Chapter 15: Daria Digs
Daria pedaled her mother's old three-speed bike along Highway 55 feeling amazed that she wasn't winded after a couple miles. The wind blew her hair back pleasurably. The feeling of her legs in khakis was new and appealing too.
"What are you going to say to them, Morgendorffer? God, Mai really does need to give me lessons on winging it."
Soon enough she turned off the blacktop and up the Ling's gravel driveway. Her mind was blank and racing and worried and strangely calm as she knocked on the side door remembering that the Ling's rarely used the front door.
"Daria?" Mrs. Ling answered surprised at seeing her. "Hi, I guess you're here to study with Mai? Mai should have told me so I could get something ready."
Daria was happy she had thought to bring her backpack. "Well, Mai's been really busy lately, Mrs. Ling. She probably forgot. I hope I'm not intruding. And don't do anything special for me, Mrs. Ling."
"Good. Good start. That 'not intruding' line is supposed to work."
"No, no, come in. Mai will be back from Dollar-a-Bucket in about a half-hour. Come in. I'll get you some tea."
She led Daria to the kitchen knowing that she and Jane prefered the homey kitchen to the formal dining room. She poured Daria a cup of fragrant tea from a pot that was as ever full as the coffee pot at Jane's place.
"Riding your bike out? That must be fun but are you planning to get your license soon? Mai really loves her truck. Sometimes I worry about her out alone though."
"Yeah, I turn sixteen in a few weeks, Mrs. Ling. Going for my first road test try then. Gotta practice that parallel parking a lot more."
"Well, you can come out here with your father anytime. Mai and Leonard can set you up a hay-bale obstacle course. And Leonard is so excited to get to work on this winemaking project with your father."
"Thanks, Mrs. Ling but I'm not sure your farm would survive my practice-driving."
Mr. Ling gave her a broad smile as he entered the kitchen from outside. "Daria! Come here to study with Mai? She's a good student but she's only improved since you started coming around."
"And I'm getting better grades in math too, Mr. Ling since Mai starting helping me."
"Let's hope Morgendorffer and Ling can form good partnerships in a lot of ways." Mr. Ling concluded. "Mavis probably told you that Mai is still at her Dollar-a-Bucket job."
"Let's plunge ahead recklessly then. Into the breach. Where angels fear to tread boldly goes the Morgendorffer. Okay, quit stalling."
"Yeah, Dollar-a-Bucket. Mai offered to get me a job there too. She really likes it."
"What? Where did that come from? Mild sarcasm or irony? Too much my default, I guess."
Mr. Ling poured himself a cup of tea and took a couple home-made oatmeal raisin cookies. He smirked as he flipped his Case iH cap up and expertly onto a peg on the far kitchen wall. Mrs. Ling looked about to say something but he spoke up.
"Really? Sometimes I get the feeling Mai doesn't like it. But it's a decent job for a teen. Inside work. Clean. It was that or mucking out old Schwabach's confinement barns. Even I don't want to do that sort of work again."
"Maybe she wanted me there for company. And to broaden my horizons selling affordable quality dollar items to Lawndale's finest citizenry."
"Your mouth, Morgendorffer. Your mouth. These are your girlfriend's parent, eap, and I actually like them."
"I admire, Mai." Daria tried something complimentary sounding. "She works so hard. Makes me feel lazy. Let's see. Dollar-a-Bucket. Volleyball. She's a straight-A student. Church volunteering. Ah-I know I left something out."
"Subtle. Yeah, that's not bad. You'll be a negotiating pro in about fifty years, Morgendorffer."
Mai's parents glanced at each other. They shifted in their seats.
Daria continued, "Oh, and Mai's popular at school. She has a lot of friends and she and I have been seeing a lot of each other lately. I mean, hanging out together at the range and studying."
"Yipe, does 'seeing a lot of each other' mean dating? I'll have to consult with Quinn. Oh, my God, consult with Quinn? Why did I think of that? This having a girlfriend, eap, business is turning my life upside down. Gotta go watch Sick, Sad World with Jane to recover."
"And farm work," Mr. Ling added quietly almost more to himself. Then louder. "We're winding down for the season but Jake-your Pa-has Mavis and me all excited. We want to get the barn ready for making wine next year. You and Mai can help with that. The partnership can pay you too, good tax strategy according to your smart lawyer Ma."
"And farm work." Daria echoed. "I can help with part of Mai's chores, Mr. Ling. Everyone at school says I look so much better after working here a few times."
"Oh, oh. Careful now. You're sliding into dangerous territory volunteering for too much physical labor."
