His sons were furious when a wealthy man passed away and gave his whole estate to a maid. However, the day after the burial, the woman invited them over to hear the startling request their father had made.
“Melinda, this is the last task I ask of you. Is it too much?” Mr. Faulkner said on his deathbed. Melinda, his maid, was the only person by his side, as his sons lived far away.
They didn’t know their father was sick, but they had not visited in so many years, leaving the older man to run his agricultural empire on his own while they pursued vapid dreams and spent his money.
“No, Mr. Faulkner.” I can do it,” she replied, holding his hand gently because it was so frail. The older man died a few hours later.
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Robert, Penn, and Leonard, his sons, eventually packed their bags that evening to head back to Missouri for the funeral. But they were unaware of what occurred at the will reading following the burial.
“It’s your father’s last wish.” “You have to do this,” Melinda pleaded with them.
“It is my last wish and testament that my entire estate, including my money and my precious fields behind the farm, be left to Melinda, who was by my side during the last years of my life.” I hope my sons can respect my decision and move on.
In his office, there was a roar of uproar as Mr. Faulkner’s attorney read.
Penn and Robert yelled and screamed, accusing Melinda of fooling their father. Even though Leonard was quieter, he couldn’t believe their father would leave them and give his maid all his money. He couldn’t understand it.
The attorney asked them to leave the office and forget about it because, in his opinion, there was nothing they could do to challenge the will.
That evening, Robert, Penn, and Leonard went to the neighborhood tavern to drown their sorrows while complaining about not getting to see their father and yelling about golddiggers.
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The following day, Leonard received a strange phone call that surprised him because the number displayed on the screen was from their father’s farm, where they had grown up.
“Hello?” he answered sleepily.
“Leonard?” a female voice said. “It’s Melinda.”
He stood up in bed immediately. “Why are you calling me?” he asked sternly.
“Please, listen. I want you and your brothers to come to the farmhouse today. “Can you do that?” she requested timidly.
“Why would we do that?” So you can rub our faces with what my father did? “I don’t think so,” Leonard scoffed, rubbing his eyes.
“No. Your father had another request for you. Please. I promise. You three need to come,” Melinda pleaded again and hung up the phone.
They drove to the house no longer theirs after Leonard told his brothers, who were too curious to ignore the maid.
“Excuse me?” Robert asked, offended.
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“You can’t be serious,” Penn added, shaking his head.
Leonard looked at her in confusion but didn’t say a word.
“It’s the truth.” “You have to believe me,” Melinda insisted, looking at them desperately.
“And you would give us back millions of dollars?” just like that? with no strings?” Penn continued, crossing his arms.
“Yeah, you’re a gold digger.” “Save this sanctimonious attitude for someone else,” Robert said.
“It’s your father’s last wish.” “You have to do this,” Melinda pleaded with them.
“Ok, ok,” Leonard began before his brothers could say more. “So, our dad wanted us to have a section of these fields and grow our crops without help for a year. Whoever grows more gets the entire estate. “Is that what you’re telling us?”
“Yes!” she nodded.
“That’s preposterous, Leonard. You can’t be considering it! We never worked in the fields. “That’s the job of employees, not the owners,” Robert told his brother. He was the eldest of the three, while Leonard was the youngest.
“We’re not the owners anymore, Rob.” “That’s the entire point,” Leonard replied, rolling his eyes.
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“Still, this is not fair.” “You should divide the estate with the three of us if you want to make things right,” Penn suggested as he looked at Melinda.
“I can’t do that.” I promised your father,” Melinda said before returning to the farm.
The three brothers sat there and observed the vast fields they had never noticed. Except when it offered them money to enjoy life, they never gave this business much thought. Nevertheless, they had never had their hands filthy.
Penn and Robert laughed and continued complaining about their father and the maid. Since they were sharing a rented car, they eventually wanted to leave, but Leonard refused.
“I think I’m going to stay a while in Missouri,” Leonard said. “You guys go ahead.”
“Are you going to do what she wants?” Penn asked sardonically.
“Maybe.” Leonard pursed his lips.
“You’re an idiot,” Robert scoffed, and he and Penn left. Never to return to Missouri.
Leonard stayed, grabbed crops, chatted with the workers, and started working, unlike his older brothers. He had to learn how to operate large agricultural machinery. He had occasional dinners with Melinda, who lived there and still wore a maid’s uniform, but it was the only assistance he received.
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After a year, his field area was overflowing with new, fresh crops, which he decided to sell at the local farmer’s market rather than through the regular distributors of his father’s business. Leonard struggled to express the feeling of fulfillment this activity had brought him. He went to the farm and sold everything.
“It’s been a year, and you are the only one who has followed what your father wanted,” Melinda told him. “Let’s go to the lawyer.” Everything’s yours.”
Leonard couldn’t help but feel…empty after completing all the arrangements and signing the necessary documents. He found more fulfillment in planting, harvesting, and selling his crops than in becoming a millionaire. He, at last, realized why his father cherished it.
Leonard thanked God in his prayers at night for the lesson.
He made a complete move into the farmhouse but maintained Melinda as the maid and paid her more. Leonard didn’t want to lose her because she worked hard and was a fantastic cook. As his father had done, he managed the company. As he learned more about environmental advancements, he applied them to the empire, allowing it to expand further.
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He sometimes helped his brothers, though not often because they were both too proud to admit they were wrong about Melinda. She would have divided their inheritance if they had also cultivated crops. They declined, though.
Now that Leonard was in charge, the most excellent part was that he appreciated the excitement of a job well done, which was preferable to receiving a large sum of cash.
So, what’s the moral of the story?
There is no simple path to success. Life for Robert, Penn, and Leonard was simple until their father decided to teach them a lesson. Only Leonard made the most of the situation to increase his knowledge; his brothers missed out.
No one can avoid explaining to their children just how difficult it is to make a living. Mr. Faulkner felt shame for his kids’ actions and decided to teach them a lesson through death. Of course, only one got it right, but young people must understand adversity and achievement.
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