The Mice in Hiding

Tara busted through the back door, hollering, "Children, company's coming up the road. Please get yourself decent." She
hurried through the house, grabbing stray slippers, a wet towel, and several scattered toys and books as she moved. She never felt her house was clean, but she never felt it was filthy either. She figured she had about five more minutes before their would be a knock at the door. She tried to run a brush through her coarse, red hair, but only managed to smooth it some. She was pulling it back into her clip when she heard the knock. Their closest neighbor lived a mile and a half a way, so "company" was a bit unusual for them. She feigned gracefulness as she opened the door. Graceful was one thing she was not. A grizzly bear probably wouldn't have surprised her more than the massive woman she saw standing on her porch. She was dressed in lime green from head to toe. The color wasn't the alarming thing, though. Tara had seen women in flashy colors before, but never had she seen so large a woman in so flashy a color.
"Well, good lord have mercy, lady, I didn't think you'd ever answer that door," the large, lime green woman panted.
"Oh, I'm so sorry. Mame' are you alright?" Tara was sincerely worried. The lady's face was just on the verge or purple. Sweat was pouring down her forehead, though she was wiping it furiously with a handkerchief.
"Of course I'm alright. It's just you've got quite a flight of steps up to this porch of yours."
"Yes, mam, that's true. Would you like to come in?" She took the lady's hand and led her inside, as she asked, "Is there something I can get for you?" She had not noticed all of the children congregating in the front hall, just as amazed at the visitor as she was.
"Good Lord have mercy!" The woman threw her hand to her heart. Tara and all the children jumped, sure that the heat had brought on a heart attack or a stroke. "Just look at all them children," the woman waved her handkerchief at them all as if it were some awful train wreck she had just happened upon. "Young lady, are all of these children yours?"
Tara glanced at the children and replied, a bit timidly now, "Well, yes mam, they are."
"Not me!" a little voice piped up. Every one looked at the small boy with an up stretched hand.
"Oh, of course,"Tara laughed, "Except for Paul. Paul is my nephew. He's just visiting."
"Good Lord have mercy," the woman mumbled again. Tara led her to the living room, and offered her a seat as the children scattered around the house, finding good places to spy and eavesdrop on the pair.
"I hope this doesn't sound too rude, mam, but do I know you?" She had no idea how a graceful woman would handle such a situation, so she was just winging it as best she could.
"No, but I know you. You're Tara Bauster. And I've been told that you collect the best honey for counties around, maybe in the state. And that your honey has the added benefit of curing local allergies." The woman's large beady eyes popped at her, as if she really suspected that all of that was a lie, but thought she'd give it a try anyhow.
"Well, those things have been said about our honey. But I just let the customer be the judge of that." She paused for a moment. "I don't usually sell here from the house though. We sell from the farmer's market in Doven. What brings you all the way out here?" she asked
"My husband, suffers from the worst sweet gum allergy ever endured by man. And our property is just ate up with sweet gum. I aint about to cut those beautiful trees down. But he's threaten to leave me if I don't figure out a solution. The fellow in Harsburg, told me about you."
Tara thought for a moment who she might know in Harsburg. She'd only been there once two years ago with Pauly. She remembered it vividly because he had acted so strange that day. Insisting that she not even get out of the truck while he visited a lawyer there.
"What fellow in Harsburg?"
"Oh, good Lord have mercy. You're friend in Harsburg. I don't know his name. But he knows you. Gave me the address and everything. Said you were a flaming red head, in love with bees, and graceful as a swan." Tara laughed outright at that last part.
"Graceful as a swan?"
"That's what he said." The woman looked irritated at Tara's laughter. But it was the strangest thing. Tara was at a lose for an explanation, but decided to think it through later. Right now, she needed to get her irritable guest taken care of .
"Well, mam, follow me out back. And we'll get you all fixed up. I aint making no promises on allergies, but I will promise you it's good on biscuits."