(This storu dose not have a name yet!)
it's not at all finished, and need a LOT of work still, i just wanted a firend to read it.
"Mom's gone, I'm at the airport she just took her plane to Europe, and mine to Kansas is all most ready" Helen poked her head out of the phone booth, to see if the plane was still there "Ashley, I'll call you when I get to the farm ok? Gee, I miss you all ready… you have no idea how much I want to just turn around and go home!"
"Relax, who knows, maybe a while with your grandmother in the country, will make you appreciate your apartment in New York!" said Ashley trying to make her best friend feel better.
"I'M GOING TO BE THERE ALL SUMMER!… not a 'little' while. I haven't even met my grandmother once in my life!" the green light which told people that the plane was ready for passengers started blinking "got to go Ash, call you when I get in, bye!" Helen hung up the phone and rushed to get in line.
Helen got a good seat by the window, but wished that she remembered to take her makeup bag out of the suitcase, which was now in the storage part of the plane. How was she going to touch up her face before she saw her grandmother?
"Hi, my name is Clare, can I sit next to you for a while?" a girl about five years younger then Helen took the seat beside her. "Cool jeans! My mom will only let me ware the plain bell bottoms, what's your name?"
"Helen" she smiled sweetly at the younger girl, not really knowing what to talk about… not boy friends or style, she was too young to know anything about it.
"I'm on a vacation, we're stopping at Kansas only for an over night, then we're on our way to California! I can't wait to see Brittany Spears!" just at that moment Clare was called away by a woman who seemed to be her mother, the little girl promised to come back latter. But Helen couldn't help but think, that if she was going to California, she'd try to get in and see Orlando Bloom…
Between the tasty referents and the CD player, Helen hadn't even noticed how much time had pasted, they were there… darn it! And she was going to meet her grandmother for the first time ever.
To Helen's surprise the air seemed unusually fresh and sweet, unlike home… no, that was just her imagination, stinky farm land like this couldn't smell better than home, never.
Many people dashed about, changing planes, meeting people, but where is my grandmother? Many people were waiting around for friends or family to come off the plane, many women, many older women. Was she to walk up to each one and say "Are you my grandmother? Caroline Hays?" No, that wouldn't do, too embarrassing!
She was just about ready to walk up and ask a lady when the stranger was suddenly joined by an older man. Try again. Maybe the one in the pink T shirt? Helen smoothly raced thought the crowd, when from nowhere a man clunked into her sending both of them on the ground.
"Oh, sorry!" Helen apologized, then got up along with the man. He was on the older side of middle aged, jeans, plaid shirt, thin, wrinkled, tan, and looked like a hick! The man just grunted at her… rude. Helen reached down and picked up a photograph he dropped and handed it to him. She started to walk off when the flash glimpse of the person in the photo popped into her mind. It was a picture of HER!
"HAY you, mister! Excuse me ladies… HAY!" when she reached the man he turned around, and gave her a strange look.
"Are you Helen Strider?" he held up the photo up next to her face. "Yep, I guess you are."
"That's right, are you my grandmo- I mean, do you know my grandmother?" she asked.
"Yeah, I work for Carrie; c'mon I'm s'pose to bring you to her, I'm Tom. Where's your bag, girl?" Helen scowled at him; this summer was going to be fun.
"This all your luggage?" asked Tom, staring at all the suit cases and many hand bags..
"Yes" Helen answered with a blank look. "Why?"
"Well, are you sure your, the only grandkid, I'm s'posed to bring back?" he then took off his hat, scratched his greasy head, than spat on the ground "that's a powerful lot of luggage for one little girl…"
Helen rolled her eyes and told him that she only brought what she needed.
Helen didn't bother to remark on the pickup truck that was to drive them to the farm, for he would probably scratch his head and spit again. A preference which he had preformed several times since she'd met him. It was an ancient ford, with torn seating, and rust everywhere. A wooden fence went around the bed, along with a sheet of plywood flat on the floor of it.
"You wanna ride in the back?" Tom asked, and let down the tailgate.
"Sure" Helen put her knee up on it to go in, when she noticed something dark in the upper corner. "What's that" she asked with her noise wrinkled.
"Cow pie" he said very ordinarily.
"A what?"
"Cow pie… cow dung. Where you from girl!?" Tom lifted the bags into the back.
"I-I-a, think I'll ride up front, thank you" and immediately lowed herself.
"Suit yourself"
It had to of been the slowest car Helen had ever experienced, and without air-conditioning! But finely they pulled in a long driveway with a strange little mail box that was hand painted of little farm animals, such as ducks, cows, horses, dogs, cats, goats, ect. And beside the flag wrote " " and that declared it, this was to be my home. All summer long.
