The Last Laugh

***

Sheridan's POV (point of view):

I'm Sheridan Wesley. I'm eleven years old. I've always lived with my dad. He's the only person I've got. He loves me and I love him too. But soon our lives changed. Mine especially.

It was a sunny day in Blueville, a rural small town not far away from Tennessee. The kind of place where everyone knew everyone. My dad was one of the most popular and well-liked people of Blueville. He owned vast land and a big ranch.

I always loved working with him. I loved the farm life. I knew how to ride horses, milk cows, make butter, plant seeds and harvest crops. I was well loved by all my dad's employees and well known too by the people of the town. I was the little boy who always gave a helping hand.

"Sheridan??" my dad called from downstairs one day.

"Yes, dad!" I replied coming over to meet him. He was at the table.

Breakfast was ready.

"Sit down, son."

I did. We ate toast with jam and drank fresh milk. I looked at my mom's picture on the wall. I'd never known her because I'd lost her immediately I was born. My dad noticed me.

"Your mother loved you with all her heart, Sheridan. She wanted you to be that hardworking and kind boy you are today." he smiled at me and I smiled back.

"Thanks, dad."

"When you will be big enough, you'll take over my ranch and company."

"Really, dad??"

My father had always spoken about his company in the city of Los Angeles. I'd never been to Los Angeles nor had I ever seen his company. I only saw it on pictures. Whenever I asked him why we didn't live in Los Angeles, he would reply:

"I wanted you to grow up here in our native hometown. I didn't want you to be obsessed with technology and to be a spoiled brat. I want to groom you for the hard life. I want you to be able to survive tomorrow if you don't have money. One never knows what the future holds, son."

And he was right.

"Yes. Really. All this will be yours someday." he added.

"Thanks, dad." I stood up to hug him. He hugged me tight.

"I love you, son. You deserve the best."

"I love you too."

"Good. Now let's go for a ride with the horses."

"Cool!" I loved exploring the woods with my dad. He was one of the best memories of my childhood.

***

School had just closed for the easter holiday and I returned home with good results. My dad was proud of me.

"Excellent, dear. I'm proud of you."

"Thanks, dad."

"How 'bout we have a short stay at Kenneth's place?" he asked.

My eyes widened and a happy smile spread across my face. Mr Kenneth was my dad's very good friend. He was a very kind man who loved his family. Whenever he came visiting, he would keep me presents.

He too had a big ranch, High meadow Ranch. It was situated far out of Blueville. I'd gone there once because my father couldn't always take me there because of the distance.

I'd lastly gone there when I was six. And I had very good memories of the place. I used to play with his first daughter, Heather, she was four by then and her little sister, Sawyer was still a two year old baby. It'd been long and I wondered what they looked like now. Heather was probably nine and a half now. And Sawyer, seven and a half.

"That'll be a great idea! But um, will Mrs Christina be there?"

Mrs Christina was Mr Kenneth's wife. I always avoided her because I found her strange. She wasn't as smiley and kind as her husband. She was quite strict. I remember she used to refuse that Heather should play with me and that caused her husband to be annoyed and scream at her.

"Yes, she will."

"Oh..."

My dad chuckled.

"Don't be afraid son, she's a good person. She's just a little strict."

"Oh um, okay."

That still didn't convince me. But well, I wasn't going let her spoil my short stay at their ranch.

***

I packed my stuff ahead of time so I would not forget important stuff. I couldn't wait for the weekend. We'd be spending two weeks there. Awesome! I couldn't wait. The best part of it all was the road trip with my dad.

~

The weekend did arrive and I was more than anxious. We said goodbye to the employees and I said goodbye to my horse, Strike. Soon we were off on our tiring but interesting long road trip.

We sang songs, told stories and made jokes throughout the trip. It was a three hour one.

At a point we stopped at a gas station in the middle of nowhere to fill the truck's tank. Then we continued.

"Dad?"

"Yes?"

"I'm hungry."

"Don't worry, there's a little café not far from here."

"Okay."

We reached the café and sat down to have breakfast because we'd left our ranch at 8am that day.

***

At exactly 11:30, we went through the high meadow ranch gate. We'd arrived. I was so happy. The ranch was as big as ours. They had very vast lands and enough cattle too. As we drove in, I saw horses, cows and goats grazing as the employees supervised them. I waved and they waved back.

This was going to be fun.

As we approached the farm house, a smiling Mr Kenneth could be seen at the veranda. He came over as we parked the truck.



"My good ol' Paul." he chuckled happily when my dad stepped out of the truck.

"As alive as ever, Ken." my dad laughed and they hugged each other.

"It was about time you passed by." he then turned to me, "You've grown taller than the last time I saw you, son. You're a little man now."