as he saw many kids, ranging from about fifteen to almost adulthood in the yard and fields. “Honestly, I think they grow kids here.”

The two girls giggled. “No, really, what are those plants.” Jasmine asked again.

“Well, if I had to guess, and if Hope didn't change the fields around, I'd say that's the cabbage fields. Over there is where we used to grow carrots. Dad always wanted to grow asparagus, but we had potatoes instead. Not really sure what those two buildings are. Look like greenhouses, but I could be wrong.”

He waited for a car to pass, then he pulled into one side of the circular driveway that led to the old shed for the big rigs. A boy went jogging for the main house, just as he reached the door, he stopped and put two fingers in his mouth, then gave three sharp whistles. Larry arched an eyebrow as he saw five of the teens jog towards the truck garage from out of the field. He stopped the rig and looked to the girls, then shrugged.

The closest of the teens climbed up on the side of his cab, holding onto the metal bar by his door and tapped at the window. As Larry rolled it down the boy...at least Larry thought it was a boy at first, but he wasn't too sure, smiled at him. When he spoke the teen had a higher voice, but a thick Texas accent “Howdy. Y’all must be new? I'll guide ya to the loadin dock. Gotta keep the drive open case 'nutter truck may need in.”

Larry gave his most witty reply. “Um What?”

The boy chuckled and pointed out the route he wanted Larry to take, unaware that Larry knew the property. “Head that 'a way, Cowboy, cross 'hind the Garage, then y'all can wait an we'll open the back an guide you in.”

“What?” Larry asked again. The boy just kept his grip on the bar, then he looked to the road.

“Come on Cowboy. Ain't no parking lot. Boss lady can sign the paperwork in a moment.” The boy replied. “Faster y'all move, faster we get y'all back on the road.”

Larry looked to the girls and shrugged, then he put the truck in gear. He looked to the boy who just stayed hanging on the side. “You just going to hang there.”

“Yeah. This is nuttin.” The boy stated, then he noticed the girls in the passenger seat. “Now you young'en's don't do this. I've rid bulls before, this is like that, only bigger....and metal.”

The girls looked at each other and giggled as Larry began heading in the direction the boy had pointed out. “Name's Cledus, by the way.” The boy stated for no reason. “I'm kinda da head guy for deliveries. Wasn't 'spectin no delivery today, though.”

“What's with the kids.” Larry asked as they slowed down for boys to cross in front of them. “Where are they going?”

“We're the unloadin crew. We help the truckers, so y'all don't spend hours here.”

“Kids are the crew?”

“Not many 'dults here, Cowboy.” Cledus replied. “Ones that is Adults here, they take care of bigger things. 'Sides, my crew, we all eighteen.” As they went around the Truck garage, Larry noticed that it had been extended on one side. He also noticed the barn that used to be behind his truck shed had been torn down and a new one was in it's place. There were sidewalks all over, and as he reached the far side of the shed, he noticed a sunken in loading dock, the kind that allowed workers to just walk in from the dock to the semi with little trouble and several kids pulling pallet jacks out of a shed.

He looked over to his parents home and saw a new building behind it. Several doors lined the side of the building. Off in the distance, near what he knew to be the edge of the property he could see another building just like it.

Larry followed Celdus's directions and stopped. His new passenger was about to hop down when Larry heard a whistle, then he looked in the mirror and could just make out the image of a hand working an invisible lock. Cledus leaned back up. “Hey, Cowboy, we need the key, so can get ya open back there.”

“I don't have a delivery for you.” Larry finally stated as a woman began walking from the house to the big-rig

“Why you here then. And why didn't you say nuttin?” Cledus turned when he heard footsteps behind him and he hopped off the side of the rig. “Howdy Mrs Hope. Cowboy here says he ain't got no delivery.”

The girls stood on their seat to watch what was going on. “It's her. It's really her” Sally said in an excited whisper to her sister, both girls began to hop on the seat. A woman who was well over six foot tall stepped up to the side of the cab, then she peered inside. She paused a second as she seen Larry and the emotions on her face began a mix of happiness and confusion. She stepped back and almost fell, causing Cledus to move to catch her.

He opened the door and quietly instructed the girls to stay in the cab for a moment. Hope was shocked and he could hear it in her voice as she spoke. “Larry?”

“Hello Hope.”

“W-what...what are you doing here?” She asked.

“Couple of reasons actually.”

“Boss, ya know him?” Cledus asked.

“Yeah. He's my brother, Larry.” She said.

“That Larry? The one who beat you?” Cledus asked as he gave Larry his best threatening look.

“He only hit me Cledus, and tempers were frayed at that moment. Please, give me a moment.” She whispered as she put a hand on the teens shoulder. “Give me a bit of space” When he didn't move, she gave him a reassuring smile. “I'll be fine, really.”

Cledus nodded and backed off, but Larry noticed the kids stayed near the back of his rig. He guessed that they had heard the stories of him when he had left. “Why are you here Larry?” Hope asked. “Last time you left, I recall you saying you'd never want to be anywhere near me again. I think you said that, my head was spinning from the right cross you placed on my chin.”

