Carol had all the kitchen room chairs set upside down on top of the table to wash the floors. She soaked the mop inside a bucket filled with soap water and rung it before laying it right on the linoleum to begin the cleaning. A bird was chirping through the window screen above the sink.
Springtime had arrived to stay.
The piano in the living room was playing out a few hesitant low notes that were coming from Rindy’s music booklet. She stopped abruptly with a groan. Her second mother Therese murmured reassurance for her to try again.
“You almost had it,” she told the nine-year old.
“I want to stop, Tez,” Rindy complained.
“Not yet,” Therese insisted.
Rindy glared through the fringe of her brown bangs, the ones Carol desperately wanted to cut. She half listened to the music notes Therese was hitting gently. Her brain was far else where. She wanted to go outside.
“Can we take a break? Go to the park?”
“Alright. I won’t refuse a bit of fresh air,” Therese decided, cutting off the classical piece short to slide and shut the wooden lid over the piano keys.
They make their way to the kitchen but stopped at the doorway seeing Carol looking back at them in a white bandanna and mop in her hands. She points a finger where it was safe to step through.
“We’re going to the park,” Therese said, pulling Rindy by the hand.
“Splendid. It’s gorgeous out,” Carol smiled, blowing them each a kiss goodbye.