Nathan opened the notebook expecting a joke. Instead, he found ten years of dates, names, and expenses. Propane refills after winter visits. Broken fencing nobody repaired. Grocery runs for twelve people. A damaged tractor attachment my brother promised to replace. Freezer meat taken home in coolers. Even the $6,700 roof repair after relatives ignored my warning and overloaded the old porch during a reunion. Beside each entry, I had written who offered to help pay and whether they ever did. Most pages ended the same way: Nothing received. Miriam covered it.
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