“Hope, I was stupid.” Larry said as he leaned against his rig. “It's taken me almost ten years of kicking myself in the ass for what I did. Till a few years ago, when I met someone like you, I was a miserable, self-loathing asshole. She made me realize that you weren't betraying your male side, but that you had been faking being a man, just for me and Dad. And god knows when Dad backed you I lost it. I should have never hit you. Hell, now that I've had time to look back, I know you were always a girl, I was just too bigoted to see that.”

“So, why are you here then?”

“A couple of reasons. I'm here to say I'm sorry. You're family and damn it Hope, I miss you. Hell, I miss Mom and Dad too.” He looked up to see his parents making their way out of the house, but keeping their distance. He couldn't hold back the tears that began to run down his cheek. The shame of strike her and of leaving his family the way he had got to him. “Look, I fucked up, but you're my sister and dammit, I love you. I've missed you, Mom and Dad.”

“We've missed you too.” Hope replied. “God knows we could have used you around here the past couple of years.”

“I don't know if I can stay, though. I still don't forgive myself for the shit I did.” Larry stated.

“Larry.” Hope stepped forwards and pulled him into a hug. “It's okay, I forgave you a long time ago.” He began to sob, leaning against her. The guilt was still there and the shame, but the wieght was lifted for the first time in a decade.

He was only partly aware that his parents had come all the way over and his mother was joining his sister in the hug. As they let go, his father offered him a hand. “Good to see you come back, Son.” the old man said.

“It's good to be back. I've missed this farm. No matter how much it's changed.”

“Okay, I gotta know. If you figured this out a couple years ago, why did it take so long to tell me?” Hope asked.

“I was scared and my stupid pride......” He shook his head and sighed. “I was afraid of what you would do and god knows I deserved what ever I got.” He replied. “I was nothing but a big chicken-shit coward, but then something happened in the past couple days and it made me realize I can't keep running.”

“What happened?” Hope asked, a bit wary. She watched as he wiped at his eyes.

“I was in Wyoming and I pulled off at a rest stop and came across a couple of kids who were running away from a bad situation in Alabama.” He turned and popped the door open to his cab, then beckoned for the girls to come over to them. “They told me they were headed to California, it was only last night when I heard them talking about coming here that I realized that God meant for me to find them and lead me back home. Honestly, I never had much faith in God, but I think maybe there's something there.” He held out his hand, then he helped Sally out of the rig. Then he let Jasmine climb down on her own, but made sure she didn't fall.

“This is Sally and Jasmine. They've come a long way to see if you'll let them stay here.”

Hope dropped to one knee as she looked at the two girls. She had questions for them, just to make sure they could find a legal way to keep the girls there, which was better then being named kidnappers, again. But she knew the girls would be tight lipped, if they had ran that far from a bad situation. She took quick stock of them, from their dirty, worn clothes, to the dirt on their faces, a few bruises that were going away and the slight emaciated look on both of them. “Hello Girls. I'm Hope and this is Hope's Ranch. These are my Parents Inga and Henry. You both look like you've had a long trip, are you two hungry?”

Both girls nodded. Hope held out a hand. “Well, you missed breakfast, but how about I get someone to get you two something to eat, okay?”

Larry's mother stepped up and held out both hands. “I can go fix something for the girls. If you two don't mind.” She said with a grandmotherly smile. The girls took the old lady's hand and began to walk away with Larry's father in tow.

They had only taken a few steps away when Sally turned around and looked to Larry. “You're not going to leave while we eat, are you?”

Larry thought about it for a moment, then he shook his head. “No, I won't leave while you eat. ”

When the girls had gone into the house, Hope looked to her brother. “That was you, wasn't it? The phone calls an hour ago?”

“Yeah, I...I panicked and hung up. Guess I'm not so big and strong after all.”

Hope let it pass, instead she smiled at her brother. “So, what's your plan? How long can you stay?”

“I don't know. I was headed to renew my CDL, and my old contract didn't get renewed, they went with a cheaper company. I was going to LA 'cause I heard there was a company who needed drivers and were paying great for guys with experience.”

“Sounds like a plan, but I thought you hated Southern California?” Hope asked.

“I do.” He stated. “Too much traffic, that's why I kept out of the East Coast too.”

“Look, are you hungry?”

“Had a little something earlier. Had some jerky, but I could do for a real meal.” He answered. “Was thinking I could run back to Truckee and hit a Truck-stop on the outskirts.”

“You got someplace to stay the night? Or at least a place to park the truck?”

“I have a place in Truckee I can leave it, plus I got an apartment, but it's not much.”

“Tell you what, drop your trailer and if you want, we got space in the truck shed for your cab. Not a lot of space to park it outside without blocking the driveway and I think we have a delivery tomorrow. I'll meet you in the shed and we can talk over a few things. I think I can find you a job, plus I need to make sure no one is looking for those girls, and you may have useful information on them, okay? It would look suspicious if you just left now. And Mom and Dad would be heartbroken.”

“Okay. I'll stay.”

~o~O~o~

Larry had dropped off the trailer, with the help of Cledus and one other boy who guided him to the trailer parking. He pulled back around the Truck shed and was waiting as someone lifted the gate so he could pull the tractor inside. As the gate lifted up he watched Cledus and a girl who was taller then him, with spiky black hair in a heated discussion. The teen who worked the chain that opened the door just shook his head as he tired to ignore them. Larry leaned slightly to the side and could hear bits on the conversation over his engine and the loud stereo that was playing in the garage.

