“We can deduct the extra costs on your final tax filing.”

“Thank you, Mr. Gable.”

“Have a good evening, Fay.”

I hung up the phone.

The farm was disappearing faster than I had planned.

My family thought I was bankrupt, Desmond couldn’t look me in the eye, and the people who had bought my eighty acres were coming to tear down my barn next week.

I picked up a thick black marker.

I pressed the felt tip to the calendar page and crossed out an entire week with one dark line.