Her cabin faced the road, with her back porch pointing toward the uncultivated fields she’d never been able to get to produce.
Brandon’s cabin sat another hundred yards down the road, at the end of it, and faced her front porch. And since Lenore knew every inch of this land, she knew he couldn’t see into her backyard.
She wasn’t sure why that mattered. Everything in her life had been laid bare in front of Brandon. She had no pride left.
“No time for pride,” she muttered, repeating something her daddy had told her a hundred times if he’d said it once. She grabbed a big sun hat and stuffed it over her head. “It’s time to get to work.”
As she went down the front steps of the cabin, she looked up into the sky as she did every time she left home. She may not have the time or energy to attend church, but Lenore sent a quick prayer toward the heavens the way she did every morning.
Bless me to be safe today. Guide my hands to do the most important work. Help me make my momma and daddy proud.
With the plea to the Lord ascending into the sky, Lenore added one more thing—this time in her voice, not just in her mind. “Bless Brandon with the patience he needs to see this job through to the end.”
Because Lenore would be lucky if Brandon didn’t pack up everything he owned and move back home after their walk-through. After he realized the extent of the work that truly needed to be done here on the homestead.
After he realized just how inept Lenore had been at nearly everything on her own property.
“Please don’t let him leave me,” she whispered.Please, please, please.
8
“We’re gonna do a walkthrough in a few minutes,” Brandon said, already pacing in front of the windows in his living room. The side ones faced some empty fields, and he wondered if Lenore had ever planted anything there.Could be fallow, he thought, but he really didn’t believe himself.
“It’s probably going to take us all day,” he said. “She’s got twenty-five acres. I don’t think there’s more than ten square feet that’s been properly cared for.”
On the other end of the line, Dawson sighed. “Take some videos if you can,” he said. “I’ll be able to know better what kind of crops she might be able to put in if I can see the dirt.”
“There’s no water here,” Brandon reminded him. “How are we going to water crops?”
“You’re going togetwater there,” Dawson said sternly.
Brandon rolled his neck, the tension and tightness there already settled in for the day. “I’ll talk to her about it,” he said. “I don’t see how anyone lives off the land without a way to collect water.”
“And power,” Dawson said. “Those are your two greatest needs, brother. Not a chicken coop, not a new pen for phantom goats. Water and electricity.”
“I know,” Brandon said. “Then we can work on food.”
“Then you can work on food,” Dawson echoed. “There’s no rain collection? Nothing?”
“How often does it rain in the Panhandle?” Brandon shot back at him.
“And we just came out of the rainy season.” Dawson sounded miserable. “But you’re okay, right? You’ve got enough to drink?”
“Zona wouldn’t let me leave with less than ten cases of water,” Brandon said. “I swear she’s going to be the death of me.”
Dawson chuckled. “I think she’s just worried that you’re going tomeetyour death.”
“Yeah,” Brandon said.
“I’ve got to be real honest, brother—so am I.”
“Can we please not cycle through this again?” Brandon asked. “I’ll get as much information as I can. I’d love to call you again tonight. I know it’s stupid. I’m really sorry to add more to your plate—with Caroline and everything.”
“It’s fine,” Dawson said. “You call me anytime. I’d love to brainstorm ways to help you guys out there.”
“Thank you,” Brandon said with as much sincerity in his tone as he could manage. Somewhere behind him, Dumpling meowed. Brandon turned toward the cat. “Okay. I’ve got to feed Dumpling and find that clipboard Duke gave me. I’ll talk to you tonight.”
“Talk to you tonight,” Dawson said, and the call ended.