“Damn son of a bitch hurts Hope, then hides for ten years and now you think he has the right to just park in MY garage? I use this space at times, you know that!”

“Dammit Bishop! You hard headed bitch! This ain't no askin, This is Hope's orders! You may be the mechanic, but she and her parents own the land!”

“Both of you, calm yourselves.” A short, thin woman called out as she turned down the radio. Larry looked and saw his sister holding a tray of sandwiches and cans of soda walking with her. “Anger never helps any situation.”

“Sorry Reverend.” Cledus said. “Pardon my language, Bishop.”

Larry raised an eyebrow as he watched what was happening. He wasn't sure what was going on, and a part of him was now worried that his sister had turned the farm into a religious camp.

“Sorry, I just hate that someone who treated someone like us that bad is being let back here.”

“Bishop, you yourself have done things that you're not proud of. Should we not accept you because of your past? Or should we do whats right and forgive the past, so we can move on with the present. Even the bible states that we should forgive our enemies and those who persecute us. It also says that we should love our neighbor as we want them to love us and if you recall, Jesus held that as one of the two most important things you can do.”

“You're right. Sorry Reverend.” Bishop replied, then she walked to the center of the bay and waved Larry forward. “Pull forward, Sir.” The last word still held a bit of contempt.

Larry thought about just pulling out and leaving, but he had promised the two little girls that he would be there and if it was a cult church, he wasn't going to let the girls stay there, for their own safety. As the girl held her hands up, he stopped, then shut the motor down.

He took a quick look around the shed. When he had last used it he recalled there being space to park three Truck cabs, side by side. Now there was space for two. The far left bay had several workbench's along the wall and other equipment for maintaining vehicles laying about in a neat order. Plus there was now a stairwell that led to what looked like an office and an apartment all rolled into one. Instead of a second rig in the center work bay, there was a truck up on jacks with it's hood open, and a small tractor, decades old, with a backhoe attachment. The hood to the truck was up and the engine was partly dismantled. He looked around and saw a short girl with mousy features that were marred by smudges of grease, look up from the engine of the pickup truck, then she went back to work. A thin boy with an almost girlish face slid out from under the truck and he stood up, then nodded to Larry. After grabbed a tool, he slid back under the truck.

“Hello.” The one named Reverend said as she got closer. She held out her hand, but Larry was hesitant. “It's okay, I don't bite.”

“Larry, this is Reverend Annie Walker.” Hope stated.

He hesitantly took the offered hand and shook it. “Reverend? Bishop? This isn't some kind of religious farm now, is it?”

Hope shook her head. “Larry, this isn't a church. This farm is an attempt to get kids out of a bad situation and into an area where they can live in peace and grow as people.”

“What do you mean?” Larry asked.

“The kids that call this place home have been cast away by society, like I was. We have some people who still have ties to what ever religions that they were raised with. We have others who have found their own religions, but trust me, it's not a religious compound.” Hope stated. “In fact, Annie being here was more of a shock to me then it was to her.”

“What do you mean.” Larry asked again.

Annie smiled and gave a little chuckle. “Larry, I went through school to become a preacher. I spent years in school, then finally I found a church. All that time I felt that something was wrong. I had known since I was a small child. I knew what it was, but was always too afraid to tell people. I had always felt like a woman in a man's body. I searched my soul and finally decided to see a therapist. When I had the diagnosis of Gender Identity Disorder, I went to a fellow reverend. That's where it all fell apart.”

“What happened?” Larry asked.

“He went to some of the Elders of the church and the next thing I know, I was being ousted.” She stated. “It hurt. I taught kindness and forgiveness and they treated me with anger and hostility. So I fell into a pit of depression and self hatred. One night I dropped to my knees and just prayed. I prayed for forgiveness and strength.”

“The window was open and a strong breeze blew in and hit the bible that I had on an end table. I watched as the pages flipped and stopped at Mark sixteen. I saw verse fifteen and knew what to do.”

“What's verse fifteen?”

The Reverend smiled. “Mark sixteen, verse fifteen says. 'And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.'” Larry had noticed that the boy who had opened the bay door had removed his hat while the scripture was quoted. When she was finished, he placed his hat back on his head and went back to work.

“I decided to leave my home in Idaho and just jumped in my car. I had sold off all of my worldly possession except enough clothes to fit into a duffel bag and my car. I went to my car and decided to let God lead me to wherever it was that I was truly needed.”

“And he led you here?” Larry asked.

“Not at first, I actually ended up just outside of Portola after two weeks of just cruising the Pacific coast line, at least till I hit Frisco. Then I wanted to go through the mountains and see the foothills. I was headed towards Reno when it happened. It was in the middle of a major snowstorm at around ten at night and I was just trying to get into town and get to a warm hotel for the night. I had tried in Quincy, but those were all booked , so was the one in Portola. So I figured I'd head to Reno. I was about ten miles out of Portola when suddenly, my car just died.”

“Car's don't just die.” Bishop admonished her.

