Planted Seedling: Day 10

Word Count: 60,010

Summary of Events:

Brandt had lunch with Lark and was invited to Thanksgiving, which he accepted before helping Lark change her tire because it'd been punctured by a screwdriver. Lark saw Brandt arrive at church and brought him to where the family was sitting and introduced him to her oldest sister, who'd come for Thanksgiving. After the service they went to Lark's grandparents' house for Thanksgiving dinner, which all Larks aunts, uncles, and cousins were in attendance at; being as Brandt was the guest he got to eat first and then watched as one of Lark's aunts sat down . . . 

Excerpt of the Day:

""My name is Hannah Lancaster," she said, looking at Brandt pointedly. "This is my husband Stephen."

Mr. Lancaster looked at Brandt and nodded. Brandt nodded in return.

"You're Manley's son?" Mrs. Lancaster asked.

"Yeah," Brandt replied.

"I thought Manley only had girls," Mrs. Lancaster said.

"Just about," Brandt replied. "But Orr and I got in there to break up the monotony,"

"Orr," Mrs. Lancaster said, looking down as she separated her turkey. "Is he named after Bobby Orr?"

"No," Brandt replied. "It's short for Orrell, and I don't know what kind of name that is other than one Dad found somewhere."

"Are you Glenna's son?" Mrs. Lancaster asked.

"Yeah," Brandt replied. "There's Cass, Candi, me, then Mom and Dad broke up and Dad had Orr with some other girl, but they didn't even get married, and then Dad married Ron and they've had five girls. Ku Klux Klan Keeps Killing."

"What!?" Lark exclaimed, turning to look at Brandt with appall.

"That's my acronym for them being as they all start with K," Brandt replied.

"That's terrible," Lark said.

"My friends joked that they were the KKK when there was just three of them, so that's kind of where I pulled it from," Brandt said.

"I should hope Brandon wasn't one of them," Lark said.

"I've told you he's my conscience, haven't I?" Brandt asked. "Of course he wasn't."

"What are their actual names?" Mrs. Lancaster asked.

"Karlie, Kelsie, Kennedie, Kimberlie, and Kourtnie," Brandt replied. "Oldest is ten, youngest is one."

"So my guess is your father and . . . Ron are still married?" Mrs. Lancaster asked.

"Yeah," Brandt replied. "Unfortunately."

"Marriage is important," Mrs. Lancaster said.

"Ron is terrible," Brandt said. "I would've preferred Dad remarry Mom or marry Orr's mom, or marry someone else entirely than marry Ron, but he went and married Ron."

"Oh?" Mrs. Lancaster said.

"She wants him to look like a hipster, eat like a vegan, and spend all his free time with his family," Lark replied.

"Oh my," Mrs. Lancaster said.

"Anyone but Ron," Brandt said, shaking his head.

"Is her name Ronalda or something?" Mr. Lancaster asked.

"No," Brandt replied. "Think Archie Comics."

Mr. Lancaster shifted his jaw.

"Main character, female, rich," Brandt said.

"Veronica," Mr. Lancaster said.

"Yep," Brandt replied.

"Has your mother had any children aside from those she had with your father?" Mrs. Lancaster asked.

"Two girls and a boy with a guy who I think works at an auction yard or something in Strathmore," Brandt replied. "She's married him now too."

Mrs. Lancaster nodded. "Do your sisters have children?"

"Cass has three, two girls and a boy, oldest is seven," Brandt replied. "She's married."

Mrs. Lancaster nodded again.

"Candi has four, three boys, one girl, all with different fathers, and she's never been married," Brandt replied. "Dropped out of high school to have the first one."

"That's a shame," Mrs. Lancaster said.

"Kinda, yeah," Brandt said. "She was in grade twelve.""