Life’s Expectations

A Pleasant Change

Grace fixed them all some tea.She offered them her homemade creamer and some of her sweet bread.She baked it in the sun that morning,but it wasn’t all the way done.

“Sorry it didn’t bake all the way.The shade is awesome,but not so good for homemade solar ovens.”she told them kind of embarrassed.

“You actually baked this?And baked it outside?Is this your recipe?”Joy asked surprised.

“This is amazing Grace.But next time you should come to the Diner to bake it.Or leave your solar oven up by Harvey’s cabin.His picnic table is in full sun all day.He likes you a lot,he was bragging about your site.”Judy said smiling tasting her tea.

“Yes,he is very impressed with you.This tea is very good too Grace.”Joy said drinking more.

“It is my own blend and the creamer is my recipe too.”Grace said smiling,very glad they liked it.

“We love your place and we came to make you an offer.Joy said you told her you had not decided on where you wanted to live.That you have no place in particular chosen to go.And no job offer waiting.”Judy sat very straight looking Grace directly in her eyes.

“ That is all true.I left my family in California and am moving South.No place for certain.No time crunch.My choice.”Grace said shrugging her shoulders.

“Well my dishwasher is not coming back.She is retiring.If you want you can take her position.And..”Joy stopped noticing Judy’s confusion.

“And you can bake your bread for the menu Saturdays and Sundays for breakfast.Only a couple dozen,in mini versions.And we can put your tea on the menu if you want.You can sell the blend and creamer too.”Joy said smiling at Judy.

“And”,now Joy looked confused.

“And we wanted to offer you a tiny cottage,but you seem to have a great setup here.I just might worry of safety.And winter,if you stay that long.”Judy said.

“My dad talked to me about those things.I can put wood pallets around and I have insulated panels to put up for winter.But they haven’t been tested.I had to leave quicker than we planned.”Grace said,then wished she hadn’t.Grace was trying to hide the milk spot that had appeared on her shirt too.

“We know someone who gets pallets all the time.Nice sturdy ones.Or you could come look at the cottage.It actually looks like this camp site.It has a huge old oak too.”Joy said and Judy burst in.

“ But it is in the oak not under it.Our father built it for us as teens.He remarried and wanted us to have a space of our own.We don’t have children and Joy thought you’d love it after she saw your home.The offer is there.It is well insulated and has a fireplace.We know it can handle harsh winters.”Judy said with a smile.

“The whole thing is up to you.It is there if you need it and you have a job as long as you want.No walking to the shower or strangers you don’t know.This place gets wild in July and football season.”Joy added.

They let Grace think on it and gave her the dinner the had brought for her.

“Here’s you some good ole lasagna and garlic bread for dinner.And Salts some tuna.”Judy said hanging it to Grace.

“We even made you some lemonade and brought you some ice in a cooler.Oh and the cottage has appliances too.”Joy said smiling.

They hugged Grace and left.Grace fixed their dinner and they ate.She showered and was walking back to her site.She heard someone following behind her but when she turned there was nothing.She walked faster and the noise came fast and closer.She ran to her tent,closing the door behind her.She heard a weird groan like someone had been thrown or fallen right outside her site.She was so scared,she barely slept.

In the morning she was exhausted,she dressed and went to the Diner.She told Joy and Judy what had happened and they made her eat something.They insisted she move in to the cottage.She agreed and they all took Joy’s pickup and got all her things moved.They drove out to the cottage and Grace and Salts followed on her motorcycle.

“That is the craziest thing.These were not here two days ago,when we cleaned up.I noticed them growing around your site too Grace.”Judy said pointing at the mushroom circle growing in an enormous circle around the whole oak.It formed a very nice sized yard.And they decided to put up a picket fence right on the inside of the circle,making sure not to disturb the mushrooms.They took everything up to the cottage,except her tent.They stored it in the trailer,parked under the cottage.The cottage was so beautiful and even had a front porch,with rockers.Grace noticed the perfect branch to hang her favorite hammock chair on the porch.She even spotted one underneath the cottage to hang one.