“Well the engine wouldn’t start and I tired. I turned on the hazards, but for some reason after a few minutes they just died. When they had died, several cars passed by before I could get out and wave them down. I was about to give up hope that someone would stop and I was walking into town when a truck topped a hill. It passed me, like several others had, then I heard it turn around a little ways up and it circled back. I began waving at them and they stopped.”

She put a hand on Hope's shoulder. “First thing I see as the Truck pulls next to me was the sticker on the door “Hope's Ranch.” I should have realized it then that It was a sign. But I was cold at this point and tired. So this woman gets out and after looking at the car and hearing about the problem of no hotel rooms, she offers to let me stay on her couch at the ranch house. I was a bit leery about trusting my safety into the hands of a complete stranger, but there was something about Hope, something I just had to trust. So I went with her and we got to talking about the name of her ranch and she told me about it.”

“This is about a year and a half after I took in the first runaway.” Hope replied. “So by then there were about five to ten kids here. Most of them had been found by either me, Mom or Dad somewhere, all of them had been beaten and mentally abused. Many of them were about sixteen, so they could emancipate themselves. We just gave them a place to stay and they helped us with the farm. After that word of mouth of the farm spread through the Trans-crowds. But we didn't stop there. We got gay kids and lesbians plus bi-sexual kids too. There's even some who just suffered sexual abuse and wanted to get away.”

“Isn't that dangerous? I mean a ton of horny kids on one farm?” Larry asked.

“It could be, but most of the kids understand that there are rules and we have had to make kids leave for breaking them.”

“Ah.” Larry looked back to the Reverend. “Sorry, you were saying?”

“It's okay. As I was saying, we were maybe able to go ten miles an hour. So we got to talking and I told her a doctored version of my life, leaving out my GID.” Annie stated. “I told her how I was basically going to where God willed me. She began to ask me what I thought God felt about people of all alternative life styles. She told me of a kid who had been attacked by his family, just because he felt like a she. She told me of how this kid was at the ranch, trying to make things work, but times were tough. I took a leap of faith that night and told her my full story.”

Hope nodded. “We actually ended up telling each other our stories. When we got close to here, I saw a kid in the snow, thin coat and half out of it from the weather. He collapsed as we got close and I swear it was God's doing. I think he had a hand in that whole night. I feel God made that blizzard hit when it did, He also made sure that I had been kept in Quincy as long as I had, or I would have been home hours before. Then there was the ten or so minutes that I spent looking over Annie's car. If I have left Quincy when I had planned, we would have never seen the boy we saw fall down.

“He's upstairs, you may meet him later.” Cledus said.

“So you stayed here to help the kids who need a spiritual leader?” Larry asked.

“In a sense.” Annie replied. “I am not just a holy person. I also have a love of gardening. I'm responsible for the rose gardens. But when we get new kids, often they have been told that they are abominations I've made it my job to help them understand that God loves them.”

“She does a little church service in the mess hall, for those that want it. She also helps those who follow other religions.”

“Like Jewish kids and Muslims?”

“Yeah. But I'd like to think I'm more then just a Reverend” Annie nodded. “A lot of the kids, especially the motor rats in here, they love nicknames. So them and Cledus and a lot of the kids who came from the deep south all called me Reverend and it kinda stuck.”

“Motor rats?” Larry asked.

“They're our mechanics. It saves money on repairs. We have a lot of small engine tools here so they keep it running smoothly. They all answer to Bishop. She even has certifications to have a small engine shop that she runs to help out the local farmers. We helped put her thorough school to get those certificates. Cledus is the head of the truck crew and part of the farmers too. There's a girl, Kasey who is in charge of the farming and boy Hank, who is in charge of livestock. We also have people in charge of the kitchen, cooking mostly, and the meal clean up has another crew, plus we have a group that sew part time.”

Larry nodded in comprehension. “So, it's like a town. Each part of the ranch helps other parts and the ranch makes money to sustain all of you?”

“Something like that.” Hope agreed

“Okay, I can understand the Reverend thing.” Larry said. “So why is she called Bishop?”

“It's a chess reference.” Hope said as she gestured to a work bench that had a coffee maker on it, plus a chess board set up. “Bishop is a gifted chess player and won trophies as a child.”

“It's much cooler then calling me pawn, rook, knight or king.” Bishop replied as she went to the board and moved a piece. A boy that Larry hadn't seen at that point leaned out from behind a rototiller, and started at the board for a moment, then he moved a piece and gestured to her. “King just makes me sound like a dog and I'm a lesbian, so I can't be a queen. That's reserved for the gay guys.” She moved another piece, then smiled. “Check. Mate in two if you're not careful.”

The boy at the rototiller looked at the board and chuckled. “You sneaky bitch.”

“You've met Cledus and Bishop.” Hope said. “The boy who is working on the rototiller and getting his ass kicked at chess is Tweak.”

“Tweak?” Larry asked as a hand raised above the equipment and gave an effeminate wave.

“Yeah, he's always adjusting something, you know, Tweaking it to make it better. He mostly works with the small engines.” Hope replied. “His twin sister is the girl over there. We call her squeak.”

“Squeak?”

“When she's tickled, she doesn’t laugh, she lets out a squeak noise. It's really funny.” Cledus said. “You wouldn't know it by looking at her, but she's a wiz with most car motors. The kid under the truck is Dusty. And Lucky is the guy who opened up the gate for you.” He saw a hand wave from under the truck.

