Let’s write a story – Chapter Eight
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This story has not been edited.
CHAPTER EIGHT
ZACH
Zach debated whether he should answer his dad’s call and then decided to get it over with.
“Hello, Dad.”
“It’s about time you got a cell phone. This is a cell phone number, isn’t it?”
“Yes, Dad.” Zach cleaned his bench with one hand. “Did you need something?”
“It’s not what I need, but what you do. I expected you to be setting up your office here.”
Zach sat on a stool. “Dad. I’ve made my position very clear. I’m not coming to work for you.”
“That was before.”
“Before what?” Zach was going to make him say it.
“Before I helped you get out of your studio lease. Now you can stop all this art nonsense and take care of your responsibilities to this firm.”
Art nonsense. Zach took a deep breath. “Dad, you’re not listening to me. I am not working at your firm. My art is my career.”
His father sighed. “Son, you’ve got to get serious about your future. Don’t you want a family and a legacy? You need stability. Art is a hobby, not a career.”
“For your information, I just landed a very large commission for Imperial Coast Resorts—their flagship hotel.”
There was silence so long Zach checked the phone to make sure the call hadn’t cut off.
“Imperial Coast Resorts? Impressive, but you can’t fulfill that kind of commission with no studio.”
“I was able to find another place to work.”
“Yes. My resources say it’s a barn on a struggling farm. Looks like the owner could use an influx of capital. It would be a shame if that property suddenly changed hands.”
The hairs on the back of Zach’s neck stood at attention. “What are you saying?”
“I’m saying your landlord is in a precarious position. Investors buy distressed properties every day.”
Zach gripped the workbench, his knuckles turning white. “You leave her farm out of this.”
“I will do what is necessary for your future. Call me with your start date.” Click.
Zach stared at the phone. His dad wasn’t bluffing. It was bad enough he’d interfered with Zach’s livelihood, but now he was threatening to ruin Sierra’s. Zach couldn’t let that happen. A weight settled in his chest until he couldn’t breathe in the hot studio. He needed a plan, and fast. He strode out of the building and headed straight to the barn in search of Sierra.
SIERRA
Sierra held the new latch in place under the old one, marking the place she needed to drill new holes. She’d gotten Reg back into his pen without issue, but even after double-checking the fence latches, she was still at a loss for how the alpaca was pulling off his escapes. The drill bit dug into the wood as she straddled the gate with her knees.
“Need some help?”
Her heart skipped as Zach walked toward her. “Sure. Will you hold the gate steady while I install this latch?”
Zach took her spot straddling the gate. “What’s wrong with the old latch?”
“I don’t know, so I’m doubling up my efforts to contain Reg.” Sierra drilled the new holes and lined up the new latch. When she finished, Zach leaned closer. His woodsy, campfire scent caught her breath.
“May I?” He moved the original latch, locking and unlocking it. “There’s nothing wrong with the old latch. Sierra, there’s no way an alpaca could do this. Someone opened it.”
His brown eyes studied her and her brain short-circuited. She shook her head. “Reg is really tricky. Maybe I missed something. Or maybe Noah?”
“Well, adding a second latch will take care of that.”
Sierra tucked the stray doubts away to explore another time. They went to the next gate and silence stretched between them as they worked side by side, Sierra holding the gates steady and Zach installing the latches.
“Would you hand me the screwdriver?” Zach held his hand out.
Sierra gave him the tool and their hands brushed. A zing shot through her entire arm, making her warm despite the day’s coolness. She rubbed her hand on her jeans.
“You seem to be settling into your space. Is it working for you?”
“Yeah, it’s great. Did my security deposit clear your account?”
“It did. You renting that space is a God thing. It’s given me a little breathing space financially.” Sierra tucked a stray hair behind her ear. “Not to mention an argument against Mom’s barbs about selling the place.”
He finished the installation and his fingers tightened on the fencing. “Sierra, there’s something I need to tell you.”
“That sounds ominous.”
“Let’s just say it’s more of ‘forewarned is forearmed.’” He shared the conversation with his father.
As he talked, she crossed her arms, emotions bouncing between anxiety and indignation. When he finished, she couldn’t contain her response any longer. “How dare he threaten you like that? You are so talented, Zach. You can’t let him take that away from you.”
“I’m more concerned about you and the farm.”
“The farm is not for sale, no matter how much your dad offers.” Sierra placed her hand on his. “We are not letting your dad or my mom manipulate us into giving up on our dreams.”
Zach stared at her. The frustration in his eyes softened into something deeper. He turned his hand over to clasp hers. His thumb stroked her hand and he leaned closer.
Sierra closed her eyes, her heart thudding.
“Aunt See!” Noah’s voice shattered the moment.
They jumped apart as Noah barreled into Sierra’s legs, burying his face. Zach stayed close.
Sylvia walked toward them carrying her tablet. Her bright red designer boots clomped on the uneven earth. “There’s no need to be dramatic.” She cast Sierra a desperate look.
Sierra knelt to hug Noah. “What’s wrong, buddy?”
“Mommy says I have to go to a boring school and I can’t bring Reg Two.” A big tear trailed down his cheek and he hugged his favorite plush alpaca.
Sierra’s heart dropped to her toes and she looked up at her sister. “Sylvia, what does he mean?”
“Why can’t I go to my fun school? We have toys and recess and everything.”
“Shh.” Sierra held Noah close.
