Donna Beaumont watered the cabbage crops thoroughly. In the distance she could see a rusted-out, cornflower-colored pickup truck pulling up in the driveway of the adjacent house. Robert Hess, her school friend, first-ever crush, and ranch hand on her adoptive parents' farm, stepped out and walked over to her.

                                    "Are you sure you're ready to come back to work today?" She called as he opened the fence to let himself in.

                                   "I'm not, in fact, I don't think I'll be ready for life ever again. But Mark and Delilah gotta eat." He responded in a broken voice that sounded as if he'd just finished crying.

                                  Donna's heart broke for Robert. He'd lost his parents just two weeks ago and was managing his grief as best as he could as well as serving as a provider for his little brother and sister.

                                   She dropped the hose from her hand and stepped forward to hug him tightly.

                                  "You know, Dad will understand if you go home." She said against his shoulder.

                                  "I know, but I figure it's best that I work today anyway. The kids are back in school and I gotta distract myself." He paused, then spoke again.

                                 "So what's on tab for today?" Robert asked. "You can help me herd, and the sheep need shaving." Replied Donna.

                                "Are you done watering?" He inquired, pointing to the hose that was now saturating the ground.

                              "Oh! Crap!" said Donna, just now remembering that she'd dropped it and running to turn it off.

                              When she returned, she said, "Yeah, I finished when you were pulling in."

                              "Let's go." said Robert. The two walked torward the first barn, and Donna spoke. "So, how's everything if you don't mind my asking?"

                             Robert sighed. "Lonely. I mean, it's weird, especially that first morning. I opened my eyes and for the first time, I didn't hear Dad taking Jack for a walk, there was no breakfast cooking, the bathroom counter wasn't loaded with Mom's makeup, it felt like waking up in another universe."

                            "And what about Delilah and Mark? How are they holding up?" "Ah, you know, they were heartbroken beyond belief, and they still are, but they're resilient kids. They've bounced back better than I have." He said, shaking his head.

                            They reached the barn and Donna opened the door. Inside stood her beloved brown Palomino, named Ella, beside the black Tennessee Walking Horse, named Experience by Robert. Experience had been a gift that Donna's father bought Robert after three years of working on the farm. He said that it was to repay him for his never-ending loyalty and commitment.

                         The pair mounted their designated horses, and rode out to the second barn. "So this morning, I had Uncle Bob and Aunt Ginny at the breakfast table-" Began Robert. "They didn't fly back home yet?" Interjected Donna, cutting him off.

                        "Not yet. I had them at the breakfast table and Uncle Bob told me that he's more than likely gonna have to refuse the next-of-kin request."

                      "Why?" Asked Donna, looking at Robert as he stared at the reigns in his hands. "He said that he and Aunt Ginny are getting too old and that they can't really care for two small children, let alone when Mark is severely asthmatic." He explained.

                     Donna nodded her understanding. Asthma was something she'd had a difficult battle with in her own childhood. "So what does that mean now?"

                   "It means they'll probably take them from me. I-I can't, I don't know how to tell them." said Robert, his voice on the verge of breaking again.

                  "Well you're eighteen now." Donna offered. "That's gotta count for something. I mean, you graduated high school, you work hard, you can still afford the house, you drive, and you've taken care of them this long."

                "But I'm only a father figure. Not a mother." He said. "So?" She said with a shrug.

                "Donna, you know as well as I do how conservative this town can be. I'm not getting custody of them because they still believe in two parents and traditional. Unless I can get married in like, a week, they're going to foster care and there's nothing I can do about it."

               "You'll think of something." Donna assured. "You always do."