'Til Sun Beams Find You [COMPLETED]

Twenty-three

Ann Simmons loved apple pie more than anything in the world.

Her entire face lit up when her grandson arrived at her home with a slice of pie from her favorite restaurant in hand.

He had surprised her, as she was the first person he thought of when he woke up that morning. He decided to make the trip over bearing her favorite dessert for her to have as dessert later that evening.

"Oh Carter," she wrapped her arms around the boy she was once taller than, years and years and years ago. He was a man now, but in her eyes, he was still her little Carter Lee, a curious mind with a sweet soul. "How I've missed you, baby."

"I know. I'm sorry I've been busy," he said as he kissed the top of her head. "But I'm here now?"

Ann smiled as she grabbed ahold of Carter's hand.

She rubbed it lovingly.

"You are."

With his hand in her small one, she pulled him to the backyard slowly, where she had been before he knocked. Her steps were short and close together as she felt off-balanced most days, but Carter didn't mind as he let her lead the way. They got outside and he plopped into the comfortable patio couch next to his grandmother. When he kicked his feet up onto the table, she delivered a look that had him promptly removing his feet.

"My bad," he chuckled, unsure why he even thought he'd get away with it in the first place.

On the table, there were at least twenty small pots, a watering can, gardening gloves, as well as a small shovel.

"I'm growing a tomato garden," she told him as she put the gloves back on. "Last week we planted bell peppers and the week before that we planted strawberries. The strawberries are already starting to grow a bit."

She grabbed an empty pot and began to pack it with soil.

"What did you do this morning?"

"Shiela made this delicious oatmeal for me, then we went on our walk around the neighborhood, and then she helped me set up gardening while she goes grocery shopping."

He knew for himself, as at the corner of the table, there was a little sticky note that said 'Shiela's at the store, she'll be back at 2:30.'

But Carter didn't comment on that, as it seemed his grandmother was having a great morning.

"Oatmeal is such an old people food," he said instead and welcomed the slap she gave to his leg.

He dusted off some of the soil that got on him with a chuckle.

"How was your morning?"

Carter stretched his arms out and yawned. "I was sleep til an hour ago so it's been uneventful."

"Asleep," she corrected, the English teacher in her still picking at her hate for improper grammar. "I was asleep," she said and then paused pouring the tomato seeds into the small pot to give him a long look.

"What?" He smiled. "I can't wake up at noon?"

"When your grandfather was your age–"

He smacked his lips. "Oh my God man..."

She put the pot down. "When your grandfather was your age, he was up at 4 in the morning, taking the bus across the city to get to work to deliver the mail all day. And then he'd be home at 6 carrying these big grocery bags every night in his hands for the next night's dinner."

"Sounds like he didn't get much rest," he joked.

She sighed. "He was such a hard worker. He'd whip your butt for waking up at noon. He used to whip your father for the same."