Life’s Expectations

A Family Of Bond Not Blood

Holly had everything you could think of for a picnic.She had planned to take Grace, with her and Andy to the countryside.She wanted them to get to know each other better.But what better bond than one formed while working hard to make something beautiful. So they went to Miss Kay’s. They ate and packed the things back into the baskets.

“Grace you go take these into the house and unload them please.You and Miss Kay can have them for dinner.Andy has promised to take me into the City for a date later.”Holly told them and Andy nodded.

Holly pulled out the flowers from one of the bags,she placed them by one of the empty beds by the back porch stairs.She then went and grabbed the beautiful pink and white striped ribbon out of a bag and tied a bow around the special pot.

Andy grabbed the two rose bushes from the last two bags on the ground and planted them by the garden gate.Holly pulled out a pretty houseplant and sat it on the broken wood chair beside her.She got Andy to help her with the surprises,first they pulled out a red bistro set.And Andy carried out a porch swing.

“Holly we will have to put up a stand for this.You don’t want it out front do you?”Andy asked,but Miss Kay stepped in.

“No.No changes to the front at all.We want to keep the abandoned atmosphere.That is how I do not have folks coming to my house all the time.”she told them and they all nodded.

“Can you build one on the back porch?”Holly asked.

“I can build anything anywhere you want.”he said smiling.

“Ok we will let you figure that out.”she replied,as they walked up on the back porch.

The porch was actually in very good shape,except the railings.But everything else was solid,just need sanding and sealed.

“Miss Kay do you want varnish or paint on the porch?”Andy asked.

“Well let’s let Gracey decide.After all this wouldn’t be happening without her.So whatever she wants done out back is fine.The trees and bushes along the sides close the back off from the world.So as long as none of them are cut,we have our own secret garden.”Miss Kay said.And the adults looked at Grace.

“I want our porch to look just like Miss Holly’s.With window walls and screen for Summer.Painted floor with colorful rugs.Lots of places to sit all over the yard and porch.”Grace said so excited.

“We can do that slowly, as windows are donated.But there is lots of stuff in the shop already we can use.”Holly told them.

“Well all that is great,but Grace needs to work for the things she gets.Nothing in life is free.”Miss Kay said.

“Well it is donations,but I get what you are saying.And I agree.But Grace has already helped me a lot at the shop.She can keep helping sort donations.She can also help with pickup and deliveries.”Holly said.

“ Sounds like a plan.Now let’s go to the attic and get out all the big stuff she can’t use or doesn’t want.That way she can start clearing it out to clean.She doesn’t need to be in that Shed very long.And she has more stuff than can fit.Can you even get in there now?”Andy asked.

“It is kind of full.Salts is enjoying her sleep in there.”Grace said talking about her kitten,that she finally caught.

“Well she is used to sleeping in bad places.”Andy said without realizing the situation Grace has had.

“So am I.I lived in a closet my whole life.Until I found this little Shed and made it my home.Without permission though.Sorry Miss Kay.”Grace said frowning.

“Well little one I am glad you did.And now you have a home,as long as I am in good health and alive.And you can turn the Shed into a playhouse or art studio for yourself.”Miss Kay said hugging Grace.

Andy,Holly and Grace went up to the attic,while Miss Kay made them all some sweet tea.

“Throwing what you don’t want out the window would be a lot faster.The good stuff Grace doesn’t want,bring it down stairs and put it in your truck.But the rest chunk it!”Miss Kay yelled up to them. They all looked at each other.

“Give me second.” Andy told them and ran down the stairs.

He put a large tarp down under the window.He went back upstairs and they started doing as they were told.They wasted no time.They had the whole attic clear of all the trash.They even threw the garbage bags out.The good stuff that Grace didn’t want they took to the truck.The rest was left for Grace to clean up.And now the room was ready for Grace to give it a good sweep and scrub.

“You remember to put something over your face while you sweep.We will come back tomorrow when the truck is empty to load up the trash.We are going to get ready for our date”Holly told them and the two of them left.

“Holly was that little tree supposed to be put in the yard for Grace?”Andy asked after they got in the truck together.Holly shook her head.

“No,it’s Grace’s candy tree.We will plant it in the pot Easter morning for her.”Holly told him as he drove to Second Chances.And he nodded.

Grace put the bandanna Holly gave her on her face and a scarf on her head,like Miss Kay said.Grace opened the three windows.Now she was ready and got straight to work.After the dust cleared,she mopped.And she mopped again,each time dumping her water for fresh.Grace mopped the floor three times and wiped everything down.She cleaned the windows and chased cobwebs.It was pitch dark out when Miss Kay called her down.

“Gracey!Come here please!”

“Yes mam!”Grace yelled down.She walked into the kitchen where Miss Kay was seating at the table.

“I got the leftover baked chicken in the oven,with the corn on the cob and peach cobbler.I am going to put the salad on the table,with the rolls.You done up there for tonight?”Miss Kay asked her smiling,because Grace had been working so hard.

“Yes mam!I am done,it’s all clean.And smells so good.”she told Miss Kay.

“Like a big glass of lemonade?”Miss Kay asked.

“ I have never had lemonade.”Grace said.

“We will have to remedy that and make you some. But for now you run and get what you need from the shed.Bring Salts.Then you get you a bath,so we can have dinner.Ok?”Miss Kay told her.

“Yes mam.I will.”Grace said then ran out the back door.Grace gathered her bed,blankets,one of the bags of clothes,her washed teddy and Salts.She carried it all upstairs and made her bed up.She put Salts on the bed and got her bath stuff ready.She ran downstairs to take her bath.Afterwards she came in to eat.

“Not sure if you saw,but there is a working bathroom upstairs.My late husband put it up there for me.I had an art studio up there.But all that is locked away in the other attic space.You can clean it and it is yours to use.We will see if Mr Andy will build you a closet too.Did you get what you need for tonight?”Miss Kay asked her.

“Yes mam.I was going to go get my treasure box to draw,but I am to tired.After I clean up down here I am going right to bed.”Grace told her smiling.

“Well you have worked so hard,I will clean up alone.You can head up to bed when you finish eating.”Miss Kay told her and she did.