"Oh, I was too little to remember any of it," he sighs. "My sister wasn't even born yet and she's only my little sister by a year and a half. But it was real sudden. So out of nowhere my mom's got me plus a whole farm to run on her own plus she's pregnant, you know? At least until my Uncle Ed moved in and took over most of the running."

He rubs both hands over his face, pushing up his glasses to press fingertips against his eyes.

"I dunno how she did it. Even if it wasn't for very long."