Chapter Text
When my father passed away I was devastated. We weren’t very close, heck I hadn’t seen him in the last 12 years but, he was family. My mother took the news only slightly better, but refused to claim the 4500 acres of farm land that he left behind.
Naturally that meant it went to me. I have absolutely no clue how to farm, what to farm, when to farm, etc. I hadn’t picked up a hoe and seeds since I was in grade school. But if family didn’t claim the farm, we’d lose it, and he wouldn’t have wanted that.
And so here I was, across the family lawyer as he presented the deed and property ownership papers to me.
“I feel like I’m signing my life away Sero.” I measured the stack of papers with my fingers, about an inch and a half thick.
“Well in some ways you are.” He tapped his pen against the table thoughtfully. “Owning a farm is a huge responsibility, especially one as large as your father’s.”
Sero leaned in, a serious look on his face. “It won’t be easy.”
I sighed. “Look, I know that. But I can’t let all his work go to waste. I don’t want to lose our farm.”
He nodded, handing over the pen. “I’ll give you a moment to look everything over while I speak to your mother about his will.”
My mother was stationed in the living room of the farmhouse while Sero and I were in my late father’s study going over the paperwork. He hadn’t left me shit in his will, but a couple shared accounts were now in my mother’s name.
I stopped Sero as he was walking out the door. “My father never let me touch a thing on this farm. He never thought I could do this. Do you think I can?”
Sero turned my words over in his head before letting out a loose sigh, dropping his hand from the doorframe. “You’ll need a lot of help, please don’t be afraid to ask for it. That being said, yes. Absolutely. You’ll make something great out of this space.”
With that, Sero left the room, leaving me to sign the papers alone.
The farm was vast, and my father was a drunk. In the last few months he’d sincerely let the place go to shit. The farmhouse was absolutely breaking apart, and most of the arable land was overgrown with weeds and would take a lot of work before it’d be profitable again.
The bank had been sending dozens of late notices before my father expired. This was a huge responsibility and risk I was taking on but, I did spend a small part of my childhood here. The farm was grand and so beautiful before, it could be that way again.
I wasn’t absolutely sure what state the farm was left in now. I’d have to begin bright and early in the morning, making an updated map of the land and building a growing plan.
Half of me thought I was stupid signing legal papers when I had half a clue how the farm operated or its profitability. The other half of me was sheer determination and stubbornness; unwilling to fail.
My mother came in the room just as I was finishing up, leaning against the doorway with her hands crossed against her chest. “This is really going to be a piece of work. I don’t understand why you won’t let one of your brothers sell this place and build real estate.”
I pinched the bridge of my nose. “Mama, I wanna do this. I can do this. Please.”
She threw her hands into the air, mumbling under her breath. “Well I brought some groceries too so your first couple nights should go smoothly without you having to go out to the city.”
“Thanks,” I whispered, trying to evade the awkward silence that followed. We both grieved in separate ways, I understood that. I also understood she was trying to bridge that gap, make us stronger than ever in the face of adversity and all that other parenting nonsense but I didn’t want to console each other. We never had that type of relationship anyways. Pointless to start now.
“Alright mama, you should probably get going. The city is a 45 minute drive and the Sun is starting to set. I don’t want you out driving by yourself.”
She nodded in agreement, coming over to wrap me up into a hug. “Anything you need, I’m here. Okay? Don’t forget to call.”
“I won’t,” I whispered, holding back my tears in this rare moment with her.
She left quickly and quietly, leaving me in this too big house with too much responsibility.
Sero came in, shortly thereafter, and I handed him the signed stack of paperwork.
“I’ll scan you the copies later on after I submit this to the bank, okay?”
I nodded solemnly. “Okay.”
He clasped a hand over my shoulder. “Hang in there kiddo. You’ve got this.” And then Sero left too, leaving me totally alone.
I didn’t have much to go back to. My big girl job in the city was failing, my romantic interest had cheated on me, and my social life was in the garbage. This endeavor just had to work itself out, and I would make that happen, however I could.
I walked through the home for some time, trying to memorize the layout but my father really had let the place go to shit. Half the bedrooms looked condemned. The only “safe” room looked like a guest room on the first floor.
In total there appeared to be seven rooms and five bathrooms. Two guest bedrooms and two bathrooms were on the first floor, along with a fucked up kitchen, living room, dining room, and a trashed wine cellar. The second floor has five other bedrooms, and three bathrooms. All uninhabitable.
How does a house have water and fire damage, I mean seriously. Ridiculous. Coupled with termites.
I was royally fucked.