Breakfast
“Breakfast,” echoed through the house. Rebecca had just swept the floor.
In the back yard, Della had set up four tables to form one long table. People were busy digging into their food. Not everyone. A single hammer was still working on the roof.
“Boy,” Mr. Rice called. “Come git it.”
“Ate.” Came back a thunderous reply.
“At least have some water.” Bradley threw a bottle of water onto the roof with the arm of a baseball pitcher.
“Thanks,” came another roaring reply. In a few minutes, the empty bottle fell from the roof with almost perfect aim, if Bradley’s head was the target.
“Hey!” Bradley shouted. “Try to hit me next time.”
This voice on the roof was three times deeper than Simon’s. And from what Rebecca could hear, meaner than a junkyard dog. She took a place beside Simon at the table. In the distance, something glittered catching her attention. “What’s that?”
Widow Blake leaned toward her from across the table. “Lily Rice’s grave.”
“Oh,” Rebecca whispered suddenly feeling embarrassed.
Breakfast was a delightful mixture of steak and eggs, muffins, and fruit. Della had really stepped up to the plate.
“Looks like the bathroom is ready to paint.” Mr. Rice called from the back porch. “I sat the paint in there for you. Top and round,” he instructed.
“Thanks,” Rebecca smiled. When he had stepped out of sight, she turned to Bradley, “what does top and round mean?”
Bradley gave a hearty laugh, “it means paint the entire room the same color.”
“Oh, okay.”
As one coat of pale pink paint dried in the bathroom, Rebecca helped Sarah (Patty and Bradley’s daughter) take up the carpet in one of the bedrooms exposing more of the hardwood flooring. After the carpet was up and disposed of, she put another coat of paint on the bathroom. What kind of man, she asked herself, would have a pink bathroom? She stepped into the kitchen. Her goal was to go outside for some fresh air. Simon and Bradley had built a small room, about the size of the bathroom off the kitchen by boxing in part of the back porch. It was even complete with a door out of the kitchen.
“What’s that room gonna be?”
“Laundry room.” Simon answered wiping his brow.
“Are you ready for me?” Danny smiled.
“Yelp.” Bradley and Simon stepped out of the way allowing Danny to enter. He busied himself with running the electric lines for the appliances.
“Bathroom looks good.” Mr. Rice called from the livin’ room door.
“Thanks.” Rebecca went back into the bedroom to help paint. This bedroom was a honey color. Still not a color she thought an elderly gentleman would choose.
Simon and Bradley went to work putting siding on the laundry room.
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