Free Drifting into Darkness by J.M. La Rocca Page B

we’d see how that all worked out.
    “I’m really glad I met ya the other day.” She smiled at me genuinely.
    I gave her a half smile. “Me too.” I could definitely use a friend around here. “So, what’s next? Are we supposed to keep bagging corn? Because I have to be honest, I’d like a change of scenery and this smell is bad. I need to clear out my nose,” I said disgusted.
    She laughed. “Yes, actually. I was coming to get ya so we can go to lunch.”
    I looked around. “It’s ten thirty already?” I asked in disbelief. There was no way I had been working for four hours already.
    “No, actually. It’s only ten, but I’m hotter than hell and want to take a dip in the pool. Ya game?”
    She smiled at me like she knew I would be and she’d be right. I smiled back at her. “Damn right I’m game.”
    The thought occurred to me that everyone might have the same idea, but I’d worry about that after I cooled off in the pool.
     
     
     
     

Six
     
    After stopping at the office to clock out and grab my purse from the car, Lisa and I got on one of the four wheelers and rode to the Johnson’s house. I was looking forward to jumping in the water and cooling my skin off.
    When Lisa pulled up to the house, she parked the four-wheeler under a big oak tree. “I’m parking it here so the sun isn’t shinin’ on it the whole time we’re over here. You’ll thank me later by not having your ass melt to the seat.”
    I laughed at her sentiment. “Thanks.”
    We walked the few yards to the house and entered the back gate. The house was two stories with blue siding. There was a carport attached to the side and a big screened-in patio on the back, which was where Lisa was leading us.
    “Are you sure it’s all right for me to be here?” I felt weird walking into someone’s house when I hadn’t even met them yet.
    “Yeah, you’re fine. Mrs. Johnson knows ya started today and I told her I’d bring ya for lunch. Besides, Derek told ya she prepares lunches that day in the diner.” She smiled. “I promise she’s nice. You’ll like her.”
    With nothing else to say, I followed her to the patio where I was hit with a blast of cool air and I sighed with happiness. It was so nice to get out of the heat. I took a look around at the patio and it was probably one of the nicest I’d ever seen too. There were two different seating areas. One area had a two-seater couch with a table in front of it, with two chairs off to the side and the other was an iron table with six chairs pushed in around it. All the cushions had a floral pattern, but it seemed to fit. A big window closed off the screened section that you could slide open. I was sure it would be really nice to have in the spring and fall, but for the moment, they were closed and they had an air conditioning unit hanging out a window cooling off this whole area. It would definitely be my haven on the farm.
    I followed Lisa in as she opened the door to the house. We walked into a bright white kitchen where a short, petite woman with a brown bob stood at a counter on the other side of the room, with her back to us. Everything in the kitchen was stark white except for all the fat chef décor. There were dishes lying around and miscellaneous items on the counters. It looked very homey.
    “Hey, Mrs. Johnson,” Lisa said in a singsong voice.
    She turned and looked directly at me with a smile. “Hi, you must be Sadie,” she said as she walked to me with her hand outstretched.
    “Yes, Mrs. Johnson. It’s nice to meet you,” I replied, shaking her hand.
    “Oh, please, call me Maureen. Lisa over here refuses, but I insist.” I smiled at her and then looked to Lisa who was slightly shaking her head at me. I guess she was trying to tell me not to call her Maureen? I’d have to ask her later.
    “How are things working out on the farm for you, Sadie? I know it’s extremely hot and for some who aren’t used to it, it can be really hard on your body.” She looked at