Special Note:
I’m going to do a slight time jump in the story.

“Hey sis, can I go with Prue and her family this year when they go on vacation?” Tonya looks at her sister when she walks into the garage office.
Charlene looks up from the paperwork she has been working on. A smile appears on her face when she spots Tonya walking into her office. It never gets old seeing her little sister.

“Yes, you can go with Prue when she and her parents go camping next month.” Charlene knew Tonya would mope around the house while her best friend was gone.

Prue and Tonya were closer than natural-born sisters. Ever since Prue needed a marrow transplant and Tonya turned out to be a perfect match. That had been two years ago and it brought them closer.

“Thanks, sis.” Tonya was happy that her sister was going to let her go.

“You’re welcome. How was school today? Did you have any problems with Steve Miller and his friends again?” Charlene knew since Tonya and
Prue entered Jr. High, a group of guys in eighth grade, started bullying them.

They would come up behind some of the girls in school and pop their bra straps or try yanking the girl's skirts down. Prue and Tonya had been their latest victims. Not only did the boys pop their bras, but yanked so hard on the band that they tore the blouse the girls had been wearing and broke the strap.

The boys got suspended for a month for the prank they pulled. However, when the girls were walking home from softball practice. The boys ambushed them and regretted it. What the boys hadn’t counted on was that Tonya knew how to defend herself. She protected Prue and herself.

“It was fine. As for Steve and his friends, they got their butts kicked by Terry and her brothers. You should have seen it, sis. Steve and his friends needed to go to the hospital.”

“I feel sorry for their parents. They are nice people and work hard to give their sons a good life.” Charlene has met their parents and knew how hard they worked.

“I think if they separate Steve’s friends from him, they would be nicer. Steve is the problem. He walks around as the world owes him.” Tonya learned a lot from her godfather and godmother.

“When did you become so smart?” Charlene was surprised by Tonya’s statement.

“From you and our godparents.” Tonya loved her godparents a lot.

“Speaking of which, Mary wants to know if you and Prue would like to help this weekend at the bake sale?”

“Yes!” Tonya was excited. She loved baking with her godmother.

She also knew Prue liked baking and cooking as well. Prue has already won a few cooking contests her mother entered her in. The two of them had a part-time baking business they owned and were known for their brawny cupcakes.

They were busy during the holidays with baking orders and special sauces Prue made. The money from the sauces paid for the ingredients they needed for the baking business. She couldn’t wait to tell Prue.

Charlene saw how excited Tonya was. She knew her little sister loved working with their godmother and her best friend.

“Why don’t you call Prue later and see what she thinks.”

“I’m already on it, sis.” Tonya was sending a text message to Prue.

Charlene just shakes her head as she goes back to balancing the books. In the past few years, she took online courses to get her degree in accounting. She got her degree in Bookkeeping first and later took an online course to become an accountant.

By the time five o’clock rolls around. Charlene is finished with all the paperwork she had to do. She was also happy that social services didn’t check up on her and Tonya anymore. Since she turned eighteen years old, she was considered an adult by the law, even though she has been emancipated since her father died three years ago. She still misses him and wishes he was still alive.

Henry was over at the car lot filling in for Mark Walsh. Debbie worked the weekend and Mark worked during the week. Henry hired him because Debbie needed a break and she was a new mother. The father of her baby didn’t mind her working the weekends.

Charlene powers down her computer and goes out into the garage to double-check everything. She trusted Jose and ever since they made him the assistant shop foreman, he has done an excellent job. Once she was done checking everything, she walks back to the office and saw Tonya standing by the door, ready to go.

“You ready?”

“Yep!” Tonya was ready to head home. She had a load of laundry and a project to finish.

Charlene arms the alarm and walks out of the garage. She waits to hear the beeping sound, to let her know the alarm was armed.

“How about instead of cooking tonight, we get takeout.” Charlene looks at Tonya as they get into the truck.

“Sounds good. How about Chinese tonight?” Tonya loved Chinese food.

“Okay.”

Charlene drives to Number #1 Chinese and pickup takeout for her and Tonya. Afterward, she drives home.

“Prue says she doesn’t mind helping Mary out for the bake sale.” Tonya had waited in the truck and texted back and forth with Prue.

“You know, you can also use those phones to talk with each other.” Charlene glances at Tonya.

“But this is much more fun.” A mischievous smile appears on Tonya’s face.

When they arrive home, they walk into the house. Tonya takes her book bag to her bedroom and takes her tennis shoes off and changes out of
her school clothes. She puts on her favorite t-shirt that had a picture of her and Prue on it. She exits her bedroom and joins Charlotte in the living room.

Charlene takes her purse to her bedroom and put it on her desk. She walks back into the living room and sets out their dinner. She spots Tonya walking into the living room “select a movie and we’ll start eating.”

“Okay.” Tonya flops down on her favorite bean bag and selects a movie from Vudu.