Chapter 20
A Small Request
Jonah
On the Monday morning after family dinner, I go out to the barn to feed everyone and freshen up their pens. When I see the space where the tractor usually is, I remember it’s still dead and parked a ways back on the trail.
I’m about to call the first tractor repair mechanic the internet offers, but then I think of Dad.
He probably knows exactly what to do. And even though he was just here last night, something tells me he wouldn’t mind coming back.
He stayed longer than anyone last night to talk to me.
We sat on the porch, listening to crickets and talking.
I would have stayed up all night if he wanted to.
Something’s changed between us. He spoke to me like a friend, man-to-man, not father-to-son.
It made me realize two things: He’s not as concerned about where my life is going as he once was, and he’s lonely. I’m sure it was hard enough when all us kids finally moved out, but now he’s retired.
So, before I press the phone number for Mike’s Deli and Tractor Repair (10.2 miles away with a 4.4 out of 5 star rating), I call Dad instead. He may be retired from his corporate life, but he still takes odd engine repair jobs.
Two hours later, he pulls into my driveway.
The dogs mill about the trees in search of squirrels while the pair of us stand over the front wheel wells. Dad knows what he’s looking at. I do not.
Shocking, I know.
“That’s what I thought,” he sighs, but he doesn’t sound grim. “It’s overheating,” he explains. “You’ve gotta be careful with these older tractors. Your coolant is low. I’m guessing you haven’t topped it off with any new fluids since you bought this place?”
I shake my head.
“That’s alright. You know now. I’ll write down what kind of oil, coolant, hydraulic and transmission fluid you’ll need, as well as a schedule. See that you stick to it.”
“So, I don’t have to buy a new tractor?”
“No,” he drawls, amusement pulling at the corners of his mouth. “This girl’s old, but she’s still got plenty of life left in her. Just keep her tuned up and take her out now and then.”
“I can do that,” I reply. I feel like an idiot for even thinking I needed a new tractor.
“You’ve also got a clogged radiator,” he says, pointing to... what I’m gathering is the radiator. “All you’ve gotta do is clean it out with a leaf blower or some compressed air.”
See, these are the kinds of things I should do myself. This is what a farmer would do, and I live on a farm! It’s small, and I have no crops, but I have a barn and animals that depend on me.
I am Farmer Jonah.
We hop in the Yukon and head back to the house to grab a leaf blower and search the barn for coolant that we hope the last owners left behind. I park between the barn and garage when movement from the side yard catches my attention.
The curly red hair of Miss Loretta Wilde is unmistakable as she bounds past her mother’s garden, grinning a mile wide. For a second, I catch my breath because... is she going to say something to me? Hope builds in my heart like a volcano, ready to burst.
When she’s only a few feet away, I kneel, and she wraps me in a hug.
I did not start this, and I want that to go on my record.
“Hey Shortcake.”
The hope lava in my body retreats when she doesn’t reply. When she releases me, she puts two hands up, indicating for me to stay right where I am, and takes off for her house, dogs following. I stay kneeling with my hands in my lap like I have nothing better to do today.
Dad chuckles and stands next to me. “Glad to see you can still make friends out here in the country.”
Dad is busy searching the barn for what he needs when Lo comes back with the dogs. She’s brought an equally exuberant older sister, and their foxy mama trails behind them at a leisurely pace.
It’s Delta’s turn to hug me—again, I’m not initiating—but I do hug her back when their mother doesn’t seem off-put.
“What’s going on, ladies?”
“Can I have my birthday party here with all my friends?”
I rear back and stare at Renée. She finally stops in front of me. “What? Here?”
“Girls, you can’t ambush him like that.”
“You said—” Delta whines.
Renée cuts her daughter off. “I said I would talk to him.”
I stand up. “Of course she can have her party here.”
“Jonah, you don’t even know what you’re agreeing to.”
“Birthday cake,” I say, counting off on each finger as I go. “Pizza. Funny hats. Balloons. I know what I’m agreeing to.”
“I want to have a petting zoo,” Delta cheers.
“Do you want me to get more animals?”
“Yeah!”
“No,” her mother claps back. “She means she would like to know if she could invite her friends over to pet and play with your animals. We would host the party portion at our house. That is, of course, if you don’t have any plans that day.
You’re also absolutely allowed to say no with no reason at all.
” She says that last part looking down at Delta, her stare laced with unspoken words.
Probably something like, Remember, we talked about this.
I open the calendar on my phone. “When’s the party?”
“September 19th,” Delta replies. “It’s a Saturday.”
My heart sinks when I find the date. “Oh. I have a game that day.” Joy drains from both girls’ faces, and it’s like a gut punch to know I did that.
Suddenly, I have another idea. “Is there any way you can have the party the next day? On Sunday?”
They twist to watch their mom, eyebrows raised.
Renée thinks. “Well, we haven’t sent out invitations yet, so sweetie, if you’re okay with having it on Sunday—”
“YES!”
“—then we can do it Sunday.”
The girls and I are jumping and screaming while the dogs circle us, barking at us to either settle down or let them join in; I’m not sure.
But when I cut out and let the girls run off with the dogs, I’m left staring at the pleased face of their mother.
And now my heart’s racing for an entirely different reason.
“You didn’t have to do that,” she whispers.
“I know. I wanted to. And I’d like to host the whole thing if that’s okay. Have the entire party here. I have space. How many kids are coming?”
“I don’t know yet, but probably eight or nine and their parents.”
I flick my hand like that’s nothing. “No problem. She can invite her whole class if she wants.”
She chuckles. “You do not want that.”
But I do. I want to make that birthday girl happy.
It’s not even about pleasing Renée—though yes, I absolutely want to please her more than I want to breathe.
I really just want to bring a smile to the faces of these adorable girls.
I know what it’s like growing up with only one parent, and while I’m not trying to replace their dad, I’d like them to count on me.
For these Wilde girls, I want to be someone special.
“Hey, do you think I should get her that chainsaw as a present, or do you think she wants something else?”
Renée narrows her eyes, and I receive her silent answer.
I cross my arms and nod, but an even better idea pops up. “Oh my God, what about a Nerf gun?”