CountryCore Series: Fixer Upper (WLW)

There's a Story Behind Us All

Jan plopped down beside her watermelons and pulled her clippers from her utility belt once she glanced over one in particular that was a bit more ripe than the rest. She tapped on its side and regarded the tendril, then brought her clippers to about two inches above where the stem met the melon. Cutting it free, Jan rolled the watermelon over to the others she harvested, which was a task that usually filled her with joy, as did all her duties on her farm. However, this time things felt different. They felt empty just like her.

For the remainder of yesterday, she'd awaited Neil's call informing her that he'd managed to calm his sister's warring mind, yet the call never came. Now he had yet to greet her and it was already well after nine in the morning. Always showing he was a stickler for time, Jan was surprised by Neil's tardiness and had periodically checked her driveway at her backside all throughout her morning tasks. Now she was actually getting to her latest harvest and she finally heard the whirring of a vehicle coming nearer from behind.

Jan leapt to her feet and eyed the SUV making its trek toward her, but her face fell when she realized Kenna wasn't in the front seat with Neil. He put the SUV into park before hopping out and jogging her direction. He took off his Stetson and kneaded it with white knuckled fingers as he arched his brows.

"Mornin', Neil. Is Kenna resting at your house?" Jan hopefully inquired, surprised when he waved for his team to move onto their daily renovations. Apparently they were finished with the major work in about half of the first floor and planned on finishing the rest by the end of the week. Then they'd move to the second story, but as much as she appreciated the time and care they took, she was too absorbed in her wandering thoughts to pay it all much mind. Jan needed answers as to why Kenna had grown so enraged at her accusation. True, she hadn't meant it and shouldn't have said it, but Kenna hadn't even really given her a chance to clear the air. Without her arrival alongside her brother, Jan feared she may not come back and was soon informed of something much worse that made her chest feel quite hollow. "Is she alright?"

"No, she isn't and no she's not. She's heading back to Providence today around noon. Her flight should land some time around tomorrow morning after a long layover, but she is heading back to our parents' home." Jan froze as he was leading her toward her house and stared up at him as she felt her face contort. He sent her an encouraging nod, but his eyes were downtrodden as if he carried the weight of the world behind them. "Let's sit on your porch and I'll explain a few things. Okay?"

She let him guide her to one of her rockers on her front porch and sank down with a huff of defeat, catching her face in her hands. "Did I do this...?"

"No, Jan. Just hear me out." Neil sat beside her in her other rocker and began a steady sway as he looked out over her land. "It took years of convincing to get her to come back here. Two to be exact. Did Kenna allude to what happened when she was a freshman in high school? Why she was forced to opt for a GED instead of a diploma?"

"She didn't even mention she had a GED. Can you tell me why?" Jan leaned forward in her seat as she brought her hands down from her face and regarded her friend.

"Kenna always aspired to be a teacher someday, even going as far as to take people under her wing as early as grammar school. She was quite the personality, drifting from one person to the next as she helped them to overcome their obstacles. Those very issues became greater with age, challenging her with the impulsivity I'm sure you saw." Neil glanced over at her and she nodded, hanging onto his every word about the mysterious, gray eyed woman who hadn't left her mind. "That same drive is what ultimately cost her a career she'd desired since I can recall.

"Kenny was so driven, so pure, and took on a challenge like no other when she entered high school. A girl there named Daisy was getting herself involved with a gang member who also went to the same campus. He was tied to a local group of foot soldiers and planned on being a big deal. Daisy fell for him, but when she tried to back away from the relationship, which was incredibly unorthodox as he was a senior who'd been held back several times and should have known better, he wouldn't take no for an answer.