Red Sunflowers in Texas

Chapter Four

Homemade Chili Beans

A farm style two story home was in full view now, and it was getting dark out quick. As grateful as you were to be reunited with your friends you couldn't help but think of Mike out on the side of the road alone in the dark. Though in the same thought you couldn't help but recount your most recent interaction with Mike. He'd always been a loose cannon, but today... was something else entirely. Shaking your head to change your train of thought...

"Beautiful place you have out here." you stay pushing a smile upon your face.

"You should see the sunflowers at sunrise. Blessed sight if I say so myself." Drayton put the truck in to park, and began leaving the vehicle you follow suit.

"Drayton. I tell you these kids why they gotta be so full of..." a woman's voice started but stopped from the doorway. "Oh you brought another guest!" she sounded more cheerful now.

"Mrs. Sawyer I presume?" you say closing the truck door, approaching her with an extended hand. She gladly reciprocates even pulling you in to a light side hug.

"Oh please dear call me Verna! Now what's your name?"

"YN."

"Well Drayton, I do in fact like when we have so many guests over, especially ones with manners like this one."

"What can I say my parents raised me well I guess." you chuckle.

"You can say that again, not many city folk I know can hunt, and track worth a damn so long as your stories hold truth that is." Drayton says playfully raising a brow.

"Oh a hunter are ya?" Verna asked.

"They'll hold the same weight as your word of those sunflowers in the sunrise looking so good I guess I'll have to see that for myself in the morning." you return the joking gesture to Drayton.

"A hunter, and a jokester! Sounds like one of my boys already."

"Say you seen that boy Vern?"

"Ain't seen em since they came in with YN heres friends. He stayed in the truck as they all entered the house so I'd suppose he's out here somewhere huntin. Ya know how he is."

"I hope my friends haven't been too much of a pain for you?" you ask hoping they'd not crossed lines.

"Oh goodness no! I feed em food, and one went off to the bedroom we'd put 'em up in. One off with my daughter, and the other helped me out in the kitchen."

"Thank the skies. They can be a handful to say the least..." you chuckle in relief. "Speaking of kitchen I over heard the word chili beans from Nubbins... was it? I for one am starving."

"Well we can't have that now can we?" Verna stated gesturing you in to the house.

"Sissy..." she called in to the room next to the door as she closed it.

"Yes mama?" a child like voice responded as bare feet turned the corner. Expecting to see a child by the voice, and dirt on the feet you're instead met with a short statured woman. Her hair tied in to a blonde bun. 

"You seen your brother of late?"

"Well which un you asking about?"

"Johnny! Girl, you know Nubbins is out getting that chicken for me."

"Well how was I to know you wasn't askin about Bubba?"

"Why would I ever ask about Bubba? We all know what he's up to. The boy hardly leaves the basement."

"Well I'd suppose yer right mama, but I ain't seen Johnny in a while."

"He didn't help you with the meat?"