Sara Stanley
"The sun shone brightly in the early January morning on Rose Cottage.
Usually she preferred unsalted porridge, but it was her younger sister, Olivia's birthday, and Hetty wanted to surprise her with a melt in your mouth breakfast.
"Sara!" she called up by the stairway "come down, I want you to set the table."
Up in her room, Sara hurriedly finished wrapping up the gift for her Aunt Olivia. "Sara Stanley i'm waiting!" said an impatient Hetty. "I'm coming, Aunt Hetty!" Sara called back as she carefully hid the gift in her pocket. She quickly went down the stairs and a wonderful smell itched up her nose. "Good-morning Aunt Hetty." she said briskly as she entered the sunny kitchen. Hetty flipped a pancake and smiled warmly. "Ah, good-morning Sara." she said as the pancake flopped on the serving plate. "sleep well?" Sara started petting Topsy and gave her some butter to lick. "Quite well. Where's Aunt Olivia?" she asked, remembering the unopened package in her pocket. Aunt Olivia was usually the first person up at the crack of dawn. How strange. Sara thought, not having her aunt in sight. Hetty poured batter in the griddle and went over to the counter to choose a special table cloth. "She went over to Jasper Dale's to pick up a few things." Hetty stared at the unset table and quickly laid the rose spud table cloth a bit carelessly on the table. "Sara, set the table, goodness she'll be home any minute." Hetty said as she went over to flip the pancake. "And ah, use the second best tea set, will you Sara."
"Yes, Aunt Hetty." Sara replied as she walked towards the china cabinet. The lovely blue spade china dish sat idley behind the glass frames, waiting to be used. But that was great Grandmother Kings favorite dish, and it was not to be used, unless for a special occasion, which was unfortunately not Olivia's birthday. As long as Sara could remember, she saw it being used only once, and that was six years ago, when she was a little girl of seven, the first year living with her Aunt Hetty and Aunt Olivia in Rose Cottage, and it was Aunt Janet's and Uncle Alec's 17th wedding anniversary. "Sara," Aunt Hetty's sharp voice broke through her nieces imagination. "Don't just stand there with nothing to do, set the table, and this time, young lady, be quick about it." Sara quickly left her imagination with great Grandmother King's spade dish,
and took out the second best set. "Hello Hetty!" called Olivia out from the hallway. "I'm back!" she unpinned her hat and threw her gloves on the nearby chair and walked swiftly into the kitchen. Sara quickly laid the last piece of silver where and plopped a pitcher full of the summer's dried flowers on the beautifully set table, with a fork of two crooked next to the plates. "Happy Birthday Aunt Olivia!" Sara said with a smile. Olivia laid the photograph equipment carefully on the floor and went towards her niece. "Thank-you Sara." she eyed the table "you set the table very nicely." then she walked over to Hetty. "Smells good." she said, her round, dark eyes sparkling. "I fixed your favorite." replied Hetty. "Breakfast is ready, take a seat."
Sara took out her small package from inside her pocket. "This is for you." she smiled. Hetty quickly laid the buttered pancakes on the table and went into the parlor to retrieve the gift she intended to give Olivia. Olivia carefully untied the red ribbon and gently ripped off the paper. A small, lace embroidered, handkerchief showed it's radiance. "It's lovely Sara, thank-you." she cooed. Next, came Hetty's gift. It was a small, black and white spotted notebook, within it read, in Hetty's elegant penmanship: "To my dear sister, May you always enjoy your career as a journalist. with love, Hetty" Olivia eyed it all over. "It's lovely Hetty, thank-you." she said warmly.
Before Hetty could become tearie eyed, she flopped a pancake on her plate. "Lets eat this before it becomes cold. Sit up straight, Sara, that's a good girl." Hetty looked over the beautiful table at Sara and Olivia. This is a moment to cherish, she thought. "I will bake a chocolate cake for dinner, Olivia, and, and, maybe...." she paused "we can all walk through the wintery woods after breakfast." she smiled warmly. And outside, the sun radiantly overhead, was gleaming through the kitchen window, warming the hearts of the three at breakfast, making their eyes sparkle."
"Yes, Aunt Hetty." Sara replied as she walked towards the china cabinet. The lovely blue spade china dish sat idley behind the glass frames, waiting to be used. But that was great Grandmother Kings favorite dish, and it was not to be used, unless for a special occasion, which was unfortunately not Olivia's birthday. As long as Sara could remember, she saw it being used only once, and that was six years ago, when she was a little girl of seven, the first year living with her Aunt Hetty and Aunt Olivia in Rose Cottage, and it was Aunt Janet's and Uncle Alec's 17th wedding anniversary. "Sara," Aunt Hetty's sharp voice broke through her nieces imagination. "Don't just stand there with nothing to do, set the table, and this time, young lady, be quick about it." Sara quickly left her imagination with great Grandmother King's spade dish,
and took out the second best set. "Hello Hetty!" called Olivia out from the hallway. "I'm back!" she unpinned her hat and threw her gloves on the nearby chair and walked swiftly into the kitchen. Sara quickly laid the last piece of silver where and plopped a pitcher full of the summer's dried flowers on the beautifully set table, with a fork of two crooked next to the plates. "Happy Birthday Aunt Olivia!" Sara said with a smile. Olivia laid the photograph equipment carefully on the floor and went towards her niece. "Thank-you Sara." she eyed the table "you set the table very nicely." then she walked over to Hetty. "Smells good." she said, her round, dark eyes sparkling. "I fixed your favorite." replied Hetty. "Breakfast is ready, take a seat."
Sara took out her small package from inside her pocket. "This is for you." she smiled. Hetty quickly laid the buttered pancakes on the table and went into the parlor to retrieve the gift she intended to give Olivia. Olivia carefully untied the red ribbon and gently ripped off the paper. A small, lace embroidered, handkerchief showed it's radiance. "It's lovely Sara, thank-you." she cooed. Next, came Hetty's gift. It was a small, black and white spotted notebook, within it read, in Hetty's elegant penmanship: "To my dear sister, May you always enjoy your career as a journalist. with love, Hetty" Olivia eyed it all over. "It's lovely Hetty, thank-you." she said warmly.
Before Hetty could become tearie eyed, she flopped a pancake on her plate. "Lets eat this before it becomes cold. Sit up straight, Sara, that's a good girl." Hetty looked over the beautiful table at Sara and Olivia. This is a moment to cherish, she thought. "I will bake a chocolate cake for dinner, Olivia, and, and, maybe...." she paused "we can all walk through the wintery woods after breakfast." she smiled warmly. And outside, the sun radiantly overhead, was gleaming through the kitchen window, warming the hearts of the three at breakfast, making their eyes sparkle."
