Someone's Daughter

5. the road less travelled

March 3rd, 2020

Tuesday wasn't bad, all things considered.

They were safe, Kennedy's school and Krav Maga friends were mostly okay, and the ones that weren't had anonymous checks in the mail that would find them in the next few days.

Early in the morning, Caroline texted a picture of a tree branch hanging off bent rain gutters over her porch eerily close to the window. Kennedy wanted to send a picture of the greenhouse back, but Mom and Taylor both said no; the uncovered flower beds had already made it to Taylor's social media.

It didn't seem like the time to pick a fight with how badly the storm had taken the structure.

The plants were mostly crushed, and the frame had snapped in two places under fallen oak branches. It would have to stay as a flatbed garden until they could cut more PVC pipe.

Taylor's office had been one street from the tornado's path, and due to the debris cast, her team canceled their meetings for the next week. She hated sitting still when people were suffering. It was almost painful to her, so she spent an hour on the phone with Erica looking for organizations and people to donate to.

Taylor had asked her to keep an eye out on her social media for friends in need. Jackson posted on Snapchat that his mom's car had a broken windshield. Taylor didn't ask a single question when Kennedy told her. She just added his family to her list.

Restlessness after the phone call had her in the kitchen prepping mass batches of cookie dough and running around the house reorganizing storage closets while the dough cooled in the fridge. Kennedy didn't get in her way, knowing it was better she had something to keep busy with. And if she was occupied, it meant Kennedy could talk to Caroline over Snapchat without worrying about camera mistakes.

Caroline's mom had taken her to work to help with cleanup; their photography studio was tucked just under downtown Nashville.

They talked on her lunch break, but otherwise, Kennedy was left alone for the morning.

Kennedy led the lunch effort, making one of dad's comfort food recipes he had taught her a year ago, bacon ranch chicken salad.

Taylor was simultaneously out of it and wired, making Kennedy nervous as Andrea rested upstairs. It felt like the tornado had lifted the house and thrown it on its side,

Kennedy didn't know where to stand or who to talk to. Jamie and Jeff were doing maintenance work and taking turns going home to help their families clean up after the storm. Jamie had two kids, both home from school, like Kennedy. He was the first to be sent home.

Joe had spent most of the morning outside, helping them, but around 1 pm, he found her in the kitchen, chopping bacon and celery like it was the only thing between her and a forest fire.

"You alright, little love?"

"Nah, I'm good," She lied with a cheery smile, "What have you been up to?"

"I helped Jeff cut down some broken branches, just detail work mostly." he smiled, stealing a piece of bacon from the cutting board.

"Taylor and Mum seem frazzled. I figured it best to stay out of the way."

Kennedy released a nervous laugh, but his honesty was a relief. "Last night was something, huh?"

He gave her a look, eyes wide, as he pushed a breath out with puffed cheeks.

"Are you doing okay?" She muttered, not slowing down on her task.

"I'm chipper. Are you okay?"

"It do be like this sometimes." Kennedy shrugged, scooping up bacon bits and dropping them into her mixing bowl.