“Howdy.” Lucky said as he tipped a stetson hat.

“Dusty and Lucky? Are they cowboys?”

“Dusty because of his hair color.” Cledus clarified. “And Lucky was working on a truck once and it shifted and almost fell on him. He's almost been hit by other huge things about ten times now. A bull got loose from a neighbor's farm and ended up running over him, but all he had was a couple of scratches. When he gets to be twenty one, we're taking him into Reno and see if we hit it big. But ta be fair, Lucky an' Dusty both came from Texas wit me and we're big Cowboy's fans, so yeah, we're kinda cowboys.”

“Where's Tink?” Hope asked.

“Hey, Tink, you in here?!?” Bishop yelled out. A girl, dressed in baggy jeans and a bright green shirt with a very famous fairy on it stepped out from the upstairs office. She pushed a large pair of glasses up her nose as she looked out at them.

“You called?” Her voice was very high, but it almost sounded forced.

“Just seeing where you were. What are you up to?”

“Calc and I are going over the books, why? You need us for anything?” Her eyes caught Larry's rig and she sighed. “We gain a Truck and no one told us? I didn't see anything in the books about a new truck. Is there a bill of sale, if so get it up here for us and are we doing taxes on the fuel or the payments, get me the info as soon as you can, please?”

Hope shook her head as the boy who had ran to get them came into the garage and headed up the stairs. “We were just showing someone around. It's not our Truck. Are you done with the books?”

“Almost. It's easy when it's kept up daily.” Tink replied. “Plus I got my own work to get back to. Tech and I have a few more computers to finish.”

“Good, I'd like to see then when you're finished. Let me know as soon as possible. But we've got a job for you guys in a few moments.”

“Tink, Tech and Calc?” Larry asked. “Is this like nickname central.”

“You bet Cowboy.” Cledus said with a grin. “Tink's always tinkering about on stuff, she has a gift of electronics. She fixed the VCR in the bunkhouse, the toaster, all sorts of gizmos like that. Tech and her have a small business that makes and fixes computers. Calc is short for calculator. He's the bookkeeper, along with Decimal and once a month Tink helps them as they do the monthly reports. Together they make up the tech mice.”

“Decimal?”

“His real name was Dewy. Get it? Like Dewy Decimal system in a library? He's tried to get away from his parents names and stuck to ones of his own making.”

“So what's his nickname?” Larry asked, gesturing to Cledus.

“I call him shithead or asshole. Depends on how mad I am at him.” Bishop replied with a chuckle. “But some call him Hayseed.”

“Hayseed?”

“You know, like bumpkin, hill folk, hillbilly, only different.” Bishop stated.

“What about you? Why you got 'High Plains Cowboy' on your door?” Cledus asked as he gestured to the big rig.

“When I was on the road for a while, someone heard part of my story an they said it was like the old westerns where there's that one lone Cowboy who rides off to do his own thing. At the time I was working in the High Plains area of the country and it stuck.”

“I like it. It fits.”

Hope held out the tray of food and Larry took a sandwich. As he took a bite, Hope led him through the garage to the office. She offered him a seat near the Tech mice and had one of them fire up their computer and get on the internet. “Now I got a question about those girls. First off, did they say where they are from? What city?”

“Alabama is the most I got out of them, other then it was a small farming town. I know there is a sister or a mother, named of Carol. Possibly another sister named Nancy, but I don't know for sure. Seeing as how they used a first name and not just said mom, I'd say sisters. Jasmine's real name is Kenny. And I think the sisters are over eighteen, and stayed to save the girls from the fathers wrath.”

“What kind of wrath?” Hope asked.

“I heard Jasmine tell Shelly last night that no one would ever touch them in a bad spot again, if they made it here. If I had to guess, he's molesting them. Not sure if it was all or just Jasmine, but I'd bet its her and an elder sibling, if there is one.”

“Okay. We're going to have to get a cop involved here. Child abuse is a sticky subject and if there's a kid still in danger, we have to act. But I got a good rapport going on with the local sheriff. Tink check the internet for Runaways from Alabama that match their description.”

Tink's voice dropped in pitch a bit and she pushed her glasses up her nose again. “Um, what's the description. I didn't see them.”

“One's short, I don't know how tall.” Larry stated.

“If I had to guess, the younger one...” Cledus starred to say, and Larry filled in the name.

“Sally.”

“Ah, Sally, she is about between six to eight years old and Jasmine is around eleven.” Cledus said. “Sally has blond hair, long, almost to her neck Green eyes and I'll reckon she's about four foot. Jasmine has shortish brown hair, and blue eyes. Maybe four and a half foot tall. Can't guess on the weight though.”

“How did you do that?” Larry said.

“Been here since I was sixteen. You get used to guessing ages at times. Sometimes you're good and other times you're way off.” Cledus said with a shrug.

“Hey, how are we going to do this? I mean will I get into trouble here?” Larry asked, as Hope picked up a note pad and made some notes, while Tink focused on the computer.

“How so?”

“I committed the Mann act. I transported two minors over three state lines. That can also be looked at as kidnapping and that could get me life in prison if they decided to press the charges. There was also an issue with another trucker, who had brought them to Wyoming. He was a real sick bastard.” They all looked at him funny and he quickly told them the whole story.

