Page 46 of The Pass Protection
JP snaps his head up from where he’s reading. “They’re unhinged this season.”
Reaching out, I squeeze Harris’s shoulder and give him a reassuring smile. “You’re not alone, man. Don’t let the pressure get in your head. Shut the shit out and focus on your game. Just be you, and we’ll be right there with you.”
Nothing else is said as we all return our attention to our assignments. Harris spends the next hour flipping cards as he memorizes anatomy parts. JP reads through his marketing textbook and takes notes while I read over financial statements from a large agricultural firm.
For my agricultural finance class, we have to analyze financial statements and identify key ratios, assess the farm’s economic health, and provide recommendations for improvements.
Deciding to pursue a degree in ag business was an obvious choice for me. Our family farm in Silo Bay is the second largest farm in ourcounty, right behind Drummond Acres, and one of the top farms in the state. I’ve always known my future would be to work for the family farm, and I wanted to make sure I knew I could continue growing our business bigger and stronger for future generations.
Even though I know my ending is Silo Bay, it’s still uncertain when I’ll take things over. I still have two years left at CTU, and there’s the possibility of going pro. Right now, my mom and grandparents are still running things and neither have any plans to step aside, which is fine with me.
And then there’s my brother. As the firstborn son, Jett is supposed to be the first in line to take things over. However, he never showed interest in the farm when he was home. Now, he’s been gone chasing wars and fighting the good fight for years while avoiding the responsibility at home.
Finally, the monitor announces the hour-and-a-half study session is over. Draining the rest of my water bottle, I place my items back into my backpack. I’m almost to the door when Harris nudges my shoulder. “Wanna go get a few reps in at the gym?”
“Sure, man.”
“JP?”
JP situates his backpack on his shoulders as his hands clasp the straps. “Nah, man. Gotta work.”
The two of us walk down the main stairs. The sun has long since set, and the library is lit in a warm glow from all the lamps and chandeliers. The Benjamin Liberty Library is one of the original buildings on campus, with its unique brick craftsmanship and a wall of stained-glass windows.
“JP has been working a lot,” I muse.
“Yeah, I guess his sister was accepted into a music camp next summer, and it’s pretty expensive. JP wants to make sure she can go, so he’s been picking up extra shifts when he can.”
“Damn. I mean, how cool for his sister, but that’s a lot on him.”
Harris nods. “It is. I guess his mom hasn’t been getting the hours at her third job like she thought.”
I hum in response. JP is one of five kids, and he’s a prominent provider for his siblings. His dad bailed when he was ten and since then, his mom has been balancing two to three jobs to make ends meet. As hard as his mom works, things are still tight, so JP works when he can and then sends money home.
A vibration from my pocket has me reaching for my cell phone as I land on the main floor. Harris leads the way, opening the door for me as I read my sister’s text message. It has a picture of her bottle-feeding a new black-and-white calf.
Saylor: Look at this cutie who arrived this morning!
Me: Why is he on the bottle?
Saylor: Weird. I thought I was texting my fun brother, not my grumpy one.
Me: Sorry. I just got out of study tables. I didn’t know we were calving already.
Saylor: I guess I can forgive you. This little guy came a little early, but he’s doingfine.
Me: He is cute.
Saylor: Well, of course he is. He’s a Riggsby calf.
Me: That’s right.
Saylor: Miss you, brother.
Me: Miss you too.
Saylor: How’s things with Bret?
Me: Nothing is going on with me and Bret.
