1 Chapter 1

"Emery, sweetheart. You've been milking these cows for over an hour. How about you go inside and eat your lunch, " Daddy says as he puts his hands on his hips worryingly. He then bends over and picks up a tall, clear container filled to the brim with milk. I smile as I wipe the beads of sweat from my face, careful not to move the hairnet covering my blonde hair.

"I'm almost done with Big Peach, Dad."

Looking over at him, I continue milking the cow. I am exhausted. I've been working nonstop since four this morning. "Once I finish here, I have to package all the eggs. The truck is coming for the milk also. You know Mondays are our busiest day of the week. I can't slow down now."

Daddy bends over, kissing me on the back of my head.

I look up at my father with admiring eyes. It breaks my heart that the years of stress haven't been kind to him at all. He looks a little older than he is. His dark, brown hair with gray peeking through now covers his eyes. He loves a clean look, so he didn't have a beard or mustache.

Working on the farm is Daddy's workout. He always says as long as you are moving, you are working out. His little belly says otherwise, but I never have the heart to tell him otherwise, especially now that he doesn't have to work like before.

Turning carefully, Daddy begins limping away. "You work so hard, Em! I feel so bad that you stopped your studies because of me."

I roll my eyes. Not this again, I think to myself.

Pausing from milking Big Peach, I look around our barn. We just recently had it rebuilt. Brand new wood covers the entire place. 24x50. It was initially supposed to be a horse barn, but we have two older cows that need more care than the other, so we house them with our six horses.

Especially since this barn is right next to our house, anyone in the home can hear the slightest of commotions.

Breaking me from my thoughts, my father goes on another small rant again about me not living life. I am about to open my mouth in annoyance when my aunt Alice walks into the barn.

"Oh, Simon! Leave your daughter alone. Every week you bring up the fact that she didn't go to college. Leave her be! She is eighteen years old! She will continue her studies when she can."

Aunty has a plate of sandwiches, which she puts on a wooden table behind me.

"I feel bad! She's been taking care of my limping behind and this entire farm. Her mother's dream was for her to get out of Ackley. I want her to be free from here, from Utah, and me."

Daddy turns around and grabs a sandwich. He takes a bite, a piece of tuna fish falling to the ground. My aunt shakes her head, bends down, and holds it, turning to the trash can.

I exhale, annoyed, as I finish milking the cow. I then stand from the old, creaky stool and look at my aunt and dad. "It was my decision. It's fine!" I shrug half-heartedly. "Now that we have two major companies buying our products, we are finally hiring the help we need. Once the summer is over, I will figure out my future," I say with a smile as I give my dad a reassuring look. I nudge him as I walk to the sink and wash my hands.

Daddy smiles, but it doesn't reach his eyes. He turns and limps out of the barn, taking another bite from his sandwich.

Auntie passes me a cream-colored hand towel that she has tucked into her red apron. "My brother gives himself unnecessary grief. It's not good for his heart! I wish he learn how to relax."

Giving me an empathetic smile, Auntie leans on the table as she crosses her arms. We can still see daddy as he makes his way toward the house.

"I know," I say as I dry my hands. "It's not only that. The anniversary of their deaths was last week. Daddy's stress levels go through the roof around this time."

My aunt shakes her head as she stands tall, smoothing out her dress. My mom and my two brothers died about twelve years ago.

We were coming home from celebrating my dad's birthday.

A tornado touched down that night—no news reports or warning. The truck we were in was lifted off of the ground, about thirty feet. It was then thrown and sank into a lake—a passerby rescued Daddy and me. Sadly, my mom and my two older brothers weren't able to be reached in time. Officials did an autopsy, and it concluded my family was dead before water could even get into their lungs.

I wasn't breathing when I removed the water. My dad told me I was dead for about six minutes. I don't remember the day at all, nor the birthday dinner at his favorite restaurant.

I've gotten better as the years went on. My father hasn't. Accepting that I would never see them again was hard at first until my aunt told me I would see them again. The three of them would be waiting for me when it was my time to leave this earth.

Counting the years until I see them again works better than relying upon the years since the accident. Maybe daddy doesn't believe in the afterlife like Auntie, and I do. I sigh as I look over at Alice.

My aunt Alice never married or had any kids, so she moved in after the accident. It was supposed to be temporary, to help with the farm.

She never left.

Daddy had gotten a permanent hip injury due to the accident and couldn't work on the farm. Poor Alice had to do it all and, of course, I helped.

I was grateful to have another woman living with me. I was still young when my aunt came to live with us. She taught me about nail polish and wearing appropriate dresses since I was blossoming in all the right places.

She also taught me about boys and bras. They were things I wish my mom had taught me.

I'm sure my mom would've been proud of the woman I am today.

Thanks to Alice.

Aunt Alice and I look like mother and daughter. We both have blonde hair and tan skin. Her eyes are gray, whereas mine are blue. If you don't know us, you will think we are sisters.

She's only ten years older than me, and she's Daddy's younger sister. All they have is each other and me.