This is the third and final chapter of this story. You may want to read the previous chapters before reading this one. Thank you to my editors LadyCibelle and Techsan for their editing.
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My life has done a complete turn around. Our farm business has been growing. My grandfather and I have thought of expanding. He told me that I was doing such a good job that he couldn't be prouder of me. Nothing could have made me feel better.
Grandpa told me the Brady farm next to his was going up for sale. He said old Jack Brady was just getting tired and was ready to sit back and relax. He owned three hundred and eighty acres of land. Gramps said he thought it would be the perfect home for me. We could put the farms together, hire some more help and I would have a place to live and still be on the farm.
"Grandpa, are you telling me I have to move?"
He laughed. "Josh, you and that lady friend need a place of your own. Her kids love it out here and she would make a mighty fine wife."
"We haven't talked marriage yet, Grandpa. I love her but I don't know if she would want to be the wife of a farmer."
"Why the hell not? This is a great life and the outdoors are great for kids..."
"Don't get mad, Grandpa. Sherry's the most wonderful woman I've ever known. It's just that maybe her plans don't include living on a farm. I wouldn't want her to marry me and then regret living out here. We both know that farming isn't for everyone; it's got to be in your blood. Just like me and you, Grandpa."
"Well, you better get to asking her. You should consider buying the Brady farm anyway. We sure could use the extra acreage. We can sell all the corn and hay we can grow, plus we can get some more livestock and it takes grain to feed them also. You have the makings of being a big-time farmer, Josh. One day I will want to sit back and watch you make this farm grow even bigger. Grandma and I will just sit back, relax and get a paycheck."
"I'll go look at the place, Grandpa. Even if I don't get married, the acreage would still be needed if we were to get any bigger. The Brady property would be perfect for us."
I had talked to the Bradys the next day. They told me they wanted out as soon as possible and were moving to a retirement home in Florida. They asked their kids if they wanted the farm but none wanted to continue with farming. I got the figures and would go talk to the bank and see if I could qualify for the loan. We came up with two figures: one just for the house, property, and another for all its equipment.
He set a nice price for the house and land. He was selling his equipment dirt-cheap. We really didn't need it but Grandpa was a pretty shrewd old farmer. He figured we could buy the equipment and take it down to the farmers' auction and sell whatever we didn't need. Grandpa knew his equipment and we would have money to reinvest from the sale of the excess equipment.
I wanted to show Sherry the old house. It was a big old two-story with lots of bedrooms. It needed some work but it could be fixed up. If she didn't want any part of the farm life, I didn't know what I would do. Maybe date her for the rest of my life and rent out the house.
I didn't have to wait too long for an answer. On Sunday, Sherry came over with the kids. While we all sat on the porch and watched the kids chase the chickens, my grandpa asked Sherry a few questions.
"Sherry, do you like it out here in the country?"
"Yes, Grandpa, I do." She always called my grandparents Grandpa and Grandma; so did the kids.
"Do you think you could be married to a farmer the rest of your life?"
"Grandpa, what are you doing?" I asked.
"Asking the questions you're afraid to ask. Go ahead and answer, Sherry. We just need to know."
"Well, yes, I could marry a farmer if I loved him," she said as she looked over at me.
"So, do you love my grandson, here? In case you didn't know he's in love with you."
She was blushing. "Yes, I love him and, yes, I would marry him if he ever asks me," said Sherry with tears in her eyes.
"Well, Josh!" said Grandpa. "I did all the hard work. Do you need to get hit by a Mack truck? Get on you knee and propose."
I was totally dumbfounded. I didn't notice but during the conversation between Sherry and Grandpa, my grandmother had disappeared and returned. "Did I miss anything?" said Grandma.
"Not yet," said Grandpa. "We're waiting on Josh to propose."
I was so embarrassed but happy as well listening to Sherry's answers. I got up and walked over to where she was sitting on the porch and kneeled on one knee. Mikey and Molly saw me and came up on the porch. Sherry put a finger to her lips to show the kids to be quiet. They just stood there and watched me.
