Chapter 36: Path of Daisies: 01
Downstairs Louise was setting up the kitchen table. The room was filled with the smell of melted cheese, tomato sauce and oregano. That night was the "homemade pizza night".
- Damn it! - it all made sense. - How could I forget about this delicious thing? I'm sorry, Louise, I got distracted and forgot about our sexy baby here. - I sat at the table with a fork and a knife in each hand ready to dig in.
- Well, those who don't help, don't eat.
She sat across me at the table with the glorious steamy pizza by her side. Water gushed in my mouth just from watching the thread of cheese stretch graciously as she took a piece for herself.
- I was investigating an ufo that was surrounding your residency! - the saliva that gathered in my mouth was so exaggerated I had to swallow before continuing my argument. - I was looking out for your safety, ma'am.
- Does anybody ever fall for your bullshit?
- Frequently. - I gazed at the harsh woman with my flapping eyelashes and a shy smile. - Can I have some, ma'am?
A tough opponent would never give in without a fight. The farmer looked back at me as kindly as a hammer strike, crashing my attack with a single hit. Looking down at my empty plate I imagined how it would be to have that culinary wonder laying on top of it. My mouth watered again and so did my eyes.
- Oh for fucks sake, kid! Here. - she laid a very cheesy slice in front of me. - I can't even look at you right now.
That pizza tasted so good I felt sad for eating it. Louise was a wonderful cook. During all the time I spent there, she made something different for lunch and dinner everyday. Her only condition was that she would touch no dishes afterwards.
Finally satisfied after practically eating the whole thing alone, I could focus on finding out what was going on on that farm.
- You said you had seen the drone before. - Louise looked at me more gently. A glass of wine would do that to her. - How?
- I was watching a movie here late at night and I saw it flying by the window when I went to pick up water. - my eyes were drawn to the window above the sink. It had a view to the crops further down.
- How big was it?
All of the sudden the darkness outside was more intense. The silence was quieter. It was like the house was inside a closed box and someone was watching us on the other side.
- Hm… - letting go of the wine glass, she raised her hand to exam it at a distance. - Size of my hand, I think. - I looked at the window again. Questions rising from the ashes of my mind. - And it was so quiet. Didn't even sound like it had a motor.
- Louise, - I stood up slowly. Picked up my plate and reached over to take the other, getting as close as possible of her without moving away from my chair. - you're being watched.
Maintaining the same expression, she met my eyes.
- That was a spy drone. - carefully, one by one, I gathered all the plates and tableware together.
- Are you sure?
- Yes. - once everything was piled up in one tower, I lifted it. - I've been trying to buy one for a while now. - leaving Louise to sip at her wine for the last time, I moved into the kitchen.
- What do we do?
- Nothing. I don't have the firepower to find it.
At the sink, staring at the darkness that covered Louise's backyard I didn't blink. I knew I said I couldn't do anything and I meant it, still I wanted so bad to see that thing one more time. To look right into those mechanic eyes so they could see me and I them.
The sound of the dishwasher was hypnotizing. Took me back to the day Louise asked me to find the people that wanted to buy her farm. That seemed to have happened so long ago. I never got to start digging. I didn't know if that was even the right place to start. But I had to. Technology of that level wouldn't be used in vain. If they were watching the farm - correction - watching Louise, they had a very solid interest in her.
I had made promises to two people so far. It was my first time committing to someone like that. My debt with Louise was bigger than I could have ever anticipated and instead of doing the only thing she had asked of me I was hiding in her house and eating all her food. A parasite, that's what I was. A disappointment. She was being spied on by someone powerful and I was too scared to do something about it.
- I have to go back to Tier-1.
Louise, who had also been immersed in her thoughts, turned her head to me.
- No.
- I'll be back by the end of the day. - her stubbornness was frustrating when it wasn't funny.
- You're not ready. - still sitting at the table she didn't have to stand up to make her point or prove her point. She knew she was right and so did I.
- That doesn't matter. My things are back there.
- I know you have nightmares every night. - like sharp needles her eyes pierced exactly where it hurt. The truth. I looked away, back to the lack window. - Your things won't matter if you fall apart when you see a Force soldier, Sato.
What may have sounded harsh, were to me words of pure kindness. Which became one more reason for me to go.
Looking outside, at the ground, I could see a weird shape less than two meters away. It was small but it looked like it was stuck in the air. Hovering just a little above the ground. A flower. It was the daisies Louise and Yumi set in to guide the way to their kitchen garden. I found it fascinating how delicate and peaceful they were. It was my first time seeing flowers.
- I'll go with you.
The sound of the glass touching the cold rock counter pulled my eyes back. Louise was standing by me with the most normal face. However, this time she was the one lost in the darkness beyond.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone