Ghost Granny (5 page)

“Nothing. I actually just made a delivery at
the school and kept these three out for us. Dig in.” Sebastian
said.

“Thank you. I know Cody will enjoy his lunch
today as well, he likes turkey. Isabel, I understand you teach a
craft class at the school, that sounds interesting.”

“It is, and it is fun as well, I wasn’t
kidding when I said this is my busy time. The kids make Halloween
decorations and then they go into the stores and shops and decorate
each one. It is a tradition and everyone gets involved. Halloween
around here is a very big deal.” Isabel explained.

“I could tell that just from seeing all of
those pumpkins growing on the way to the house. You take care of
that area as well, Sebastian?”

“Yep, I am a jack o lantern of all trades
around here.” He smiled and his sister groaned. “Keeps me busy and
also keeps me from getting bored. By the way, have you decided yet
if you are going to come back to the house to stay?”

“Oh, I am so glad you mentioned that,
Sebastian. Yes, Cody and I will be staying at the house. I do not
have your phone number, nor yours Isabel, so I am very glad you
both came by today.” Catherine said, making quick work of the sub
sandwich and bottled water that Sebastian brought them.

“I showed you the big bell on the porch of
the house, well, there is also one at the top of the hill. Whenever
you are ready to come back to the house, just ring it and I will be
able to hear, wherever I am, and will take you back to the house.”
Sebastian said.

“I have heard that the school rings bells to
let people know that school is out, but I hadn’t noticed a bell at
the top of the hill.” Catherine said.

“It is there, and it is loud. Saturday
afternoon is when we have the big Halloween party over at the
Recreation Center. Everyone dresses up, so fair warning. It should
be a lot of fun for the kids and adults too.” Sebastian said.

“It does sounds like a lot of fun, could you
use a volunteer?” Catherine offered.

“Not this year, you are new here so you just
enjoy, next year if you want to, we can find something fun for you
to help with.” Isabel answered for her brother. “Although, Friday
night I plan to marathon bake and make, you and Cody can help me
with that if you want to.”

“Bake and make, sounds like a plan! Count us
in!” Catherine smiled. “Baking pumpkin pies and cookies and of
course, making more of the chocolates. It is fun, but it does take
a lot of time. Speaking of the time, I have to get back over to the
school.” Isabel said, standing up and gathering her sub
wrapper.

“I need to go too.” Sebastian said. “See you
both later, remember to ring the bell on the hill, Catherine.”

“I will, and thanks again for the lunch!”
Catherine said, saying goodbye to her new friends.

At exactly three p.m. Catherine heard the
sound of the school bells ringing. She washed her hands and locked
up the chocolate shop, hanging the “We will be back in….” sign with
the clock on it on the door after rearranging the hands of the
clock to 3:10.

She walked the half block to the school,
passing children on her way and their parents who all had a smile
and a big ‘good afternoon’ to share. Catherine spotted Cody
standing just inside the school door and waved. Cody ran outside to
meet his mother and gave her a big hug.

“Mommy, I love this new school! I met
Sebastian’s son Max, he is in my classes and guess what? His aunt
Isabel is the arts and crafts teacher and we got to make glitter
pumpkins and all kinds of scary stuff for Halloween! There is a
party this Saturday at the Rec Center and oh mom, I am so glad you
bought me the Halloween costume!” Cody paused to take a breath.

“I am glad you had a good day, Cody! Isabel
told me about the Halloween party, I already told her that we will
be there. Are you hungry?”

“No, we had subs for lunch and as much of
them as we wanted too! We each also got a bag of chips and a
chocolate milk! They give you enough time to eat at this school too
mom, not like my old school where they rushed you and you spent
most of the time in line waiting to get your food. They even gave
us an afternoon snack!” Cody said, digging into his school bag and
coming up with an apple. A small box of raisins and a cup of
yogurt.

“They certainly think of everything around
here.” Catherine said, opening Thelma’s Chocolate’s with her
key.

Cody ran to the display case that had all of
Isabel’s new Halloween candy in it. “Wow, mom, these look
fantastic!”

“They do, don’t they? Isabel made them and
she offered to show us how to make them too. Friday night we are
all going to bake cookies and make candy together, would you like
that, Cody?”

Cody answered by running up and giving his
mom a big hug. “I love that, mom, you are the best mom in the whole
wide world!”

“I’m glad you like it here, Cody, we are
very lucky.”

“No, mother, e
very
cause has its effect; and every effect has its cause; everything
happens to us because of what we do.” Cody said, as if reading from
a script.

“
My goodness Cody,
that is deep. Did you learn that today in school?” Catherine
asked.

“
Mr. Lucky taught
us that, he is very smart.”

“
What else did you
learn in school today?” Catherine asked him.

“
Did you know that
long time ago people’s clothes were all the same color? Then people
found out that if you put stuff like tree bark into really hot
water and put your clothes in there for a while and then dry them,
that you can make your clothes brown or different colors that way.
I also learned that long time ago they didn’t have regular stoves
like we do now, they had to put boards in their ovens in order to
make cookies, so they didn’t fall off of the
boards.”

“
All that is very
interesting, Cody. Do you have the same teacher for every
class?”

“
No, there is Mr.
Lucky for Science and History and Isabel for Arts and Crafts, but
that is all I had for today. I saw other teachers walking around
though, so tomorrow I might meet some more of them. Oh, Sebastian
came in with the subs for lunch and he passed them out, he and Miss
Cindy.”

“
Miss Cindy?” Who
is she?” Catherine asked.

“
Miss Cindy is
really pretty. She is the lunch lady.”

