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“That is ... a lot of work for one person who has another job.”
I knew how this was going to end. She was going to get bored of playing farmer, and I would have to pick up the slack.
“I’ll get it done.”
“Will you?”
“Go get Eric from school,” she said with a roll of her eyes. “And you’ll see what I’m capable of by the time you’re back.”
“Or you’ll see that you need help.”
“One of us is wrong, and for once it should be you!” she called as I walked away.
I laughed. With her in a T-shirt and athletic leggings thatwere thinner than anything I owned, I doubted she would get very far.
I quickly saw who was right. Mollie didn’t stop on the fields, even when she ripped her nice clothes and came back coated in mud. While she did sleep in an hour later each day, she showed no signs of slowing down, even as she got the three fields ready for planting.
I was impressed, even if I knew she’d never let me live it down if I told her that.
The day of the school event snuck up on me. I was busy being tired by simply watching Mollie balance work on her laptop and all the things she was doing in the fields, but when the day came, Jackie reminded me with a simple text.
Jackie
If you miss this, I think Kerry will come after you.
Wasn’t planning on it. I’ll be there.
Bring your best smile!
Ugh.
I wasn’t sure if Mollie was still planning on going, but I didn’t know if I could handle other people’s kidsandthe parents in one day.
I found her at the dining-room table, eyebrows pinched over her laptop. Usually she worked at night, only taking meetings during the day.
“You busy?”
“Yes, but I can make time.” She looked up at me. “If you’re about to tell me I planted the first field wrong, I’ll kick your ass.”
“That race is today,” I said.
She looked up, blinking slowly. “Race?”
“At Eric’s school.”
“Oh.” She rubbed her eyes. “That’s right. I said I would go to that.”
“You sure you can handle it? You’ve been working hard.”
“Yeah, I can,” she said, standing. “And before you ask, I’m fine.”
“You sure seem it,” I said sarcastically. She rolled her eyes and went to her room. When she came out, she was wearing one of the few pairs of clean pants she had.
Her laptop dinged as we walked to the door, and she turned back to it, biting her lip.
“You can stay here if you want.”
“And go back on our deal? No thanks. I can do it. Work will just have to wait.”