Love Means Courage - Andrew Grey

find Aunt Mari.”
“Okay, Daddy.” Geoff let go of Len and ran out of the office.
A few seconds later he heard giggles and laughter from the kitchen.
“What can I help you with, Cliff?”
    The scowl stayed in place. “Shut the door.” Len complied, and Cliff handed him a piece of paper filled with expenses and their descriptions. “I’ve looked this over a dozen times, and I can’t find a mistake.”
    “Should there be one?”
“God, I hope so, because if there isn’t then I need to come up with another ten thousand dollars in order to make it until harvest.
    The last year wiped out all my savings as well as the available cash in the farm accounts. I just wish I’d known about the Henderson place last year. I’ve even taken into account the increased revenue from the horses, but it still isn’t enough.” Len’s first instinct was to try to reassure Cliff, but instead, he sat in one of the chairs and began reviewing the figures line by line, but he couldn’t find anything wrong. All the estimates seemed reasonable and the expenses necessary. “Let’s go over each item, both income and expenses, and we’ll talk them through. Maybe something will come to mind.
    Cliff nodded and Len pulled up a chair to the desk. Together they went through every item, scrutinizing each expense or revenue. They found where Cliff had made a mistake in estimating the fuel, 123
Love Means Courage
but that was offset because he forgot to add in the cost of tractor maintenance. In the end, they were right back where they started.
    “So the expenses are accurate, and the revenues won’t change until fall. What can we do to bring in more money?” A knock at the door interrupted Len’s thought.
    Mari poked her head inside. “Lunch will be ready in an hour, and I have to be downtown at one.”
“Thanks, Mari.” Cliff replied absently as he pondered over the figures. “We’ve put everything to work we can find.”
“Is there anything you could sell to raise the money?”
    “There is one thing, but it’s not very realistic. When dad bought the Henderson place, he bought everything, including the house. I was thinking that we could sell it, but that could take months, and with mortgage interest rates sky high, who’d be able to afford it anyway? The only way dad was able to borrow the money to buy the place was through a subsidized loan to help family farms.”
    “You’re going to sell the Henderson place?” Both Len and Cliff turned to Mari, looking guilty because they’d forgotten she was there. “I was thinking about it, why?”
    “Janelle’s driving me crazy, and I was going to ask if I could live there. It’s not very big, and I could fix it up.” Len looked at her, an idea forming. “Better yet, you could buy it.” Both Cliff and Mari looked at Len like he was nuts. “Hear me out. The barn isn’t near the house, so you could carve out a lot that contains the farmhouse and a nice yard.” Mari smiled slightly. “I know the house, and it’s nice, but how 124
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could I afford a mortgage?”
    Len looked at both Mari and Cliff. “You don’t need one. Cliff could sell it to you on a land contract. You pay him the down payment, and he writes a land contract for the balance. Instead of making payments to the bank, you pay Cliff. The interest rate is nine percent instead of the sixteen the bank is charging. Cliff gets the cash he needs, and you get a house of your own.” Both Cliff and Mari looked at each other, and Len noticed the first glimmer of hope. “You’d need a lawyer to help with the contract, and I’d hire someone to appraise the house to make sure the selling price is fair, and you’re all set.”
    “I have the money from Dad’s life insurance. I was going to offer to lend it to you, but this is even better. I could get my own house, and you’d reduce some of your own expenses and have additional money coming in each month, plus you’d get the money you need without borrowing.”
    Len sat back in the chair, smiling to himself as Cliff and his sister started talking about the arrangements and what was possible. They were both so excited that neither of them saw him leave the office. He found Geoff in the living room playing with his trucks. After waving goodbye to the boy, he put his boots back on and headed back to work. There were always stalls to clean. Len got the wheelbarrow and started cleaning one of the stalls.
    “Len.” He jumped when he heard the voice behind