CountryCore Series: Fixer Upper (WLW)

Each Day...Easier

Jan took her seat in her pickup as she felt it bouncing under Kenny's weight as she secured the canoes. She peeked back over her shoulder and watched the lively movements of the woman as she secured the elastic cables along the second canoe, then held her hands out as if she was mentally telling the small boat to stay put. Jan chuckled, something she felt coming more often throughout the day and easier the more time she spent with Kenny, and watched through her rear view mirror as she hopped down from the tailgate. She secured it, then jogged around the side of the truck until she was at the front passenger's door, where she hopped inside with that cheery disposition Jan had recently noticed quite literally wafting off of her. The warming cocoon that was Kenny's aura glowed and she was sure it was the primary force keeping her afloat.

Kenny sent her a crooked grin as soon as her seatbelt was on and took her hand once she'd pulled out of the parking lot next to the San Saba River. "That was fun! I've never done anything like it. Since you have your own canoes, I can assume you really like it?"

"Yes, I love it." Jan's tone didn't match Kenny's and she sighed as she made her way to a stop sign, dropping her head to the steering wheel. "I'm so sorry, Kenny. I know it must not have been particularly fun to--"

A hand came to rest between her shoulder blades and at the lifting of her head, Jan was faced with so much compassion she felt her heart skip a beat. "Janet, I had fun with you. I always do no matter what we're doing." Kenny cupped her cheek and rubbed an errant tear cascading its length with her thumb as she drew nearer. She softly smiled, then rubbed their noses together and nodded her head sideways toward the road. "Come on. Let's go home. I have something I want to show you."

Curious as she heard someone honking their car horn behind herself, Jan pulled out into the main road, then peeked over at Kenny who was avidly watching her with a bright expression. "What is it?"

"It's a surprise!" Kenny played with her hand between hers and kissed the backs of her knuckles, then rested her cheek along them. "I love how soft your hands are in certain places, but rough in others. Reminds me of the love you have for your farm and those within it."

"Kenny..." Jan realized her tears were dry and glanced over at her as they neared the turn off.

"Okay, when we get there, don't come out of the truck just yet. I need to set a few things up and I'll come and get you as soon as it's all ready. Okay?"

Jan turned down the road leading to her property and her curiosity turned into simmering ardency as she racked her mind for just what Kenny could possibly have planned and when. As she felt her palm being massaged, but kept her eyes on the dirt street, Jan considered everything about Kenny. She was sweet, kind, so open once she truly let people in and so much more than Jan ever thought upon their first meeting. She thought of their conversations late into the night, their time around the farm and building the new barn together with the small knit community that had graciously accepted her as if she was always meant to become one of their own.

Kenny was everything Jan ever wanted. Desire. Care. Perhaps even...something more...

Thinking about Kenny's hobbies, she furrowed her brow as she tried to figure out just what Kenny could possibly be scheming and realized the weight in her chest was growing lighter. Bessie had passed. She was one of her dearest friends and such a loving animal that Jan always feared some may steal her away by taking advantage of that. However, she'd spent the vast majority of her life with Jan and was at peace in her last days, surrounded by the animals on the farm and frequently visited by not just herself, but Kenny as well.

Peace... Jan thought as she pulled onto her property and parked her truck in her newly graveled turnabout driveway. She did a cursory glance around the farm and found nothing out of place, so she peeked over at Kenny with the hope she may give a bit more away, only to find her chuckling as she ran her eyes over her face.