Sam’s Club, Two Weeks Later:
“Thanks for bring me shopping grandma.” Maria pulls a handkerchief out of her coat pocket and blows her nose.

“You’re welcome, sweetie.” Betty looks at Maria as she walks next to her.

The two of them go through the aisles picking out items that they needed for the house and Maria’s apartment. A few times she has to help her granddaughter because of how short Maria is. By the time they go through the check out, they end up spending two hundred and fifty dollars.

“Boy, grandma, its expensive to buy in there.” Maria was surprised at how much she spent. Normally, she spent about two hundred and thirty dollars a month shopping at Food Loin or a little more at Tinee Giant down the street from her apartment.

“Well, you are buying in bulk, sweetie. I bet you won’t have to run to the store for a while to get any of the items you bought today.” Betty looks at her granddaughter when she says that.

“True.” Maria helps load everything into her grandfather’s new pickup truck. It had the lid on the back bed area so you could put things in the bed and cover them up.

“Grandma, doesn’t this negate the reason to buy a truck?” Maria always believed that you bought a pickup to haul things, not to look cool.

“Your grandfather said the same thing, but he bought the truck any way.” Betty knew Maria was just like her grandfather when it came to vehicles.

“Grandma, can we stop at the Seven/Eleven near your house, please?”

Betty looks at her granddaughter “how come?”

“It’s my turn to buy the lottery tickets. Vincent and I alternate each week on who buys the lottery tickets.” Maria checks her purse to make sure she had the money.

“I can think of better things to do with the money, but yes sweetie.” Betty didn’t mind stopping at Seven/Eleven for her granddaughter.

After twenty minutes of driving, Betty pulls into the parking lot of the Seven/Eleven right around the block from her neighborhood. Maria unbuckles her seat belt and looks at her at her grandma “do you want an iced tea, grandma?”

“Yes.” Betty was feeling a little thirsty.

Maria goes inside the store and grabs a Arizona Iced Tea, Southern style for her grandma. She grabs a Pepsi for herself and waits in line to pay.
She was behind four other people. The guy in front of her stunk to high heaven. She could smell the manure and diesel fuel on him. She tries to not breathe to much.

She was thankful when the other cashier motions for her to come forward. She places the drinks on the counter “can I get one random Powerball and one random Mega Million ticket, please?”

“Do you want the Powerball and multipler?” The cashier looks at Maria.

“Yes, please.”

The cashier prints the tickets out and rings them up. She looks at Maria “that will be ten dollars.”

“Here you go.” Maria hands her ten dollars.

She was surprised that it came out to be so even. She puts the tickets in her back pocket of her blue jeans. She picks up the bag the drinks are in and walks back outside and get into the truck.

“Here you go, grandma.” Maria hands the Arizona Southern Style Tea to her grandma.

“Thanks, sweetie.” Betty accepts the tall can.

Maria watches as her grandma heads to her place first. When her grandma backs the truck into the driveway and parks. She gets out and helps her grandma unload her stuff and carry them into the house.

Maria helps put everything away. She knew her grandmother had a place for everything and never changes it. She wonders where her grandfather.

“Where’s grandpa, grandma?”

“He’s over at Charlie’s place helping him install a new television set.”

“Grandpa was never good with electronics. He always had me do it.” Maria knew her grandfather hated messing with cable and computer stuff.

“He’s just helping Charlie hang the new television set he just bought so they can watch the football games on.” Betty knew how her husband and his friends were when it came to football.

It was the one passion her husband had, besides fishing and boating. She knew he missed being in the military. Although, neither one of them approved of their daughter ignoring Maria.

Betty gives Maria a ride back to her place and helps her unload her stuff. When she walks into the apartment, she could smell something delicious cooking.

“What is that wonderful smell?” Betty follows her nose to the kitchen.

“Korean Barbecue, grandma.” Maria knew Vincent was making it in the crock pot.” Maria and Vincent love cooking in it.

“I’m going to have Vincent make me some.” Betty loved the aroma from it.

“I’ll save you and grandpa some and bring it down to you.” Maria didn’t mind saving some for her grandparents.

“Thanks, sweetie.” Betty hugs Maria before she leaves.

Maria walks her grandmother down to the truck and watches her drive off. Once her grandmother was gone, she heads back up to her apartment. She takes her boots off and removes her cold weather gear. Lately, the weather has been colder than normal. She hated winter,

Maria gathers her dirty clothes together and put them into the washer. She adds the detergent and press start. She was glad her apartment had the hooks for a washer and drier. Sure, she ahd to pay extra, but at least she didn’t have to go to the laundry mat. Not that she would, because her grandparents would let her uses the washer and drier at their house.

Maria puts the lottery tickets up on the refrigerator. She throws the old ones away. She goes about fixing herself some lunch and sits down to watch some television until Vincent gets home.