Chapter 6 - THE SUCCESSION MEMO
The memo was labeled:
MERCER SUCCESSOR CONTINUITY — DRAFT.
Mark’s branch.
Candidate A:
Emma Mercer.
Status:
Minor child.
No demonstrated agricultural interest.
Maternal influence may create retention risk.
Surname continuity uncertain after marriage.
Rachel read that line twice.
Emma was three.
Three.
No demonstrated agricultural interest.
Then Candidate B:
Noah Mercer.
Age seventeen.
Mark’s cousin’s son.
Status:
Active in FFA.
Works summers at Farm 2.
Strong surname continuity.
High family alignment.
Rachel looked at Mark.
“You compared our three-year-old to a seventeen-year-old.”
“It’s a draft.”
“You wrote ‘maternal influence may create retention risk.’”
“Mom wrote that.”
“You left it in.”
Mark rubbed his forehead.
“It was internal.”
May you like
Rachel laughed.
“That makes it worse.”
