S.M.O.M.S. (Ingrid) by DiscipleN
Chapter 5
Near dusk, Mother found us wiping picture frames and polishing furniture. She studied our work in minute detail. “What’s left on the checklist?”
“I think we got it all, Ruth.” Words I never would have spoken to her.
She had pinned the list to the refrigerator, with a magnet. Studying it, she coughed. “Did you sand the crossbeams?”
“I don’t remember that on the list.” Andrew cocked his head.
Mother looked at me. “You didn’t tell him?”
“I was washing the rugs out back.”
“Excuses!” She told her grandson, “That’s part of the room scrubbing. The humidity weakens the surface of those two timbers. Even if you oil them, you have to sand them once a year and apply fresh oil.
“Sorry. I’ll get to it after supper.”
“You’ll have to move out half of the furniture again to avoid drips.” She shook her head. “I don’t blame you, Grandson.” Until then, she had called him, Andy. “I see I should have been more specific. I trusted your mother to remember something that important. I was wrong.” She sighed and looked at her daughter. “You look proper worn out today, Ingrid. You can’t be expected to remember everything. I’ll help you in the kitchen.”