Page 7 of Tank

“Agreed. They’ll eat it all otherwise.”

“It looks like we’re ready.” Tank observed needlessly. He held the gate open and she walked in the garden spot ahead of him.

“What do you want to do first?”

“The fence won’t matter until we plant. Do you have fencing supplies yet?”

“Probably enough to do the garden. The whole place needs to be done although some can just be repaired.”

“Maybe we should burn off the garden area to prepare it for plowing? The weeds are high enough they might get in the way.” Tank suggested.

Apparently, Missy had thought of that possibility. She pulled out two lighters, the bigger multiuse ones often used to start a grill or a campfire and handed him one. “Let’s get to it.”

Judging where the wind was coming from, she lit the dried-out vegetation, so it burned away from the fence. He moved to the other side and did the same. Clearly, she’d done this before. She broke off a large cedar limb to beat out the fire if it tried to get out of control. Looking toward the house he saw Jag watching from a window. The guy was just too interested in Missy. Tank knew she was a white wolf, but few others outside the family had any idea.

They worked hard burning off the garden spot then he got the tractor going with a plow on behind and he plowed the garden spot. Missy had disappeared while he’d worked but when he went inside to take a break, she had lunch fixed for him. They sat and talked while they ate, and he noticed a couple hours had passed. He helped her clean up.

“Now what?” He asked.

“Next we’ll need to work the fence. We got a lot done today. How do you feel?”

Missy must have forgotten he was a bear. “I’m fine. The fence won’t be as easily done as the other things were. You want to try to get a side done? We can work on the rest tomorrow and see what we get done.”

“Sounds good.” She went out with him.

Putting in fence was a hard job by hand, but she had a post driver on her tractor for metal posts that helped a lot. The corner posts were good for now so once all the posts were in, running the fence and attaching it wasn’t that hard. Missy helped and she was a good worker. Maybe they’d have enough fence for tomorrow and by next weekend, she’d get what they needed for more pastures.

Tank didn’t mind farm work. Yeah, it was hard, but you could do a lot of thinking and no one bothered you. Most of it was outdoors, where bears loved to be. The weather was what usually drove them inside. Especially in the winter when ice or snow bothered them. They headed in early and Missy invited him back at seven for supper. She was a typical white wolf since she could cook.

He cleaned up and watched some TV in his room until it was time. Then he headed to the kitchen to see Missy. She was cooking and he offered to help. “You can set the table for two if you don’t mind.”

The thought was nice, just two. He hoped Jag didn’t appear. Maybe he shouldn’t have thought of him. There he was. “Can I catch supper? I have some money.” He handed her a ten.

Tank went ahead and put out one more place setting. Jag needed to go. Ariel had done neither of them a favor with that one. “I see you two got a lot done. Good for you.” Jag said. “What do you plan to grow?”

Missy grinned. “A little bit if everything and enough tomatoes to sell.”

“Where will you sell them?”

“I’ll decide when they are grown. There’s a place to sell them at the livestock auction. If I find a way closer, I’ll go for that.”

“What about Lucille?” Jag asked.

“Who is that?” She asked but Tank already knew she would sell them to Lucille.

“The lady up the road with the vegetable stand.”

“I’ll have to check that out. I haven’t got up that way in so long I didn’t know someone was still there.” Missy observed.

“But you do know her?”

Missy laughed. “Anyone who drives that way has stopped at that stand. But a guy usually runs it. Jack or John. Darn I can’t remember. Do you?”

Tank answered. “I believe last year it was John. Boy he’s a talker. Guy was in the military and he’s got some great stories.”

“Yeah. I remember that. Special forces, wasn’t he?”

They talked about the guy until the food was done and he saw it drove Jag crazy. At least the intruder appreciated her cooking skills. “This is great Missy. You should open a restaurant. Do you know the girl that owns one down the road?” Jag asked.

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