He sat at the small table along the sidewall and gestured to the seat opposite him. “Was thinking now that it’s a new year, we should head to the bank and finish up some paperwork.”
Blake eyed his father. “You need extra money for something?”
Which, if he did, wasn’t a problem. Nothing his Ma and Dad needed would go unanswered if Blake had anything to say about it.
Mike shook his head. “We’ve been moving this way for a while. I want you to keep taking on more responsibility, and I want it official.”
“Retirement.” Blake grinned. “You deserve it. No need to do anything on paper, though. None of us mind if you take extra time to go fishing or don’t do early chores anymore.”
He’d expected his father to chuckle, but instead, the man took a deep breath then proceeded to very earnestly mess with Blake’s mind. “The picture reminded me. You don’t remember, as both your grandpa and great-grandpa passed on before you were anywhere near old enough to understand, but there’s a bunch of stuff I want in place before it’s too late.”
His dad was being far too serious, and it shook the amusement right out of Blake. He leaned forward, elbows resting on the table. “There something wrong that you haven’t been telling me about?”
Mike shook his head. “Healthy as a horse, last time I went to the doctor. Only, the truth is, I don’t expect that to stay the truth.”
“Everybody gets old, Dad.”
“Unless they go young, like my father. He was only sixty-four when he died. He’d been broken up bad in the logging accident he had when he was in his twenties. That man lived with pain every day of his life, yet you never would’ve known it.” Mike was staring off into the distance now, rocking his chair slowly. “Didn’t complain, but I knew it hurt something inside that his strength wouldn’t be enough to get him through to old age.”
“From what you and my uncles have said about him, he was an incredibly hard worker and a good man.”
Mike nodded decisively. “The best. He taught me a lot.” He looked firmly at Blake. “And he taught me to do what’s right, even if it means planning ahead. Great-Grandpa Stan lived a lot longer—all the way to ninety—but the last twenty years of his life, he wasn’t really there. He lost himself. I suppose it was Alzheimer’s or some kind of dementia.”
That was a surprise. “I didn’t know that.”
“Wasn’t a thing we usually talked about. It came on fast, and then he took a lot of caring for.” Mike met Blake’s eyes. “None of us begrudged the effort it took, and I’ll straight-up say it. I know if I go the same way, none of you will be sitting there cussing me out for forgetting what day it is.”
Holy shit. “You think this is going to happen to you?”
Mike nodded. “It’s possible. It’s very possible, and while I’ll tell you right now, I don’t want it and the thought scares me to death, even in the midst of fighting to do everything I can to keep my brain rolling the way it should for as long as I can, I am going to do the other thing my dad taught me. That’s make sure my family is ready.”
Blake collapsed back in his chair. “I don’t know what to say.”
“Nothing to say,” Mike returned dryly before shrugging. “Who knows. Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe I’ll live to a hundred and beat you at crib until my dying day.”
“I look forward to that.”
“But if that’s not what happens, we’re going to be prepared. And that means you need to be ready.” Mike caught his hand. “You have been doing so much to make sure the Coleman ranches are successful. This is just a little more official. Ensuring you can make all the decisions you need to, not just for the Six Pack ranch, but when dealing with your uncles and cousins. And so you can take care of Marion and make sure she’s got everything she needs.”
Blake was floored. “You know I’ll do whatever it takes. Of course we can take care of this. Also, if you want to have nothing to do with the daily tasks, you can spend your days between the grandkids and going for rides—”
Mike laughed, a loud, hardy burst of noise. “Jesus, you really think I’m looking for a life of leisure?”