The driveway seemed to go on for miles, with board fencing bordering it. cows on one side, horses on the other. I asked it I could roll up the windows (not eclectic!) but Tom was against it, he said it was too hot. So Helen pinched his noise with her finger, she would have rather dealt with worst temperatures then this to get away from the horrible smell of horses and cows!
Soon a house came into view, An old farm house, white with shutters. There were bright grass all around it, and little colorful flower gardens everywhere. To the left stood a large red barn with huge double doors, partly open. And to the right stood another one identical. The truck came to a stop in front of the house, and Helen opened the door. Before she could turn around two huge dogs jumped her, sending Helen to the ground in an instant. One stood on top of her while the other fought for its position, but the whole time neither of them creased on licking Helens face. Tom howled with laughter and you might have too if you'd seen the look on Helen's face… pure disgust and dislike.
"Helen!" came an overjoyed voice, and the bang of a screen door. "Helen dear! Tom get those dogs of her, this instant!" An old lady with long gray hair pulled back into a single braid, in a sky blue dress covered up with a large white apron flung herself down the two stares to greet her grandchild.
Tom shooed the dogs away, and before Helen could barley get to her feet she was caught up in a huge.
"You don't know how long I've been waiting to see you Helen!" Carrie hays said on the verge of tears. Then released her slightly at the over squeezed purple tint in Helen's face.
"The Same here, a, Carrie… I mean Miss Hays..um…"
"Grandma, call me grandma! Please come into the house we have so much to talk about! Tom take Helen's things to the room a prepared for her." Carrie Hays took Helen by the shoulders and lead her into the house. And Helen got her first real look for the first time at her grandmother. she had a welcoming face that twinkled with happiness, her skin was tan, as if she spent many hours outside in the sunlight. Yes, grandma seems very nice, I can't believe that I've gone all the years without ever meeting her, Helen thought to her self. Maybe the summer would be ok after all.
Helen was given a tour of the farm house, as she and her grandmother talked about the plain trip, there lives, and how much fun Helen was guaranteed to have this visit. It started in the front hall just after they entered the house, straight ahead the steps which went up the stares. To the right stood the family room. Old fashion, yes. But also kind of beautiful, stained wood couches with comfortable looking cushions. Homey brick fireplace, stained tables, and an eye catching cabinet with what looked like some awards and special keepsakes enclosed.
In the kitchen to the left of the front door, and by the way Carrie Hays spoke about it, the pride of the house. There were Yellow walls, and white painted cupboards, a small table with a bright cloth, and daisies in a vase. Above the sink a round window looked out into a small fenced area behind the barn. There were also three doors, one to the side which led to the barn yard, another in the back, a dining place for the barn help. And the last one led to Carrie Hays bed room, which would be shown to Helen later, but now it was time for her to see her own room.
They were up stares on the landing, the door to the right. The one with the little plaque, in the shape of a horse with Helen's name hand painted on. Helen looked back at her grandmother.
"Go ahead, go in, it's your room" said Grandma, obviously sure that Helen would love it.
With a short turn of the knob, the door opened (with a creaky squeak) and it was a lot to take in with one look. Straight ahead a large window, almost a third of the back length of the room, with horseshoe curtains. And to the left of that, the bed so piled with stuffed animals that you couldn't see the pillows, and at the foot of it there stood a wash stand. On the other side of the room there was a dresser with many drawers. Round windows on each side of the room, and a large closet assessable thru the door right next to the one they entered. Lamps, rugs, models posters, hair brushes, nick knacks, and more. it was all to with animals, and mostly horses.
Helen turned once more to look at her grandmothers beaming face, and realized that this room was important to the old lady.
"It's, um… Beautiful!" Helen put on a smile worth photographing, even though it was only half hearted. "…I have never seen anything like it."
"Oh Helen, I'm so glad you like it!" she gave the girl a hug, and turned to the door. "Go ahead and explore, you will find other gifts hidden everywhere. Don't for get to put your things in the drawers."
Helen heard her grandmother go down the stares; do to the outrageously squeaky stares. How old did she think Helen was? She thought to herself. Only the youngest child would want a room like this! She noticed her bags and things on the rug in the middle of the room, and opened them. Taking a stack of shirts, she went to the drawers. Already inside there were a few clothes (extremely un- fashionable!) she slid them over and put her own stuff in. now for that stupid poster! Helen un rolled the poster, which was well packed in her bag, and took the pins out of the horse poster, dropping it on the ground. It was a mega poster of Johnny Depp from "At Worlds End" she couldn't live without it, not even for the summer!
In another drawer, there were hair ties and in the lowest drawer, there were about a dozen educational books on farm animals… on top of the dresser, there stood a jewelry box, hand carved and stained. Inside was a little charm bracelet, covered with charms (and guess) all farm animals.
