Then Momma Lois spoke to Sandy, "Child, your hair looks different. Did Celeste cut it that way?"
"Yes, I did, Momma," Celeste admitted.
"It looks pretty," Momma Lois complimented, "But ain't it short for the cold?"
"Sandy likes short hair. It's easier to wash," Celeste said, deliberately glossing over the accident.
"You cut it too short!" Sandy pointed out.
"It's your fault distracting me while I was cutting," Celeste said back.
"My fault? You're the one with the scissors."
"Settle down, children," Momma Lois intervened. "The hair looks pretty so it's fine. Okay?"
"Okay, Momma," Sandy said. She bit her sullenness away.
Then the doorbell rang. Momma Lois went to answer. Over the soft sound of the television, Sandy heard voices at the front door. A while later, Momma Lois returned to the kitchen to announce, "The heaters' here."
Sandy and Celeste went out of their warm shelter into the hallway. There were two waist-high cardboard boxes in the hallway. The labels on the boxes declared their contents to be portable electric heaters.
"Donated by Arthur Clarke's Homeshopping Emporium," Momma Lois informed them, "Celeste, take one and leave the other in my room. Don't let Sandy carry any - she'll drop it on the stairs."
Sandy pouted. She was not sure which she was more annoyed with: the fact that Momma Lois lacked confidence in her or the fact that she really might drop the box if she carried it up the stairs.
"Okay, Momma," Celeste said obediently as she crouched to lift the first box. "Sandy, get the gate and door open, please."
Sandy went ahead to open the gate at the top of the stairs and the room doors. At the same time, Momma Lois went to check on Petra in the kitchen.
Once Momma Lois's heater had been delivered, Sandy and Celeste went into their room with their own box.
"Hurry up," Sandy urged as she rubbed her cold hands.
"I know. It's cold for me too." Celeste looked deep into her cupboard and retrieved a small penknife.
The older girl cut open the box with the knife. Sandy brought the parts out as Celeste read the instructions. They worked fast. The room was already freezing and the heat from the desk lamp and ceiling light was far from enough to hold back the cold.
As they assembled the heater, Sandy found a small plate on the base of the heater. The text on the plate reminded them who their most generous benefactor was.
(Businesses had a responsibility to tell everyone that they were doing their bit for little orphaned girls everywhere. Even if it were only a couple of portable heaters. Even when attaching the plates to the heaters would delay the delivery and leave the girls in the cold for an hour longer.)
Finally, the heater was assembled, plugged in and powered on. Sandy waited with her hands on the metal fins of the heater, absorbing every bit of warmth it started radiating.
Celeste dumped the packaging and instruction sheet into the empty box and tossed the box into the corner. The large box took up more of their precious little space but that was a worry for another day.
Then Celeste sat at the desk and pulled up her schoolbag.
"Homework already?" Sandy asked, "It's the start of the holidays."
"I'm working tomorrow, and next week," Celeste told her as she pulled out an assignment, "I want to finish my homework while I can."
"Yeah, but it's the holidays," Sandy argued, "You should enjoy yourself first after all those weeks of school."
Celeste twisted towards her roommate. "Better to finish it now so I can enjoy my holidays peacefully. You should do the same." She turned back to her work.
"I'll do it later," Sandy said. "Cel, can you turn on the music?"
Celeste spun towards Sandy. "You want me to kick you out into the cold?" she snapped, "I need to concentrate on my homework here!"
"Sorry."
Sandy was going to be so bored. Warm, but bored.
***
The next day, Sandy's cold night was a distant memory. That was because the weather was warmer and much more comfortable.
Sandy thought she could laze around that day. Celeste was out at work and thus, would not be around to prod her to do homework. After Sandy had finished with her chores for the day, she kept to her room to avoid Momma Lois so the guardian would not bother her to do her schoolwork.
Lazing around in her room was not as exciting as Sandy had hoped. Lying in bed and listening to music could only keep her amused for an hour or so. She thought of going downstairs to surf the Internet on the computer or watch television. But Momma Lois would be there to urge her to do her homework. She started wishing that Celeste were around to keep her company.
(The girl totally did not consider the fact that if Celeste were home, her older roommate would be busy with her homework. She also totally did not consider the fact that everyone would stop bothering her if she would just finish her holiday homework.)
At least the starless night was much more bearable - it was not freezing, unlike the day before.
***
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