Claire stood in numbness as her sister fussed over her, straightening her shirt collar and dusting a few bergamot leaves from her clothing and hair.

Simone looked at the pilling on Claire's flannel and the dirt stains on her knees. This was a far cry from the straight-laced, prim and proper little girl she remembered growing up with. She followed her younger sister's eyes and discovered that she was staring blankly at the wall.

"Perhaps you can give me a little tour of your home while Jean is working." She looked over at her husband and Trent, who were already back into a deep conversation about their work. She shook her head and reached over to get Jean's attention. "Honey, Claire and I are going to her place. I'll be back in a few hours."

Elli was watching the sisters with great interest. "I'll have dinner ready by six o'clock."

"Thank you, Elli. Trent is lucky to have an assistant like you."

The nurse went pink, burying her face in her clipboard as she followed the doctors. Claire hadn't moved an inch, and Simone stifled a sigh. It seemed she was the only person in the room who was fully present. She interlocked her arm with Claire's and led the way out the door. The young woman stumbled a bit before following, still acting a bit like she was in a trance.

"I bet you're surprised to see me, huh?"

She was given a silent nod in return.

They stood in front of the clinic. Simone gave her sister a frown. She didn't want to be blunt…

"Well, Claire, you know your way home better than I do."

She snapped to attention.

"R-right!" Stiffening her posture, she continued along the cobblestone walkway and Simone could feel her trembling.

Unease settled in Simone's stomach. She wasn't quite sure what to say, but it seemed obvious the walk home would be silent unless she did something about it. "It's been quite a while. I can probably count our visits on my hands since I got married. It'll be nine years. Ah, I can still remember you in that junior bridesmaid dress." She could see the peach chiffon draped over her petite adolescent frame and flowers in her hair. "Cute as a button…"

Claire said nothing.

Simone's eyes followed the inn she would be staying at that night. Rows of grapevines caught her eye. "Oh, wow! A vineyard in a cute little town like this? This place sure does have a lot of charm!" She stopped to lean on the fence and look out at the trellises of grapes. She grinned at the fruit weighing down the vines. "Maybe I should buy a bottle of wine as a souvenir… Ah, it looks like there are a couple of people working out there-"

She was surprised when Claire roughly grabbed her arm and pulled her along. "Home is this way." Her voice was curt and her eyes were narrowed as she looked ahead.

Simone took a few larger steps to catch up to her sister – her legs were longer so it wasn't much of a task.

Her eyes widened in surprise as she attempted to take in Claire's farm. Rows of tidy sweet potatoes dotted the land and a homemade pen covered with netting housed a few clucking hens. Her jaw dropped. When did Claire become an adult? She still saw Claire as the nervous girl who cried over burnt puddings and small rips and scuffs on her play clothes, constantly reaching for hers or Collette's hand as her eyes remained wide, filling with tears. Simone opened her mouth to speak, but Claire led the way to the small farmhouse, urging her inside.

The house was a little less impressive, as it wasn't very spacious. It was a far cry from her two-story house in the city, but this was fine for a single person. She nodded at the kitchen area, which looked as if it was newly remodeled, but she couldn't help but notice the outhouse before they had come inside.

Claire closed the door, placing her hands on her hips. Despite her stance, Simone could see that her younger sister was trembling.

"What did they tell you?" Claire demanded. Her confidence immediately deflated and her gaze faltered before focusing on the wall behind her sister. She clenched her fists.

"Who are you talking about?" Simone furrowed her eyebrows in confusion.

"Who else? Mum and Dad!" She hurried to her nightstand and retrieved a folded piece of paper from it. She thrust it into Simone's hands. "They were mad when I left! They don't think I should be out here! Did they send you to check and make sure I haven't starved to death?" The corners of her eyes were dusted with tears. "They're disappointed in me! They told you I was a failure, didn't they? That I can't succeed at anything on my own…"

Despite the recent date at the top of the letter, the paper was well-handled and she could see that it had been folded and refolded many times. Simone didn't bother reading beyond the name of the addressee. She stepped forward and caught her sister in a hug. "Claire, no one sent me here. Jean has been in contact with the doctor from this town and I thought the coincidence was too great to not come and visit you when he finally came to meet in person."

