What Love Breeds

Chapter 15

Aileen chuckles along, and they go back and forth comparing their work. It's all they really have, at least as a starting place. While they chitchat, Devon goes for his water bottle and chugs half of it. It gives him something of a refresh, and he blurts, "You guys notice the tap water's been better this week?"

If he hadn't been an absolute wreck, he would've noticed Aileen was half-way through a sentence when he came crashing in. She gives him a break, this once, and promptly switches gears. "In what way?"

"You know, it just tastes better. I think it's softer, too? If that makes sense. Maybe they started filtering it."

Yashri nods. "Yeah, I can definitely tell. It's smoother, for sure."

"Exactly!" Devon says with too much enthusiasm. "Smoother."

Another beat.

Aileen asks, "Have you ever lived in a complex like this, Yashri? I don't think I even knew places like this existed."

Yashri agrees. "Me neither! I mean, it's a good idea. All your employees live in one spot, so you know exactly how long it takes everybody to get to work. And rent automatically comes out of your paycheck, so you don't have to worry about that. Really, the only downside is that town's thirty minutes away."

"Ugh, tell me about it." Aileen rolls her eyes. "And, you know, all your neighbors know you."

"I actually like that part. Makes it easier to make friends." Yashri smiles to herself.

"What about you, Dev?" Aileen asks.

"It's fine, I guess," Devon says, "I just wish we had more to do. You know, Shaw Farms is fifteen minutes in one direction, town in the other, and our only options are getting groceries and maybe we can catch a movie once a month. Not that I don't like movies, because I do, but the option aren't there. I'm just glad our checks are so big."

Yashri laughs. "Totally. If we weren't making bank I would be long gone by now."

"Where would you go?" Aileen asks. She presses on the brakes as they reach a line of ten cars, all held back by the passcode-protected gate. They won't start letting people through for another twelve minutes, when the clock hits five forty-five exactly. Devon feels every second as if he were being waterboarded.

But the conversation goes on, Yashri describing other warehouse jobs she's had since she turned eighteen, how they compare to the farm, and Aileen following along easily. She delves into why Yashri didn't go to college (helping her mom with the rent), if she still sees any of her family (yeah, but it's hard to talk about her life with the NDA all farm employees sign on hiring), and not-so-subtly asks if her boyfriend's heard from her in a while (Yashri is single, and wouldn't want to do anything long-distance, anyway). By the time they get through the gate and into the employee parking, Devon's face is a deep red and he's finished off his thirty-two ounce water bottle.

"Have we ever had a mandatory meeting before?" Yashri asks as they approach the building.

"Not that I remember," Aileen says at the same time Devon bleats, "Nope, don't think so!"

"Weird, isn't it?" Yashri lowers her voice as they get up to front doors, packed into the herd of fellow workers scanning themselves inside. They hold their badges up to pass through the turnstile door, and then again to the tablets stationed to the side, confirming they've clocked in.

Yashri, Aileen and Devon pass the break room and hit their lockers, tossing their personal effects away and heading for the cafeteria. The cafeteria tables have been pulled forward and brought before a platform, a speaker system, and a standing projector screen. They huddle into an open bench, their coworkers streaming inside and filing into the remaining seats. With a quick turn of his head, Devon spots Dr. McCarthy at the back of the room, leaning against the wall with Tommy, the lead handler. He mentions it to Yashri beside him, her warm leg pressed to his, and she raises her eyebrows.