“OK,” I say. The house doesn’t feel right, all empty inside, and I’m grateful not to have to go back in.

Across the street and behind the Townsends’ fancy new house, I see Rainbow waiting in the corral with Ben and Gil. He whinnies happily when he sees me, like, “Look at me in my new amazing home! Look how lucky I am!” It makes me feel happy and sad at the same time. Bitter and sweet all over again.

As I go through my morning routine, I almost start to make Lucy’s feed before I remember she’s gone. I hate walking past her pen and seeing it empty. The weeds are already starting to grow in her mud spot.

After I gather eggs and take Ferdinand for his walk, I give Rainbow some extra love. He really does seem happier over here, and it makes me feel bad that maybe he didn’t have the best life with us. Maybe we weren’t a good family for him after all. It’s strange that before he came here, I thought his life was over. Maybe if losing our house isn’t the end of the world for Rainbow, it won’t be for us, either. But when I think of my dad pulling down that sign, and the way my mom always seems to be trying to swallow down her tears, I just don’t know.

“Hey, Rach!” my dad calls, coming down the path. “Do you need some help? I was about to give up on you.”

“Sorry, it takes a while to get everything done.”

He nods and pats Rainbow. “Hey, buddy. You look happy.”

Rainbow sniffs his hand for a treat.

“Nice place here, huh?” my dad says, looking around.

“Yeah,” I say. Before, I would have given him a tour and introduced him to everyone, but I can tell he’s anxious to go.

I follow him back over to our side of the street and out to the garden. He’s piled a bunch of paper bags at the garden gate and gestures for me to take one.

“Pull everything up,” he tells me. “Even if it’s not ripe.”

I look at him funny, as if to ask, “Why bother?” but he’s already busy at one end of the carrot row, pulling up these pathetic skinny carrots that are nowhere near ready to eat.

“Dad,” I start, but he pulls with more eagerness and I know now is not the time to argue.