Chapter 11

Lou and Rachel stood staring at the dingy barn and the pitiful yard. The goats bellowing in the background. Dakota walked over to stand beside them as her girls ran around to follow Eli to the chicken pen.

"What are we looking at?" She asked.

"This disaster." Lou said in thought.

"Lori wants to be married here in front of the barn." Rachel said explaining.

"This is gonna be awful." Lou groaned.

"It doesn't have to be. Care if I make some suggestions?" Dakota asked.

"No, please do. I'm at a loss here."

Dakota walked around and looked at the barn. She came back to stand beside Lou.

"Buck can paint the barn with Tate's help."

"What about seats for the guests? And this time of year, flowers will be hard to come by." Lou said.

Lori walked to stand beside Dakota along with Annie.

"Lori, with your permission and your Mom's, could I design your wedding for you?" Dakota asked.

"Really? You would take that on?" Lori asked.

"Sure, I would. I loved weddings back in the day. What time is this taking place?"

"I was thinking late afternoon, maybe." Lori said.

"Ok, hear me out. We will get hay bales and line them up for seats. Paint the barn. Pick a few flowers and leaves from the prairie. We can have it at dusk dark and line the walkway with lanterns."

Lori looked at her in shock.

"Well? What do you think?" Dakota asked.

"Oh my God, yes and yes!" Lori said as she hugged Dakota.

Annie watched her sister with tears in her eyes. She turned and walked back into the house. Penny watched her brush by in a hurry.

"Annie?"

"Just leave me alone."

"Annie!" Penny yelled as she heard the bedroom door slam.

Lou walked over to Penny.

"What is all that about?"

"I think that whatever happened between her and Billy isn't sitting right and with Lori's wedding, it is really crashing in on her. She won't talk about it."

"Let me try to talk to her."

Lou made her way up the stairs and knocked on the door. She waited and knocked again until Annie opened the door.

"Just leave me alone, ok."

"Annabell, what in the world is going on with you?"

"Nothing, Momma."

"Don't tell me it's nothing cause it is. Can we at least talk?"

Annie nodded and opened the door further. Lou went and sat on the bed. Annie closed the door and followed.

"Now tell me. What is going on?"

"I don't know."

"You do know. Tell me so I can try to help you sort this out. I hate to see you upset. I mean seriously, you are the daughter that usually has her head on straight." Lou smiled.

Annie tried not to smile but could not help herself.

"It's just that my sister is getting married."

"And?"

"She is going to leave to live with Tate. There won't be any more of… us."

"What do you mean? Ya'll are twins, honey. There will always be an unspoken bond between you two that no one else will understand. No one will be able to break that bond. You will forever have each other. Unless your sister ends up jail, then I don't know."

Annie laughed.

"She is not moving away. Just out of the house. And one day, you will also."

"I doubt that."

"Oh Lord, don't tell me that we will never get rid of you."

Annie laughed again then her eyes watered.

"I don't know, Mom. I thought I had found the one, but it just didn't turn out the way I hoped. I thought I would be having this grand wedding and getting my own home. I was planning my future. Guess it wasn't meant to be."

"Annie, what happened tween you and Billy?"

"I'd rather not say. Maybe one day but not today."

"Did he hurt you?"

"No, I hurt him."