A girl always needs a little love by Z. Timol (classic novels for teens txt) 📖

doing?''

''I'm fine, he's doing great, back on the job with walking sticks'' he said

''Ahem'' I turned around to see Linda

''Oh, Linda this is Marcus, Marcus this is Linda, my best friend'' I introduced them

''Nice to meet you Linda'' he greeted

''You too Marcus'' she smiled

''Well, I have to get going, duty calls. It was nice seeing you again and great to meet you, Linda''

''Thanks'' I said taking the packets from him

 

We paid him and he took off, I took the stuff in the kitchen with Linda behind me. We emptied everything and got to work. I chopped up all the fruit while Linda set the table, I slipped the fruit into the jug and then poured the apple juice along with the sprite. It was fascinating to see the sprite create bubbles of foam on top. I placed it in the freezer then went to help Linda, we shaped the serviettes into flowers and put them into the glasses, forks next to the plate and salt and pepper in he middle of the table. We stood back and admired our work.

 

''Good job bestie'' I said high fiving her

''We're a great team'' she smiled

''Come on let's clean up then sit a bit before we call grandma''

''Yeah'' she agreed

 

We cleared up then put the food on the table, we decided to put the dessert with the food on the table with the bowls and spoons. After we were done we went to sit on the couch for a while and the moment we sat, I attacked her.

 

''Ok girl, spill''

''Spill what?'' she said acting dumb

''You know what, you've been acting weird for the past half an hour''

''You're crazy, I don't know what you're talking about''

 

I sighed. Then I saw her do something she hasn't done in a while, fiddle with her thumbs.

 

''Oh goodness, this is about Marcus, isn't?''

''No it's not, nuts nuts nuts, that's what you are''

''Come on, tell me'' I shook her by her shoulders

''Oh ok fine, yes it is, happy?'' she said

''Mmmm, but you just met him''

''Yes, but he's so nice'' she sighed

''Okay love bird, let's go call grandma. I have a brilliant idea for you'' 

''What?''

''Not important, come on''

''No! Tell me first''

''Hhh fine, Marcus works at the ice cream parlour with his father, so tomorrow I'll tell grandma to take us for ice cream''

 

First, she didn't get me but then realization dawned on her and she smiled, hugging me, making me fall onto the couch.

 

''Thank you so much, I love you, you are the best'' she laughed

''I know, come on let's go'' I laughed at her childish act

 

We went upstairs and knocked on grandma's room door.

 

''Come in'' she called

''Hey grandma, reading?''

''Ah yes, you girls are hungry now?''

''Yeah, but before you go to the kitchen, I want to show you something in the dining room first''

''Ok, I'm coming'' she said getting off the bed

 

We went back down and took our positions on either sides of the door. We heard footsteps coming down but before I could tell Linda to get ready I saw something behind her. My parents and sister were standing there smiling at me. My mom walked to the table and looked at the food, she smiled at me and gave me the thumbs up, I smiled back. But before I could do anything stupid, they all disappeared. Why do they keep on leaving? I want them back, I want them here. With me.

 

''Ready Liz?'' Linda asked

 

I smiled at her and nodded, we heard grandma coming closer, she opened the door and when she stepped in we both smiled and jumped in front of her.

 

''SURPRISE!!!''

 

 

 

 

Sleep over secret

 Grandma stood there frozen, looking from me to Linda possibly a million times.

 

''Grandma? Are you ok?'' I asked

''Yes yes I'm fine, Oh you two are wonderful'' she said hugging us

''Glad you like it, now come on, don't want to keep the tummy waiting'' Linda joked

''So this is why you two kept me away from the kitchen for so long''

''Yeah, we wanted to do something useful for you and we were bored'' Linda said

''Yup, killed two birds with one stone'' I said sitting down

''Now what have we got here?'' grandma asked

''For the main dish we have Casserole and for desert, we have peppermint crisp caramel desert'' I explained

''And for the drink, only the best Saudi Champagne''

''Oh yes, I remember having that once. Now, let's dig in''

 

We sat down and dug in, we watched grandma as she tasted the Casserole, she chewed and then made a funny face, I got worried

 

''What's wrong?'' Linda asked

''There's something very very wrong here'' 

''What?'' I asked

''Oh it's terrible, I can't believe it!''

''What!?!'' Linda and I shouted at the same time

''This... this is even better than mine'' she laughed

''Grandma! You got us worried there'' I laughed

''Yeah, but at least you like it'' smiled Linda

''Like it? I love it!''

 

We carried on eating and talking about stuff, I think we each had two rounds of Casserole, I had to admit, it was very tasty. Not too spicy, just right. When we were done we looked at the pyrex, there was a little bit left, about three teaspoons, we looked at each other and then dove in to get the last bit. All three of us fighting over a little Casserole but then we all had our even share by the end. We drank the Champagne then cleared up the dirty dishes, Linda washed and I wiped. We told grandma to sit and relax. When we were done we went back to the table.