“
Oh.” Catherine
said, wondering why it slightly bothered her that Miss Cindy was
pretty. “Do you have any homework?”

“
That is the best
part mom! This school does not believe in homework! Mr. Lucky said
that if you can’t learn it all in the hours you are in school, then
you are not going to learn anything after.” Cody said, grinning
from ear to ear.

Catherine had to
admit that she agreed with that philosophy. How many nights she and
Cody had lost sleep trying to construct some school project or
other? She always felt it became more of a chore than a learning
tool since the parents usually finished it while their child slept.
She felt the same way about the kids selling cookies or other
items. It was always the parents who worked for large corporations
whose children won those contests. The ones with moms and dads who
would take the brochures to work and have everyone there order
whatever they were selling. What did that teach the child? Very
unfair to the children who did not have that particular advantage,
or have a big family to sell to. Catherine liked the basic idea of
a competition, but wanted a more even playing field for the
kids.

The bell above the
door rang and Isabel walked in with a little boy about Cody’s age.
Cody instantly jumped up “Hi Max! This is my
mom!”

“
Nice to meet you,
Max. I am glad Cody has a friend, new schools can be
hard.”

Max had a look of
confusion on his face. “Why?”

“Just meeting new
kids and having all new teachers. Starting classes a good month
after everyone else, it can’t be the easiest thing.” Catherine
explained, wondering why she would have to.

“
Max and I are
headed home, we stopped by to see if Cody wanted to leave with us.”
Isabel said. Cody looked up at his mother expectantly. “Hum, I was
hoping Cody would want to hang out here with me for a while. Cody,
how about keeping me company and telling me more about your day?”
Catherine asked.

Cody looked a bit
disappointed, but he said “Sure mom.”

“
Max and I will
see you two later then, remember, tomorrow night is bake and make
night.” Isabel said, carrying out the empty trays she had gathered
up. Catherine told Isabel that she and Cody would be looking
forward to it.

Why couldn’t I go
with Max?” Cody said after Isabel and Max had left. “Because I want
you here with me, Cody. You have been gone all day in school and I
missed you. Besides, didn’t you tell Luna that you wanted to work
with me here in the shop?”

“
Yes, I think I
should start by taste testing that chocolate spider.” Cody said.
Catherine smiled and took one of the little chocolate spiders that
were arranged on a plate on top of the counter to be given out as
samples. She took one for herself as well. “This really is the best
chocolate I have ever tasted.” Catherine said. “Me too!” Cody
agreed.

There was a steady
stream of customers, but enough time in-between sales to allow
Catherine and Cody to tidy up. At the end of the day they put what
little left over product there was into the refrigerator and locked
the doors behind them. Walking to the hill Catherine decided to
stop in the fabric store and purchase material for a Halloween
costume for herself. She bought a few yards of black shinny
material and a few other items.

They drove their
van to the hill and parked it near the bottom in a lot where they
had the shortest walk. Catherine got out the garbage bag full of
clothes while handing Cody her packages from the store. When
Catherine closed the back door of their van, she saw a short row of
little wagon that she had not noticed before. There was a sign
above them that said “Hill transport wagon – please leave at the
top of the hill.”

“
I guess these are
here for us to use, Cody. That will help a lot, these clothes are
heavy.” Mother and son got to the top of the hill without
difficulty and Catherine rang the big bell before turning to
complete their trip to the top. Again she was mesmerized by the
beauty of the scenery before them. “Here comes Sebastian!” Cody
yelled out. Sebastian sprinted up the hill to help them and their
packages to the wagon. “Looks like you went on a shopping spree!”
Sebastian said.

“
Somewhat, the big
bag is full of our clothes that we brought with us.” Catherine
said. “I didn’t know if I should stop to get laundry soap or not, I
need to wash them before we can wear them again. They have been
sitting in the car all this time in the bag.”

“
No need, there is
laundry soap and everything you need already at the house.”
Sebastian said.

When Catherine and
Cody were in the house and Catherine was sorting through their
clothes to wash them, she noticed Twinkle was sniffing the bag of
material she had purchased. “No Twinkle.” She said. “You have
beautiful long white hair, but I don’t want it to get on the
material I bought to make my costume. Cody, why don’t you take
Twinkle out on the porch since she has already
eaten?”

Cody reached for
Twinkle to pick her up, but apparently Twinkle did not want to be
picked up. She jumped away from Cody and ran to sit on the window
seat by the big front bay window. “She does not want to play right
now, mom. Can I go over Max’s house?”

“
Not right now,
Cody. You saw each other at school all day. Finish eating your
dinner. I am sure Max and his family are having their dinner as
well.”

“
Yeah, at school,
we didn’t get to play or even talk much, except at
lunch.”

“
I just know how
busy Isabel said she was. Remember that we are getting together
tomorrow night and I am sure that it will take a long time to bake
and make candies. Why don’t you just stay in or go swing on that
big porch swing and after I put this load in the dyer and another
load in the wash machine, I will join you.”

Cody finished his
dinner, put his glass and dish in the sink and then walked out onto
the porch while Catherine continued to busy herself with the
laundry. When Catherine walked out onto the porch a good fifteen
minutes later carrying two glasses of ice tea, she did not see her
son. She put the glasses on the little table on the porch and
called out his name. She was just starting to go down the stairs to
look for him when she hear him laughing and saw him riding one of
the miniature horses that they had seen on their first trip to the
house. Sebastian was leading the horse, but it had no saddle on
it.

Catherine
swallowed her fear of Cody bouncing around on the horse bareback
and called out to him. “Cody, how did you end up on the
horse?”