“We'll find a way to keep you out of it. When you came though the weigh station, what did you tell them?”

“Nothing. It was like he never ever saw Jasmine sitting on the front seat as we got close. Come to think of it, they were ignored by a lot of people.”

“Okay, so you may be safe there.” Hope said. Her train of thought was cut off by Tink.

“Hey, I have no listing of two amber alerts from Alabama, not matching those descriptions anyway.” She stated. “I'll check other sources, but maybe they haven't been noticed.”

“Well, if what Jasmine said is right, the girls ran when their father was out, so he may not be back yet.” Larry said.

Hope nodded, so did the Reverend. Hope repeated her earlier statement. “But there's still one girl there and she's in danger, so he may not have said they're missing yet but we need to make sure that girl is safe too.”

~o~O~o~

The present

The diesel nozzle clicked off and Larry reached for it, pulling it most of the way out, then he waited a second while a few spare drops fell from the nozzle. They had pulled in to fuel up and grab a quick bite to eat. His meal would be a cold sandwich from the icebox in the store, one that was already being picked up for him. Larry wanted to get back to the ranch and get ride of their current load, two trailers full of cows.

“And that's how I ended up driving a truck for Hope's ranch. That was about a year ago.” Larry said as he leaned against his cab, while Tink cleaned his windows. She had rode with him, mostly because she had access to the ranches accounts and could purchase the cattle. One pump over Cledus, who had just received his CLD had been listening in, while Dusty had been cleaning his windshield. A car was parked in front of the two rigs, after filling up at a separate pump and the passengers were all in the store, while Jasmine cleaned the car's wind-shield.

“So, they take in just the runaways? Or are all Transgendered children welcome?” The female truck-driver he had been talking to asked.

“They take some runaways, they do try to keep things legal like, but they help kids when they can.” Larry stated. “When a kid is old enough to emancipate him or herself, they allow the kids to come to the farm. If the kids want to come earlier, they have to get a parent's permission and it becomes like a school thing. And if the parents refuse, we involve the state to get them into our care, if we feel the child is in danger. We have someone who is licensed to teach in California and they mostly tutor the younger kids. For the most part the kids go to a local pair of schools. And with California laws in place, plus the fact that more kids means more money, the school district has been bending over backwards to take the kids. The really young ones do more school work then yard work. The parents that let the kids go and keep in contact pay a little to help clothe the child while he or she learns to work the field and transitions. There's even a couple of families, like a mother who couldn't make it on her own who has brought her kid to the ranch. Not many, but they are there.”

“So, what happened to those girls? The two you took there?”

“Jasmine and Sally?” Larry asked. The lady driver nodded. By this point, Cledus and Dusty had stopped by the front of Larry’s rig. “Well we did some checking, both online and with the local sheriffs. They got hold of the sheriff near the girls old place. They sent a deputy out there and they managed to get there just in time. The father had finally returned home from where ever he had gone and when they showed up, he was in the process of beating the sister who had sent them away and was about to rape her. When the cops entered the house, he pulled a gun and they were forced to kill him.”

“The sister made it, but she was in the hospital for several weeks. Hope helped their Eldest sister when she went to the courts and fought for custody, and was granted it. After that, Jasmine and Sally begged her to let them come back to Hopes Ranch.”

“Did she let them go?”

“Well they did threaten to run away again, just because in three days of being there, they loved it. We helped get her out to the ranch and she realized that the girls needed to be there. So she moved with them and when the other sister left the hospital, we helped her get out there too. Plus it helped get them away from pesky reporters.” Sally was helping her sister Nancy bring out a bag of sandwiches, She stopped by Larry and he took his and patted her head.

“Reporters?”

“Oh yeah, people wanted all the juicy information about the man who was hurting his daughters and had to be shot by police. The kids had no peace there. And look at Sally here, she looks like a healthy, happy kid.”

“Yeah, I'm glad Hope called me when she did.” Nancy said, with hints of an accent. “I'm glad Sally and Jasmine were okay.”

"What about that other trucker?"

"Well, after going to Alabama, we told them about Wyoming and I went with the girls because they had found a video recording of the girls sleeping in the mans truck. So the girls gave a statement and last I knew, he pled guilty and was in prison for several life sentences there."

"Good. People like that deserve prison." The woman harshly said. Then her face and tone softened. “So....they may be able to help single mothers with Transgendered kids?”

“Well each case is different. Some kids aren't ready for the hard work that is involved. It's not a free ride. Each kid that goes there has chores, or a job, plus the younger ones have to do school work, that's state law. Like I said, they got their own mechanics, farmers, and only certain one's run the major equipment. There are bookkeepers and even cooks and cleaning staff. Kids sew and mend clothes, it's basically like a self serving community. But many kids don't want to leave the big city and live on a secluded ranch in the mountains. Plus they reserve the right to remove anyone from the ranch at any time. It's like a community, but if one person there is hostile to everyone, what good will come of it?”

“I can understand that.” The lady stated. “Is there like a number I could call for information? I got a...a friend.” Larry could tell by the tone of her voice and the hesitation that there was most likely no friend, but a mother looking for answers. “and she's trying to help her son who is like that. She's living in a crummy apartment in the bad part of Sacramento and she's looking to get out of the city. There's also other problems....”

