fertilizer, Cat and Julie loaded the flower van after closing time. Business had been booming for Florals by Rach . Of course, it did help being the only floral shop in town.
Cat climbed into the driver’s side of the van, as Julie hesitantly got into the passenger’s side and buckled in. “Cat, are you sure you’re ready to drive this beast?” Julie asked with concern in her voice.
“Of course I am. Why wouldn’t I be?” she replied, starting the engine.
“I don’t know, maybe because this van is twice as big as your Jeep and you-”
“Oh Julie, you worry too much. I can handle this, it’s just like riding a bike...a really, really big bike.”
“Yeah, but Cat, you still fall off your bike.” Cat rolled her eyes, put the van into drive, and took off down the road.
Rounding the bend that led to Nehalem Avenue, a completely bare tree caught Cat’s eye. All of the trees around it were full of life, their branches covered in colorful leaves. This one tree though, was dark and muted. No sign of life. Hmmm, that’s odd , Cat thought to herself as she suddenly smelled the strong odor of cinnamon coming in from the open van window. Her attention quickly shot back to the road, “Cat, watch out!” Julie yelled as they barreled toward a huge semi-truck. Quickly turning the wheel, she barely missed the truck. Cat slammed on the brakes, breathing heavily.
“You okay, Julie?” she asked apologetically.
Julie laughed nervously. “Yeah, I’m alright. That was a close call.” Cat poked her head out of the window and looked back at the large green truck. The words International Movers were written on the side.
“Hey, it looks like we have new neighbors,” Cat announced.
“That would have been a great welcoming, crashing into their moving truck,” Julie said while giggling. “I wonder where they’re from?”
Cat noticed a young dark-skinned girl, who looked to be about her age, walking from the house toward the moving truck. “It seems like we’ll also be getting a new addition to our school this year,” Cat said with a smile as she continued up the street to her house.
Buzz...buzz. “ Hey, Julie, can you get my phone? It’s vibrating in the cup holder up front,” Cat asked as she gathered several potted plants from the back of the van.
Julie picked up the phone, “Cat, it’s your mom. Do you want me to answer it?”
“Yeah, I kind of have my hands full at the moment,” she groaned, struggling to carry all of the plants to the front door.
“Hello Mrs. Colvin, uh huh, yeah, I can tell her for you. Alright, well, I guess we’ll see you in a little bit then.” Just as Julie hung up the phone, she was startled by a crash near the front door. Cat had dropped one of the plants, breaking the pot, and spilled the soil all over the porch. “What happened?” Julie hid her grin, as she realized what Cat had done.
“Oh, I’m just a klutz. Mom’s going to flip,” Cat murmured while sweeping the soil into a pile with her hands.
Julie chuckled. “I’m sure she’ll understand. She still might lecture you though on how you should make multiple trips instead of one.”
“Let’s just clean it up before she gets home.”
“Oh, and she wants us to put the casserole that’s in the refrigerator in the oven for dinner.”
“Hello, is anyone home?” Sam announced as he entered the house.
“Hey Dad, glad you’re here. I just preheated the oven, so could you please put in the casserole when it beeps? Oh, for about 30 minutes or so should do. Thanks, Dad, you’re the best.” Cat gave Sam a peck on his cheek and then she and Julie disappeared out the front door.
“Welcome home, Dad. How was your day? Oh, Cat, thanks for asking, it was wonderful. Sure, I’ll put the casserole in the oven. I’m good for something, right?” Sam mumbled to himself, making his way to the kitchen.
Outside, Cat and Julie both grumbled as they saw Maude Roberts standing by Cat’s car.
Cat climbed into the driver’s side of the van, as Julie hesitantly got into the passenger’s side and buckled in. “Cat, are you sure you’re ready to drive this beast?” Julie asked with concern in her voice.
“Of course I am. Why wouldn’t I be?” she replied, starting the engine.
“I don’t know, maybe because this van is twice as big as your Jeep and you-”
“Oh Julie, you worry too much. I can handle this, it’s just like riding a bike...a really, really big bike.”
“Yeah, but Cat, you still fall off your bike.” Cat rolled her eyes, put the van into drive, and took off down the road.
Rounding the bend that led to Nehalem Avenue, a completely bare tree caught Cat’s eye. All of the trees around it were full of life, their branches covered in colorful leaves. This one tree though, was dark and muted. No sign of life. Hmmm, that’s odd , Cat thought to herself as she suddenly smelled the strong odor of cinnamon coming in from the open van window. Her attention quickly shot back to the road, “Cat, watch out!” Julie yelled as they barreled toward a huge semi-truck. Quickly turning the wheel, she barely missed the truck. Cat slammed on the brakes, breathing heavily.
“You okay, Julie?” she asked apologetically.
Julie laughed nervously. “Yeah, I’m alright. That was a close call.” Cat poked her head out of the window and looked back at the large green truck. The words International Movers were written on the side.
“Hey, it looks like we have new neighbors,” Cat announced.
“That would have been a great welcoming, crashing into their moving truck,” Julie said while giggling. “I wonder where they’re from?”
Cat noticed a young dark-skinned girl, who looked to be about her age, walking from the house toward the moving truck. “It seems like we’ll also be getting a new addition to our school this year,” Cat said with a smile as she continued up the street to her house.
Buzz...buzz. “ Hey, Julie, can you get my phone? It’s vibrating in the cup holder up front,” Cat asked as she gathered several potted plants from the back of the van.
Julie picked up the phone, “Cat, it’s your mom. Do you want me to answer it?”
“Yeah, I kind of have my hands full at the moment,” she groaned, struggling to carry all of the plants to the front door.
“Hello Mrs. Colvin, uh huh, yeah, I can tell her for you. Alright, well, I guess we’ll see you in a little bit then.” Just as Julie hung up the phone, she was startled by a crash near the front door. Cat had dropped one of the plants, breaking the pot, and spilled the soil all over the porch. “What happened?” Julie hid her grin, as she realized what Cat had done.
“Oh, I’m just a klutz. Mom’s going to flip,” Cat murmured while sweeping the soil into a pile with her hands.
Julie chuckled. “I’m sure she’ll understand. She still might lecture you though on how you should make multiple trips instead of one.”
“Let’s just clean it up before she gets home.”
“Oh, and she wants us to put the casserole that’s in the refrigerator in the oven for dinner.”
“Hello, is anyone home?” Sam announced as he entered the house.
“Hey Dad, glad you’re here. I just preheated the oven, so could you please put in the casserole when it beeps? Oh, for about 30 minutes or so should do. Thanks, Dad, you’re the best.” Cat gave Sam a peck on his cheek and then she and Julie disappeared out the front door.
“Welcome home, Dad. How was your day? Oh, Cat, thanks for asking, it was wonderful. Sure, I’ll put the casserole in the oven. I’m good for something, right?” Sam mumbled to himself, making his way to the kitchen.
Outside, Cat and Julie both grumbled as they saw Maude Roberts standing by Cat’s car.
Similar Books
