Page 5 of Refuge for Flora

“Yes, ma’am. So, um, are you still looking for somebody?”

“I been lookin’ for somebody and nobody stays. Nobody wants to work. What makes you think you will?”

“Because I need a job.”

“Do you need a place to live too? ‘Cause this is a live-in position.”

Flora thought she’d heard wrong. If ever there was a position that was made for her, it was that one. “Actually, I do.”

“Well, you’d have a room, my car to drive, and some money.”

“What exactly is it?”

The voice barked out, “I’m eighty-nine years old! I need somebody to do all the things I can’t!”

“Oh! Well, yeah, I’m very interested.”

“Then come on out and let me see if I think you’ll work. I’ll give ya twenty dollars just for comin’.”

“Sure, if I can get a way there. Can I have your address?”

The old woman rattled it off and Flora tried to remember without any way to write it down. “So you comin’?”

“As soon as I can get somebody to bring me. And thank you, Mrs.… I don’t know your name.”

“Murphy. MarilynMurphy. See ya when I see ya.” And she hung up.

Well, she sounds like a delight, Flora’s brain huffed. But the job sounds perfect.After breakfast the next morning, Flora would see if someone could take her to the address. If not, maybe she could call a cab or something. But one way or another, she’d get out there and find out about that job.

She had to. There was nothing else to do.

* * *

Showeredand dressed by nine thirty, Flora went down to find that breakfast was already over and everything washed and put away. “We tried to wake you up,” one of the other women said. Her name was, what… Rachel? Flora couldn’t remember.

“Yeah. Long time since I slept in a bed. Felt good.” She reached into a cabinet and pulled out a box of cereal, then rummaged until she found bowls and spoons. There was milk in the refrigerator, and that would be good enough.

A short, round woman who looked to be maybe fifty appeared in the doorway. “You must be Flora! I’m Janet, and I’m the house mother today. You look like you’re going somewhere.”

Flora nodded as she chewed. “I’ve got a prospective job.”

Janet chuckled. “Already? You work fast!”

“Yeah, well, I saw the flyer at the career office. It’s work, room, and board. I figure without transportation, as long as they’re not using me as a sex slave, it should be okay.”

“I wouldn’t joke about that if I were you, at least not around here,” the other woman said through clenched teeth.

“I’m not joking. I know it happens. So I’ll go out there with nothing. Coming back to get my things will be my excuse. If it’s sketchy, I’ll come back here and never go back. If I don’t come to pick up my things by evening, you’ll know to come looking for me.”

Janet nodded. “That’s a pretty good plan. You have an address?”

“Yeah. I’ll leave you the address and phone number so you’ll know where I am.”

Janet sighed. “I hope you don’t think we’re trying to take over your life or?”

“No-no! Nothing like that! It’s nice to know somebody will be looking out for me. I haven’t ever had that, and I’m happy about it. And I appreciate all that you all do. It’s just that if I can get a job and get out of here, it frees up a room for somebody else, you know?”

Janet smiled. “Thanks for thinking that way. We do have to turn women away from time to time, but we don’t like to.”

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