The Albrechts

Chapter 1

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Her eyes looked across the table to her father. It was another quiet Monday morning in Kansas; the weather was partly cloudy, and the wind was steady at times. She could hear the wind blow with a gentle breeze that entered the house through the opened screened windows. She was content today. Her father, Davis was reading the newspaper while eating his bowl of Wheaties with whole milk. He didn't care for the skin milk or two percent. He wanted the whole milk, preferably straight from the cow, but his daughter didn't like the taste, so he compromised out of love. His daughter's eyes were still on him and He felt her stare. His light brown eyes moved from the paper toward his daughter. Both eyes locked and he narrowed his eyes at her. "Rory...?" he slowly sat down his paper, "You okay?" his southern drawl emerged, and he watched his little girl chew on her lower lip. "I-I'm sorry daddy...I was just thinking 'bout mama." Davis frowned a little and sat down his paper. "I know honey. I think about her too. It's been a year." Rory nodded slowly. "I was thinking 'bout how you met mama." A small grin came from Davis' face. "I won't ever forget that moment of my life...now how about you get some in ya." He stood from his chair and went to the cupboard. "Not Wheaties daddy."

"Not Wheaties." He repeated under his breath and pulled out her favorite cereal. "Frosted Flakes honey?" His seventeen-year-old daughter nodded and smiled. It was the simple pleasures of seeing his daughter happy that made his day. It was the way she smiled, and her brown eyes brighten. It took a while for him to see that face again after Jolene's death last year. Davis remembers telling her not to drive at night to see her friend who was 'just down the road.' Jolene was struck head on by a drunk driver. She died on impact, but to Davis, he was happy she wasn't in pain. He couldn't bear to watch his love in a hospital trying to hold on to a string of life. He shook out of his thoughts and grabbed the bowl and milk. He handed it to his daughter and then proceeded back to his side. "Working on the farm today?" Rory asked as she started to dig into her breakfast. "Yep. All day long. You 'ought to be working on the backyard for awhile today. Cleaning up the dogs messes and working in that garden." Rory nodded. "Maybe, I'll do that today." She took another bite of her cereal and noticed her father looking at her in disapproval. "There ain't no maybes in this house now Rory." Rory sat up a little. "Sorry, sir." She heard her daddy huff and put his dishes in the sink. She watched him run fingers through his brown hair. "I'll be back in afternoon honey. We gotta see granny down at the other house today." Davis walked over to his daughter and kissed the top of her head. "Mmhm." She heard his foot step move onward and the screen door slam shut.

After Rory finished with her breakfast, she went to the sink and started to the clean the dishes by hand. Her small hands scrubbed the white ceramic bowls as hot water pour down from the faucet. Her dark brown eyes looked up toward the vast land that stood before her. Flat land and the leaves were just tinting with hints of reds and oranges. It was emerging too early Autumn, and it was almost near harvesting time for the farm. Rory's mind drifted from the farm to school work. She was intelligent to many people; skipped grades to advance herself. Her mother Jolene was from the city. She saw in her daughter someone who could do great in her life. Rory was highly developed and self-sufficient for her age. With her mother's guidance, that was the only reason why she was so fast past in her schooling. Davis wouldn't think even twice about the education Rory received. For Davis, he's bare minimum of college was all he needed. His farm was handed down from generation to generation. After his father died from a major heart attack while driving in '97, all Davis received exactly 1,500 acres of land. Plentiful, organic land that was perfect for his wheat product. He was sure as hell was the only one who cared about the farm. This farm was his life, but for Jolene, she had other ideas for before her unexpected death.