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nataliedanovelist · 2 years

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GF - Where the Crop Circles Grow ch.9

Summary: When things get out of hand at the Pines’ family farm, Ford asks an old college buddy to assist investigating anomalies and Stan hires a farmhand. Who knew asking for help would actually get you somewhere?

Everything belongs to @lemonfodrizzleart. The Farmer AU, Jackie Asante, my heart, etc.

Hephzie and Georgina belong to me.

Ao3 link here.

ch.8

~~~~~~~~~~

Jackie and Stan took Tate out with them to the grocery store so the five-year-old could stretch his legs. Jackie held his hand and promised him that if he was good, he could get a gumball. Little Tate was so well-behaved that not only did Jackie take him to the front of the store for a gumball while Stan paid, but Stan quickly slipped a box of popsicles into the buggy as a treat.

Jackie gave Tate the quarter and let him slip it into the machine and turn the gear himself, rewarded with a shiny blue gumball that he instantly popped into his mouth. Jackie had to admit that it looked tasty, so she slipped a quarter in for herself and out came a shiny red gumball. While she grabbed her piece, Tate asked her, “Jackie? What does tryouts mean?”

Jackie looked at the boy and followed his line of vision. On the wall there were posters for a canned food drive, a Now Hiring sign for the grocery store, advertisements for a sale coming up soon, and tryouts for the Little League Baseball teams. She smiled and answered, “Tryouts are when you try to be on a team.”

Tate grinned and said, “I wanna play baseball!”

Jackie was a bit surprised, but he loved to play catch with Fiddleford and Stan, so she shrugged and said, “I think that’s a great idea, but let’s ask your daddy if it’s okay first.”

“Oh, he won’t care, I wanna play! Please please please!”

Stan joined them with a buggy filled with bags of food and he raised an eyebrow with a cheeky smile. “He ain’t buggin’ for more gum, is he?”

“No no, he wants to join a baseball team.” Jackie said and pointed to the poster.

Stan caught on quickly and grinned. “Well o’course he can play! Don’t see why not.”

“Yay!”

“But we should still make sure Fiddlesticks is okay with it.”

“Aw!” Tate whined.

Stan chuckled and ruffled his hat. “Son, sign-ups ain’t for another four days, so it ain’t like nobody’s stoppin’ ya from playin’ tomorrow. We’ll tell your old man when we get home, he’ll say yes, n’ we’ll take you to the tryouts.”

That made sense to Tate. “Oh. Okay.”

Stan picked him up and had him sit on his shoulders while Jackie pushed the buggy back to the car.

~~~~~~~~~~

Jackie had dinner ready at six o’clock. Ford and Fiddleford were still out trying to find the Enchanted Forest. Jackie managed to delay dinner for a little while, but soon Tate got hungry, so she gave in and served dinner closer to seven, and the two scientists still weren’t home.

Tate quietly poked at his food, having hardly touched his chicken pot pie. Jackie and Stan kept an eye on him and exchanged looks, feeling sorry for the boy and could tell something was bothering him, but they had learned that if they asked, Tate would build walls and pretend he was okay, so they didn’t push it so he wouldn’t have to pretend.

It was eight o’clock now and the sun was nearly gone in the late-spring evening. They all heard the front door open and close and two men hurried into the kitchen. “So sorry we’re late, it took longer to get home than we thought it would.” Ford apologized as he and Fiddleford scrambled to join them at the table for some quality time.

“It’s okay.” Jackie said, her tone saying that it was only a little okay. But she noticed that Tate had perked up a tiny bit and was eating bigger bites, so she smiled and cleared her throat. “Tate, honey, wasn’t there something you wanted to ask your daddy?”

Fiddleford sat next to him with a mason jar of sweet tea and a bowl of chicken pot pie and smiled warmly. Tate brightened and said, “I wanna play baseball!”

Fiddleford blinked, a bit surprised, and smiled sympathetically. “M’sorry, son, it’s too late in the day to play now, but how ‘bout tomorrow…”

“No no, I wanna play on a team! I wanna tryout for the team!”

That certainly made more sense. “Oh! I see. Well, once tryouts open…”

“They are.” Jackie explained. “We saw a flier at the store today and Tate got inspired, but of course we said he had to have your permission first.”

Fiddleford thanked her and Stan silently with a smile, and then nodded and said, “O’course it’s okay with me! If ya wanna play ya should play.”

“Thanks Daddy!” Tate cheered and swallowed the last of his dinner, put the dishes in the sink, and ran off.

