True North
By Jaclyn Parker

Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.
-Dr. Seuss
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"Guys, are you sure about this?" Carly asked her two sons for what seemed to be the umpteenth time on the way to Lee's farm. She had just dropped Sage off at her friend's indoor pool party, where she would go on to a play date before being dropped off at home around seven that evening.

"Mom, the man is a doctor not some psycho. Besides, we're just going over to help fix up a car. It's fine!" J.J. said, rolling his eyes again for what he knew to be the umpteenth time in response to his mom.

J.J.'s comment only caused Carly to think about that maniac Weston and what he had done to her, Rose, and Emily all those years ago. He had been a doctor and a raving psycho. Suddenly, despite all rational thought to prove otherwise, Carly wanted to go home.

"Mom, relax. Do you really think you'd let us go to someone's house that you didn't trust. Or that I didn't trust?" Parker finally spoke up and Carly paused a moment. What her oldest son said was true, especially about his instincts. Her thoughts went from Weston to that creep Sam and what had almost happened to her at the beginning of the year, causing her stomach to flip. Parker noticed the change in her posture and mentally kicked himself.

"I'm sorry, Mom." Parker said softly, so that only she could hear him. She reached over to gently squeeze his hand before shaking everything off.

"No, you're right. I'm sorry." She said and slowed down as the pulled up in front of large and beautifully kept farmhouse. Carly had barely put the car in park before both boys jumped out. "Wait, do you guys want me to…"

She trailed off as they were already halfway down the long lane that she could see led to an overly large converted shed.

"Bye!" Carly shouted after them and it was she who rolled her eyes this time at the half-hearted waves sent back to the car. She watched as Lee came out from the garage, wiping his hands on a rag. They stopped to talk before Lee looked up and waved in her direction then turned to head back in, Parker and J.J. right behind him.

"Men." She muttered under her breath as she turned around and headed back into town.

Lee subtly watched Carly's car disappear down the road and paused before fully entering the garage, remembering why he came out in the first place.

"Guys, I have to grab a couple of tools from the house. Go ahead in. Matt's already started with the new fuel line."

Before Parker or J.J. could ask who that was, Lee bounded towards the house. The two brothers just looked at each other and shrugged before heading into the garage.

The shed was the size of a decent two to three car garage that contained all the makings of an auto body shop, along with a beautiful Harley Davidson bike standing off to the one side.

In the middle of the floor was the Camaro, it's yellow paint dull but just waiting to be painted over. Parker slowly walked around it, taking it all in. The basic frame work had been completed and it was obviously done with a loving touch. All that was needed were the minor details and…

A sharp curse broke into Parker thoughts and looking at J.J., he saw the same confusion on his younger brother's face. Their attention was finally drawn to a pair of coverall covered legs poking out from under the front of the car. They could hear the clinking of metal tools against the under belly of the car and then another sharp curse.

"Hey, you okay, man?" Parker asked but got no response. Using the toe of his sneaker, he forcefully nudged the boot of the person under the car. "Hey!"

"Hey, yourself! What the hell is your problem?" An Australian accent voice came from under the car and the person rolled themselves out. Standing up, Parker's eyes widened as he stared into the oil smudged face of a girl.

She looked about the same age as him with long brown hair, pulled up in a ponytail, and a smattering of light freckles across her pert nose. Full lips and high cheekbones gave way to extremely expressive eyes. Her skin was that naturally deep healthy tan that most girls spent tons of money achieving at a tanning salon but never quite pulled off. Yet with all this Parker kept being pulled back to look at her eyes. They were so green that for a moment Parker doubted that they were real and not some type of contact lenses.

"Um, I asked you a question! Why did you kick me, you wanker?" Her angry voice brought Parker back to reality and he blinked hard at the weird, yet obvious, insult at the end of the sentence.

"I, uh…" Parker said and finally J.J. couldn't take anymore.

"You didn't answer when he asked you if you were okay. What did you want him to do, wait until you sliced a finger off?"

The girl's narrowed gaze slid to J.J. and after a moment, her eyes began to twinkle and she grinned.

"Oh, right then. Well, I guess I didn't hear you under 'Sheila'." She said, turning her bright smile to Parker.

"Sheila?" Parker asked and she nodded, jerking a thumb in the direction of the Camaro.

"Yeah, it's what my uncle and I decided to name her."

"Uncle?" Parker echoed her again and the girl tilted her head to look at him curiously.

"Is he always this witty?" She asked J.J. who just shrugged.

"Only around girls." J.J. replied and that earned him a death glare from his older brother. But the sound of the girl's laugh caused Parker to suddenly feel all warm inside and he couldn't resist a blushing smile.

"I'm J.J. and that's…" J.J. said.

"Parker." Parker interrupted his brother, finally finding his voice to speak.

"Nice to meet you. I'm…"

"Oh good! I see you met Matt." Lee's voice boomed out in the shed and they turned to look at him.

"Uncle Lee, please. Can't you at least try to call me Mattie? I mean, just a little effort on your part would be beaut." Mattie said, but her tone was affectionate as he slung an arm around her shoulder and dropped a kiss to her head. She rolled her eyes at Parker and J.J. but leaned comfortably into Lee's side.

"Yeah, well, I'm glad you all have gotten acquainted. She'll actually be starting your grade in January, Parker, come to think about it." Lee said and then as if a switch was flipped, his attention was on the car.

"So, how did it look Matt…Mattie?" Lee said and Mattie shook her head.

"I was gonna say that it'll take me a few more hours, Uncle. But now that Parker and J.J. are here, it won't take very long at all." Mattie said sending both boys another grin.

"Great! J.J. why don't you help me bang out the back fender and Parker you can help Mattie with the fuel line." Lee said and J.J. grinned as his brother's eyes darted over to Mattie in what looked to be pure panic.

"Sounds good to me, Lee. Do I get the mallet or the blow torch?" J.J. said a little too eagerly and Lee rolled his eyes.

"Hmmm, maybe we should re-think this, mate. You and fire suddenly don't seem like a good combination." Lee joked as he motioned J.J. to follow him, both of them laughing as they walked away.

Even though they were only a couple of yards away, the spot that Mattie and Parker now stood sounded very quiet. She tossed him a look before gesturing towards the car.

"You ready, Yank?" She asked and Parker's eyes widened. For some unknown reason, the sparkle in her eye and the instant nickname unexpectedly seemed to calm him and he grinned back.

"You bet, Oz." Parker replied and this time it was Mattie whose eyes got large. Then letting out a full bellied laugh she grinned at him.

"Then let's get to it. 'Sheila' won't fix herself."