The worst part of this sleepless night was reliving the flood of my favorite experiences with Kade. My first and best memory was at a Junior/Senior Winter dance. He saved me from Fred Adams, the cockiest, and weirdly-sweatiest guy in the whole school. Kade, who I’d always had a little crush on but never actually spoken to, saw how uncomfortable I was by the beach ball’s worth of space I was keeping between me and Fred while we were dancing and how Fred was getting ready to make his big move. Instead of asking to cut in with me, Kade swooped in and started dancing with Fred. Kade even leaned in for a big kiss and everything! Fred shoved him away, but was so embarrassed that he didn’t bother me for the rest of the night. I shared the nip of vodka I stole from my older sister with Kade and we danced like maniacs for the rest of the night.
Kade once texted me in the middle of the night asking if I wanted to go grocery shopping with him. He told me he was just looking for an excuse to use his new driver’s license, but when he showed up driving his father’s truck with a black eye and bloody lip I knew there was more to the story. I found out later it was because his parents were having an especially bad fight, and that his dad was arrested again. We climbed on top of the high school that night, throwing cheese puffs into each other’s mouths and planning out our futures. While I only ever wanted to take over my family business and make them proud, Kade was dauntless in his aspirations. He was going to be a fighter pilot, then an astronaut, then the President, and then create an app that was going to change the world.
His future was limitless and he was athletic enough to beat the hell out of anyone who said otherwise.
The memories flooded back so vividly. My whole body was flushed with a comfortable warm glow when I thought of all the fun I had with Kade growing up. I loved how ambitious and flexible he was with his dreams. His ever-evolving goals served him, not the other way around. Despite the hard family life, he used to be so full of life and adventure.
Those memories were a dangerous high, like eating your weight in Halloween candy, only to feel disgusting and ashamed when the inevitable sugar crash sets in.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.
The loud pounding jolted me awake from a sleep that I didn’t realize I was even in. At some point I must’ve transitioned into dreaming about Kade and didn’t even know it. The light streaming in from the window was blinding. When my eyes adjusted I saw that it was quarter past three in the afternoon!
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.
“Genevieve Shepherd! Are you in there?” Came a sharp, irritated voice from outside.
Copa Farms was here! Crap! Crap! Crap! Super professional, Genevieve. You slept through your meeting with the most influential family in all of southern Texas!
“Coming!” I yelled back as I half rolled, half fell out of my cot. I was so dazed, racing through the shop to the door, that I somehow managed to crash into things that weren’t even remotely in the way.
“Hello,” I said, swinging the door open wide.
I was met by the scowling, impatient expression of the old couple who owned Copa farms. Even on their best days their faces always had a classical severity to them, but it was far more pronounced when they were annoyed.
At nearly a hundred years old, Aggie wore her tightly-set grey hair up and featureless sundress long. Marshal wore a broad bowler hat that had to be an antique that was never properly retired, a colorless undershirt, button down, and a dusty blazer over his denim overalls. With all his layers, he was obviously impervious to the mid-afternoon heat.
They both looked as if they walked straight out of a dour, dog-eared civil war photograph; back before the concept of smiling was invented.
“I’m so sorry about-” I started to apologize, but when I opened my mouth I was interrupted by one of my apparently incredibly noisy, steel, mixing bowls behind me falling off a shelf in the shop. It wasn’t alone either. The bowl I bumped into during my mad dash decided to invite all its friends to fall to the ground as well. If you looked up the word “professional” in a dictionary I’d be listed as the antonym. There’d be a picture of me wincing against the prolonged clattering of metal equipment hitting concrete floors.
A full, agonizing, minute later, the stars aligned and I was finally allowed to speak. “I’m so sorry about the delay. I was exhausted, but couldn’t sleep, then apparently slept too much and-”
“What time is it, Marshal?” Aggie said, cutting me off. Aggie hadn’t bothered to turn toward toward her husband when she asked the question, instead she looked me over with the scathing scrutiny of a jeweler analyzing a diamond she was almost certain was fake.
“Three-fifteen,” Marshal replied. His eyes disapprovingly flashed at my nipples poking through the faded, threadbare shirt.
Only then did I realize I was braless, wearing just a loose-fitting T-shirt--one I stole from Kade in high school naturally--and plaid pajama bottoms. I immediately crossed my arms, feeling horrified. I was not, as Mom would say, dressed for success.
“Again. I’m very sorry. I can explain. There was a surprise visitor last night.” Running across the cold concrete floor had rippled a shiver through me and made my nipples hard enough to cut glass.
“And what time was our appointment with the new Miss Shepherd?” Aggie asked with surgical efficiency.
Really? The apologetic expression drained from my features as I deepened my crossed arms. Are we really doing this whole thing? I shouldn’t have been late and that was one hundred percent on me, but it was only fifteen minutes. Let’s be real here.
Of course, I didn’t say any of that.
I waited patiently and nodded solemnly for another five minutes as they lectured me on the importance of timeliness, work ethic, and how it carries over into all aspects of my life. I even went so far as to thank them, granted through gritted teeth, which they fortunately didn’t pick up on.