A lump formed in Claire's throat. "B-but… Mum and D-Dad…" She surprised herself more than anyone when she burst into tears, heavily sobbing into Simone's shoulder.

Simone's eyes turned back toward the creased paper. She read in silence as she put an arm around Claire, rubbing her on the back.

"Typical Mum and Dad," she murmured as she finished, clicking her tongue and shaking her head. She smirked at the final line. "Claire… are you happy here?"

She pulled her face from Simone's jacket, apologetically trying to wipe the tears from the fabric. "I-I'd be happier… i-if they were…" Her face screwed up once more, and she hiccoughed, choking on a sob.

"That's not what I asked. Are you happy? Are you happy living in Mineral Town, running this farm?"

Claire blinked. No one had asked her that before. She thought of her fields of sprouts that first spring, watering them and watching with excitement every day as they grew taller and stronger. She recalled laughing with Karen in the supermarket as she selected groceries, the joy of cooking in her kitchen for the very first time. She could feel Cliff's arm brushing against hers as they sat side by side sharing lunch under the shade of her trees, the sweet feeling of his lips on hers as he bid her goodbye in her doorway. She thought of chasing Koro and Tucker in the pasture, laughing at how those two had a mischievous streak to them while they played. She remembered the comfort her lumpy cotton mattress provided when, at the end of the day, she collapsed in bed, exhausted from the hard work that had been finished. Her adventures and discoveries for the day blended into whimsical dreams – the experience was a far cry from her nightly stress dreams in the city.

"Yes. I love living here."

Simone retrieved a handkerchief from her pocket and handing it over to her. "Then that's all that really matters, isn't it?"

Claire wiped her eyes, noting how much softer the fabric was from her own cheap handkerchiefs. "No. You're missing the whole point. If Mum and Dad don't approve…" Her voice trailed off.

Simone raised her eyebrows. "Then what?"

"Then it's no good!" she replied with a whine. "Why do I have to explain this all to you?"

Her sister walked into the kitchen, filling the electric kettle and turning it on before sitting at the table. Claire shifted the floor pillow beside her, noticing with a blush that the cushions were still pushed together from her date with Cliff.

"Take a seat."

This was unnecessary to say, as Claire was already halfway down to settling in.

They were silent for a couple of minutes, and as time passed, Claire felt the tension in the room slowly grow. Simone rested her elbows on the table, weaving her fingers together. Claire stared at her sister's hands, admiring the French tips on her manicure. She jammed her own hands into her pockets, ashamed of the green bergamot residue that was lingering under her nails. Her sister finally let out a tiny sigh.

"Claire, I'm going to say something very important that I want you to listen to." Simone rested her chin on her hands.

Claire wiped the remnants of her tears, clenching her jaw. Did she really come off as that bad of a listener?

"You can't revolve your life around appeasing someone else. You are not a wind-up doll that exists to fulfill each and every one of Mum and Dad's whims. You've always been like this – terrified of their disapproval. Afraid of getting anything below an A-minus, working as an accountant just like Mum did when she started out…"

"There's nothing wrong with trying to be a good daughter," Claire replied defensively.

"I agree." Simone's voice was calm. "But you are also an adult who has the right and responsibility to make their own decisions. It's fine to ask for input, but ultimately, you should make your own choices in your life."

A lump formed in her throat. "How can you say that with a straight face? Our parents thought you could do no wrong!" The kettle rose in temperature and screamed as Claire raised her voice. "You have no idea what it is like, struggling to keep them happy!"

To Claire's surprise, Simone let out a bitter chuckle as she stood up to turn off the kettle. Furious, Claire sat in silence as she watched her sister check the cupboards for something to put their beverages in. A tiny voice told her that she was being a terrible hostess and she averted her eyes in shame.

Guests shouldn't be making the tea…

"The mugs are in the left cupboard beside the sugar."

Simone retrieved the necessary items. "You think I really don't know what it's like living with them?" she replied coolly. "They didn't want me to get married to Jean because he doesn't want children."

Claire fell silent as she watched her sister calmly prepare the Darjeeling, dropping a few spoons of sugar into each cup. She reached into the refrigerator.

