Home Entertainment Game Technology Advertisement Part 2: For eight years, my parents made me leave the house every time my brother brought his fiance over; Mom said, “She comes from a good family, don’t embarrass us”; Dad added, “Just disappear for the weekend”; I did; then one weekend, I never came back; it took them four years to find out where I went.

Nothing else.

A living tree did not need a funeral inscription.

Neither did I.
CHAPTER 8 — GRANDMA LEFT ME THE LAND BESIDE RUTH’S FARM. FOUR YEARS LATER, MY PARENTS CAME TO THE GATE AND WAITED FOR ME TO DECIDE WHETHER THEY COULD ENTER

The eighteen acres became my nursery's second location.

Not immediately.

I took my time.

I mapped drainage.

Tested soil.

Cleared invasive privet.

Saved the old pecans.

Built three greenhouses.

Ruth watched every decision and insulted half of them.

“You're putting that greenhouse too low.”

“No, I'm not.”

“First heavy rain, you'll learn.”

First heavy rain—

I learned.

Ruth never said I told you so.

She simply arrived with a shovel.

Casey helped with branding.

We called the place:
GREEN BARK NURSERY & ORCHARD

I almost chose something sentimental involving Grandma.

Then decided Grandma would hate being turned into a logo.

We kept one small sign near the entrance: