#debukefarmhold

Clem wipes her brow , the summer heat, farm work, and more adds up

"The farm's growing great" Clem beams at the surplus "Good crop this year."

"Stop bragging" Another DeBuke says, and she notices he's only half joking.

"Pardon?" She turns to her much older cousin, a kinian named Durphy

"Land's tied to you, Chief, you to it. For all the griping folks give, you reflect well on it." He says

She blushes "Uhm.. thank you. But I'm not sure about that. I know I've pushed hard to..."

Durphy shakes his head, "Don't do that. Act like you know what you're doing or at least have back up plans. Exude confidence. Sets us at ease."

"Won't that make me seem a bit..arrogant?" SHe raises a brow

"Clem, everyone here knows you've always been pushy, even bossy, I don't knwo if that's arrogance, but the good news is you've turned out to have the skills leadership wise to earn it. You are that good, and that doesn't mean you won't slip up, but it does mean when you take us into the wrong section of the woods you'll have the where withall to turn this train around."

"Think you're mixing your metaphors there, Durphy" She says

"Metaphors are like soup incredients, stir em up all you want if the result is filling" He nods, "You're affecting the hold and the land. You're tied to one of the largest holds in Iowa. You prosper, we prosper. Why the hell do you think we hope you find a nice guy?"

"I thought it was because my older cousins , aunts, and uncles had an unhealthy fixation with a lady's personal affairs" She crosses her arms.

"Well, that too, it gets boring around here and the soaps aaren't always as good as the real life stuff" A grin, "But also, because love, the pursuit of it, even the failing of it, is a natural trhing. We're a stoic kith, Clem, but nature isn't always." Then he adds "Stoic that is."

"I figured that part out" she says, Thoughtful

"It can be wild, and loving, and more... you get from nature what you give sometimes. You give a lot. I'm not saying prance around like some brain dead Fiona sniffing dandelions and wine... yours is yours, business that is... but don't seal off any part of yourself entire. You think it'll make you a better leader, but all it does it make you less of a person, and that hurts us all"

CLem frowns "I had a good friend tell me something very similar not so long ago"

"Well, why the hell don't you listen to that friend and save me the trouble?" He says straight faced

"You can get back to work any time now," She informs him and starts back on the crops.

Duphy salutes "Yes, Chief."

And the crops come in.

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