“Great,” Finn said. “Thanks to the Glovers for the food today, and everyone be sure to get an invite to Mitch and Lacy’s wedding.”
“Keep Paul and Brielle in your prayers,” Henry said.
“And Ollie,” Link said. “Sorry I forgot to talk about him, but he’s really struggling right now, and if you have a few extra seconds in your prayers, I know he’d appreciate them.”
Finn’s heart beat out an extra pulse, and he wanted to know what Ollie struggled with. But he wouldn’t press for details that weren’t given, and he shot a look down the table to Brandon.
“Great, thanks, everyone,” he said. “And welcome to Ty, Colt, and Lenore, our three new people.” He smiled at each of them. “Now, Brandon’s asked for some time today, as he and Lenore have some pretty specific questions, and I think we all have something to contribute that will help them.”
Brandon got to his feet, wearing one of the most serious expressions Finn had ever seen on the man’s face. “Yeah, hey, thanks, everyone.” He swiped on his phone and then held it up.
“Lenore and I have two major problems we’d love to brainstorm with people about. Water.” He looked up from his phone. “Drilling a well is too expensive for her right now, and there’s no water on the homestead.”
“None?” Libby asked, plenty of incredulity in her voice. “What are you doing for water?”
“We drive to the truck stop and buy it in ten-gallon barrels,” Lenore said, her voice firm but quiet. “It’s not a good solution.”
“Expensive, too,” Colt said. “We use water towers on some of our remote orchards.”
“Water towers,” Brandon said. “I want to talk about that. I’m also scouting a site on the homestead for a possible water tank and we’re exploring watering her garden with a rain catchment system. Anyone who has any experience with that, we’d love to talk more to. And if anyone has any components they’re not using that would help us build a water system on the homestead, we’d be happy to take them off your hands.”
No one said anything, but Mitch started signing.
“He says he’s pretty sure he has a huge water tank at the Academy,” Link said. “It’s a big, black plastic container. He dumped it out behind his shed, because he didn’t know what it was.”
“Wow,” Brandon said. “Can we come look at it, Mitch?”
“Yeah, of course,” Link said as Mitch signed.
“We have irrigation equipment,” Tate said. “Loads of it. I can go through our storage sheds and see what we’re not using and bring it to you.”
Lenore wiped at her eyes as Brandon tapped something into his phone. “Thank you, Tate. That would be awesome. You can even send me some pictures before you make the drive. If I’m down by Mitch anyway, we can come pick it up.”
Brandon gave him a big smile. “And then….” He turned his phone around, where he’d pulled up a picture. “I started building frames for the solar panels we have on the homestead, but it’s a much bigger job than I think I can do myself. Conrad has already volunteered to come help me with it, and well….”
In the silent pause, Lenore took his phone and handed it to Henry. “We need help.Ineed help.” She swallowed and cleared her throat, her eyes bright, bright, bright.
So bright, Finn’s heart went out to her.
“Brandon would like to have anyone who can, to come to the homestead on Monday and Tuesday to help us get it finished and set up. If we could even get two or three of you, he thinks we could have power for Thanksgiving.”
She brushed at her eyes again, and Finn wanted to pull her into a hug and tell her they’d all be there. Of course, he couldn’t speak for everyone, and he’d have to check with Edith and what else he needed to do at his own place on Monday and Tuesday before he could commit.
The phone moved around the table, and when Finn got it, he swiped through a few pictures. Piles of lumber. Stacks of solarpanels. Wheels. A sketch of the system Brandon was trying to build.
Brandon spoke about what they’d done there already and told them about the pictures. “We’ll feed anyone who comes,” he said. “But you’ll have to bring your own water.” He grinned, though Finn could see what it cost him to stand at the head of the table and humble himself enough to ask them to come.
Lenore sniffled and wiped at her eyes, but she held her head high as she looked around at everyone in the room.
“And, well, to be honest, we don’t have the equipment we need once we get the panels set up,” Brandon said, as Finn catalogued the number of times he’d used the word “we.”
He wondered if Brandon had been dating Lenore before he’d started working at the homestead. They seemed like they’d known each other a while, and Brandon had always been fairly secretive about the women he dated.
Lenore stood up and put her hand on his arm. He looked at her, something amazing passing between them. Then he fell back a step, and Lenore drew in a deep breath.
“I just want to say how nervous I was to come here,” she said. “But you-all have been so nice, and I feel so comfortable here. It’s always been very hard for me to ask for help, but I can see now that if I want to keep the homestead, I can’t do it alone.”
Finn smiled at her and nodded, hoping to encourage her. Not only that, but he was thrilled she felt comfortable here with them.