Larry reached over and popped open his door and pulled a business card from a pouch in the door. “This is the number, plus it has the email and other contacts. We're also online.”

“So this ranch, really helps the kids?”

He nodded. “I would like to think so. No kids life is totally easy, but the ranch helps as best as it can. Plus in the year that I have been there, I feel reborn. That cynical man I used to be is now just a bad memory. I'm happier, and I finally got a good purpose to drive these rigs. I help these kids in the way I can. Making deliveries, getting livestock. I worked the logging season and all my pay went to the ranch. Saving up for the little one's for Christmas. All in all, I think I've finally found the life I was meant to live.”

“Ma'am, this life isn't for everyone. It's hard work at the ranch and we have rules about school and chores, but if the kids can work within those rules, we have therapists who come to the ranch to talk to us. We kind got a group rate with one group. And we find a way to help the kids get medical insurance.” Larry said. “So if that lady and her kid need help, just send her our way. There's more info online, take a look if you can get to the internet.”

“I'll do that.” She replied.

“But in the mean time, tell that lady that her child is not bad, not evil and is still the same child she raised, just with a birth defect.” Larry said with a smile. “We hope that helps. But I need to get going, before these poor cows stink up the neighborhood.”

“Thank you very much.”

“It's my pleasure.”

They all climbed into their vehicles, with Tink trading seats with Sally, who climbed into the cab and sat on a booster seat. As Larry pulled away, with Cledus and Nancy following him, the other driver waited a few moments as she started up her own truck and pulled out. She stopped at the edge of the road and pulled out her phone and dialed as she put her ear piece in her ear, then pulled onto the road that led to the highway. The phone rang a couple of times and someone picked.

“Hello” a young voice said into the phone.

“Hello, sweetie.” The woman said into the phone.

“Hey Mom.” The kid on the other end of the phone said. His tone was frosty and she knew it was all her fault. She had not taken to the talk of wanting to be a girl too well. In fact there had been yelling, and she hated to admit it, but her temper had snapped and she slapped her child, but that hadn't changed the fact that she loved her child. The soul searching she had done over the past week, while her sister watched the kid was good for her. She had thought about how girly her son had seemed and how natural her daughter was. Now with meeting the people from Hope's ranch, she knew it was a sign.

“You gonna be home soon?” Her child asked. The child's voice held a distinct tone of annoyance and she knew that her child was not looking forward to her return.

“I am, about two hours. Hey, I've been doing some thinking. I know you're not happy and I've been thinking about this whole gender thing. I know you want to be yourself full time and It's just hard there.”

“Yeah, what about it?”

“Sweetie, I want you to know, I love you no matter what. Daughter, son, either way, I love you. You want to be my daughter? Then I'll be the best mom a daughter could want.” She began to cry and she wiped at her eyes as she kept driving.

“Really?” The kid asked over the phone.

“Really. I mean it. I want you happy, okay? “I'm sorry I yelled and I'm sorry I hit you. But I've been thinking and can you forgive me for that? I promise to back you, no matter what.”

“I....” There was some hesitation, as though the girl wondered if it were a trap, but she finally answered. “Yeah, I can forgive you.”

“Thank you.”

“But what about being a girl, I can't do it here. Too many people know Mark, not Marcie.”

Her mother smiled as she wiped away more tears. “Sweetie, I was wondering....have you heard of a place called Hope's Ranch?”

~o~O~o~

They had made good time getting back to the ranch and unloading the trucks, then Larry had gone into the main house, after unhooking his rig. An hour later, he stepped out, his hair slicked back, his face shaved and he was wearing after shave and cologne and he was wearing a nice dress shirt with a tie. As he went to the garage, Bishop and Squeak both looked up and Tink looked down from the office and she leaned out the door to the office and she let out a loud wolf whistle, which made everyone else look around, till they seen him.

"Hubba hubba." Squeak said with a grin. "You clean up well, for an old man."

"Hush whipper-snapper." He joked back, then he gestured to a pickup. "Bishop, can I take the truck? I got....I got something important to take care of in Truckee."

"Sure. It's in good condition." She answered, but moved closer. "Something important? Larry has a date?"

"No. Not a date, but he does have to say thank you to someone and she deserves to see me at my best. I also got to pull what little stuff I have in my old apartment."

Bishop gave him a warm smile, then hugged him. "Good luck, big guy." She paused, then adjusted his tie. "Be home at ten, or we lock the door and you get grounded for a month."

"Yes mother." He said back, smiling as wide as he could.

~o~O~o~

It only took him an hour to make it to Truckee and to the apartment complex he had lived in. He went to his door and tired it, just to make sure his few belongings were still there. When he was sure that was fine, he shut the door and went to the door across the hall. It took him several moments to get the courage to knock on the door. It opened up slightly and he could see Liz's face on the other side. "Larry?"

"Hello Liz." He said with a warm smile.

"I thought I'd never see you again. It's been almost nine months."

"Been working, a lot. They almost ran me into the ground before they let us all go. Then things came up" He said, then he asked. "Can I come in?"

"Sure." Liz shut the door, undid the chain then swung it open. "I must say, I am shocked to see you, and looking so clean and proper. I really thought you'd just let me go away. It's been a year, well almost."