When the tirade was over, I invited them inside and made them their favorite tea while I changed into some real people clothes. Not because I wanted to, but because it’s just what was expected. Without their product to turn into soap, Shepherd Soaps wouldn’t exist.
This was a very small town. Marshal and Aggie Copa had been supplying our family with aloe for three generations, and their son was the mayor. As frustrating as it was to go through all these formalities, when you have roots that deep with your only supplier, things had to be done a certain way. We kept a Copa cabinet in the shop for when they came over. It was stocked with their favorite tea, snacks, and even the mugs they liked. They were extremely particular.
I participated as little as possible during the mandatory small talk portion of our visit. I’d sat in with my parents enough times during these meetings to know that it was bad form to dive right into business. The Copa’s views on current issues were so archaic, morally strict, and narrow minded, that I didn’t feel comfortable doing much more than just nodding and shrugging. I didn’t agree with them on any topic, but I needed to keep things as civil as possible.
“We wanted to let you know that despite your unprecedented increase in demand,” Aggie started, only after having me refill her mug with more boiling water. “The first half of your shipment of aloe will still arrive on time.”
“Well that’s good to hear.” I sighed with relief. There was a very real possibility that they might not have had a big enough yield this year to cover what I was asking for.
“It’s good to see that Shepherd Soaps is finally righting the ship. We haven’t gotten an order this big since your grandfather ran things,” Marshal said, clearing his throat and waving off my attempt at refilling his glass.
“Yup. Things are finally looking up for us.” I cleared away the snacks, emptied the plates of trash, and generally tried to start wrapping things up so I could go do literally anything other than talk to them any longer. “Well, thanks for coming by, it’s been a pleasure.”
“There’s still the matter of payment to discuss,” Aggie stated flatly, refusing to budge from her chair.
; “Wait, what?” I asked, getting caught completely off guard. Their saucer and teacups in my hands rattled from my sudden stop. I turned to face them fully, searching their expressions for hints that they’d suddenly developed some kind of sense of humor. I was regarded with stoic, humorless stares. “I paid you the ten thousand dollars up front. That’s what we agreed on.”
“The price has tripled unfortunately,” Marshal said with the passive disinterest of reading the weather forecast. “You owe us another twenty thousand dollars.”
“Excuse me?” One of the teacups slipped off the saucer and smashed against the floor, peppering my feet. That drew a deepened scowl from Marshal as that was his cup that was destroyed.
“Some of the equipment is getting a little long in the tooth, so we need to raise the prices while we update a few things.” Marshal’s frown at the shattered cup dissolved when he looked back up at me. “You understand.”
“No, actually, I do not.” I scoffed. My patience was wearing extremely thin. Maybe mom and dad could’ve handled this better but they weren’t here. It was just me, and I couldn’t afford the ludicrous price hike. “We have a contract.”
“We shredded that when we decided to raise the price.” Aggie waved away the thought of a contract like it was an unnecessary nuisance or a passing trend.
“What?” I set down the plate and balled my fists, now I was angry. “You can’t just change the amount after we agreed on it. I can’t afford an extra twenty thousand dollars!”
I really couldn’t. I had taken out a bank loan for the exact amount I needed. I actually tried to take out a little more just in case something like this came up, but I didn’t have the credit history for it yet. I was lucky to get what money I did.
“You watch your tone, Missy.”
No, you old hag. Instead I said “What you’re doing is illegal. I’ll go to...”
“Who exactly?” Aggie cocked her head, ever-so-slightly this time, waiting for my sentence to peter off on its own before speaking. The rest of her frail, elderly frame staying still as a statue. She didn’t need to elaborate to finish the threat. I’d lived here my whole life, I knew what she was going to say.
Her son was the mayor.
My mouth hung open. Of all the hurdles and obstacles I was going to face by taking over the family business, I did not see this coming. Was I really being shaken down by geriatrics?
Even if I could somehow get my money back from the Copas, which wasn’t at all likely, it was too late in the season to find a different supplier. That wasn’t even mentioning all the surprise town inspectors that would suddenly come knocking on my door if I did somehow find another farm to buy from.
The air left my lungs in a puff which slouched me a bit. It was a small town. I didn’t have many options.
“We understand the unexpected news might be difficult to process for someone of your temperament. Because of our long history with your family, we’ll still allow the delivering of the first half-shipment on time.” Aggie slowly rose from her seat and took her husband’s arm for stability. In no rush, they started for the exit casually calling out behind them, “We will, however, expect the remainder of the money soon. Have a blessed day.”
I sank into the chair at the register after the AARP mafia let themselves out. I had ten thousand saved in my personal bank account, but that was everything I had. That was the last of my safety net and that still left me ten thousand dollars short.
What the hell was I going to do now?
“Harsh.” Amber strolled out of the shop munching on the dry cereal I had squirreled away in my office.
I took a deep breath and hunched forward in the chair, letting the ever-present invasion of privacy slide. I apparently needed to find a new hiding spot for the little amount of food I kept for myself.
“How much of that did you hear?” I asked. Grinding my elbows into my knees, I rubbed a budding migraine out of my temples.
