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“I have something to show you. Think you’ll be free later this week?”
Anna looked at me strangely. “Sure… but I do have a lot of stuff for my sister’s wedding.”
“We can work around that.”
Anna seemed to want to ask me more, to dig deeper into what I wanted to show her, but Emily called out, “Anna! They’re getting ready to start!”
“Go, be with your sister. I’ll text you later about it.”
“Alright…” She hesitated, and we hugged awkwardly before she hurried back to her sister, and I headed for the exit.
* * *
“I got you an appointment with the realtor for tomorrow at noon,” Clark said. “He told me the sellers are eager and willing to move quickly on the sale.”
“Thanks, man,” I said, speaking into the phone as I stared out the window at my little farm. I’d always dreamt of something bigger. My land was plenty big enough for what I had in mind, though. Of course, I’d always intended on sticking to goats, chickens, maybe some turkeys or a cow or two. Anna had me thinking bigger now.
A lot bigger.
“Are you going to tell me what this is all about?”
I hesitated, not wanting to tell Clark my true motivation. I knew he would try to talk me out of it. “I’m just looking to expand.”
“Your land not big enough for your plans?”
I was quiet for a second. “I’m thinking bigger, yes. I have big plans in store, perhaps a nonprofit of my own.”
“Of your own or with a certain someone?”
I rubbed my temples and cursed the headache I’d had since leaving the concert.
“It’s for me, but if Anna wanted to stay and work for me, of course I wouldn’t be opposed to that.”
I waited for Clark to lay into me. After all, we were happily bachelors for life, supposedly. He surprised me, however. “Just be careful, Levi. She seems pretty sure of leaving.”
“I know, and if that’s what she wants, I won’t force her to stay.”
“You just want to present other opportunities?”
“Exactly. And regardless, the land would be a good investment. I could always develop it or do my own thing without her. So it’s a win-win.”
“I hope so, man.”
I got off the phone with Clark, telling him I needed to feed the animals and head to bed since I had a busy day the following morning. It was partially true. I did need to care for the critters, and I did have plans tomorrow, but being a Saturday, I had nothing but the visit to the property the next day.
I fed the chickens, made sure Al was settled in for the night, and checked on Birdtha. She was pissed off as usual, but I fed and checked her water.
Then my favorite part… I headed to the goat’s pen and found one of the kids climbing on top of the hay bale. He jumped off, splaying out his legs, and he looked as happy as could be. I chuckled. They were so adorable.
The little girl goat followed her brother and did the same thing.
I still hadn't named the babies and felt bad about that, but my head had been elsewhere.
I really thought I was going to be a father there for a short while. And the idea had appealed to me more than I expected.
Maybe having kids, real kids and not goats, was something I wanted for my life. One day. After all, my brothers all seemed very happy with wives and kids. Maybe I was missing out on something. Of course, I would have to find the right woman, and Anna likely wouldn’t be it.
My heart ached in my chest.