The words finally came out. "Sherry, I've loved you most of my life. I know you know that. Since Grandpa did the hard part, I would like to ask you to be my wife. To love, honor and cherish for the rest of my life. I don't have a ring to give you since..."
"Josh," my Grandma interrupted me. "Here, take this, it was your mother's wedding ring. She gave it to me before she died and asked me to give it to you if I ever thought you met the right girl. I know that your mom would have loved Sherry."
Grandma was crying, Sherry was crying, and I had some big tears in my eyes as I continued. "In the presence of my grandparents, your children who I hope to be my children, and in the presence of the Almighty God will you marry me?"
We were now both crying when she said, "Of course I'll marry you. What took you so long to ask me?" as I slipped my mother's ring, which I had never seen before, onto Sherry's finger. It was the perfect fit. That in itself was something.
"I was afraid you wouldn't want to be married to a farmer. I guess I was too scared to ask. You see, farming is my life and it's all I know. I could never give it up."
"Mommy, is Josh going to be our daddy? Are we going to live on the farm and be farmers like Josh? This is so awesome," smiled Mikey. Then he turned around and began to explain it all to Molly. He never even waited for an answer.
Sherry and I kissed and I asked her to go for a walk with me. I picked up Molly and took Josh by the hand as we headed down the road to check out the Brady House.
"Sherry, Grandpa and I talked about buying this house and the acreage that goes with it. We're going to adjoin the two farms together and hire some more help and build on our investment. If you approve, this can be our house. It's not the newest and needs some work, but I believe it would make a great home for us and the kids."
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Everything went great with the Brady property. We, that's grandpa, Sherry and me, went to the bank and bought the property and equipment. It was the first time that Sherry found out that my inheritance was two-hundred thousand dollars. I've only spent fifteen thousand when I first got out of prison to get me some clothes and my used truck. I gave Grandma five thousand for good will. I wanted them to know that I was sincere in my efforts to help work the farm.
Of course, we borrowed money using my inheritance as collateral and had already paid some of it back. The Bradys promised to be out in a month. We knew we would be busy getting the farms in order and Sherry was planning a small wedding.
I did go see her parents and ask for her hand in marriage. Her dad smiled and her mom cried, out of joy, I hope. Her dad and I got along a lot better now. We were from different backgrounds with him being an attorney and me a farmer. We had one thing in common; we both loved Sherry and the kids and wanted the best for them. I promised him that I would give my all to taking care of them.
We were married a month later. We actually got married on our flat bed trailer on the farm among the hay barrels. Sherry said if she was going to be a farmer's wife she was going all the way. We did dress up and she looked beautiful in her gown. I rented a tuxedo and looked like a penguin, at least that's how I felt.
We had mostly Sherry's friends and relatives and, of course, Grandma and Grandpa invited the area neighbors. They were all really good people and mostly small town farmers. Jed brought his family and we had a nice talk after the wedding. We told him about our expansion and that we were going to hire some more farm workers and he would be the head foreman.
He was a good man and started looking for men who he thought would be good workers. He asked if he could hire a few family members that were thinking of moving to our area. We told him as long as they were as good workers as he was. Just a small point here. We did hire two of Jed's brother's and their families moved to our state. They both turned out to be good workers and good family men.
Back to the wedding. Sherry's Aunt Ruth catered the wedding. She wanted to do it for nothing but we couldn't accept that. We did however accept a discount. Aunt Ruth asked if she could invite some of her best customers who liked Sherry. I wasn't too sure about it but I had to get over the hang-up of my jealousy. I told her she had to go over the list with Sherry. I didn't want to be having to fight anyone at my own wedding, I told her.
We had a local band play at the wedding. Everything was great. I asked Sherry about some of the customers that her aunt had invited seeing I really didn't know any of them. She told me most were married and brought their wives. A few were single and, yes, they had asked her out but were refused.
"Josh, I love you with all my heart. I would never jeopardize our relationship for anyone."
We danced a lot that night. She danced with other men that night but no-one more than once, except for her dad and my grandpa. I did dance with her best friend Sandra a couple of times. She told me that she had never seen Sherry happier than she had been lately. It was almost enough for me to tear up. I knew that I had never been happier either.