Helen squeaked down the stares came evening, and found her grandmother in the kitchen, mashing potatoes.
"Thanks Grandma, everything is…nice" She didn't want to get off on the wrong foot, after all she had to be here all summer.
"I'm so glad. Dreary, would you help me out here and bring those bowls there on the counter to the dining room?" Grandma asked.
Helen picked up two and headed to the door, one heaping with mini chicken legs, the other with some kind of green vegetable. I guess they don't eat out here, Helen thought to herself. That's what she and her mom always did.
The dining room was small, with an large table and a bench on both sides. When you think "bench" you might think of a picnic table or something, but no. this was a beautiful set, stained and glossy. Helen realized one thing about this house, everything was old fashion, and so out of date. But it was all tip top shape and clean! Near the door there was a small table with drawers in it, which held napkins, forks, knives, and dishes. So the workers could help them selves. Helen was just about to place the two bowls on the table when the door in the back (which let the workers in) opened, and a young guy came in. the second she got a look at him the bowls slipped from her hands, to the table. The chicken made it right side up, but not the vegetables. Whatever they were they went rolling across all over the table, and to the floor, and the bowl skid off the table and hit the floor, and smashed.
With the crash of the bowl, Helen got a grip on herself, and managed to close her mouth.
"Are you ok?" the guy asked her with concern.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine" Helen said staring at him.
"What was that!?" Grandma came thru the door in an instant.
"I'm sorry Grandma, I broke one of your dishes" explained Helen looking down at the mess.
"That's ok honey, it's just a bowl, I was just afraid there for a moment that someone got hurt." Her grandmother smiled at her and went back to the kitchen. Helen grabbed the broom in the corner, and started picking up the glass.
"I'm sorry if I startled you, and made you drop the bowl" said the young guy.
"Oh, that wasn… I mean, yeah… its ok" all of a sudden Helen felt shy and clumsy.
At the small table in the kitchen Helen and her grandmother talked about Lillian Strider, Helen's mother. And why she left home and went to the city. It turned out that Lillian was never into the farm life, and the moment she was eighteen dashed to New York, and got married. Carrie never saw her much after that.
It also turned out that the green vegetables that Helen dropped were Brussels spurts, and she had wished that she'd dropped there helping too! (YUCK)
Up in Helens room that night, she lay on her bed devastated. There's no TV, and the telephone only reaches a few near by places, and Helens Phone had no reception on the farm. The only electronics were the ones Helen brought, the I-pod, and wireless laptop.
Turning the computer on, and adjusting the webcam, Helen found that Ashley was online with her webcam also.
"Ashley, I'm doomed!" Helen told her.
"Why didn't you call me!?" asked Ash.
"You won't believe this. No phone! And beside I had work to do, she had me hand wash dishes, no dishwasher! My finger nails are ruined for life!" Helen put her nails up at the webcam.
"Oh, poor Helen!" Ashley sympathized.
"You don't know the worst of it! Take a look at this!" Helen held the laptop backwards in her hands and let the webcam sweep over her room.
"It looks like a three year olds nursery! Don't tell me that's your room!" Ashley asked in surprise.
"Yes, and it's not like, it's a extra room, and the only place for me to stay. She made it like this! JUST FOR ME!" Helen plopped down on her bed again with the laptop.
"Maybe she thought you were younger then how old you really are?" suggested Ashley.
"No, I asked her about that. She's just super wired!" Helen told her.
"Oh Helen, sorry, but I have to go now, Tina Fisher is here" said Ashley "Bye, and good luck!"
"Tina Fisher? Oh, ok, bye Ash" with that Helen switched the laptop off. Tina Fisher. The coolest girl in school last year, as soon as I leave, Ash runs off with her, Helen thought.
It was late, Helen washed her face and put on her pajamas, she might read for a while, and then go to bed. she pulled three books out of her hand bag "The Girls guide to, Boys" "un-naturally beautiful, in ten EZ steps" "Kayla's first Date, By Cristina Lovelace" and one magazine "Spy"
Helen opened the drawer, and was just about to cram her books in, all besides "Girls guide to, boys" when she noticed something else inside. "Battle cry forever" and "Mystic Tide" but they were only more horse books! With one fairly quiet frustrated scream, Helen thou the books across the room, where they mashed against the wall. She lost her desire for reading and pulled back the bad covers for bed. Giving the stuffed animals a fling across the room she laid down, with only more trouble. Something was under the pillow, a box maybe. Yes, a box with a horse on the outside, so that to, found it's place along side the horse books and stuffed animals.
Helen woke to a knocking at the door.