The chainsaw roared to life in the backyard as Maia sat with her grandmother at the kitchen table. Her father said they’d have a fire in the firepit tonight to burn her old bed. Maia couldn’t wait, but first she had to finish her school project.
Her grandmother smiled at her. She sat at the kitchen table with her, helping her cover a balloon with papier-mâché They laughed with her hands covered in papier-mâché glue. It had been so long since her grandmother had helped her with a school project.
“You have to make sure you smooth it out.” Her grandmother ran her hand over the strips of paper. “Don’t put too much glue. Do it like this.” She dipped a newspaper in the glue and then ran a finger down the strip to get some of it off.
Maia nodded and watched with concentration as her grandmoth
