The second, I rebuilt the back steps.
When my knee would not cooperate, I sat on the ground and worked from there.
The farmhouse remained in my name.
I paid its property taxes every year beginning in 2013.
During deployments, I arranged the payments before I left or handled them through the account I used for recurring bills.
When storms damaged the roof, I paid for repairs.
When the well pump failed, I paid to replace it.
I did not live there, but I never abandoned it.
My grandfather had given me the house because he understood something my parents never had.
He knew leaving was not the same as forgetting.
That evening, I made a pot of coffee and spread the summons across the table.
The petition claimed my parents had covered every expense related to the farmhouse.
I opened the metal file box from the hall closet.
Inside were tax receipts, insurance notices, repair invoices, and copies of the deed.
