Chapter 205: Murphy Land

Thursday, January 19th, Evening

It's chilly, but again its winter, which makes the air crisp and the scent of the forest, also filled her nose and made her run pleasant. Brett took another loop around the outbuildings and passed by the dirty court with a battered basketball hoop on the outbuilding called the barn.

Her Fitbit made a noise to indicate that she reached her goal. Brett started her cool down walk and held her arms above her head. She walked by the corner of another outbuilding, the office, and approached Tree Hill Hall proper.

Brett looked up and saw the swing set and jungle gym; she remembered they were there since she was in grade school. Momma Chase wanted something for her to do when she was staying here, and as Tree Hill Hall was being built, Momma Chase was pregnant with PJ. Brett exhaled heavily, and a stream of steam came out of her nose and mouth, but the cold was starting to nip at her exposed skin.

Looking at the jungle gym and swing set, Brett saw two of her younger siblings were out playing on the jungle gym. They were an active lot here. Brett nodded, her other sister Maeghan wasn't as active as PJ, Key, and BB. Col was as active as her other brothers, the twins.

"Brett!" PJ and Key yelled.

Brett smiled and waved to them.

"Come play with us," Key said.

Brett looked at them, "What am I going to do? I'm too big for the monkey bars, you monkeys," she said.

"We could shoot the basketball," PJ said.

"Where's there, a basketball?" Brett asked.

"In the bar," PJ said.

Brett looked over to the swings, where BB and Col were swinging. "BB, Col, do you want to shoot around with us?" she asked.

BB shook her head, "No," she said.

"I'm good," Col said.

"Okay," Brett said.

PJ and Key dropped off the jungle gym and headed to the barn; Brett shrugged and followed the two younger girls. Brett walked onto the dirty court and ran her foot back and forth in the near-frozen dirt.

Brett shivered in the cold air. She would need to start moving or go inside. She was looking over to the corner of the barn to see her two little sisters come into her sight. PJ was holding a basketball.

Brett studied her sisters; both of them were tall for their age. PJ was almost as tall as Baylee.

"So, let's get this going," Brett said.

PJ smiled and bounced the ball on the hard ground. She lined up for a shot and took it. The ball was a bit overthrown, and it bounced off the backboard and rolled to one side. Key was there to grab the ball, and she attempted to lay it up.

Brett watched and smiled as the ball sank in. PJ was under the hoop and grabbed the ball. She bounced it out to Brett, who took a shot. The ball sank without touching the rim. Key took hold of the ball and passed it out to PJ, who took another shot. This time she made it.

They passed it back and forth, taking shots. Brett started to warm up again. The sound of the ball bouncing off hard ground sounded different than the gym or anywhere else she played regularly. It was different and reminded her of when she was Key's age and played with her dad on this very spot.

"There you three are," Chase said as she rounded the barn's corner.

Everything stopped, and the ball flew by PJ, hitting the barn wall, falling to the ground. The three sets of eyes settled on Chase. Chase stood before them her heavy winter coat, hiding her form.

"Momma?" PJ asked.

"Yes, Momma?" Key asked.

"Momma Chase," Brett said.

"I've been calling you three for dinner," Chase said.

"We were playing basketball, Momma," Key said.

"I can see that. What about your brother and sister?" Chase asked.

"Brett asked if they wanted to play, Momma," PJ said, "But they said no."

Chase nodded, "Well, get inside, washed and warmed up," she said, and looked at Brett, "Especially you."

"Me?" Brett asked.

"You have to be freezing," Chase said.

Brett shrugged, "I'm not that cold," she said.

"Well, either way, dinner's on the table," Chase said.

"Okay," Brett said.

The four women headed back towards Tree Hill Hall. Once they get into the main house, Brett felt the warmth of the house touched her skin. She now knew how cold she was.

Chase took her coat and hung it up; she watched as the eleven and ten-year-old hang up their coats. They went to the nearby powder room to wash up. With a nod, Chase looked at Brett.

"I'd get toweled off and a sweatshirt on as well," Chase said.

Brett nodded, "Okay," she said, and walked away.

Chase shook her head, and went to the powder room, just as the two other girls came out. Chase replaced them in the powder room.

Upstairs, Brett stood in her room, looking at the full-length mirror on the wall. She pulled her hair out of its ponytail and quickly brushed it out. Next, Brett pulled off her sports bra and toweled herself off. Digging through the dresser drawer, she found an old Carolina Panther's hoodie and pulled it on.

After a quick sigh, she grabbed a hair tie and tied her hair back again. Finally, after one last look in the mirror, she left her bedroom. Brett walked down the stairs and joined her family in the dining room.

Brett took her seat at the table. The food was already passing around. When things came by her, she would take some of it and put the food on her plate. Once they finished making their plates, the family started eating.

"I'm going in to work tomorrow, I can take you to school," Huck said, from his place at the head of the table.

"Half shift or full shift?" Brett asked.

"I'm on the Rescue for my normal shift," Huck said.

"Not over time?" Brett asked.

Huck shook his head, "No, regular shift," he said.

"So, you won't be at my game tomorrow," Brett said.

Huck shook his head, "I couldn't get someone to cover my second half or swamp for the duty," he said.

Brett nodded, "Oh well," she said.

"I'll be there Saturday," Huck said.

Brett nodded and turned to her plate. Chase looked down the table at her.

"What are your rules for going out on the grounds?" Chase asked.

"Stay within sight of Tree Hill Hall," Brett said and took a bit of her food.

"Is the backside of the barn in view of Tree Hill Hall?" Chase asked.

"I took it to mean the tree line," Brett said.

"As did it," Huck said.

Chase nodded, knowing she'd lose this fight. Chase figured that she was starting to be a bit too petty. Shaking her head, Chase sighed, "Fair point," she said.

"Let us enjoy dinner as a family," Huck said.

Chase nodded, "Alright," she said.

Brett nodded, without looking up from her plate, and took another bite of her dinner.