“Enough to hear that 20k price increase.” Amber whistled, shaking her head. “That’s just rude. Twenty grand is a lot of money.”
If you were right there why didn’t you come out and help me?
I choked back the swelling hyperventilation of stress that abruptly washed over me and put on the friendliest face I could muster. Ignoring the fact that she hadn’t lifted a finger to do any real work here since our parents retired, or the fact that she stole my food and clothes constantly, or the fact that I paid all her utilities and didn’t ever hassle her for rent while I slept in a cramped office.
“Amber. Things are really hard for the business right now.” Looking at her with vulnerable, upturned eyes I pleaded with her from one sister to another. I was out of options and I was scared. This was bigger than our sibling rivalry, we needed to come together to save our family’s legacy. “I need help. I can’t do this alone. Do you have any money saved up?”
“Are you joking?” Amber raised an eyebrow and openly scoffed at the question. “I’m the older sibling, but our parents gave you everything. I wouldn’t even have gotten us into this mess.”
“You-” The saliva in my mouth turned to lava, scorching me so much that I began to shake. I was stupid to open myself up to her. She’d never helped me before, why would she start now? “You would’ve sold everything our parents built before their plane landed in Florida.”
“At least then we’d have made some money out of all this bullshit.” She narrowed her eyes and flippantly gestured around the store.
“This bullshit paid your way through both the colleges you dropped out of to pursue your ‘lifestyle’ channel on YouTube.” I spat the words through gritted teeth, rising from my chair.
Which was ridiculously disingenuous. I saw some of her videos. They were all lies about how glamorous her life was. She had a knack for green screen and editing, but that was all she could do. That and lie to people.
“I have twelve thousand subscribers.” The superior, cocky tone flowed so naturally from Amber that I had to wonder if she was ever invested in this family. “You have a dying soap store.”
“At least this is real.” I snapped. “How would your fans like to know that you live rent free in your parents’ house because you can’t hold down a job to save your life? This money situation is a big deal, it impacts everything we’ve ever known.”
“Whatever.” She dismissed everything and plunged her perfectly manicured nails noisily into my cereal box. “You’re the responsible one. Figure it out.”
If I were Supergirl, red lasers would’ve shot out of my eyes at how heated I was. But I wasn’t, so I had to settle with snatching the cereal box away from her, and turning to leave. I never wanted to accept just how much of a selfish, self-serving bitch Amber was, she was still my only sister...but if nothing else I couldn’t be around her right now.
“Oh, real mature!” She protested, impotently stomping one of her heels on the ground. “Where are you going?”
“Some place that has alcohol.”
4
Kade
The officer held my brother’s picture in front of me and I nodded. “That’s him.” It seemed like an overly ridiculous formality to have to identify my own brother, but it had been ten damn years since I saw him. The picture sent chills down my spine. It was him and his wife, my sister in law, who both died in the car crash.
The officer, a peppery gray haired old man, fixed his moustache as he spoke.
“Jax didn’t leave much, but he did leave that house not completely paid off. It’s being transferred to your name, your choice what to do with it.”
I nodded.
“The body is being take care of,” he added. “Jax did leave life insurance to cover that cost, and the ashes of him and his wife will be with you by next week.”
“And what about the baby?”
“The baby. Yes, you are his next of kin, and she was an orphan with no living relatives that she cared to put on her will. So, according to what the will shows, this baby is completely 100% yours.
You’ll have to figure out what to do.”
The hairs at the back of my neck stood up for that one. Over the last eight years, I’ve taken care of young men in the field of combat. I’ve been through some insane situations, but taking care of a baby? That was something I never fathomed I’d have to do.
I blew out a breath of air and let my eyes drift to the officer’s face.
“You seem a little bit surprised about this one,” he said.
“Yeah, surprise is a mild word for what I’m feeling right now,” I answered.
My chest churned with anxiety. A whole other human being was around and I was now in charge of him? Her? I didn’t even know if it was a boy or girl.
I headed to the hospital with the documents in hand that the police officer had given me to pick up the baby. Apparently, they were both en route to the hospital when the fatal accident occurred.
“Hi, I’m Kade Houston.” I said to the nurse at the front desk. “I’m here to pick up…” I glanced down at the piece of paper and read the name. “Emma Houston.”
Saying her name made my chest tingle. The little baby girl had my last name.
“Ah yes, Mr. Houston, we’ve been waiting for you. I’m Nurse Kendra.”
“You’ve been waiting?”
“Yeah, we don’t see a lot of cases like this as you must imagine. Both parents dead in an accident. It’s really quite tragic. We’ve all been praying for her at the hospital.”
“Praying for her?” I asked. I wasn’t religious these days. I hadn’t set foot in a church for over a decade. Yet, I still felt my heart slightly touched by those words. “Thank you for taking care of her,” I croaked, my throat getting a little bit gravelly.
“Let me lead you to the room where we are keeping her,” the nurse said, getting out from behind the desk. “By the way, thank you for your service.” She said, glancing at the dog tag around my neck.
“Oh, that,” I said, stuffing them back into my T-shirt. “Just doing my duty.”
Big Daddy SEAL Page 3