3.10 Hung on the Past

MaKenzie spent hours alone in the orchard and it gave her plenty of time to think. Since she had been promoted to Lab Tech, she had been researching the pesticide chemical that had recalled hundreds of simoleons in food before she was born. She had recently ran a study in which she fed 200 test subjects large dosages of the chemical. After years of testing, and thousands of healthy test subjects, the SVDA deemed the scare a hoax and assured all Sunset Valley residents that the food from the market was safe.

For Makenzie, this was a double edge sword. On the high side, EverFresh Delights', which the Parkes' owned stock in, sales increased bringing more money in for the family. On the low side, even though MaKenzie herself tested the product, Jace refused to eat anything other than home grown produce or caught fish.

This was okay with MaKenzie, she'd cook with whatever was in the refrigerator. So as long as Jace kept it stocked, he would have his wish.

***

MaKenzie had always hated her family's house. It was nothing more than a tiny house with addition upon addition added to it as the family grew. As a teenager, MaKenzie was often mocked by her classmates by the state of her house. It was something she never forgot. MaKenzie wanted to talk to her father about demolishing the house and rebuilding, but she knew he was too attached to the house, and the past that his parents had built there, to ever accept her idea.

Today, she was feeling extra lucky as she approached her father after breakfast. "Dad," she said softly. Jace looked up from the chest of drawers, "Yes doll?"

A few silent moments passed between them as MaKenzie played with her sleeve. "I was wondering. If you would mind if. If you would mind me rebuilding the house."

Jace looked around the bedroom. "Well, what's wrong with it?" MaKenzie's heart sank, this was a loosing battle. "Nothing dad," she said trying to recover. But looking at the hurt in Jace's eyes she knew she had went to far. "Sorry dad," she whispered walking out the door.