By the age of thirty two Josh had made a lucrative life for himself in the big city as a successful co-owner of a large corporation. Josh and his partners had built their empire within the securities industry. They specialized in creating unique, state-of-the-art security systems for homes, businesses, and even vehicles having also tapped into the personal defense industry. If it was about protecting yourself and your assets they were the people you wanted to consult.
But over the past few months Josh had been plagued with an acute desire to venture back to his hometown. Something of a desperate nature pleaded with him to return to his roots immediately. He could not explain it but chose to follow his heart’s lead. What awaited him at the small farmhouse where he had spent much of his youth was unlike anything he could have possibly imagined.
As he drove past flowing fields of wheat and corn Josh’s mind drifted back to his childhood. Just as so many young people had done and continued to do he had dreamt of life beyond the small, crude confines of that remote Oklahoma town. He had longed for the hustle and bustle of city life, for excitement and adventure beyond his wildest dreams. But unlike many of the others he had known Josh had managed to successfully escape and build an impressive and lucrative life for himself.
As he pulled up the dusty road that led to his uncle’s house Josh felt a nervous energy course through his body. He hadn’t been back in six years, not since his mother’s funeral when he was twenty six years old. His father had passed two years prior to her death. The circumstances had not been pleasant upon his previous return.
The old farm house looked the same save for a bit more wear and tear from the years of dust storms and sun rays that seemed to scorch everything they touched. His aunt and uncle along with ten other family members resided on the property. The farmhouse itself had six rooms. Near the barn there were several other units that housed the help and could hold up to another four families. The large yard was riddled with tractors and farm animals, a scene he remembered fondly from his youth. He used to hate it but now he found a strange comfort in the dusty, unchanging scene before him.
His aunt and uncle had been pleased to hear he was coming home and had made the necessary preparations for his arrival. As he walked toward the old farmhouse he was met with a flood of nostalgia. His aunt threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly, while his uncle extended him a hearty handshake. His fourteen year old cousin Jake just tossed him an awkward nod as he leaned against one of the posts holding up the roof extending out over the porch. Last time Josh and Jake had seen each other during his mother’s funeral Jake was only eight years old.
A flood of relatives emerged from the fields and worn building structures to greet Josh. They appreciated the fact that he kept the old farm on its legs with his generous monetary contributions but they were far more pleased with the fact he had come for a visit. After all, he was blood and nothing was more important than family. This was a value he had been engrained with since birth and one he had temporarily forgotten since his time spent in the big city. They were more than happy to remind him. A strange sense of belonging and a comforting acceptance washed over him as the warm blanket of family wrapped itself tightly around him.
Entering the house the smell of home cooking overloaded his senses. Years of dining at elegant restaurants could not compare to the mouth-watering smell of a home cooked meal. Josh had not only spent his life building an empire for himself but had decided to build a body to match. He enjoyed the intimidation factor and the sense of power he accrued from being a behemoth not to mention it was good for the business he was in. People tended to listen more intently in regards to security and protection when he pitched his ideas as opposed to his lankier partners. Back when he had time to spare Josh had even participated in amateur bodybuilding.
