“And if I lose the farm, you will have nothing. No land, no degree, no future.” Her voice broke. She didn’t want to get angry or upset with her son, but she was both.
“You won’t lose it, especially with me here. Mom, I’m not changing my mind, and I don’t want to argue about it every day.”
She hated that they were in this position. If John hadn’t fallen from the roof and died, Jake would be planning for college instead of the harvest. He would be planning for a career. A future. Meet a girl. Get married. Have kids. She saw his life as it could be and wanted it for him.
“I’m good with my decision, Mom. If you can’t be, then I don’t know what to say.”
She had so much to say, but didn’t know how to say it. Then Lyla came out of the barn and called, “Jake! There’s a leak and I can’t figure out where it’s coming from.”
He raised his hand in acknowledgment, then said to Ellen, “Is Mateo back yet?”
“I told him to make sure that Greg’s horses were fed and watered and secure in their stalls. We won’t be able to get over there again today, and until the girls can make arrangements for the livestock, we need to take care of them.”
“Okay.”
“Then he’s going to check on his place, make sure there’s nothing that needs attending, and he’ll come back here. I told him if Miriam wants to stay here tonight, they can stay on the pullout in the family room.” Since Penny moved in, they had lost their guest room. “But I doubt she will.”
Mateo and his wife lived in a two-bedroom house on the farthest parcel of McKenna property. It had been used as a bunkhouse for dozens of years but had fallen into disrepair. Mateo had fixed it up and lived there for free with his wife, Miriam, who was a substitute teacher. They had a twenty-three-year-old son who was in the military.
Jake said, “I’ll take a look at the leak. I may have to put in a temporary fix if I can figure out where it’s coming from, because we don’t have time for a major repair. Where’s Avery? I could use her help.”
“She and Bobby went to check on the Mendozas. Carl has been having a tough time lately.” She lowered her voice, not wanting Penny to overhear. Not because she was keeping secrets from her grandmother, but because she didn’t want to have another conversation about Verdacorp right now. “I saw the Coulters this morning. They sold right-of-way for utilities, but there’s a consent clause where they have to give explicit permission to exploit mineral rights. So, there may not be a problem, and after I talk to the bank next week, I’m going to make them an offer on their property. I think they’ll take it. But I need to study the maps first. If the utilities cut through the parcel we need, it’s not worth it.”
“Baldwin didn’t have a clause like that.”
“I don’t know, maybe he did. He told me they weren’t going to bury a pipeline or drill, but I haven’t seen the contract yet. I warned him about the hidden clauses in other contracts I’ve seen.”
“He should never have sold to them in the first place,” Jake said. “And he sold the farm, not just right-of-way. You and I both know if Dad were still alive, he would have sold to us.”
Ellen put her hand on Jake’s arm. “I know you’re angry. I am, too. But we’ve been friends for years, and if there is any restrictive covenant in the contract, then that’s good for us.”
“He promised to sellusthe land,” Jake said, his jaw tight.
She understood how Jake felt. But Greg had been so kind and helpful to her and her family after John died. She couldn’t hold a grudge, even though she was angry about what had transpired over the last two weeks.
Penny stepped out onto the porch and rang a cowbell. It was too far a distance for her to shout, but the bell was plenty loud enough.
“I’ll see what she needs,” Ellen said. “You go help Lyla, and use Mateo when he returns.”
She watched as Jake headed toward the barn, wishing they weren’t arguing about college. She wanted what was best for him, and how could giving up his dream of being a vet be best?
John gave up his dream.
Her husband had never regretted it, he’d told her. Then again, John had always embraced life as it was handed to him. She admired him for his ability to see the good and potential in every problem. To face every obstacle and find a solution.
But their son… She wanted more for their son.
Ellen shook away her melancholy and ran into the house, stepping into the kitchen dripping wet. Penny was stirring the stew she had started earlier. “You’ll all need a hot meal tonight,” she said, frowning at the puddle of water Ellen had left in the entry. “I’m warming up that shepherd’s pie Millie gave you.” Penny shook herhead. “That woman makes barely edible food, I swear I don’t know who taught her, ’cause her mama was a great cook.”
Penny did not praise lightly.
“You rang the bell?” Ellen said as she wiped the water off the laundry room floor and tossed the rag into the laundry bin.
“Yes. Margery Sutton called. I said you’d call her right back.”
Ellen adored Margery, but every twinge was cause for panic. She still had nearly eight weeks before her due date. But stress wasn’t good for her or the baby.
She dialed the number from a list they kept by the phone.