“When are sign-ups?” Fiddleford asked.

“Thursday at one in the afternoon.” Stan said.

“I’d like to go n’ watch him tryout.” Fiddleford said and turned to his business partner. “Think we can take a break a little after lunch?”

“Yeah, we should be able to.” Ford answered. “Where is it? The high school? We can meet you there and then go home with you guys, make it a half-day of investigating.”

“Sounds great!” Jackie said, then added a bit more serious, but her smile was still there, “I know he’d want you to be there, Fidds.”

Fiddleford’s smile dropped. He had been so busy the last few weeks trying to find the safe haven the anomalies called home and what the humans called the Enchanted Forest that he hadn’t been as attentive to his son as he would like to be, but he smiled determinedly and nodded. “I’ll be there.”

Tate came running back with two gloves and a baseball. “Can we play catch, Daddy?”

Now how in the world is any parent supposed to say no to that? Fiddleford glanced outside and saw that there was still a bit of sunlight, so he grinned, shoved some food in his mouth, and went outside with his son to play.

~~~~~~~~~~

The next four days Ford and Fiddleford really pushed themselves to find the Enchanted forest so they could relax a bit on Thursday, leaving early in the morning and not returning until evening. This eradicated time for anything else, but Fiddleford always made time to tuck Tate in for bed.

Thursday came. Jackie and Stan took Tate to the high school’s baseball field where the Little League sign-ups, practices, and games would be held. The youngest age groups for the teams were four-five year olds; it turned out none of the kids necessarily had to tryouts, every kid that wanted to be on the team would be on a team, but the coach walked them through the rules of baseball and showed the kids what to do. There were enough kids that wanted to play that each grade (preschool, kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade) could be broken into three or four teams, that way each game was only with kids their own age; no 1st graders would have to play against 5th graders.

Stan and Jackie sat at the bleachers, watching Tate play and make friends. The Tyler kid from the big party was also there, and the two boys had fun throwing the baseball to one another and running around and swinging the bat. Stan raised an eyebrow when the coach was putting the ball on a little stand rather than throwing the ball. “The hell…?”

“They do T-Ball for the preschoolers, sweetie.”

“But that ain’t baseball.”

“They’re just learning.” Jackie chuckled.

Stan rolled his eyes and swept the area for two familiar faces. “The hell are those knuckleheads at?”

Jackie shrugged. “I’m sure they’ll be here soon. Maybe they got lost.”

Stan snorted bitterly. “Sixer knows these woods like the back of his hand.”

“They’ll be here. “Jackie repeated stubbornly. “Least they better be…”

The young couple stood and cheered as it was Tate’s turn to try to hit the baseball. He excitedly let the coach show him what to do and then let Tate give it a try, and on his first swing Tate knocked the ball off the T, sending it flying to second base.

Stan and Jackie cheered proudly as the coach put a new ball on the T and let Tate hit the ball a few more times, giving him a feel for it. Tate was grinning the entire time, except for when he looked at the bleachers to see if his dad was there.

Fiddleford and Ford finally emerged from the woods, covered in twigs and leaves, and ran to the baseball stadium. They saw Stan and Jackie talking to a guy in a cap with a whistle, a black and golden uniform in Stan’s hands and Jackie was holding Tate’s hand. The three said goodbye to the couch and started for the exit, where Ford and Fiddleford stood and grinned.

“Hey there!” Fiddleford greeted and Tate ran to his open arms. “Ya made the team?”

“Yup! I hit the ball n’ everythang!”

“Congratulations, sweetie! I’m proud of you! Ice cream on me!” Fiddleford hoisted his son on his shoulders and they walked together out of the baseball field.

“First practice is next Monday at 6, another one Thursday at 6, then first game on Saturday at 11.” Stan recited, remembering what the coach had said.

“Ya gonna come, Daddy?” Tate asked.

“O’course I am! Sorry I was late for your tryouts, son, but I’ll be there for your practices n’ games, for sure!”

~~~~~~~~~~

Fiddleford shouldn’t have bet money on that promise, because if he did, he would be broker than the Ten Commandments.

The nerds were nowhere to be found at both practices. Jackie and Stan tried to be very supportive of Tate, and the boy seemed content on retelling everything to his dad at bedtime, but every time Tate would look at the stands at practice, that disappointed look on his face hurt the grown-ups more than they cared to admit.

