Fifteen

Chapter 1: Elastic Heart

Sophia Kate sat at the edge of her bed staring out of her bedroom bay window. The childhood swing that her grandfather had built still hung sturdily despite the rust and age. She could see her mother and Mrs. Connie Briar planting fresh seeds in the front garden as her dad joked and watered the lawn with Mr. Bailey Briar, Jr.

She smiled to herself as she thought about life in Sadler. It had been quaint and peaceful for as long as she could remember. It was a small town without many instances of the negative stereotypes. Everyone knew one another, which for the most part meant that everyone looked out for each other. There were many residents of the community that were eighth, ninth and tenth generations who still ran family companies, businesses and stores.

Briar Forest was one of the oldest shops in Sadler. It originally opened as a shoe and fabrics store in 1940, but presently Briar Forest had expanded to clothing, jewelry, and furniture with over two hundred stores throughout the south. A member of the Briar family ran multiple store locations, while Mr. Bailey Briar, Jr. headed the corporate office in Sherman, Texas.

The Lawson and Briar families were always proud of one another and their success seemed to follow both families. Their friendship was generational and their professional and personal victories had continued throughout the years.

Martin Lawson, Sophia Kate's grandfather, and Bailey Briar, Sr. worked in the Lawson fields together as boys during the summer months. They grew close and so did their sons, Stanton and Bailey, Jr. Martin was a gifted sharecropper and Bailey, Sr. was the county's sheriff. The two men couldn't be more opposite than they already were, but that dynamic continued to strengthen their friendship until the very end.

It was Bailey's experience in law enforcement that drove Stanton into the legal field. He always admired his best friend's father more than his own. He hated the great outdoors unlike Bailey, Jr. It was Martin's hospitality and know-how with customers that led Bailey, Jr. into opening up the first Briar Forest store. Despite the switch in career choice Bailey, Sr. and Martin supported their sons and played pivotal roles in establishing their accomplishments.

The Briar family was just that – family. Sophia Kate looked to Bailey Briar, Jr. whenever she needed a second father's opinion and Connie was definitely the girly version of her own mother. Connie was from Australia, so she had the coolest accent Sophia Kate had ever heard. Regardless of what time of the day or where they went, Connie was always dressed to impress. She was going to miss them so much while she was away, but as Trey walked up the front porch, she knew she would miss him the most.

Bailey Briar, III or more famously known as Trey, had been Sophia Kate's best friend for as long as either of them could remember. Sophia Kate's mom, Jessica Lee, had pictures of Trey and Sophia Kate holding hands as she learned to walk. He was two years older than she was, but he certainly didn't act like it.

He was the type of guy that was funny without trying to be funny. He was an undiscovered comedian and Sophia Kate would miss the many fits of laughter they shared. Trey decided to go to the community college in Sadler for his first two years of undergrad to stay close to his family and their businesses.

Now that he had received his Associates' degree, his mother was eager for him to transfer to a university for his Bachelor's. Secretly, Connie hoped that Sophia Kate's acceptance to Texas University in Austin would give Trey the nudge needed to enroll. She wanted her son away from Sadler and Briar, Inc.

She knew how much Trey loved being in Austin, but she also knew how much he loved the prospect of leading their family business. Sophia Kate never understood why Connie was so against Trey joining the rest of the Briar clan. He had a knack for management and business strategy, but the idea of Trey leaving to travel nationwide to expand the Briar brand was a bit disheartening for both her and Connie.