Twice Upon a Time

Chapter Two

McKinnley decided to leave early in the morning so that Ashlyn would sleep through hopefully some of the car ride. Being five and stuck in a car for several hours was torture on her and McKinnley. Along the way, they made several stops for bathroom breaks or just go get out and stretch their legs. They would sing favorite songs of Ashlyn's to pass the time or play I Spy, anything to keep Ashlyn from asking "Are we there yet?".

As the tires turn off of paved road to gravel a scense of peace and familarity washed over McKinnley, some of the stress that she was carrying in her shoulders let loose just a little. When the SUV came into sight of "the big house" as they would call it growing up. She could tell it needed a little sprucing up, it wasn't as bright a cheerful as she once remembered it.

The white clap board siding was now peeling and was looking worn for wear, the black shutters were badly faded. Some looked as if a hard gust of wind came by they would be gone, and even some of them were. The two story home was just that, home, she remembered very fond memories in that house and on this farm.

It was very sad when her grandpa had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's and dementia. One early morning one of the farm hands had found him wondering in the barn trying to saddle a horse to take one of the cows to market. Apparently it took the worker awhile of persistence in telling him that they didn't have to do that anymore. Finally they had to lie to him and tell him that someone had already bought the cow just so he would calm down and to go back in to the house. As a family, they decided that it would be best and the safest if her grandpa would be put into a nursing home.

A small peck at her window brought her out of her flashback as she turned to see her grandma's smiling face. McKinnley turned off the vehicle and opened the door.

"Oh McKinnley it's so great to see you, I've missed you so much."

"I've missed you too grandma... grandma your using a cane now?" McKinnley asked surprisingly as she noticed the wooden hand carved cane, a beautiful piece of art if she did say so herself.

"Oh pishh.. don't worry about me. clumsy that I am wasn't watching where I was going a slipped and twisted my ankle. Doctor said I'll be fine in no time but insisted that I use this fantangle thing until i'm completely healed... Now let me see that baby.

McKinnley opened the back door to a energetic little girl.

"Mommy..Mommy..Mommy did you get all the animalz.. I saw horsies, cows, chickens, and umm you know that animal that Mary had." Ashlyn rambled

"A lamb McKinnley replied

"Yeah a lamb, that's it. Oh mommy I want to go see the animalz. And I want to see your horseie."

"Baby girl it's been a long drive and I'm beat, the animals will be here we can see them all tomorrow. I promise. Just tonight can we go in and relax." McKinnley pleaded as a pout came upon Ashlyn's cute little face. "It's not going to work young lady" Mckinnley scolded and Ashlyn straightened up.

"Oh don't be hard on her, we'll see what we can get into?" June stated to the now over smiling little girl.

They walked into the house as McKinnley carried in all the luggage, while her grandma was keeping Ashlyn busy she decided to go put the luggage away. Going up stairs to the bedrooms a familiar smell of baked apple pie and Old Spice lingered in the air.

McKinnley walked into the room that was nick named the grand kids room, it was a large room with several single beds lined on one wall and a large toy area on the other decorate with old toys and murals of country side fields. An a joining bathroom separated McKinnley's room from Ashlyn. She unpacked Ashlyn's clothes into the dresser drawers and layed out her pajamas for the night.

As she walked through to her room she looked at herself in the mirror, the sight made her stop dead in her tracks. She looked worn and haggard, she ran her finger under her eye pushing against the puffy darken bag. Her green eyes didn't sparkle like they use to, at least not like Jack always said they did. She had lost a good amount of weight since his passing and the dark blue t-shirt she had on hung off one shoulder. She tried to fix it but was of no use, she knew her grandma will be ragging on her about that too.

After she had put away her own clothes, McKinnley came back down stairs to find Ashlyn and her grandma on the back porch. Ashlyn was sitting on her grandma's lap and she was telling her of a story about how she use to ride horses when she was a young girl. Ashlyn's eyes began to get heavy  and she was trying desperately to stay awake. The sun was setting and it had been a long day for the both of them.

McKinnley picked Ashlyn up and carried the drowsy girl up to her room and changed her into her pajamas, tucked her in bed and with a kiss on the head she left the door ajar. Her grandma had moved from outside to the kitchen table. She had already fixed McKinnley a sandwich

"McKinnley, you need to eat. Your all but skin and bones."

"Grandma I'm fine really I am. I've just not had an appetite lately with trying to tie up loose ends at work and taking care of Ashlyn. Eating just never came to mind."

"Well I'm going to fatten you up if it's the last thing I do. No man wants a bag of bones, he likes a little bit of meat on them."

"Grandma" McKinnley blushed

"McKinnley dear, it's been five years." June began to say before McKinnley cut her off

"Grandma I know you mean well but I'm in no position to even think of any other man than Jack." McKinnley stated as she played with her wedding band that she still wore faithfully. June felt guilty for even bringing that topic up.

"I'm sorry, I just want to see you happy again. You have been through so much in your young life, no one should have to go through what you have. To loose the man of your dreams to a dreadful disease before he could see his child be born, to raise her by yourself and try to keep his memory alive. You are a strong woman now let me help you" June patted McKinnley's hand and she squeezed back.

"I better head to bed early myself, because if I know Ashlyn she's be up at the crack of dawn scrambling to see the animals. I want to see old Jasper before I bring her down to see him. I've miss ridding him, and I know he'll love Ashlyn, I just want to apologize for being away for so long." June nodded as McKinnley got up from the table and headed up to her room.

Once she was out of the room and not within ear shot,  June sighed and shook her head. She spoke to herself more than anything but if spirits were alive she would expect him to be listening.

"Jack, you've got to help me on this one, she's got the O'Connell stubborn ass running through her veins."