The night before the game, Fiddleford emerged from Tate’s room and yawned. “Well, I’m goin’ t’bed myself.”

Jackie walked to the hallway and said, “Fiddleford, you got a second?”

“Yeah sure.” And the man from Tennessee walked up to the farmhand.

“I don’t think I need to tell you how much Tate wants you to be at that game tomorrow.” Jackie said plain as flour.

Fiddleford was solemn, and he nodded. “Yeah, I know.”

“So you’re gonna be there, right?”

“O’course.”

“Cuz if you ain’t, and I gotta see that heartbroken look on that boy’s face one more time, cuz you’re not there, I’m gonna hunt you down and kick your ass .Am I in any way unclear?”

She was so cool, so collected, so calm, that in a way it made her threat even scarier. Fiddleford swallowed and nodded. “No, ma’am.”

“Good. G’night.” And Jackie left the man alone with his thoughts.

~~~~~~~~~~

“... the tracks are fresher in this region of the forest, so if we quickly investigate it and leave by lunchtime, we should…”

“No.”

Ford looked up from his map on the table. “Excuse me?” He said, not sounding offended, but mildly confused and in need of clarification.

“No, we’re takin’ the day off.” Fiddleford said firmly. “I know we need t’find the magic forest n’ whatnot, but one’s gotta take time off for family, y’know? We say we’re gonna finish in time, but we never do. So, if ya wanna run ‘round n’ try to find the hidy-hole, that’s fine, but m’takin’ the day off to watch my son play baseball.”

Ford blinked, his cheeks a bit red from embarrassment, and he nodded and rolled up the map. “Y-Yes, of course. We’ve been working hard enough all week, anyways. I’ll take the day off, as well.”

~~~~~~~~~~

“Swing bat-a-bat-a swing!” Stan sang, standing on the bleachers and spinning his maroon hat as Tate’s team stopped a home-run.

Jackie giggled at his enthusiasm while he sat back down and the teams switched. A little boy walked up to the plate, dragging a heavy bat, and the four adults stood and cheered.

“Go Tate!”

“C'mon, boy, kick their butts!”

“Ya got this, son!”

“Have fun!”