“Do you mind if I add some things?”Grace asked so excited about having her own real house.

“No,not at all.By the way,there is a phone here too.So,you can call us if there is a problem or you can call your parents.Just don’t talk to long.The charges will be very high.”Joy told her.

They were excited for her to be there,but they left her to do her own thing.Grace unpacked and put everything in its place.She put her food,cook ware and dishes in the tiny kitchen.She put up her folding shelf,but her tea stuff went in the kitchen on the adorable little shelf above the sink and window.She put her table and cushions in the small living room in front of the fireplace.There was actually enough room for a small loveseat or a large chair.But she used what she had.Grace put her bed in the bedroom it was big enough for a side table and a dresser,if she had them.She figured it was that big,for two twin beds to fit in it.The bathroom actually had a small tub in it.She put her things in the shelves above the toilet.

Grace was so happy.She was glad that she had been scared by something last night.Because tonight she would cook,eat,bathe and sleep in her secure safe little house.She could even raise the exterior stairs for extra safety and she did.She could stay in this little cottage as long as she wanted.Grace drove into town and got groceries.She stopped by the garden shop,to pick up some flowers,ferns and some pots.She went to a secondhand shop by the Diner.She found some white lace curtains,some bath clothes,towels and a few beautiful small golden frames.

Grace stopped by the Diner to eat lunch with Joy.When she walked in she was amazed at the quick change.Instead of booths there were round wooden tables and chairs.She also noticed the decor was no longer fifties diner, was a more homey country look.Grace also noticed that there was now a huge hole in the back wall,covered in plastic.

“Hey Miss Priss.Come sit and eat.We are trying something a new restaurant style.I heard this is all the rage in North Carolina.No orders made and no alterations.The menu is set daily and people choose when to come,by what is cooked.The food is brought out like you would at home.The bowls empty,you bring another out,unless they do not want more.If there are bowls of food the family can take them home.”Joy told her as she scooped out food into Grace’s plate.

Grace waited,watching her fill the plate with small portions of lima beans,cream corn,sautéed squash,mashed potatoes,gravy,candied yams,collard greens,fried pork chops and meat loaf.Judy brought over some sweet tea.They blessed the food,those who prepared it,those who were eating it and the future of their new idea.They all ate ,enjoying how good the food actually was.Joy had hired another cook.An older woman named Joslyn,who lived next door to Judy,Joy and now Grace.Grace was so satisfied and stuffed,she leaned back in her chair,closing her eyes.

“Wait a minute,before you dose off Miss Priss.”Joslyn said rolling over a cart full of desserts.There was pecan pie,peach cobbler,chocolate cake,key lime pie and blackberry cobbler.

“There is also vanilla ice cream to top those off if you want it.”Judy added as they all looked over the cart.

Grace rubbed her belly and sighed.

“Oh no mam!This is for work.This is a taste testing.Suck it up and get some of everything “Joy told Grace.And Judy handed her a plate with a tiny sample of it all.

Grace ate feeling fuller and fuller.She loved everything,not a bad thing to say about any of it.

“Now when we have breakfast,your tea and cakes will be on the menu too.”Joy told Grace with a smile.

“Yes mam,we want you involved too.This is going to be great!”Judy said.

That night Grace went to bed still full from lunch and very happy.Things had changed so much for her and these changes were good ones.

She wondered when it would end.She knew very well that the good never lasts for her.And sweets,always followed with the bitter.She hated to be that person,but she learned from life lessons.Before she came to this point she only had her dreams to comfort her.

They did just that,but also confused her greatly.She didn’t understand why she got comfort from dreams of her attacker.She thought she was figuring it out but it couldn’t be.Something deep inside her almost like someone else’s voice told her it would all work out.And that her baby was fine and happy,that the father showed her true love and saved her.