Page 13 of If You Give a Grump a Christmas Tree Farm
Nature is always beautiful, but all I see is a ton of work.
“So, there they are,” I say.
“They’re beautiful. Oh, look how many there are.”
I scan the fields, remembering my grandfather had to plant seedlings every year to ensure another season's crop. “Most of these are eight to ten years old.”
“It takes that long?” she asks.
“Yep. And it doesn’t look like he planted any new ones in the last couple of years.”
“Is that a problem?”
“It will be down the line.”
“Oh.”
“There’s a lot that goes into this, Rebecca. There are lots of problems that can happen. Drought. Insects. Fire. More problems than even I know of, I’m sure. This isn’t all fun and games.”
“I never said it would be. I know it’s going to take work, but it’s all I have, JJ.”
“Surely my brother had life insurance. You can’t be that bad off.”
“I’m not saying I’m bad off. And yes, there was some insurance, but only thirty thousand dollars. By the time I paid for the funeral and paid off the car, well, there isn’t much left. I need this, JJ. I have to make it work.”
I study her. Her reason for not wanting to sell is valid, I suppose. “But think what you could do with the money from a sale. It could set you up.”
“You don’t know that. Besides, that’s in the distant future. I need an income now. I want to do this, JJ. We’re in this together, and I guess I need to know right now if I can count on you to do this with me.”
I kick a rock and shove my hands in my pockets. This is the last thing on earth I want to do. Putting aside all the work, just being in this town is the last place I want to be. But we’re stuck with the place for a year.
“It’s not that I don’t want to help you. I’ve got other responsibilities. I don’t know how much time I can devote to this.”
“Your club, you mean?”
“Yeah. I’ll have to ask if I can get the time away.”
She nods and studies the landscape. “The season isn’t that long. If we could at least get a good crop of trees sold this Christmas, we could make it a year. It’s only a couple of months, JJ.”
Looking into her pleading eyes, howcouldI refuse her?
“I’m not promising anything. I need to make a phone call first.”
“So, make it.” She stares at me. Damn, she’s a tough one.
I pull my phone out and stalk away.
CHAPTER FIVE
JJ—
“And?” Rebecca asks when I return.
“They’ll give me until Christmas, but I have to return anytime they hold Church.”
“Church?”
“The club’s meeting. We call it Church.”
