The lawyer’s voice faded as he finished reading the will. I felt a heavy, cold grip on my chest. The farm, the heart and soul of our family, was now Felicity’s.
My cousin, Felicity, never spent more than a weekend here.
How many mornings did I rise before dawn to help Grandma with the animals or plants?
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
How many long days did I spend in the fields, the sun burning my skin, while Felicity used the farm as nothing more than a picturesque background for her social media?
“Are you okay, Diana?” the lawyer asked gently, breaking the silence. “Your grandmother loved you more than anyone…”
He handed me a letter, and my hands shook as I opened it.
Grandma’s handwriting danced before my eyes:
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
“My dearest Diana,
If you are reading this, the time has come for a choice. I know you love this farm, and it has been a part of you as much as it was a part of me. But I needed to be sure that it’s true caretaker would emerge. I have left the farm to Felicity, but I have also granted you the right to live here for as long as you wish.
As long as you remain on the farm, it cannot be sold. Please be patient, my dear. The second part of my will shall be revealed in three months.
Love,
Grandma”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
Why didn’t she leave the farm to me outright?
Didn’t she trust me?
I glanced over at Felicity, her eyes already gleaming with excitement. She was whispering with her husband, Jack. I couldn’t hear everything, but snippets of their conversation floated over.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
“Sell it… quick profit… developers…”
They didn’t even care. It was all just numbers to them. I couldn’t stand it.
“Take the money, Diana. And leave this place,” Felicity offered me later.
“It’s a generous amount. You could have a nice place in the city.”
“This isn’t about money, Felicity. It’s about family.”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
Felicity shrugged, already disinterested. To her, this was just business. But to me, this farm was my childhood, the place where Grandma taught me about hard work and love.
That night, I lay awake, memories of the farm swirling in my mind. I knew what I had to do. By morning, I had requested a leave of absence from my city job. I needed to be there, to feel the earth beneath my feet.
Felicity handed me the keys with a smirk. She was eager to leave the responsibilities behind.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
***
The days on the farm were a whirlwind of chores. Every morning, I dragged myself out of bed before dawn, groaning at the thought of the tasks ahead.
As I fed the cows, I asked myself, “How did Grandma do this?”
“Morning, Daisy,” I said to the cow closest to me, giving her a scratch behind the ears. “Ready for breakfast?”
She nudged me gently.
“You’re the only one who listens to me, you know that?”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
It was a small comfort in the endless cycle of work, but it kept me going. I rushed around, feeding the chickens and making sure the goats were settled. By the time I finished, I was already thinking of the next task.
When I finally got to fixing the fence, I heard Mr. Harris approaching.
“Need help again?”
“Mr. Harris, you’re a lifesaver. I think this fence has a grudge against me.”
He chuckled, setting down his toolbox.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
“Nah, it just needs a firm hand. You gotta show it who’s boss.”
He started working on the fence, showing me how to reinforce the posts.
“Your grandma used to say, ‘A good fence makes a happy farm.’”
“She never told me it would make me lose my mind,” I muttered, wiping sweat from my brow.
He laughed. “She didn’t want to scare you off. But you’re doing good, Diana. You care, and that’s half the battle.”
“Half the battle? What’s the other half?” I asked, genuinely curious.
Leave a Reply