“Ryan didn’t even know what a sheep looks like! This farm could teach him so much. What are you even talking about?”
Before Rosa could respond, Jim’s phone rang.
“Sorry, I need to take this,” he said, stepping aside. Rosa sighed, placing a hand on Ted’s shoulder. “Thanks for trying, Ted.
But you need to accept that we’re going to lose this place.”
She turned and walked into the house, leaving Ted standing alone. Jim returned, looking troubled. “Is everything okay?” Ted asked, concern in his voice.
Jim forced a smile. “Yeah, don’t worry about it,” he said before heading inside. Ted sighed heavily, feeling the weight of everything as he went to the barn to milk the goats.
The familiar routine was a small comfort. As he started, he heard footsteps approaching and turned to see Ryan standing at the entrance. “Is that a dog?” Ryan asked, his eyes wide with curiosity.
Ted chuckled softly. “What? A dog?
No, this is a goat,” he said, gesturing to the animal. Ryan stepped closer, examining the goat. “It has strange eyes,” he said, tilting his head.
“Yeah, they do look a bit funny,” Ted agreed. “But they’re harmless. Want to try milking her?”
Ryan’s eyes lit up, and he nodded eagerly.
Ted showed him how to do it, guiding his small hands. After a few tries, Ryan managed to fill a small cup. Ted handed it to him.
“Go ahead, taste it.”
Ryan took a sip, his face lighting up with surprise. “I thought milk came from the store,” he said, genuinely amazed. Ted shook his head, smiling.
“What do they even teach you in those schools?”
Ryan hesitated for a moment, then asked, “Can you teach me how to play baseball?”
Ted looked at him, surprised. “Don’t you have anyone to play with?”
Ryan’s voice grew softer. “All the kids are taught by their dads, but I don’t have a dad.”
Ted felt a pang of sadness for the boy.
“Alright, I’ll teach you to play tomorrow,” he said, determined to help. “Yes!” Ryan shouted, his face lighting up with joy. As Ted looked up, he noticed a figure standing outside the barn.
It was Rosa, watching them with a smile. The next morning, as the sun was just beginning to rise, Ted and Ryan headed out to the open field behind the barn. Ted carried an old baseball glove and a bat, while Ryan skipped excitedly beside him.
Ted showed Ryan how to hold the bat, positioning his small hands correctly. “Keep your eyes on the ball, Ryan. That’s the most important part,” Ted instructed, tossing the ball gently toward him.
Ryan swung with all his might but missed. He frowned, but Ted gave him an encouraging smile. “It’s okay, try again.
You’ll get it.”
They practiced for a while, Ryan gradually improving, his swings becoming more confident. Jim joined them after his morning run, his shirt damp with sweat. Seeing Ted and Ryan, he couldn’t resist joining in.
“Mind if I take a swing?” he asked with a grin. Ted handed him the bat, and Jim gave it a few test swings before taking his position. Ted pitched the ball, and Jim hit it hard, sending it flying into the distance.
Ryan cheered, running after the ball as fast as his legs could carry him. The three of them spent the morning playing, laughing, and forgetting, for a moment, the weight of their worries. After breakfast, however, the mood shifted.
Rosa and Jim packed their bags, ready to leave. Ted stayed behind, sitting on the porch, his heart heavy. He watched them drive away, feeling the loss of something he couldn’t quite hold onto.
As he sat there, lost in thought, the lawyer approached him, carrying a stack of papers. “Didn’t manage to get them to stay?” the lawyer asked, noticing the sadness in Ted’s eyes. “No,” Ted replied, his voice heavy with disappointment.
“It looks like I’ll really have to say goodbye to this place.”
The lawyer sighed, handing Ted the documents for the transfer of ownership. “I’m really sorry, Ted.”
“Yeah, me too,” Ted muttered, feeling the weight of the papers in his hands. He stared at the familiar fields, the barn, and the house that held so many memories.
He could hardly believe it was slipping away. Just then, the sound of a car engine broke the silence. Ted looked up and saw Jim’s car pulling into the yard.
Confused, he watched as Rosa jumped out of the car, her face filled with urgency. “Wait!” Rosa shouted, waving her arms as she hurried toward them. Ted stood up, his heart pounding.
“What’s going on?” he asked, bewildered. Jim got out of the car, a determined look on his face. “We’re staying!” he declared, his voice firm.
Ted’s eyes widened in surprise. “What? Are you serious?”
Rosa nodded, breathless.
“On the way to the airport, all Ryan could talk about was the farm. He kept saying how much he wished he could live here and play baseball with his uncles. It made me think… there are schools here too.
Why not make my child happy? He really needs a male role model in his life.”
Jim stepped closer. “Yesterday, my partners called.
They wanted to buy this land for development. I almost said yes, but after spending the morning here, seeing the animals, the crops, playing baseball with you guys… I realized I can’t do it. This place is too important.”
Ryan ran up, his face glowing with excitement.
“So, you’re coming back to the farm?”
“We’re coming back to the farm!” Jim and Rosa shouted together, their voices filled with joy. Ted couldn’t hold back his emotions. He jumped up, and the three of them hugged tightly, feeling like the little kids who once ran around these fields, full of love for the farm that had brought them back together.
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