Prologue: A Childhood Memory
Rachel P.O.V.
I'll always remember the way Momma cried when Mayor Thomas told us the news that day. I was only four, but that kind of stuff leaves quite the impression on you.
"I'm sorry," he'd said, "but Mineral Town is running out of money. Unless we have a drastic increase in revenue, Rainfall Farm may have to be shut down."
Momma started crying then, and Daddy looked about to, but he'd never do that in front of me and Mark. He was trying real hard to be brave that day.
That night, after me and Mark were tucked in, I heard Momma and Daddy get up and go to the living room. I slipped out of bed and tip-toed to the door slowly, so I wouldn't wake Mark, so I could listen to what they were saying.
"—don't think it's fair to decide anything for her," Daddy was saying. "I think we should wait until she's at lease sixteen to even think about that."
"What will we do until then?" Momma demanded angrily, pacing. I knew she wasn't angry at Daddy; she was angry at herself, for not making enough money. Daddy's job at the winery didn't have much pay, but he wasn't too good at farm work and wanted to contribute somehow. Momma never blamed Daddy for anything, but blamed herself instead. It made me upset. "There's no way we'll survive another twelve years on what we're making right now! And I'd hate to ask Jack and Jill for money…"
"Claire…" Daddy said. I could tell he was close to tears.
Momma took a shaky breath. "Cliff…I love you, and the kids…but I can't lose this farm. This is where I want them to grow up, and where I want us to live, until the day we die. This is home, and nothing else will do. I'm sorry for being so selfish." And then she started sobbing.
Daddy drew her into his arms and rocked her slowly, like he did with me when I had a nightmare and couldn't sleep. "I…I'll call Ethan tomorrow. Maybe we can explain the situation to him."
"I'm sure he'll understand," Momma said between sobs. "After all, he's such a kind man. And Neil's a little sweetheart."
"Yeah, he is."
I went back to bed after that.
A few days later, a man about Momma's age and a boy a few years older than me came to the farm. I was playing fetch with our dog, Buster, when they came up the road, both pulling a horse. "Are you Rachel?" the man asked, and I nodded. "Are your parents around?"
"Momma's makin' lunch," I said, stroking Buster nervously from where I sat in the shade of a tree. "I can get 'er for ya if ya want."
He chuckled and ruffled my long, blonde hair that was so much like Momma's. "No, it's alright. I've been here before, when you were really little. I know my way around the place." He turned to the boy, who was standing silently behind him. "Neil, you stay here and keep Rachel company. You can hitch Lily and Dominic to that post over there." With that, he strode towards our house.
The boy—Neil—did as the man asked before he came to stand beside me. He said nothing, instead opting to watch as I played with Buster. He had blond hair, too, but his was darker than mine, and short and messy. He was wearing a red coat and black pants, which I thought was completely ridiculous in the summer heat. "Do ya wanna take yer coat off?" I asked.
"I'm okay," he replied stiffly.
"How old are you?"
"Seven."
"I'm four."
"That makes me three years older than you," he said, a hint of a smile in his voice.
I patted the grass next to me. "Wanna sit? Ya can play with me an' Buster, too!"
"Okay."
We sat there, played with Buster, and talked for a while. He was real quiet, but when he did talk, he was pretty nice. His voice was nice, too. I liked it a lot better than Mark's.
Before I knew it, it was starting to get dark. The man came back out of the house, and Neil stood ramrod straight when he saw him. "Hi, Dad," said Neil in a monotone, so different from the way we'd been talking moments before.
"Did you have a good time talking to Rachel, Neil?" the man asked. When Neil nodded, he continued, "Great!" He clapped a hand on his son's shoulder and turned his gaze to me. "Your mother wants you inside now, Rachel. We won't be able to visit for a while, but I hope you don't forget us. So long!"
"B-Bye, Neil!" I called as they began to walk away. "I'll miss you!"
Even from a distance, I saw his ears turn red. He turned slightly and gave a small wave. "Goodbye, Rachel. See you again?"
"Promise!"