Lacey and the African Grandmothers by Sue Farrell Holler Page A

the nasturtiums bloomed, and even better when we could put them outside for everyone to see. But even though there were leaves on the tress now, Mrs. B. said it wouldn’t be warm enough for the nasturtiums to go outside until after Easter Break. That meant at least two more weeks of waiting, waiting, waiting.

    By the time Easter was over, the days were getting longer, and the sun was getting so warm each afternoon that I didn’t need to wear my jacket on my way from my school to Sequoia. I skipped down the street, feeling the warm sun on my skin. I was hoping it was time to put all those flowerpots outside to make the town look prettier, but even more, I wanted to see how the plants looked. I’d been worried about them all during the school holidays. I wondered how they would survive for ten days with only the water in their saucers. Angel had promised me she’d water the plants when she got to school that morning, but I didn’t know if she had remembered to do it. I was also anxious to see the flowers. They hadn’t bothered to open before the school break.
    â€œAh, Lacey. I’ve been waiting for you.” Mrs. B. had a big smile on her face as she walked across the room to meet me. “We have a surprise for you.”
    I wanted to see the surprise, but I wanted to see my plants more. I gave her my shy smile and didn’t say anything.
    â€œCome on,” she said, putting her arm lightly on my back and directing me to the stairs. “The surprise is outside.”
    All of my plants were there. Thirteen pots in all different sizes and shapes. Some were made of plastic, and some were made of clay. Some of the pots were hanging by wires from the tree, and some were beside the sidewalk. The plants were so bushy that you couldn’t tell that the tops of some of the pots were chipped. The plants had their leaves turned to the south, to the sunshine. My face smiled the big smile now, the one that shows my crooked teeth.
    â€œThey look beautiful,” I said. I bent close to the blue pot. Some of the flowers were almost hidden by the big leaves, but I could see that they were shaped like a cone with a flared end.
    â€œThe boys carried them outside this afternoon, and Lila set them up,” said Mrs. B. “They really are stunning, and they make the whole street look brighter. There is one more pot to bring out. It will go on the front steps of the church, but I told them to wait. I wanted you to see all of these first.”
    I felt so proud of my flowers and how they looked. I felt as if the sun was shining from me. I had made this beauty with my own hands. Everything seemed to be perfect.

Chapter 14
Heartbreak
    T he weather in Alberta in the springtime is a crazy thing. Some days it’s as hot as summer, some days it’s as cold as fall, and some days the wind blows so hard it feels as if it will knock you over.
    Clouds had covered the moon last night, and the wind that blew through my sweater made it feel colder than it had been since winter. I was worried that a frost might have come to hurt my flowers. I was supposed to cover them up with sheets after school, just in case a late frost came, but I’d been so busy yesterday that I forgot. I didn’t like how that wind felt. I hoped my forgetfulness hadn’t killed my plants. That would be a horrible thing to happen.
    When the bus dropped me off at my school, I ran past the six houses to Sequoia, hoping to check on my plants and then run back to my own school before the bell rang. Besides, I wanted to see if Lila had made muffins. Dad was away again, and I didn’t have time to eat breakfast or make my own lunch this morning. Mum wasn’t up yet because she had been busy helping Angel take care of the baby. Kayden was sick and had been crying all night.
    I glanced at the heavy clay pot on the front step; the plants were safe. They looked as green and lively as they had yesterday, and even more of the buds