At Home on Ladybug Farm - Donna Ball [64]
“I thought we wouldn’t mention that,” said Lindsay, but she, too, sounded uneasy.
“The Hollands like us, though. And why shouldn’t they? We’re nice people.”
“And we never miss a service,” Bridget added.
“Or turn down a committee,” said Lindsay.
“Which reminds me. I promised to bring cinnamon rolls to the sunrise breakfast in the morning,” Bridget said, turning toward the house. “And I know Ida Mae is going to want to use the good damask tablecloth if the preacher is coming. Now I’ve got to find it.”
“I think it has a wine stain on it from Christmas,” Lindsay called after her.
“We’ll tell them it’s cranberry sauce!”
As the screen door closed behind her, Cici said seriously, “What you really need to do is have a talk with Noah. You know how he is about authority figures, and he’s not all that wild about the Hollands in the first place.”
“Don’t worry, that’s number one on my agenda.” She glanced at her watch. “Where is he, anyway? His placement tests are coming up soon and we have a study session scheduled this morning.”
“I haven’t seen him,” Cici said, and admitted, “I’ve been too busy watching Lori.”
“Oh, that poor child.” Lindsay winced as she watched Lori trundle another leaking wheelbarrow full of debris toward the compost pile behind the barn. “I hope she doesn’t get a disease, fooling around in all that muck.”
“It was your idea,” Cici reminded her sternly.
“I know. But maybe we should offer to help.”
“What is it with you and Bridget?” demanded Cici in exasperation. “You never heard of tough love?”
Lindsay gave a shake of her head. “All right, I promise I won’t do your only child any favors. But I think I will go try to find Noah, if you don’t mind. If I’m going to get him whipped into shape by tomorrow, I’d better get started.”
“I thought this was a smoke-free workplace.”
Noah whirled around guiltily to see Lori standing with her hands on her hips. He jerked the iPod earbuds from his ears and scowled, as he casually stubbed out the cigarette on the side of the barn door, then ground it underfoot—making sure that the evidence was buried in the mud. “You gonna tell on me?” he demanded.
Lori shrugged irritably and took up the handles of the empty wheelbarrow. “I’m not your mama. Besides, I’ve got better things to do with my time than babysit you.”
He followed her around the corner of the barn and across the yard, watching as she picked up the shovel and waded back down into the water.
“Any old catfish in that pond?”
“Why don’t you get down in here and see?” She swung a shovel full of debris that barely missed covering his shoes.
Noah pretended nonchalance as he stepped out of the way. “You’re going about it all wrong, you know. You need a pump.”
“You can’t put a pump in here until you clean out all the trash, smarty-pants,” Lori said.
“Shows what a girl knows. You put the pump on a rock or something, pump out all the water, then you scoop out the trash. Farley said he’d rent you one for ten dollars.”
Lori scowled, wondering how he knew these things. “I heard him. But I’m going to buy my own. We’ll need it to run the fountain.”
“What fountain?”
“The fountain that’s in here somewhere beneath all this garbage.”
“What makes you think there’s a fountain?”
She didn’t reply, but the answer dawned on him, anyway. “Because of that picture of mine?”
She couldn’t tell if he was flattered or incredulous, and then it didn’t matter because he let out a whoop of laughter. “That was a hundred years ago!”
She glared at him. “So?”
“So, that’s dumb, is all. Where’re you going to get the money?”
“For what?”
“The pump.”
“My dad’s Am-Ex.”
When he did not respond she looked up and explained patiently, “American Express credit card.”
He scowled at her. “I know what it is. All spoiled rich kids have them.”
Lori returned his scowl fiercely. “Do I look like a spoiled rich kid to you?”
At that moment Lindsay called, “Noah! You’re supposed to be at your desk!”
As Noah turned toward her voice, Lori’s feet slipped on the slimy pond bottom and she splashed backward into the murk.
Lori came up,