The next morning, Serena awoke early so she could shower before she
went to work. She had to work until 3 p.m. that day with the exception of
her lunch break from noon until 1 p.m. Just as Serena was getting out of
the shower, the phone rang. Luckily, someone answered it.
"Serena, it's Mina!" Ikuku yelled up the stairs.
"Okay!" Serena said. When Serena picked up the phone in her room, Ikuku hung up her extension.
"Hey, Mina. What's up?" Serena asked.
"Not much. I was wondering if you'd like a ride to work today?" Mina said. "We both work the same shift today."
"Sure," Serena said. "That way Mom can have the car and not worry about having to pick me up later."
"I'll pick you up at 8:30," Mina said.
"See you then. Bye," Serena said and hung up the phone. When Serena finished getting dressed, she walked downstairs for breakfast.
"Mom, Mina's going to pick me up for work today and she'll probably give me a ride home, too," Serena said.
"That's good," Ikuku said. "Now I can go shopping without having to worry about what time it is." At 8:30, a horn honked outside.
"Bye, everyone," Serena said as she put on her shoes and ran out the door. Mina's convertible was waiting in the driveway.
"Morning," Mina said as Serena climbed into the car.
"Morning," Serena said in reply.
"I hope we're ready today," Mina said. "The boutique is having a huge sale today."
"Oh, geez! I forgot!" Serena said.
"Oh, well," Mina said. "We've had big sales before and you handled those okay."
"I just hope I can remember my manners when two or even three girls are fighting over the same dress," Serena said.
"You will," Mina said. The girls handled the sale fine. After work, Mina and Serena drove to a paint store to get the paint needed for Serena and
Darien's new apartment.
"White paint will be fine," Serena said to the clerk. "It blends with everything." Serena then bought enough paint and painting supplies to paint every room in the new apartment.
"Would you help me paint, Mina?" Serena said. "I'm going to ask the other girls, too."
"Sure, I'll help you," Mina said. "And I'm sure that Amy, Raye, and Lita will help, too."
Before driving Serena home, Mina drove her to the new apartment so she could store the paint cans there.
"How about Sunday?" Serena said to Mina on the way home. "You and I both have the day off then."
"That's no problem," Mina said. "Andrew has to work that day, anyway."
"I'll call Amy, Raye, and Lita to ask them and then I'll call you," Serena said.
"Sounds good," Mina said. Once Serena got home, she immediately picked up the phone and called her friends. They were all free and agreed to help Serena.
Three days later, the five friends met at Serena and Darien's new apartment. They all wore old clothes and brought newspapers to spread on the floor.
"Is Darien working today?" Amy asked.
"Yeah, and he's on call tonight," Serena said.
"The poor guy," Raye said. "That must be hard on him."
"Well, that's the medical profession," Amy said. Amy was in medical school at the time.
"Well, Serena, when he's had a rough day, you'll be relaxing him, if you know what I mean," Mina said.
"Can it!" Serena said. It took from 9:00 in the morning to 9:30 at night to finish the painting. When it was done, the girls went to Raye's place for some hot chocolate.
"Serena, it's Mina!" Ikuku yelled up the stairs.
"Okay!" Serena said. When Serena picked up the phone in her room, Ikuku hung up her extension.
"Hey, Mina. What's up?" Serena asked.
"Not much. I was wondering if you'd like a ride to work today?" Mina said. "We both work the same shift today."
"Sure," Serena said. "That way Mom can have the car and not worry about having to pick me up later."
"I'll pick you up at 8:30," Mina said.
"See you then. Bye," Serena said and hung up the phone. When Serena finished getting dressed, she walked downstairs for breakfast.
"Mom, Mina's going to pick me up for work today and she'll probably give me a ride home, too," Serena said.
"That's good," Ikuku said. "Now I can go shopping without having to worry about what time it is." At 8:30, a horn honked outside.
"Bye, everyone," Serena said as she put on her shoes and ran out the door. Mina's convertible was waiting in the driveway.
"Morning," Mina said as Serena climbed into the car.
"Morning," Serena said in reply.
"I hope we're ready today," Mina said. "The boutique is having a huge sale today."
"Oh, geez! I forgot!" Serena said.
"Oh, well," Mina said. "We've had big sales before and you handled those okay."
"I just hope I can remember my manners when two or even three girls are fighting over the same dress," Serena said.
"You will," Mina said. The girls handled the sale fine. After work, Mina and Serena drove to a paint store to get the paint needed for Serena and
Darien's new apartment.
"White paint will be fine," Serena said to the clerk. "It blends with everything." Serena then bought enough paint and painting supplies to paint every room in the new apartment.
"Would you help me paint, Mina?" Serena said. "I'm going to ask the other girls, too."
"Sure, I'll help you," Mina said. "And I'm sure that Amy, Raye, and Lita will help, too."
Before driving Serena home, Mina drove her to the new apartment so she could store the paint cans there.
"How about Sunday?" Serena said to Mina on the way home. "You and I both have the day off then."
"That's no problem," Mina said. "Andrew has to work that day, anyway."
"I'll call Amy, Raye, and Lita to ask them and then I'll call you," Serena said.
"Sounds good," Mina said. Once Serena got home, she immediately picked up the phone and called her friends. They were all free and agreed to help Serena.
Three days later, the five friends met at Serena and Darien's new apartment. They all wore old clothes and brought newspapers to spread on the floor.
"Is Darien working today?" Amy asked.
"Yeah, and he's on call tonight," Serena said.
"The poor guy," Raye said. "That must be hard on him."
"Well, that's the medical profession," Amy said. Amy was in medical school at the time.
"Well, Serena, when he's had a rough day, you'll be relaxing him, if you know what I mean," Mina said.
"Can it!" Serena said. It took from 9:00 in the morning to 9:30 at night to finish the painting. When it was done, the girls went to Raye's place for some hot chocolate.