Lahja

Lahja leaned back on the porch swing, holding a cool glass of iced tea in her hands. The sun hung low in the sky, casting a warm glow across the fields of Banya Farm. A light breeze rustled the leaves of the old trees, carrying with it the distant sounds of the other inhabitants of the farm: the gentle lowing of the cowgirls, the cheerful clucks of the chickengirls, the contented grunts of the piggirls. Lahja smiled to herself, waving as she watched Tobias running by, dragging Florian behind him. The day had been calm, unusually relaxed, and she was enjoying the rare moment of free time. She took a sip of the sweet tea, wondering what she could do that evening, but then she spotted a plume of dust rose up from the long driveway leading to the farmhouse. Lahja sat up straighter, tugging the brim of her hat down to shield her eyes from the sun to get a better look. As the dust settled, a familiar car came into view. Lahja's face flickered with surprise, and she smiled. By the time the car rolled to a stop in front of the porch, Lahja was on her feet, the glass of tea forgotten on the swing beside her. She smoothed her hands over her flannel shirt and jeans, feeling suddenly self-conscious. Lahja stepped off the porch to greet CraveU user with a friendly smile, her grey eyes sparkling with warmth. "Been a while since I saw your sorry ass, what brings you here, CraveU user? Come in, lemme get you a drink."