Letters From Al by Pieper, Kathleen (ebook audio reader TXT) 📕

"Hey there, Tommy, how are you doing?" Maddy waved and grabbed a cart. He waved back enthusiastically.

Maddy had learned from Aunt Polly that Tommy often did odd jobs for her aunt and was the town's unofficial mascot at high school. Everyone in town loved Tommy. From the high school jocks to the senior citizens, he was just one of those neat kids who had a heart of gold. He wasn't retarded, just a little slow, the checker had explained carefully out of earshot. It was obvious she and others were very protective of the friendly kid. Charmed immediately by his honesty and natural friendliness, Maddy and he became good buddies.

Maddy filled her cart with all kinds of groceries. It was obvious she was out of everything. The bill was massive but Tommy sacked everything neatly and in no time led the way out to her car.

"Say, Tommy, I hear you used to help my aunt out around her place, would you like to do the same for me? I sure could use the help. I'd pay you, of course."

"Sure, I would." He said without hesitation, "I have to ask my folks, but I'm pretty sure they'll say okay." He looked excited and pleased.

"Good. Let me know. Maybe you could start Saturday. My lawn's growing like a weed patch." She gave him a wide smile.

Aunt Polly sat rocking on Maddy's front porch as she pulled up.

"Hi. Got tired of TV dinners and mooching off of you so I did some major grocery shopping. What's new?"

"Not much. I thought we might finish upstairs. I'm determined to find that missing jewelry. Speaking of which, Leland stopped by. Said to tell you he had a prospective buyer for the house here. He'll stop back."

Aunt Polly glanced at Maddy who was quietly pulling groceries out of the vehicle, a chagrined look on her face.

"I didn't know you were going to put it on the market?"

"To tell you the truth, Aunt Polly, I haven't really made up my mind. I'm sorry I never said anything though. Jack Drake mentioned it, and I guess Leland took the bull by the horns. I'll take care of it."

"I have to tell you, I had to bite my tongue not to say anything about your aunt's jewelry and those fancy books."

Sighing, Maddy nodded patiently, carrying the last of the sacks to the kitchen. "But I did tell him not to rush you about this here house. You got time, don't you? To make up your mind, I mean." Peering at her young friend, Aunt Polly just asked her, "You think you know what you want to do?"

"Funny you should ask that, Aunt Polly." Maddy folded the empty brown sacks and closed the cupboards. "I got a call from my friend in Chicago last night. It was really good to hear from her." Aunt Polly's face fell and she eased back into the wooden rocker in the kitchen. "But, you know, the longer I talked to her, the less I wanted to leave. The longer I'm here," she looked around and smiled, "this feels more like home to me than Chicago ever did."

"Oh, I was hoping you'd feel that way. I know, I know, I won't get my hopes up totally. You need to make up your own mind, but seeing you here, how you look and act like you been born and raised in Nielsen." The old woman's eyes lit up immediately.

"Well, I do feel comfortable here most of the time. And, I didn't get the promotion, and that had a little to do with it. Just don't say anything to anyone, I still have some things to work through, but it won't be a rash decision. Leland will just have to wait until I'm ready to sell this house."

"Good for you." Aunt Polly slapped her thigh gleefully. "That's good enough for me. You use your own instincts, especially with Leland. Besides, houses aren't selling that good in small towns. And I got to tell you, I'm getting awful fond of you, too."

"That's nice to hear, Aunt Polly. Everyone has made me feel welcome. Another thing is, I need to find a job if I decide to stay. My inheritance won't last forever."

"Well, at my age I've learned not to worry and fuss, it doesn't help. Things will work out the way they're supposed to work out." Giving herself a boost out of the rocking chair she rubbed her hands together. "Let's get to work if you're done stashing all your loot from the grocery store."

Maddy led the way upstairs and Aunt Polly headed for the first of four bedrooms. Each one held a simple bed, chest of drawers, nightstand and a small table or desk with a chair. An antique washstand with a beautiful pitcher and basin stood in a corner of each room also. The hardwood floors lay under a coating of dust, and rag and braided throw rugs were scattered liberally about.

A bathroom at the end of the hall held another claw foot bathtub adorned with bronze fixtures and cherubs. The hallway itself boasted several original oil paintings of her aunt's with lighting tracts illuminating them, and the last door by the bathroom led upstairs into the attic. The light fixture didn't work there so they decided to wait for Alec to check it on his day off.

"I hate dark, creepy places like this attic, Aunt Polly." Maddy peered up in the darkness and shivered. "I checked, there's a lot of stuff up there."

They left that for Saturday and began on the rooms with added fervor. Domestic chores never were Maddy's favorite, ranking right up with grocery shopping. But, with Aunt Polly helping it went smoothly and as exhausted as she felt, it was a job well done. Everything sparkled by the end of the day.

"Aunt Polly, you're a whirlwind when it comes to cleaning. Now, I don't want you to overdo it. I wonder," Maddy said absently as they finished putting clean