In the Woods, Bears

Chapter 45 - Red Ursa

While David snuck glances at her, Kennedy focused on the movie, ignoring him. It wasn't that she felt no gratitude that he was here. She did. The gynecologist had been very clear about the need for more than one father. It was impossible for one man to be on watch 24/7. She couldn't expect Terry to never sleep. Her lingering anger about the beat-down was impossible to shake. David had done nothing to stop the brutality.

The Vet had forgiven him as the punishment was happening, but not Kennedy. The two of them acted like old friends on the ride back to the cabin from the middle camp. Even knowing that, there was a part of her that wanted to kick David in the shin, no matter how many times he smiled at her or how tender his kisses had been in the pools.

If Terry had emailed David, then maybe he had emailed the cousins, too. She couldn't imagine the redhead showing up, hat in hand, but the younger one with rough hands and earnest eyes might. Jeremiah. What would she say to her Nana if they both showed up? Red would scowl at everyone, sharp-tongued and opinionated next to his easy-going bear of a brother.

Unsure of what choice she should make, she spread her hand open on her flat belly. She felt the same as before, just tired. The life in her was tiny, not even the size of a bee. How could something that small cause so much havoc in her life? The tiny sparkle inside of her had the power to change her tides, and her very shape. She'd never thought of herself as a mother. It hadn't seemed like that skill set ran in her family. Her mother was staring at David with thin lips, resisting his attempts at friendly conversation.

Kennedy's Mother said, "So, what is it you do, young man?" Eyes narrowed with suspicion, she folded her arms across her chest. Mr. Pibble, choosing David's lap over hers, didn't seem to sit well with her.

The young man shifted on the couch, trapped between the two older women. "I work in the family business up on the mountain."

Nana asked more amiably, "What kind of business?"

"Farming mostly, Mam. We have developed several products that sell well."

Her Mom snorted. "On the mountain?"

"We grow the suppression herbs, and sometimes it's best that we are hard to find. The sheep around here are sticky fingered by nature. Not all we grow is for them. We've taken strains of Red Ursa and bred them until we achieved plants that could thrive in our moist hot summers. Our varietals are still more bitter than those that ship out of Eastern Europe, but they are just as potent. We are working on the flavor profile. Our work has helped the entire bear community on the east coast live safely."

Her Mom narrowed her gaze. "No wonder the smoothies I made this morning tasted like trash. Substandard product."

"It saves lives."

"So you claim. I didn't see many children in town. Are you certain there aren't costs associated with your strains?"

David let the barb slide past him without comment.

Frowning, her mother added, "It's always been my understanding that the mountain pays for its mischief with a certain sheep-friendly product that is illegal in this state." She reached across the arm of the couch to Kennedy's hand and twined her fingers in hers. Surprised, Kennedy gave her hand a gentle squeeze. It had been a long time since she felt her mother's touch as something comforting. She and Nana had been clear that they would support whatever choice she made.

Turning toward him, Nana asked David, "Is there any chance you make the medicine that takes the hard bite out of pain?"

He considered. "We grow a weed strain called Winder Blue. It's a line that's been forked toward reducing inflammation and nerve irritation. There are pharmacies in California that pay a high penny for it. Without our weed production, we couldn't afford to produce Red Ursa. It's very time-intensive to harvest and the bushes produce low volumes of product. Ba prioritized making suppression tea available to the entire community, even if it meant a loss."