Chapter 10: Future Plans
The start of dinner was quiet, eating peacefully and no talking, just hearing the sounds of the cutlery on the plates. Mrs. Lyn worriedly looked at her husband, Mr. Francis, knowing that they're eldest son going home is to discuss something with the family. Their younger children feeling something is up, is also keeping quiet while eating.
To break the stifling silence Mrs. Lyn said, "So Ben, your father told me you have something to tell us? Are you experiencing trouble or problems son?" Looking at Ben with a smile, she asks his eldest with slightly worried voice.
Knowing it's time for him to tell his future plans, Ben answered, "There are no problems Mom, I went home to inform you that" he paused and said, "I'm getting married." After saying that, there was complete silence that you could hear a pin drop on the floor. Looking at the bewildered faces of his parents and siblings, he laughed and said, "Just kidding!" he continued laughing, remembering their shocked faces. "Come on guys, why so serious, there's no problem, I just wanna talk about what I want to do in the future, and marriage is still a long ways away for me."
"Be serious brother, I almost thought you got someone pregnant!" Jona said after getting over the joke.
Ben with wide eyes said "What!? Classes just started, it's only been two weeks, who will get pregnant in two weeks, am I that great in your eyes?" then laughed again.
"Well, you never know, there's a first time for everything." Jace said, joining Jona's camp. Ben just rolled his eyes at him thinking 'my first time has long since gone in my past life.'
Hearing her kids bantering and joking with each other again, Mrs. Lyn let down her heart's worries, knowing that her eldest isn't encountering any problem, she's now more curious than ever, "So you went home because?"
"To start with, I promise to finish the degree that I started. Next is that I plan to finish it within 3 years, I'm going to take advance classes, OJT and thesis as the year go by. Regarding the Board Exams, I'll take it after two or three years." Ben started with this promise to placate the heart of his parents. He knows their hardship and sacrifices even in his past life just for their children to finish school with a professional degree. Seeing them still not talking and waiting for him to finish, he continued.
"But I am going to say sorry. Sorry because I won't be practicing my degree. I decided that I want to be a farmer. To have my own land, grow my own crops, fruits, grains and raise animals. I want to do this, so I'm sorry if I've disappointed you." Ben finished opening up to his family about what he wants to do. He inhaled, readying himself on what's to come.
Then, there was silence again. Ben did not regret informing them of what he wants to do for his future, he wants them to be ready and not expect too much on him being an Architect. Looking at his parents faces while telling his plans and dreams, he waited.
"Brother, you're not joking this time are you?" Jace asks breaking the silence.
"This time, I'm serious Jace." Ben answered him.
"Why don't you just inherit my company? It's already stable and you won't have any big problems." His Dad offered him.
"Dad, although our business is going smoothly right now, technology isn't really my cup of tea. So I'm hats off on our business, you still have Jace or Jona to succeed you and I will still help them with what I can when it's time for them to take up the mantle. You're still young though, it's still too early to talk about inheritance." Ben said smiling.
His Dad sighed and said, "You do know that starting a business or a career from ground up is going to be full of hardship. Are you determined with your decision?"
"Yes Dad, I've thought about it for a long time now. Nothing's going to change my mind." Ben answered.
"If you've already decided, then there's nothing we can do but to support you, so if you have any, and I say ANY problems, please don't hesitate to tell it to your Dad or me. We'll always do our best to support our children. Right husband?" His mother said lovingly to him and asks Mr. Torres.
Mr. Torres, hearing his wife making the decision, rests his case and said "The wife is always right!" which earned a smile from all of them.
After dinner, they gathered in the living area and continued talking about Ben's plans.
"Anyway Ben, have you already secured a land, how big is it?" his father asks.
Ben rubs his neck and answered shyly, "I know I talked big and all but I haven't secured a land yet. I still lack the funds to buy it. Have you noticed the land near my university? I think its 20 hectares minimum. I was first planning to buy a hectare then slowly expand as I go and earn the money for it. What do you think?"
"I suggest you buy the whole land in terms, if the owner agrees. Buying the whole land will give you better vision on where to plant your crops, your trees and also other expansions that you might think about. You can readily make a master plan for the whole land, instead of doing it slowly and then re-planting or rebuilding. The price of a hectare is $500,000 so you'll need $10,000,000 to buy the whole plot of land that you're eyeing. I'll tell my lawyer to draft a contract to present to the owner when you talk to him." said Mr. Torres.
"Dad wait, you're thinking too fast! I don't have enough funds yet, I tell you. And no, I won't agree with you if you're gonna tell me, that you'll pay for it. I want to buy the land by my own means, although I can't say that it'll be by myself a hundred percent because I will still be asking for your help." Ben said.
"Oh right, you mentioned something about business. So, what might be your business proposal?" asks his father as his Dad remembered him, telling him on the phone something about business.
"Wait, let's talk in my study, business should be talked about privately." His Dad interrupted which earned a lot of eyes rolling from his family. Ben slightly laughed at his father's joke but nevertheless still followed his father at his study.
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