She pulled into the parking lot by the farm store, pleased to see that it was quite full. She hoped Darlene was coping okay—she seemed to get flustered if there were more than two people in the shop at a time. A dark car was pulled up almost onto the grass bordering the building. It looked vaguely familiar to Monica, but she couldn’t place it, and she couldn’t imagine why the driver didn’t park in one of the spaces like everyone else. She opened the door to the shop to find the small space crowded with people, and a line forming in front of the cash register. Despite the cool temperatures, Darlene’s face glowed red and shone with perspiration. Monica could sense the impatience of the customers waiting as Darlene carefully punched in each number on the cash register, her lower lip caught between her teeth, her brows clenched in concentration. It looked as if Monica had arrived just in time. If the store was going to continue to be this busy, she would either have to spend more time there helping out or they’d have to hire someone part time.
