Life’s Expectations

Look What’s In Front Of You

They let Grace just cry it out,maybe she had never had the chance to get it out.And she had a lot to get out.The adults were sitting out on the porch the clear Christmas lights were strung and lit all over the back porch.

The yard was lit up by little hurricane lamps hung from hooks on the shed and in the trees.It was beautiful.Grace sat beside Holly on the swing,putting her head on Holly’s shoulder.

“I think these folks are starving.Are you ready to eat?”Miss Kay asked.Grace nodded.

“Ok,well sit and I will get the food out of the oven.Andy you want to help me?”Miss Kay asked.

“Yes mam.I sure will.”he said and followed Miss Kay into the kitchen.They put the hot foods back on the table and Holly urged Grace up off the swing.She hugged her tightly before they sat.They all sat and Holly held out her hand,they each grabbed hands around the table.

“Lord we ask you to bless this food and the preparer.We ask you to bless this family Lord that you have put together.We thank you for each day we have been given and will be given.In Christ Name Amen.”Holly finished and a resounding Amen was heard from the table. But they all ate pretty much in silence,until Grace spoke halfway through the meal.

“I don’t want to be sad.I am glad to have a family now”Grace said,grabbing more fried chicken.She put more baby limas on her plate and a big piece of cornbread.Then she grabbed another corn.

“Well sounds like a dang good plan to me!”Andy said in a raised voice and both the women nodded in agreement.

Grace gobbled her food down and grabbed another corn.

“Ok,I have been so curious Miss Holly.Your accent,where are you from?Certainly not from here in California.”Miss Kay said.

“No mam and I hear a Southern drawl from you as well.And our little Grace.Grace is from here ,but she was raised by two Alabama girls.My cousin,her mother and I are from a small town down by the Gulf.”Holly said noticing Grace’s look.

“Daisy said your mother moved here with her Army family,she met your dad and got pregnant.You were born in Seattle,where your dad was from.Your grandmother ,your mother’s mother made her move y’all back down South.She wanted to hide the fact your mother had you.So you have a stronger Southern accent,because your learning years were spent down there.When you were three your dad found y’all and came to get you.He took you to Washington.Your mother came and your dad tried to make y’all a family.It only lasted a couple of months.But your mother was far from wife material.And his family wanted her to leave.Your mother found out some secrets and was forced to leave.And your dad ran with y’all back down South, not wanting her to raise you alone.And I guess the storm hit and he was killed.And your mother brought you here.She thought she could become an actress.”Holly told Grace.

“Well my goodness that brought out your whole life history Grace.You ok? Well I kinda have the same history.My family moved here with the Army from Tennessee when I was about seventeen.I met my late husband and stayed when the family moved to Washington to an island there.”Miss Kay said.

“When will your husband be back?”Grace asked and they all looked at her.

“You said he was late.”Grace stated.Miss Kay started to laugh.

“Grace that means he passed away.”Andy said.

“Where did he pass?The house?”Grace asked.

“No Grace both those statements mean he died.”Holly told her.

Grace began to cry.Miss Kay put her hand on Grace’s shoulder

“Grace it’s ok.It happened a long time ago.”Grace just nodded wiping her face.She sat in silence for a long time.

“Hey what happened to not being sad?”Miss Kay asked all of them.They did look down in the dumps.

“I have something that will lift y’all’s spirits.Some homemade strawberry ice cream!”Miss Kay said very excited.

“Really?!I have never had strawberry ice cream.”Grace said excitedly,which made all the adults look sad.Miss Kay jumped up and fixed them all bowls from the ice cream churn.Holly handed them out.

“Grace let’s go sit in the swing.”Miss Kay said.

Andy pulled the two bistro chairs over by the swing,so he and Holly could sit.

“I do wish we had a comfy spot to sit and more places on the porch to sit.And a place in the yard for a fire,like on that little movie about the marshmallows and the chocolate and cookies.”Grace said and Holly chuckled.

“Grace that is a commercial and those are called S’mores.After Andy puts the other walls up,we can find a fat comfy couch or a daybed.We can even put huge pillows on the back of the daybed.And maybe we can find some rocking chairs and cushions.”Holly told her.

“I can make a fire pit and put some chairs around it.Miss Holly can put cushions in the chairs so they are comfy.”Andy told her,she nodded.

“Grace have you ever celebrated Easter?”Miss Kay asked her.

“No mam.My mother made me stay home from school when they had any celebrations.But I learned about it a little.Jesus died to save us from the bad things we do.He lived a very long time ago.My teacher gave me a book about it.And my friend gave me a chocolate egg.My friend told me that it was from the Easter bunny.She told me to sneak to her house after school and we could watch “Here comes Peter Cottontail”.I did.My friends mom gave us Easter bunny shaped cookies and kool aid!When I got back to my house.My mother beat me with an extension cord.But I didn’t care.It was so fun.Oh,so I had watched two movies before I came to you Miss Holly.After that my mother told the school not to let me have any sweets.Me and my friend got caught sharing her cookies and I had to start eating by myself in the classroom.”Grace told them.

“So you have never celebrated anything?”Andy asked.Grace shook her head.

“Nothing?Not even with Daisy?”Holly asked her,kinda shocked.

“No,Daisy left after my mother found out she was trying to plan me a birthday party.My friend asked me one day where all my Christmas presents were from Santa.She said he brings one to every good child on Christmas Eve.I guess I was bad.”Grace said.

“No Grace you aren’t bad.You were not bad.Daisy kept your Santa presents.She has them and she has a paper that will help us get you in school.But you still have to be careful.The school is close to where your mother lives.Daisy will be here tomorrow.It was going to be a surprise.”Holly told her.

Grace was so happy.Daisy was on a bus on her way there.And she would get to go to school.Grace hugged them all.

“I am going to bathe and go to bed. It is getting late.”she said and ran inside.She went upstairs to run her bath in her own bathroom.She was so happy.

“What is this about a paper?Does she really have gifts for Grace?”Miss Kay asked Holly.

“Yes mam.She said that Grace asked her if Santa thought she was bad once.And when Grace explained she felt horrible.She began to get Grace a present from Santa and one from her every year after that.She started it when Grace was five.So I am going to get the ones for before five from Santa. And the paper Daisy didn’t explain.”Holly said.They all looked at each other.