We grew up on a farm in northern Montana. My father, Alex Johnson, was a big, hard working man. My mother, Elise was a small, tough woman. She bore my father two children, me, Andy and my younger sister, Elsa. Life on the farm was hard, but we all just loved it. We were so far from town that Elsa and I were home schooled. We seldom saw anyone outside the family and when we did, it was usually a farm hand from a distance.
Dad told me that he and ma wanted more kids, but she was too frail for that kind of labor again. So just the four of us ran the farm year round with summer and fall help coming from town.
We had no television, no telephone no computer. We listened to the radio on rare occasions. The world seemed far away from us. We didn't want for entertainment, however. We had a pond to swim in, a river to fish in and thousands of acres to hunt. Elsa and I knew that we would take over the farm eventually when dad and mom got too old to handle it. We learned every aspect of farming in the far north. Life was good.
In the fall after my nineteenth birthday, mom got sick and died. It just broke dad's heart. We buried her in the little private cemetery on a hill, which was common in those days on farms. My grandparents were also resting there.
I don't think dad ever really recovered from losing mom. I know I haven't and Elsa misses her a lot too.
Elsa and I had never had any other children to play with so we became very close during the time we were growing up. We argued, as children will do, but for the most part, we stuck together. As it turned out, our close relationship helped us through the very trying times that were ahead.
When I was twenty two and Elsa was twenty, dad died. I have always believed that he died of a broken heart. His last word to me were, "Bury me next to your mother and always take care of Elsa."
We buried him right beside mom. Now there were only two of us. Elsa cried for most of a month. When she finally dried her tears, I had a talk with her.
"Elsa, you know that mom and dad loved us very much and would never do anything to harm us, don't you?"
"Yes, of course, Andy."
"Dad left us the farm. We've got to go into town and register his death and transfer the deed to us."
The next week we went into town to see the lawyer. We told him what had happened. "I'll take care of the registration and the deed transfers. Your father left me a private paper to be opened on his death. I don't know what is in it, but he told me to guard it with my life, so it must be something very important to him. He wanted you to wait until you were home to open it."
I took the small box containing the papers and something else that rattled. "Thank you, sir, we'll be in touch." I told him.
"One more thing," the lawyer said, "he told me that if you wanted to sell the farm, it would be alright with him."
I never suspected that dad had ever thought about selling the farm, but I knew now it was something to discuss with Elsa when we got home. We got in the truck and drove the forty five miles back to the farm.
When we went in the house, Elsa sat on the sofa while I fiddled around with the box. "Do you think we should open it right now?" I asked.
"I think so, daddy wouldn't wait and neither should we."
I sat the box on the coffee table and opened it. Inside were some papers and a ring box. Elsa opened the box. "Oh my, these are mama's wedding rings!" she exclaimed.
I picked up the papers. The first few were some titles to the farm equipment. Then there was a letter from dad. It was the letter that changed our lives.
Dear children, You are reading this now because I have passed on. I want you to know that your mother and I always cherished and loved you very much. We would never do anything to hurt you. Now, I must tell you some things that will surprise you. As you read them, keep in mind that you are adults and you can do as you please. I am providing you with my wishes and some important information. First, I would prefer that you don't sell the farm. You can, if you want, It is worth around four million dollars. Second, the lawyer can provide you with all the papers necessary to keep you safe from the outside world. Third, I have included your mother's rings because my hope is that you will marry your sister. I feel this is the only way to keep the farm strictly in the family. If you decide not to marry, please bury the rings in your mother's grave and sell the farm. I would rather strangers have it all than share it with you. I know that this is a shock to both of you, but that's the way it is. Last, you should know that your mother was much more than my wife, she was also my cousin. This information is shared only by the lawyer. The papers to arrange your marriage are in his office, so if you decide to marry, go see him. Please don't share this information with anyone. We have kept this secret and kept you isolated for many years to protect us from society's rules and to save you embarrassment. Love, daddy.
I was absolutely stunned. Elsa's mouth was open. We stared at each other not knowing what to do. Elsa turned the rings over and over in her hands. The letter from dad was clutched tightly in my fist.
Elsa looked at me with big, trusting eyes. "What should we do?"
"I don't know, Elsa, this will require some deep thought."
Two weeks went by as Elsa and I discussed our mutual problem. It was late fall. The hired hands had been laid off. The weather was cold and getting colder. Finally, Elsa said, "We've got to make some decisions. We can't let this problem stay with us all winter."
"Okay, first things first," I said. "I don't want to sell the farm. I know it would bring us wealth on a scale we're not used to, but I want to keep it in the family."
"Okay," agreed Elsa, "but that brings us to the next question. What family?"
"I have thought this over and over. The only family I know and love is you," I replied.
"I came to the same conclusion. Let's marry each other!"
So Elsa and I went to see the lawyer again. Dad had legally changed Elsa's name years before. The lawyer took us to a justice of the peace along with the appropriate paperwork and we were married without incident or suspicion. I slipped the rings on her finger as we swore our allegiance before the judge.