Tate grinned happily to see his dad and his dad’s friends cheering him on, and he was more than ready to hit a home-run.

~~~~~~~~~~

Jackie grinned when she came into view behind the screen door and she was faced with that bright smile. “Well hey there, Jackie!” The young woman said happily, opening the screendoor.

“Hi, Hephzie.” Jackie greeted warmly. “Hope I’m not interrupting anything…”

“Nah, we’re not doing much of anythang, really. Wanna come in for some tea?”

“Love to, thanks.”

Hephzie warmly let her into the house, letting her escape the dreary weather outside as rain threatened to fall but never did, lingering in the air like overweight mist. Hephzie closed the screen door, but left the front door open to enjoy the cool air, and then began to gather what she needed for the tea.

“Half-Pint, who’s that?” A frail old voice called from the living room.

“My friend, Jackie, Grandma,” Hephzie called gently and turned to Jackie. “She’s havin’ a very good day to day, you’ll have to meet her.”

Jackie smiled and nodded. “I’d love to!”

Hephzie led the way into the living room and there the old lady who was normally asleep was rocking in her chair with a small black photo album in her bony hands. Jackie smiled at how kind and peaceful the old woman smiled at her. She had long dreadlocks, like Hephzie did, black eyes like beetles, and wore an orange dress with brown beads and had a quilt over her lap.

“Grandma, this is Jackie Asante. Jackie, this is my grandmother, Georgina Cece.” Hephzie introduced.

“It’s lovely to meet you, ma’am.” Jackie said.

“Oh, you’re just as beautiful as a summer’s day, honey,” Georgina awed and patted the couch by her hip. “Now ya sit on down right here n’ tell me all ‘bout yourself.”

Jackie ignored her warm cheeks and did as she was told. “Yes, ma’am.”

“Want some tea, Grandma.”

“Yes, Half-pint, I sure do.”

Jackie smiled again at the nickname and asked, “Why does she call you Half-Pint?”

Hephzie rolled her eyes fondly as she walked back into the kitchen and her grandmother answered for her. “George started callin’ her that when we brought her home cuz she was so tee tiny n’ sweet. She’s our little half-pint of sweet apple cider half-drunken up.”

“Half a pint that’s half drunken up?” Jackie repeated and giggled. “She must’ve been really small.”

“Oh, she was! C’mere, lookie here, darlin’.” Georgina opened the book in her hands and flipped to the back, where it was filled with pictures of a tiny baby that would grow into a young girl raised by her grandparents. “That there Hephzibah,”

“Oh! Hephzie! You were so cute!” Jackie called as she gazed at the pictures.

“Were?” Hephzie called back, making the visitor laugh.

As Hephzie brewed the tea and set out her tea set, Georgina ended up flipping to the beginning of the photo album and sharing the family history with Jackie. It turned out that Georgina had six younger brothers, one of whom had died during World War II and one that died in a train accident in the early thirties, but the rest went on to have many children, leading to quite the extended family.

“My mama n’ her family came here from Ireland, see, after they were freed, hopin’ to find a better life.” Georgina told. “They came here when she was a wee girl, n’ later she’d come here with her brother n’ his wife n’ that’s how she met Daddy. That’s ‘em on their weddin’ day.” And she pointed out a picture of the newlyweds.

Jackie smiled. “What were their names?”

“Tara Murphy n’ Dakarai Obi.” Georgina shared. “My daddy’s daddy was actually born a slave to the Northwest family, but he n’ everyone were freed when he was a boy. Daddy used to love to tell me the day it happened! My granddaddy, Abe Obi, n’ everyone else was brought out n’ listened as Nathaniel Northwest had to stand before all his slaves n’ explain that they were free. They could leave, or they could stay n’ be paid for their work, but Abe let go of his daddy’s hand, ran up to Northwest, kicked him in the leg, n’ his daddy scooped him up n’ they ran for home!” Georgina laughed.

Jackie laughed alongside her. Only now was her attention fully given; not that Jackie wasn’t interested, but something about what Georgina said stuck with her. The name Obi sounded very familiar.

Georgina turned a page and a family picture of each brother was before her. The women smiled and Jackie listened as Georgina named each and every one of them. “That’s Ben n’ Charlotte n’ their kids, Benji, Lucy, n’ Jeremiah. N’ then that there is Daniel n’ Dorothy, they had four kids: Arthur, Annie, Anna Grace, n’... n’...”

“Anthony?” Hephzie called to the kitchen.

“Anthony! Thank ya, sweetie. Now, that there is Caleb! He married…”

“Mary.”

Georgina blinked at Jackie, surprised, and smiled. “Why yes! How ya know that, honey?”

Jackie stared at the picture of Georgina’s brother, Caleb. Caleb was standing next to his wife, Mary, and was holding a young girl, hugging and smiling. Jackie had seen that picture before, in the house she grew up in. Her parents kept family photos on the fireplace mantel.

Jackie pointed at Caleb in the photo and said, “That’s my Papa,” She pointed to Mary. “That’s my Nana,” And she pointed to the little girl. “And that’s my mom.”

Hephzie was standing by the doorway, a tray of tea set in her hands. She stared as the women were slowly coming to a realization. Jackie looked at Georgina carefully and was starting to see the resemblance of a younger woman that was described to her as her grandfather’s sister. Hephzie sat the tray down carefully so her shaking hands wouldn’t break anything.

Georgina’s eyes were shining with tears. She bit her lip and asked, “You’re Caleb’s baby girl?”

Jackie huffed a small puff of laughter, but paused when Hephzie put a hand on her shoulder. She looked up to find Hephzie smiling radiantly, like the bright sun on a white winter’s morning. “We’re… family?”

Jackie nearly threw Hephzie down, launching herself at her and hugging her tightly. Hephzie hugged her back and chuckled, beyond joyful to have made the discovery. Despite the large extended family, for all of Hephzie’s life it had just been her and her grandparents. And as much as Jackie loved being in Gravity Falls, that small amount of homesickness she had in the back of her head was now dead.

The newly found cousins sat on the couch and Grandma took Jackie’s hand and squeezed it. “Well now, bless my soul, I got me another half-pint! No no, George n’ I will have to think of somethang special for ya, darlin’. Now ya have to tell me all ‘bout yourself!”

Jackie chucked as Hephzie poured her a cup of tea, and it was Jackie’s turn to do the storytelling.

#GF #gravity falls #gravity falls au #farmer AU #JackieStan #jackie asante #stan pines #Fiddleford McGucket #ford pines #tate mcgucket #hephzie cece #gift #IM SO SORY YOU HAD TO WAIT A WHOLE YEAR FOR A CHAPTER #im a discgrace #i dare call myself a writer?!#eh better late than never?#lemonfodrizzleart

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