"I can't." He said. "I could never get you out of my mind."

"The feelings mutual." She said with a smile. "But after that one night, I figured you'd never want to see me ever again. It's been almost nine months."

"Some things have happened. And I wanted to come and tell you first hand." She led him to the kitchen and pulled out a beer, which he refused, so she got him a soda.

"So, what has kept you busy for almost a year that kept you from calling me on the phone to say you were still alive?"

"A lot actually." He said and he began to tell her the story of his last run for the old company. He didn't spare any details as he told her what had happened with the girls and their sisters.

"So you finally swallowed that silly male pride of yours and went to your sister. And it looks like those girls, all four of them, are in your debt for doing what you did." She stood up and went to him, then leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Now that shows that you're a good man."

"Liz, there's more." He said. "Like I said, I can't get you out of my mind. For the past year, I keep thinking of you and this may be a bad time, but Liz, I want to start seeing more of you."

"Any time you want to come over, you can." She said, knowing what he meant, but she wanted him to work for it. "You do live across the hall.

"Actully I live at the farm now, I was going to turn in my key and take my stuff up there later this week, but it's only an hour away. But what I mean in seeing you as more then a friend." Larry stated. "Liz, I've loved you for years now and I kept my feelings hidden while I hated myself. But I'm in a better place now and I was wondering if you'd like to go out with me sometime. A real date. Dinner, dancing, the works."

Liz smiled at him, then threw her arms around him. "Yes!"

"Saturday. Is it a date? We can go to Reno and see the sites."

"Saturday." Liz repeated. "Type of dress? Causal? Formal?"

"Casual. I don't own formal."

"Good. I got just the dress."

~o~O~o~

The next day found Larry, Squeak and Bishop were looking over the large engine of his rig. The bay doors for the garage were all open to keep it cool in the heat wave there were going through. Both his back up and Cledus's were in the yard by the trailers. He knew the rig was getting old. It had seen almost ten years of service before he got to it. So they decided to do an oil change and make sure it was still in good condition.

"So, Larry has a date." Bishop said with a chuckle. "Should we follow you and make sure you two wacky kids stay out of trouble?"

"No, I'll be fine." He said. "Besides, Liz is a proper woman, I got to treat her right."

"Good, or we'd have to beat you for being a male pig."

They continued their work on the engine when they heard the unmistakable sound of a big rig tractor slowing down. Larry looked up as the Big Rig tractor with no trailer stopped at the driveway to let a car pass. Bishop stopped and looked to where he was watching. “Weird. Normally the deliveries have trailers for the deliveries.”

Larry knew he had seen the rig somewhere before. As the rig pulled in, he caught a glimpse of the driver and it dawned on him. “Squeak, do me a favor and go get Hope, I think we're about to have a new arrival.” He could see a passenger in the cab and he was sure he was right.

Squeak went running out of the shed as the rig pulled onto the drive. Larry walked out of the shed and Bishop followed him, wiping her hands with a rag. “You know the driver?”

“We met about a week ago. The day Hayseed and I picked up the cattle.”

“Oh, the Lady driver who wanted to ask about the ranch?” Bishop asked. “Hayseed said something about her."

“Yeah. Something told me it wasn't a friend that she was talking about.”

The lady pulled the rig to a halt just in front of the Truck garage. She opened up her door, but whispered something to her passenger, who seemed to shrink in her seat.

“Howdy.” Larry said as he walked over to the rig. “How ya doing?”

“You remember me?”

“Yep, it was a week ago, truck stop. I remember.” Larry said with a warm smile.

“I guess you kinda figured out I wasn't asking for a friend?”

“I guessed that, but I won't judge. I know that asking for help is hard to do.”

“Sometimes it's almost too hard.” She said.

“I know. I really do.” He heard the door to the house open and he looked over to see his sister and the Reverend walking towards the truck. “But don't worry about that. I'd like to introduce you to my sister, Hope, this is her place.”

The woman gestured to her truck and a girl, who was wearing boys pants, but a big, loose pink shirt came walking over to them. "This is Marcie, my daughter." She proudly said. "I had problems when Marcie first told me she was born wrong and I'll admit it, I was mad and angry, but I've done a lot of soul searching and she's my daughter and I want to support her."

"That's great news." Larry said.

"And what we wanted to know, is there a place for my daughter here?" She asked. "Well, both of us? See, we live in a bad part of Sacramento and Marcie needs a clean start and I want to help her." She looked to Hope. "I could drive truck up here and help by paying rent or something. I'm not much of a farmer."

"Tell you what." Hope said. "Lets go into the house and we can work it out, okay? We have iced tea in the main kitchen and we can discuss the different paths that people take here."

"Sure." The woman nodded. She turned to Larry. "Thank you for the help the other day." She leaned over and hugged him, then they followed Hope to the house. Bishop smiled at him.

"You know, this place is good for you. You're becoming one big softie by being here. Pretty soon you'll just be a big ole teddy bear."

"Yep." Larry said with a nod of his head. "And that's not a bad thing."

This is currently a one shot thing, but I may come back to this story at some point. I actually started it last December, but never finished it till the other day and I figured I'd give the contest a try.