"They said that they couldn't trust a man who didn't want to experience 'the joy of fatherhood.'" She rolled her eyes.

A large dollop of milk was added to each mug and she gave them a thoughtful stir. She returned to the table with the tea.

Claire remembered holidays as a teen with Jean talking with her father in the living room over a sports broadcast on the television and laughing at a joke her mother told during a game of cards. "But Mum and Dad love Jean…" Her voice trailed off as she wrapped her fingers around her mug. She took a cautious sip. It tasted like after school snacks. Tea and a particular brand of toasty butter crackers her mother would buy at the supermarket. She could practically see Simone pacing in the kitchen, phone cord wrapped around her waist as she chattered on the phone. The tea, as always, was far too sweet and had a little too much milk for her tastes… Claire couldn't help but smile.

"They like him now," Simone pointed out. She took a sip from her own mug. "It took time for them to respect my decision to marry Jean. They don't agree with our choice not to have children, but they have learned to live with it and still give him a chance."

Claire stared at her tea, a little unsure of what to say. She had always thought that her parents accepted Jean right away. She couldn't help but ask. "But… what did they say about me moving out here?"

"You're missing the whole point, Claire. In the grand scheme of things, does it really matter what they said?"

Claire shot her sister a sour look. "It matters to me…"

Simone carefully chose her words. "I think that if you command respect from them, you will get it. Don't expect it overnight, though."

Claire's shoulders slouched. "And how do you suggest I do that?" She wished she had half the confidence her sister did. "Believe in myself?" She let out a sigh into her tea.

"Yeah, actually. I know it's easier said than done, and it's especially hard when you are trying to rewire yourself. You have to remind yourself why you do what it is you want to do. I would remind myself of all the ways Jean makes me happy and tell myself that it's okay to let myself love him despite what others think. They don't know him the way that I do." She gave her sister a sad smile. "You probably don't know this, but that wedding almost didn't happen. I sure am grateful that it did, though. I won't get mushy on you here, but I would choose him all over again. You have to decide if that's how you feel about this farm."

Pensively taking another drink of tea, Claire gave a silent nod.

A smirk played at the corner of Simone's mouth. "Speaking of romance… who is Cliff?"

Claire choked on her tea and was met with laughter as her sister patted her back.

"Don't keel over on me, now. Does my little sister have a sweetheart?"

Claire hated how she could feel the redness in her cheeks. "You must've seen his name on the letter, then…"

Simone wasn't sure if stating that the name had come up in conversation with their parents was very wise. It wouldn't do well for Claire to know that her parents were concerned about their daughter seeing someone who was having trouble supporting himself.

"He's a close friend of mine. We… had our first date the other night. Nothing's really official with us, but… I really like him." Her voice lowered to a whisper as she shyly returned to her tea. Her eyes suddenly grew large as she set down her mug. "Ah, I never asked how you and Jean are doing. I'm sorry! I've been so wrapped up in my own mind-"

This was dismissed with the wave of a hand. "Things are going well. We are busy as usual with work, but we always make time for each other. We're planning a vacation before too long. It'll be winter before we know it. I'm thinking it would be nice to go up in the mountains… Hot springs, skiing…"

Both sisters unknowingly let out a collective sigh at the very idea.

"Hot chocolate…" Simone's eyes were starry.

Claire bit back a smirk. I'm sure you'll add too much sugar and cream to that, too…

After their tea was finished, Claire was surprised at her own eagerness to show her sister around the farm. Simone gingerly tiptoed through the dirt in her loafers, constantly checking to make sure she wasn't stepping in something. Claire had gently teased her, but the joke was on her as she narrowly avoided a large pile of horse manure.

"I've never ridden a horse," Simone confessed, gently stroking the animal's neck. "Tucker's not big enough yet, is he?"

Claire shook her head. "There's someone who helps out at the livestock farm on occasion. I'm thinking about asking him to help me with him again." Her eyes flew toward the farm. "The owner of that farm is going to hire me to help shear sheep. He's going to teach me how."

Simone couldn't stifle her chuckle at the thought of uptight Claire wrangling sheep. "I love it! Have you considered raising sheep on your farm?"

