The Harper Generations: Country Roads

Family insight

Misty

You would think that after the debacle on the first night of the county fair, we would avoid the fair for the rest of the week. Nope, we weren't that lucky. Rafe and Reese helped Grandma Naomi bake more pies to replace the ones that got destroyed in the Great Pie War.

Our parents had a lengthy conversation about staying out of trouble. Pft, right. They forget who they're talking to.

We arrived at the county fair and disappeared on our families. It was better than Elias handcuffing us to the bleacher seats. I don't want to know where Elias got handcuffs. Some things are left better unsaid.

Tino, his cousins, the girls, and I walked around the fairgrounds to avoid boredom.

"This fair would be much more fun if they had rides," Ryan said.

"Oh, you mean like the carnival death trap where we almost died again?" River asked.

"That was a funhouse, stoop."

"It was still a death trap." River shrugged.

"Who cares? I'm never going into another funhouse," Michael said.

"Who cares about carnival rides? I'm more curious about what will happen between the grannies," Preston said.

We nodded in agreement.

"So, what's the story between your grandmothers, Misty?" Lena asked.

"From what my dad told me, Grandma Mary didn't particularly like my mom dating my dad. But my mom liked my dad and didn't care what my grandma said. Grandma Mary tried to break up my parents and set my mom up with another guy. That caused a rift between the families. Grandma Mary always thought she was better than Grandma Naomi because Grandma Naomi married Grandpa Fuller," I said.

"Damn, your grandma Mary sounds like a bitch," Preston said.

"Oh, you have no idea. Grandpa Edward ran a coal mining business. Grandma Mary married Grandpa Edward because he had money but left most of his estate to my mom."

"Wait. Are you telling us that your mom was wealthy?"

"Have you ever heard of Billings Mining Company?"

"Yeah, the company created a faster and more effective mining method," Ryan said.

"How do you know this?" River asked.

"Did you forget who Grandma Mary's family is?"

"Shit."

"The Jones family does business with Billings Mining Company. It's one of their investments."

Everyone looked at me, folded their arms, and cocked their heads.

"What?"

"Misty, who inherited your mom's fortune from your grandfather?" Preston asked.

"Well, I did since I'm her child. My dad oversees my mom's estate until I turn twenty-five."

"Did your dad receive anything from your mom?"