The Farmers Daughter

Chapter 9 | Part One | ~ God has a plan

[ Dallas' POV ]

Wednesday night, September 14th
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The temperatures were in the upper 40s tonight so I put on a blue jean jacket over my black and white tie-dye t-shirt. I didn't think it would hurt to wear my black skinny jeans with holes in the knees and my burgundy vans, it looked fine to me.
I stand in the bathroom that's attached to my room and ruffle my hair as I look in the mirror. My hair had grown out since I've been here and it was harder to control so I put my black ball cap on backwards before heading out of the bathroom.

Edith's wedge booties clomp on the worn hardwood floor as she comes down the hallway. "You ready? Kathleen and Layla are out front." She was dressed in a loose gray t-shirt with a girlie blue jean jacket, a smiley face and a cross pin on the breast pocket. Edith was also dressed in black skinny jeans and had a burgundy scarf wrapped around her neck.

I chuckle as my eyes scan her from head to toe. "Did you watch me get dressed?"

"Really?" She sighs and places her hands on her hips. "Out of everything for you to wear you come out matching me."

"It just proves we fit together." I tease and stroll past her out into the hallway. Sadie was asleep in the middle of the hall so I carefully step over her, being rushed to the hospital because of a German Shepherd bite was one of the last things on my list tonight.

"I'm changing first." She grumbles and clomped down the hallway behind me, grabbing her bag off the hook beside the front door.

Edith heads towards the stairs but I pull her back by the strap on her bag. "I think it's hilarious. Give me something to laugh at tonight and maybe I won't give you a hard time in front of your friends."

"Fine." She turns on her heels and grabs her keys off the key hook.

Travis leans against the living room doorway. "I'll be out with Frank and Jim until ten. I want you back here by 9:30, nothing later." He keeps his eyes on me as he speaks, glancing at Edith maybe once.

"And if not then we're probably out getting ice cream with the group." Edith replies and opens up the front door. She smiles lovingly at her dad as a car honks twice. "I'll bring you back two scoops of butter pecan."

"Three scoops and maybe I'll let you off the hook for being late." He gives her an extra five dollar bill. "Be careful."

"Always am." She kisses his cheek and bounds out the door and down the front porch steps to the black 2010 Nissan Maxima waiting for us. Bo followed after her barking so Edith stopped to give him goodbye scratches behind the ears. "Be a good boy for me."

Travis watches Edith get into the car before turning to me. "I hope you have our conversation burnt in your brain."

I salute him as I walk out the door. "I vaguely remember."

"You better remember." He steps out onto the porch.

"Bye Travis." I chuckle as I go down the steps to get in the backseat of the car.

I'm instantly greeted by two brunette girls who turned around in their seats to look at me. One gave me a warm smile while the other seemed like she wasn't sure about my presence.
"You must be Dallas." Warm smile girl says. "I'm Kathleen, but you can call me Katie."

The other brunette was polite but not as energetic. "I'm Layla."

I nod and pick at a loose thread on my jeans as Katie turns back around and pulls around the drive. Layla shifts in her seat and rests her elbow against the passenger side door.

"Hey guys?" Edith's voice cuts through the song that Katie turned on. Layla turns the volume down so they could hear Edith.

"What's up?" Katie glances at Edith through the rear view mirror.

"I need you two to cover for us tonight. You have to promise not to tell my dad before I even tell you anything." Edith leans in between the two seats up front, hovering over the console.

"When you mean us.." Layla trails off.

"I mean me and Dallas. If I can trust anyone then it's definitely you guys." Edith bites her lip before continuing. "You can't tell him unless I tell you to."

"Spill the beans girl! You have me on the edge of my seat." Katie begs and taps her fingers against the steering wheel impatiently.

"So um... I'm going to take Dallas back to his hometown that's like four and a half hours away from here so he can visit his mothers grave. I need you two to stall until we get back." Edith exhaled loudly and leaned back against her seat. "Bring us back here so I can get my truck and then we'll be on our way. If my dad does call asking where we're at, maybe tell him the youth group is having a sleepover at Layla's house?"

"No Edith! Don't you realize how much trouble you'll be in if you do this." Layla exclaims.

"I know I know. But I have to do this... I made a promise to Dallas and I can't go back on my word." Edith whispers but it was loud enough for me to hear.

The air in the car was getting stuffy with awkwardness so I looked out the window and pretended I wasn't listening.

"It's a lie.. I can't lie, especially not to Pastor Thompson." Layla mumbles and quickly turns to face Edith. "I can't, I'm sorry."

"Don't be such a party pooper, Layla. A man—or shall I say woman—is only as good as his word." Katie nudged Layla's arm gently. "Your secret is safe with me, Edith."

Katie drove down the long dirt driveway. It seemed like we'd never get to the main road, but once we did it was like time flew by. I listened quietly as the girls bickered back and forth and I guess that's what made the time pass so quickly.

In the end Katie and Edith came out on top over Layla.

Edith and I were going on a road trip together. Alone. Katie and Layla were going to keep it a secret.

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I'm sorry that part 1 is so short but I promise that part 2 will be longer!

I really hope everyone is enjoying the story so far :)
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~ Xoxo Madison Grace