Mr. and Mrs. Ling appeared to be thinking of something far away from the kitchen table chat at that moment. They began speaking rapidly, earnestly but quietly in Chinese. After a few sentences they both looked at Daria.
Mrs. Ling spoke first. "Sorry, dear. We were both born in the US but we still find it easier to talk about some things in Mandarin."
"That's okay, Mrs. Ling. Mai's been teaching Jane and me some Chinese but mostly how to talk about food, and other subjects."
Mrs. Ling nodded. "Yes, I can only imagine the vocabulary my daughter has been spreading around to her friends."
Daria sat back, trying to sink into the background as the Ling's resumed their conversation. She tried to read their intentions by their intonations but realized it was hard to do at her miniscule level of comprehension and in a language which, as Mai explained to her, was tonal to begin with.
Mai's parents conversed in Chinese, occasionally glancing at Daria until they seemed to come to a conclusion. They both sat back and sipped tea. Mrs. Ling refilled Daria's cup as Mr. Ling voiced a quiet 'excuse me' and left the kitchen.
"Oh, that's probably Mai now." Mrs. Ling said as a crunch on the gravel announced a vehicle's arrival.
Mai looked frazzled as she entered the kitchen.
"Daria?!" She perked up instantly and smiled. "What's up?"
"I need some help with math, Mai. And I actually listened to Mom like you recommended I do once in a while for a change. She said biking was fun and good for you so I rode out. Expect me never to take your advice again, Coach Ling. Well, except for math and volleyball."
Mai's mother was smiling gently as she looked from one girl to the other. Her father came into the kitchen holding a small leather-bound notebook. It was then that all three of them sniffed and noticed a heavy smell hanging around Mai and dark stains on Mai's ill-fitting blue work smock and more stylish trim blue jeans.
"Mai, what on earth did you get into at work?" Mrs. Ling asked.
Mai sighed and rolled her eyes. "Oh, yeah. Ma, I don't know if even your ancient Chinese secret laundry soap can get out all this cashew oil. Great day at work let me tell you. I was unloading stuff from a freezer that went haywire when these two kids started running around the aisles. Before I could kick 'em out one started taunting the other. 'Chris, I bet a wuss like you can't drink a bunch of cashew oil.' 'Oh, yeah, I'm tougher than you, Sam,' the other yells and he actually starts chugging cashew oil. Damn! Oh, sorry Ma. Good thing he didn't ralph but he spit it out and dropped this quart jug before old man Gunderson chased 'em out. Well, this crappy, cheap plastic jug just breaks all over the floor, of course. And of course, guess who gets to clean it up?" Mai sighed, collapsed in a chair and gratefully accepted the cup of tea which Daria had prepared for her.
"Quit Dollar-a-Bucket." Her father said quietly. Mrs. Ling nodded and gave a small smile.
Daria and Mai goggled at them. Mai started speaking in Chinese but then glanced apologetically at Daria.
"Quit? Ba, I thought I needed the job for college dough. You both said we can't count on scholarships."
"And it's supposed to teach me small business, I thought." Mai added as an afterthought.
Her father handed her the notebook. "Page seven." He said simply. "It's all yours."
She took the book gingerly and flipped it open. Daria could see her eyes widen.
"Mine? Ba? Ma? For school?"
Mr. Ling looked out a window above the kitchen sink. He continued gazing out as he spoke.
"Mai, I'm proud to be a farmer. But really, your Ma and I are just peasants at heart. From a long line. And all over the world peasants learn to keep stuff back, to hold secrets even from their families. Your Ma and I were worried too much about the future we almost couldn't see the present. Quit Dollar-a-Bucket. It's not worth it. We don't need it."
He stood straighter and recited. "You who are young be happy while you are young, and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth." (NIV)
Mai's eyes were shining as she continued. "Follow the ways of your heart and whatever your eyes see, but know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment." (NIV)
"Good girl." Mrs. Ling approved. "Mai, your father and I agree. Quit the job. Have fun with your friends. They're all good girls. We trust them. Have fun."
"We can get a hired man next spring." Mr. Ling said. "Maybe don't even need one. Jake and Helen are itching to help with the wine-making."
"And test drinking." Daria said.
Mr. and Mrs. Ling laughed. Mr. Ling turned from the window to look at Daria closely.
He nodded at Daria and commanded Mai. "Take care of that one."
"Ba?" Mai ventured quietly.
"You think I don't know my own daughter? Take care of her...take care of each other. Or I'll beat your pigu like I did when you were a naughty little girl."
A tear was running down Mai's cheek. "Ba, don't give me that. You're too soft-hearted; you could never spank me."
Mai glanced at Daria who had nothing to say. Daria found herself sliding her hand across the table. Mai slowly put hers out and the two met in the middle.