My phone buzzed. I mentally sighed. Fucking work.
To be sure it wasn’t Autumn, I checked who the caller was.
Hank James.
I stared at it as it buzzed in my hand. What did he want?
Anxiety burned in my stomach. The last time he’d called was to tell me he was selling. What shit news would he give me now?
“Hank,” I answered.
“Giddy.” His greeting was like old times, like when he’d come home after moving cattle all day. I’d been too young to join him, so I’d spent the day closer to the house, helping Mom.
“Don’t call me Giddy, Hank.”
“I have a long stretch of fence that’d take me two days,” he continued like I hadn’t said a thing. “Care to join me? Many hands make quick work.”
His enthusiasm didn’t irritate me like normal, butthat wasn’t what I was caught on. “Why are you fixing fence if you’re selling?”
“I’m not selling garbage.”
“Aren’t they going to do more planting than ranching?” The purchase might be going through Bailey Beef, but Dad had said they wanted the property to raise some of their own grains for Copper Summit. There was some acreage that we’d used for growing grains for our own feed. The rest was better for ranching than farming.
“Eh, that’s what they said, but this fence is an eyesore.”
“They can fix the eyesore if they want to buy it.”
“I’m not selling garbage.”
He’d been fine with running it down in the first place. Percival Farms was dead because of him.
“It gives an old man something to do,” he said simply.
He’d gone from doing nothing to doing nonsense. “What do you think you’re going to do when you move into a smaller house? You’re not even going to have a lawn.”
There was silence on the other end.
I’d get nowhere yelling at him. Maybe the best way to dig into his brain and figure out why he had to sell so bad was to get my hands dirty. “I’ll be there in forty-five minutes.”
“Hey, that sounds great. I’ll get some sloppy joes ready. We can have a bite before we go out.”
The other end went dead, and I rolled my eyes to the ceiling. A skylight hovered overhead and crossbeams lined my view. A nest was plastered in one corner. I hadn’t heard a bird inside. How old was that nest? The concept took my mind off my infuriating father.
The lady returned with a cart that had a squeaky wheel. “Here’s your cart, sir. Can I help you with anything?”
I scratched the back of my neck and considered the aisles. “No, thanks. I’m just going to pick out some boots.”
“We have some good winter coats too.” She smiled before she wandered away.
Coats? I wouldn’t be staying that long.
One month. The sale would be final in the middle of November. I’d need a goddamn winter coat. It wasn’t like I was giving up all my plans and moving back.
Autumn
I went outside for my afternoon break. Normally, I’d catch up on some work or grab a quick snack, but I needed space and fresh air. One of the kids had been crop-dusting me all day with his gas and the air freshener was starting to give me a headache.
Summer: I’m going to Copper Summit tonight. You gonna be there?