“Julian and I just paid the deposit for Noah to attend an elite preparatory school. I was just showing him the uniform he’ll be wearing.” Sylvia turned her tablet and Sierra’s heart broke at the thought of her nephew learning in such a sterile environment.
“Sylvia, he’s a little boy. He doesn’t need uniforms and stuffy teachers; he needs the outdoors and fun. Why can’t you just leave him here with me where everything is familiar?”
“Because I want a fresh start with my family, where my son gets the best education and a home not in danger of bankruptcy. I’m thinking of his well-being.”
“I’m not trying to overstep here, but if you’re worried about his education, we can make sure he gets a good one here without being uprooted.”
Sylvia clutched her tablet to her chest. “Sierra, I’m also thinking of you being burdened with Noah, as well as Mom and the farm. We talked about this.”
Sierra covered Noah’s ears and lowered her voice. “Noah isn’t a burden, I promise. Please let him stay here with us.”
“You need to focus on getting the farm solvent. I appreciate all your help, but after our wedding at Christmas, Noah is coming with me.”
Sierra swallowed against the tears threatening and took Noah by the shoulders. “Mommy wants what’s best for you.” She took the edge of her sleeve and wiped the tears from his face. “And that is going to be a new adventure.”
“Like Explorer John?” Noah’s favorite safari character.
“Yes. I’ll bet Mommy can even get you a very special Explorer John hat.”
Noah turned to Sylvia, who nodded. “You bet.”
“Can I bring Reg Two? He likes going places.”
“Of course. Let’s go inside and order it right now.” Sylvia held out her hand.
Noah glanced back at Sierra, then walked away with his mom.
Zach stepped closer, touching Sierra’s shoulder. His solid presence kept her from crumbling. “You are a great aunt.”
She covered his hand with hers. “Then why does it hurt so much?”
He squeezed. “Because real love sacrifices. You will not only endure, you will triumph.”
She closed her eyes. He didn’t know how much his words meant. “I need to make Noah’s lunch. Thanks for your help.”
Sierra stopped at the mailbox as she walked to the house. She tucked the bundle of mail under one arm and took a deep breath. Normally the fresh farm smell revitalized her, but the reality of losing Noah weighed her down.
Please God, give me the strength to let Noah go and the wisdom to keep the farm running. And thank you for bringing Zach into my life.
What she needed was a nice cup of tea.
In the kitchen, Sierra steeped tea and sat at the table flipping through the mail. An envelope with a red overdue stamped on it grabbed her attention. Any relaxation she’d expected from the tea was replaced by tension in her shoulders.
She ripped open the envelope, groaning at the balance due for a purchase she hadn’t been aware of.
“Mother.” The words ground out slowly. She thought she’d been clear enough with her mother about the spending. She mentally added the balance to the never-ending list of financial obligations. She was in danger of losing everything and her mother was making things worse.
A door opened from the other side of the house, and grumbles followed. Her mom shuffled into the kitchen, bumping into things and slamming cabinets and drawers.
“Mom, are you looking for something?”
“I need coffee. What did you do with the cups?”
Sierra stood and reached around to open the one cabinet her mom had missed. “They’re right here, as usual.”
Her mom snatched the mug out of her hand and poured coffee into it, then plopped onto a chair.
“Mom, what is this?” She handed the open overdue bill to her mother. Her mother shrugged. “Something I needed.”
Sierra looked at the purchase description. “You needed a wood statue?”
“Yes, since I wasn’t able to bring my wood statue back from Africa when I moved in here, I had to replace it.”
“Mom, we talked about the spending. You can’t keep doing this; we are on a fixed income.”
Her mother glared at her. “We wouldn’t be if you sold the farm.”
“The farm is all I’ve got left. I’m not selling.” Sierra held out her hand. “Give me the card.”
“What card?”
“Don’t do that. I know you keep your wallet in your sweater pocket. Give me the credit card.”
Her mother folded her arms. “I will not. It’s my card.”
“Excuse me? It’s my card, which was supposed to be only for emergencies, but you obviously cannot resist the temptation.” She jiggled her hand. For a moment she wondered what she would do if her mother kept resisting. It’s not like she would wrestle her for it.
Finally, her mother pulled out her wallet, held together by two rubber bands, pulled the worn credit card out, and handed it to Sierra. Sierra grabbed a pair of scissors and ceremoniously cut the card into pieces.
Her mother slammed her mug on the table and stalked out of the room.
Sierra sat in the quiet kitchen. She looked at the plastic credit card pieces. For the first time in months, her chest didn’t hurt. She’d finally stood up for herself. She was protecting her home. But this was just the beginning.
The red overdue bill mocked her. She’d stemmed the bleeding of her mother’s spending for now, but she still had to take care of the existing debt. Maybe if she could get the farm back on steady financial ground, she could convince Sylvia that the farm was the most secure place for Noah.
She looked at the wall calendar. Sylvia’s wedding was eight weeks away. Eight weeks to get a plan in place to satisfy the debt, secure the farm, and wear her sister down. The mountain was daunting. As she threw the pieces of plastic in the trash, Sierra prayed for guidance. Zach’s words came back to her. You will not only endure, you will triumph. Yes, she would triumph. She was fighting for her home and family. She just had to figure out how to do it.
Okay, readers, what happens next? Comment below.
Zach and Sierra will be more successful if they work together. Let’s make a plan!
How can they earn the money to keep the farm going?
Chapter Seven
