It was the later part of a lazy Friday afternoon.
Sandy was in the living room at home, watching the television. She had finished her share of chores for the week and all of her holiday homework, amazingly. Having no responsibility lingering over her was a refreshingly new experience. Why had she not tried that before?
She briefly wondered about dinner. Celeste was in charge of food that day. Her former roommate might be an okay cook and might pass with simple dishes. However, that was the first time she was cooking for the whole Home without guidance.
Momma Lois usually did the cooking. But that day, she was in her tiny office, swamped with work. When Sandy had a glimpse of the office earlier, her guardian was surrounded by walls of paper and busy with an official-sounding phone call.
Thus, dinner was left to Celeste, the only other person in the Home who could cook. Lisa, the former resident, was a culinary genius but Sandy had not seen her since Christmas.
Well, if dinner was bad, they could always order takeout.
One thing was certain: Sandy would not like to try anything that Juneida cooked. She was sure that the rich orphan had never made anything in the kitchen before. In fact, Sandy thought that she was a better cook than the middle-schooler. At least Sandy could fry an egg and boil spaghetti.
Juneida should be in her room at the moment. Usually, she would spend her some of her holidays with her uncle. But Sandy heard that the middle-schooler's uncle was on a business trip at that time.
Sandy was bored. The old movie on the television was not very interesting. Afternoon television programs tended to be boring anyway.
Ditz was also in the living room, seated on a comfort chair with eyes intent on the television. Maybe Sandy could play a board game or something with her. But she should have something for little Petra to do too.
The toddler was quietly seating beside her on the sofa, busy examining a cloth doll. When Sandy wiggled her fingers in front of her, Petra looked up and laughed.
It was a truly lazy afternoon. Sandy did not mind many of those, as long as she was free of responsibilities.
Then there were footsteps on the carpet-covered wooden floorboards of the house. Momma Lois entered the living room. She sighed as she brushed her forehead.
Sandy could not resist a tease. "Finished your homework, Momma Lois?"
"What? Oh! Don't you have anything better to do?" Momma Lois exclaimed indignantly, "Finished my homework indeed!"
Guess the adult still had paperwork to do. Maybe Momma Lois was taking a break.
The adult glanced once at Petra, then at the bright sky outside the window.
Sandy knew that look. Momma Lois was thinking of something for her to do.
"Sandy, it's a nice day out. Why don't you show Edith the park?" Momma Lois suggested.
The teenage girl sighed inwardly. At least it was not a bothersome chore.
"Okay, Momma." Sandy got up. "Want me to take Petra along?"
"No, you can leave Petra," Momma Lois said.
(Unknown to Sandy, it was one of those times Momma Lois wanted time alone to play with the toddler.)
"Okay, Momma Lois," Sandy said again, "Ditz let's go see the park."
"Okay!" Ditz agreed excitedly as she jumped out of her chair.
"Come back before dinnertime," Momma Lois called after her as the girls rushed from the room, "And don't spoil your dinner again!"
***
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