She got a perky nod in reply. "Sheep and cows! I already have a name picked out for my cow: Mochi!" Her smile drooped a bit. "Honestly, they probably won't bring in much money, though. It's the same with my chickens. I'd need to devote my whole farm to them, and my neighbors are already better prepared and more experienced."

"Then what about your chickens?"

Claire gave the outdoor pen a look. "They lay eggs most days, but it would probably take me over a week to fill a carton of a dozen. They don't cost much to upkeep, but eggs are really cheep." She led the way toward the enclosure. "I keep the netting on top to keep out predators and they seem a lot happier being out here."

Simone was shaking her head. "Wait, wait. Just a moment. Did you really just say that eggs are cheep?"

Claire blinked, her eyes wide. "Yeah. I'd have to fill a pretty big bawks to make them worth selling, really," she deadpanned.

Her sister laughed, pulling her into a hug. Despite Claire's uptightness, she always had a fondness for plays on words. It clashed with what one would expect of her, but Simone always enjoyed it despite groaning about it during her teenage years.

"You're awful. I love you, Claire."

The young woman rested against her sister. Simone still stood a few inches taller than her, but in that moment, she didn't seem to tower over her like she used to when they were younger. "I love you, too."

Simone looked over her sister's shoulder. "Speaking of bawks, Claire, there's a guy over there messing around with your wooden crate… Is that normal?"

She whirled around to see Cliff on the other side of the farm placing some bundles of herbs in her shipping bin. He gave her a sheepish look as he noisily dumped the contents of his bag into one of her baskets, his eyes wide as the chestnuts loudly clattered together. "Ah, I wasn't trying to interrupt y'all… Duke let me out early and I found some stuff this morning I wanted to make sure got shipped out today." He gave Claire an apologetic look. "Those herbs don't have much time left on them, and at this point in the season, I figured the fresher the better."

Simone's eyes curiously followed him. His cheeks were rosy and there was an unmistakable sparkle in his eye as he looked at Claire. She could already tell who he was by the endearing tone in his folksy lilt. She hadn't pictured Cliff clad in animal hides and looking in the need of a hearty meal, but his gentle aura left an interested smile playing at the corners of her mouth.

"Who knows how much longer we're going to be able to forage for fresh herbs," he continued, closing the case and handing her a slip of paper listing his items. "Again, I'm really sorry…"

"Cliff, this is my sister, Simone. Simone, this is my… uh…" She choked on her words. "Friend" felt too casual. Ah, everyone's waiting! Forget titles, just get the name out! "Cliff." Quickly realizing she had introduced him as "my Cliff", her face heated up and she stared at the ground shyly as the two shook hands.

"Pleased to meet you." Simone gave him a polite nod. "I've heard you've been taking good care of my little sister."

He went scarlet at her comment. He was already flustered at the way Claire had introduced them. She thinks of me as hers… "I-It's an honor to finally meet another Dumont! Ah, I'd say it's likely she's helped me out much more. Claire's always been very kind and has always watched out for me." His lips turned upward as he flashed Claire a thankful smile. His posture immediately straightened as he shyly wrung his hands. Claire was surely busy with her relative visiting and he was taking up their precious time. "W-well, I didn't mean to interrupt… I'll see you around, okay, Claire?"

He was shocked when a hand rested on his arm that wasn't Claire's.

"Stay with us. We'd love to have you stick around for a while."

There was a blaze in Simone's eyes he couldn't decipher.

Cliff gulped. "Uh, y-yeah, sure…"

Author's Note: Thank you for reading, as always!

Honestly, I was a little nervous posting something with an original character in it. I really hope Simone is meshing well with the story and providing Claire with a more solid foundation. I kind of imagine her as a shrewder, more mature Karen. Huh, I guess that's why Karen and Claire get along so well. Only Simone and Claire weren't terribly close because of their age difference… Age gaps close up a lot as people get older. I remember when being 3 ½ years older than my sister felt like we were living in different worlds. Now we're really close, but I can remember a time where we had a really hard time relating to one another. Ah, teen years, haha.

I would love to hear feedback on what you guys think of Simone. I appreciate the reviews more than y'all could ever know.

We're getting close to the big 100 in chapters! I plan on posting a special Chapter 100, so please look forward to it!