Mase takes his mom’s advice to ‘be there’ for his daddy, literally. So he goes upstairs into his parent’s bedroom and finds his daddy asleep on the bed. Even with his eyes closed, he looks so sad. Mase wants to be there with him if he wakes up, so he sits on the side of the bed to wait.
After some time, Mase realizes that his daddy might be asleep for a long time, so he decides to lean back on the bed next to him. He can hear the moans and sniffles coming from him, which saddens Mase even more. He thinks about how his daddy said that when things get old, they eventually die. Is his daddy old? He and his mommy are a lot older than him, Dub and Dray. How long before they die like gran? Just thinking about it all worries Mase – what’ll happen to him if they die too? He’ll have to keep a close eye on them to ensure it doesn’t happen.
While Me-Me takes care of Dray, Dub tries to devise a way to help his dad overcome his grief. One thing he’s learned from growing up on a farm is that the work never stops. The animals always need tending…no matter how sad or sick you are. Making sure their cow, Cocoa Puffs, is fed, milked, and clean might be a big help. Dub cleans up his breakfast dish and heads out to the cow shed.
Dub starts by giving Cocoa Puff a fresh treat to calm her. This part of cow tending isn’t bad, but he knows he’ll have to get uncomfortably close to milk Cocoa Puff. Dub will also have to get over the ‘gross’ factor. He places the milk bucket beneath the cow but gets distracted by a new painting on his gran’s easel. He’s going to miss seeing her at that easel. It was a daily task for her. But he’s glad to see one last painting there that he can remember her by. He’ll have to find a space for it on his bedroom wall.
Cocoa Puffs begins to squirm uncomfortably. Dub knows it’s because her udders are full, so he tries to recall his father’s instructions, ‘grab the teats and squeeze downward.’ So that’s what he does, and he can soon see that he’s doing it right. He ends up getting enough milk for six bottles.
He pats Cocoa Puff’s side like his dad always does.
Wade: Good job, girl!
Dub has finished the milking, but the biggest and nastiest task is still to come. Now he needs to clean the shed and refill Cocoa Puff’s feed. Dub has never even entered the cow shed before. He avoids it at all costs. But if he wants to help his dad, he’ll have to get past that. So Dub takes a big deep breath, holds it, and enters – trying to stop tears of disgust from escaping his eyes.
I wake up and am surprised to see Mase on the bed next to me. I can see from the tear stains on his face that he’s been crying, so I know that Me-Me has given them the bad news.
Mason: Are you okay, daddy?
I’m not and probably won’t be for a long time, but I lie to put him at ease.
Kai: I’m fine, son.
Mason: Mommy says that it’s okay to cry. She won’t even be mad that you have your shoes on in the bed.
I didn’t even realize that I still have them on. It feels like a chore, but I lift myself and sit at the side of the bed.
Kai: Are you okay?
Mase pauses for a long time before answering.
Mason: My tummy hurts.
As he says it, I realize that my stomach is heavy with grief.
Kai: Yeah, mine too. But we’ll be okay.
I slowly get up from the bed.
Kai: How long have you been sitting there? Do you want to go play for a little while?
Mason: No. I want to stay here with you.
Kai: But I’m just going downstairs to eat and do boring stuff. You don’t have to worry about me.
Mase hesitates for a moment.
Mason: Okay
He follows me out of the room and walks towards his own as I go towards the stairs.
Me-Me is downstairs with Dray when I get to the kitchen. Dub enters soon after holding a trash bag.
Melisa: Do you want something to eat?
I don’t have much of an appetite, but I nod my head.
Kai: Just a little something.
Melisa: Okay
She places a plate in front of me, and I begin to eat slowly and mechanically, not even registering what it is.
Kai: Aunt Roni and Uncle M want us to come by later.
Melisa: Do you feel up to it?
I think about it for a moment.
Kai: Yeah, being around family will do us some good.
Melisa: Okay. We’ll be ready when you are.
I finish what’s left of my meal, then get up to wash my plate. As I stand by the sink, my mind begins racing, thinking about ma standing there the night before. I now realize she was saying goodbye. I should have said more. Why didn’t I say more? Now it’s too late, and that hurts more than anything. I need to do something to distract my mind.
Like every other day, I have farm work, so I walk over to Cocoa Puff’s shed, but Dub is already there.
Wade: I milked the cow, cleaned the shed, and refilled the feed.
Kai: *surprised* You did all of that?
Wade: Yeah. I wanted to help.
I pull Dub into my arms, proud and relieved that he can think of someone other than himself.
Kai: Thank you so much, son!
Wade: Dad?
Kai: Yeah
Wade: There’s a painting on the easel – that gran did. Can I have it?
I glance over, not shocked to see one last painting from ma. She would be happy that her grandson is interested in it.
Kai: Yes, I wouldn’t be surprised if she was thinking of you when she painted it.
Wade: Thanks, dad.
Since Dub has already taken care of my most significant task, I step over to the orchards, thinking about all ma has done for this family. The last time I checked our finances, I noticed we had reached a million simoleons. Ma gave me a money tree seed on my wedding day, promising it would secure our future, and she was right. She told me to pass a seed down to each of my children. I vow to myself right here and now that I will. This tree has become a part of our family legacy.
Lost in my thoughts, I step over by the bees that seem very riled up. The next thing I know, I’m being attacked and stung. I manage to stop the attack before too much damage is done. I rub at the painful welts left behind, but even they are nothing compared to the sting and agony of ma’s passing
(Generation 3 Chapter Summaries)
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