Clover Village

Chapter 3 - Visiting Friends Tourist

ERIC

"Dammit, Eric, you are a genius!"

I look behind me to see Donna with her fists on her hips and a broad smile. She is the wife of my best friend Evan, who right now is serving in the Army. She called me this morning because one of their chicken coops was collapsing. It was an old thing that was built by Evan's grandfather.

"That thing was in terrible shape. It is too late to check the other two, but I will come tomorrow morning. I will make an estimate of what it will take to repair the coops," I say, giving the wood a good push. The coop is now rock-solid.

"Yeah, luckily I still had the rest of the wood from the last one you built."

"Yeah, that is a budget saver. When is Evan coming home?"

"End of the month. I can't wait for Evan to be home. Besides the fact that I miss him like crazy, I need the help around here. Sometimes I fall asleep and then when I wake up it feels as if I only blinked."

"Understandable with two kids and a farm to run," I say while gathering my tools.

"Would you like to stay for dinner? You must be hungry, and I could use some company."

"Sure, just don't poison me," I say with a smirk, earning a smack on the arm from Donna.

"I was only 21 years old. I had never cooked in my life, and I wanted to do something nice for my husband."

"And luckily, he lived to tell the story," I say, earning the second smack.

When Donna and Evan got married, she tried to cook chicken for him. She thought she could bread it and fry it when it was still frozen. My friend, not wanting to upset his girl, ate the whole thing, even though he had the idea that something was wrong. He landed in the hospital with food poisoning, and we have never let Donna forget about it.

I place my stuff in my truck and head inside to wash my hands. The moment Elsie sees me, she jumps into my arms.

"How is my lovely goddaughter?" I say, giving her a hug.

"Good. I have a new doll," she says.

"Do you? Let me see it."

I head to the living room, and Elsie makes me play tea party with her. Her brother is too busy with a video game to pay attention to us.

Eventually, Donna calls us for dinner, and I feel hesitant when I see the fried chicken on the table.

"I dare you to make a nasty comment," she says with a raised eyebrow.

We all start eating, and the meal is fantastic. There is an enormous improvement from Donna's early married days.

The doorbell rings and Donna goes to answer it. I hear a shrill voice in the hallway that gets louder as is gets near the kitchen.

"Look at you! You are all so big," the voluptuous woman in front of us says.

The kids are looking at her with a scowl. So they do not know who she is.

"And who are you?" She says with a big smile, looking at me.

"Eric Garnett," I say, offering a hand to shake.

"Donna, you are a fox!" the woman says while shaking my hand.

"I'm not. Eric is a carpenter and is Evan's best friend. Mine as well," Donna says, looking offended at the insinuation.

"Well, there has to be a start somewhere. I'm Mae. Donna and I met in college."

"Nice to meet you. What brings you to Clover Village? Playing tourist?" I ask.

"Not really. I only wanted to visit my dear friends. I also needed some time away from the city. The noises, the business, it was all driving me crazy," she says while sitting on a chair with a pompous movement.

"Well, Clover is not exactly a quiet place," Donna says.

"This is the countryside, my dear. Give me a few chickens anytime over honking horns," Mae says, waving her hand as if it's not important.

"As if living on a farm was so simple. You wouldn't last a day here," Donna says.

I start to feel uncomfortable. I try to stand up, but Donna sends me one of those stares she reserves for when her kids are misbehaving.

"Of course I would," Mae says in a defiant voice.

"Okay, let me bring the kids to bed and we will see," Donna says.

I'm left alone with Mae. How she is looking at me is making me feel like a piece of meat.

"So... Eric, are you married?"

"No, I'm single."

"Are you not interested in girls?" She says, sliding a finger on my chest.

"I am. I have not come across the right one."

"Bullshit! You men wouldn't know the right one even if she was wearing a sign on her bare boobs," Mae says with a hint of bitterness. "So... you are a carpenter? Do the ladies offer you naughty payments?" She says again in her syrupy voice.

"No, I get paid with money. Naughtiness doesn't pay the bills or help me feed my siblings," I say, feeling irritated.

"Okay, I'm back. Let's check on the chickens," Donna says.

"I'm not dressed for that," Mae says with wide eyes.

"We just broke the record. Didn't even make it to the back door," Donna says, teasing Mae.

Mae walks towards the back door with a determined face. Donna gives me a wicked smile, and I follow her.

"It is pitch black here," Mae says as we stand in the back yard.

"Here is a flashlight. I know this place with my eyes closed."

We walk to the first coop, and the noise is deafening. Mae covers her ears as Donna throws grain on the floor. We check on the water lines and move to the next coop.

"You saw what I did. Now is your turn," Donna says to Mae, handing her a bucket.

Mae takes careful steps inside the noisy coop. She takes a handful of grain and hesitates. The chickens come closer. Then one of them lands on her head. Her scream pierces the early evening.

"GET IT OFF! GET IT OFF! GET IT OFF!" Mae screams.

Donna is holding her belly from the laughter. I scare the chicken away and spread the grain. I then grab Mae by her arm and bring her outside.

"City girl, what are you doing in Clover?" I say, while caressing her arm.

In the dim light, I can see the streaks of makeup on her cheeks. Donna comes to join us.

"Oh gosh, don't tell me that chicken made you cry," Donna says, but her mocking face turns quickly into a concerned one. "Mae, why are you crying?"

"I heard he was cheating on me, and I refused to believe it. He told me he was working late. I thought about surprising him and invite him for dinner. He wasn't at work. His secretary said he was with a client at a restaurant. I went there and found him slipping a ring on a woman's finger. After all this time. I was the other woman."

"I'm sorry to hear that," I say.

"I got in the car and drove around. Then I remembered you live here," she says to Donna.

"Come here," Donna says, putting her arm around her shoulders.

The ladies walk back to the house, and I walk to my truck. I feel her pain as someone once cheated on me.