The Harper Generations: Country Roads

Pie

Misty

Grandma spent all day baking her blue ribbon pies for the county fair. I dragged Tino with me till help her since this was right up his alley. Rafe and Reese joined us because they worked at the bakery at home.

We cleaned blueberries, blackberries, cherries, apples, and peaches so Grandma could cook them for the pie fillings. She then showed everyone how to make her prize-winning crust. Rafe and Reese helped her with the crust while Tino and I worked on the filling.

Grandma checked on us. "Where did you learn to create fruit pie filling?"

"Oh, baking is in my blood," Tino said.

I stifled my giggle since Grandma didn't know about our existence.

Rafe and Reese exchanged glances before rolling their eyes.

Grandma tasted the fruit and was pleasantly surprised with the results. "Well, that's almost as good as mine. We just need to add a little flavoring to it." She added a teaspoon of vanilla extract to the pots.

Tino tasted it and lifted his brows in surprise. "That's really good."

"The flavoring gives it a little pep and enhances the sweetness. If you add a teaspoon of vanilla to anything, it will enhance the flavor. Try it sometime."

Tino nodded in agreement.

Grandma turned to Rafe and Reese. "How are those pie crusts coming along?"

"We're almost ready for the filling," Rafe said.

"Good. They must go into the oven soon to cool before we haul them to the fair."

"Are you making extra pies for everyone?" I asked.

"Sure am. Your daddy would have a snit if I didn't make him a blackberry pie," Grandma said with her fists on her hips.

We snickered because Dad loves his blackberry pie.

"Can we make a tart for Val?" Rafe asked.

"Why?" Grandma asked.

"Valentine doesn't like sweets." Rafe screwed up his face in annoyance.

Tino and I laughed.

"Is something wrong with that boy? Who doesn't like pie?" Grandma asked.

"Val said he's not a fan of sweets, yet he eats chocolate cake." Rafe raised his brow.

"It sounds like Val isn't wrapped too tight. Everyone down here likes pie."

"Not Val."

"That's because he hasn't had my pie. But he will." Grandma raised her finger.

"Uh, Mrs. Reeves, my dad really doesn't like pie or most sweets," Tino said.

"Nonsense. You focus on the pie filling while I get your daddy to have a slice of pie." Grandma stomped out of the house to get Val to eat pie.

We looked at each other and laughed.

******
Valentine

I checked in with Odin about work. Odin said it was a three-ring circus with the family. Caspiam got into it with Thor and Loki because they weren't sticking to the schedule. Jace tried to break it up and got clocked in the nose. Then, Caspiam beat the shit out of Thor and Loki for clocking Jace. Bradley had to leave the site to take Jace to the hospital to get his nose checked. So, it was a typical day when Odin's boys were at the site.

Dad called Owen and sent Owen to handle it before we returned. Or Dad would ban Thor and Loki from the construction site. Owen told Dad he would handle it before Dad took money out of Owen's pay. How do you take money from your partner?