 

''Wonderful! Now for desert!'' grandma clapped her hands

''Yes yes, here you go'' I said putting some for her in a bowl

''And no nonsense this grandma'' Linda said

 

Grandma smiled and then took the first teaspoon, she ate it then another one. She then looked at us

 

''Where did you girls get this recipe from?''

''Mom's recipe diary, we found it lying there at the back of the draw'' I said

''Can you show it to me please?''

''Sure''

 

I got up to go and get it, I wondered why she wanted to see it, did it mean something to her?. I opened the draw and took it out. I walked back to the dining room and handed it to her.

 

''I remember this book, it was your mother's favorite diary''

''It was?''

''Yes, she used to follow me in the kitchen asking me for the recipe of whatever I was cooking, she said she wanted to become a famous chef one day. I remember that one day I was making this very same desert and she came into the kitchen, she tasted the batter left over in the dish, she looked at me then ran up to her room coming back down with her dairy, she made me sit down and tell her every ingredient and step for this desert. This was her favorite desert from then. And she became the best cook I knew.''

 

''Well, she learned from the best'' I smiled

 

I could see her starting to tear up. She missed her daughter, I could understand, of course, it must be painful to lose someone that you practically raised yourself and watched grow into something beautiful. I got up from my seat and went to give her a tissue then hugged her.

 

''I miss her too grandma'' I wiped a tear from my face

''Sorry to ruin everything'' she smiled

''It's ok, I'm sorry. I really loved Mrs.Grace too'' Linda said starting to cry too

''Oh come on, what is this? A crying competition?'' I cried

 

We all burst out laughing and couldn't stop. After about 5 minutes we finally sobered up. We got up and cleared up together, all three of us. We talked which made the work much easier. I saw the diary on the table, I picked it up and closed it. I ran up to my room and placed it under my pillow, I could really use its help in the kitchen, I'll look through it later. I went back down.

 

''Hey, where did you disappear to?'' Linda asked

''I, uh, I went to put the diary away. I want to read through it, see if I could find some interesting recipes''

''Yeah, that would be nice'' grandma said

''So now what?''

''Why don't we watch a movie?'' I suggested

''Good idea but let's go change first so we can be comfy'' grandma said

''Kk'' we said 

 

We went up to the room and picked out warm pajamas to wear. I took out my purple and green one. It had flowers on the pants and the top had the words

 

''I NEED MY BEAUTY SLEEP''

 

I loved it. I bought it from Sleepy Sleep Wear when we went to visit grandma in Durban once. This shop is amazing, it has all kinds of pajamas for everyone. Linda took out one similar to mine but her's was pink and purple, it had the words

 

''MY BED'S CALLING''

 

I laughed, it was funny. My grandpa used to say that, whenever he was tired he would say 'I need to go, my bed's calling me'. He was a funny old man.

 

''What are you laughing at missy?'' Linda asked

''Your pajamas. They're cute.''

''Thanks, yours too'' she smiled

''Come on let's go pick a movie.''

 

We went down, grandma was already sitting there waiting for us. She was wearing a maroon cotton gown with black slippers.

 

''There you girls are, I was starting to think you two fell off to sleep''

''Very funny grandma''

''So, what movie?'' Linda 

''Let's watch Hotel Transylvania'' I said

''What's that about?'' grandma asked

''It's a vampire kind of movie, but it's a funny comedy'' Linda explained

''Ok then let's watch that, I hope it's not too scary''

 

I put on the DVD player and slipped in the CD. When it started I went to sit beside grandma, Linda was on the other side of grandma. I covered us all with the blanket. The movie started, I saw the trailer of it, it's about a vampire girl falling in love with a human but her father hates human because they killed her mother. This man owns a hotel for monsters only deep in the forests, the humans don't know about it. One human boy happened to wander into the hotel by mistake and when Dracula (Hotel owner/father) realized he was a human, and because he didn't want his daughter to meet any humans, he dressed this boy in a zombie costume making him look like one of them. But then she founds out and they fall in love. It's interesting. When the movie was finished, we all wanted to watch the second one too.

 

''Ok but let's go make some hot chocolate first'' I said

''Yeah''

 

We went to the kitchen and made 3 cups of hot choc. We sat back down and I put the second one on, drinking the hot drink and watching. The second one is really funny, it's about the son that they had. He's such a cute thing. I cuddled deeper into the blanket, curling my toes. 

 

''That was a nice movie but I'm afraid I'm going to fall asleep here right now'' grandma yawned

''That's alright, go sleep grandma, we'll clean up'' I said

''Yeah, you go'' 

''Goodnight girls'' she said kissing us on our forehead

''Goodnight'' we said

 

After she went up, we started cleaning, I washed the cups and Linda folded up the blanket. I switched off the TV and the lights then went upstairs to my room. I tied my hair into a high bun then put on my eye cream.

 

''I had fun