Zoeys POV:
Zoey woke up with so many things going through her mind. As she made her bed and got dressed, she kept making passes at the desk of things on her to-do list. These were all things she needed to get in order, things she needed to clean, organize, and sort through and had been putting off. She ate breakfast and started a load of laundry. Man was it nice to finally have a washer and dryer at the house. It is a shame Gram passed before getting to use them more than once, she thought. She watered plants and then went to check the mailbox. Guess Peggy had not been by yet. She would leave a note on the front porch for Peggy to help herself to a cold bottle of water out of the fridge on the back porch since it was already a humid 93 degrees.
Zoey went back to the items on her list. Oh, how easy it could be to just do something else. Maybe the plans needed watering, or she thought. No, she said out loud. I cannot put this off anymore. She went to her Grams closet and began to sort through the closet of all the clothes that needed to be donated or tossed. Before she passed, Gram had a long talk with Zoey about what to do when she passed. She wanted to be sure her wishes were followed through on and it was not a burden to Zoey or anyone else. Zoey started taking clothes from the closet and putting the hangers in a pile and the clothes in a box for the clothing closet at the church. Harry was supposed to come by and pick up everything she could gather this afternoon. She forgot how many dresses and shoes Gram had in her closet and seeing all of these, she dreaded emptying her highboy (the name Gram called the dresser). She continued to work until the closet was empty, and all the clothes that had once belonged to Gram were now in boxes sitting on the front porch.
Just as she set the last box down, she saw Peggy walking up the street. She went and grabbed an ice-cold bottle of water and met her at the mailbox. "Hi, Peggy. How are you doing today? Here is a cold bottle of water. I thought it might help cool you off and help keep you hydrated." Peggy shook her head and replied, "Child you are just like your Gram, always looking out for me. It is a hot and humid day, and the cold water is much appreciated." Peggy handed the mail to Zoey and back on her route she went.
Just as Zoey began to look through the mail, Harry honked the horn and pulled into the yard. Zoey laid the mail in the house on the counter and came back out to meet Harry at the front steps. "Hey gal, how are you holding up?" Harry asked. "Your Gram was loved by so many. Guess I should have known she would continue to give even after her passing. he continued. Zoey smiled and said "I'm doing well Harry, thanks for asking. It is hard to believe it has been 9 months since yesterday. I have my good and bad days as she was all I had left, but she made me promise I would do this, and I am trying to get it all done before I get busy with school and work. It has been rough, and I could use a break, but I told Gram that I would make this home my own and donate her old clothes to the clothing closet, and some of the old pieces of furniture to Bennie down at the Disabled American Veterans (DAV.) She had replaced lots of the furniture and beds with her tax returns last year to make it more "hip" as she called it for me. I have left a message for Bennie but have not heard back from him yet. I hope he is ok in this heat. Harry smiled, "sweet and caring just like your Gram. Bennie is good. We saw him at church on Sunday. He has been out of town at his daughter's house in Georgia I think, so I am sure he is just getting around to all his messages. You can always give him another call. If I see him, I will mention to him he needs to reach out about a time to come get the furniture." "Thanks, Harry, and thanks for grabbing all of these clothes Zoey said, giving him a quick hug before he got back into his van and left.
Zoey went back into the house and decided to follow up with Bennie as Harry suggested. That way that is one more task off the to-do list and more space cleared up.
Bennie answered on the second ring. "Hey Miss Z, how are you? You have been on my mind, and I had you on my list to call this afternoon." She did not know why but she felt herself blush as she did every time Mr. Bennie called her Ms. Z. He had been doing it for as long as she could remember, but it always brought her back to simpler times going to Bennies' house for lemonade and cookies with Gram. She was never worried about Gram in the many years after Poppa passed as Gram stayed so busy and Mr. Bennie was always asking her to dinner or tea or even a movie from time to time. It used to be a joke that she was going on a date and had more games than a teenager. Gram would deny it, blush, and say, "We are just two adults enjoying each other's company dear." Zoey did not care. She was glad Gram was happy and active up until the last week before she passed. Zoey and Bennie arranged a time that afternoon so that a couple of the guys who work down at the DAV warehouse could come to get the furniture. After that, they finished their call and Zoey went back to her to-do list.
