"You're name is Suri right honey?" Grandma asked squinting her eyes. She placed the cold pack of peas on the side of Suri's jaw
"Yes I am mam. I came here little while ago when my momma-" Suri said.
"Yes, yes I remember. No need to refresh my memory," Grandma replied shaking her hand dismissively.
"Why do you think you are here young lady?" she asked
"Cause I don't have no place else to stay. I guess." Suri replied looking down at the ground.
"What makes you think you don't have any place else to go? You're what- eight, nine, ten years old? The whole world is at your feet young lady. This place is merely a pit stop. You can leave anytime you like," she said.
"What if I don't want to leave?" Suri said looking up teary eyed.
"You can stay my dear, but never be afraid to leave ya hear? Sometimes you have to leave your comforts behind and discover what it's like to be uncomfortable." Grandma replied as she examined Suri's face for any bruising. She took her two fingers and lightly pressed several spots on her face to see if they were tender.
"You'll be okay. A little red and swollen for a few days, but you'll be fine."
" What do you mean by saying I should be uncomfortable?" Suri said perplexed. Grandma laughed and said " I remember when I was a little younger than you and I needed new shoes. I had a pair of black shoes with buckles on them that I wore darn near everyday. I loved those shoes, but then just like that I got too big for them and I had to squeeze my feet into them. Oooh my baby toes hurt so bad!" She said with a chuckle. "But then one day my momma got me a new pair with lace up string instead of buckles, because she said I was old enough to tie my own shoes. I put on those new shoes and they fit perfectly! It took me a while to learn how to tie them just right, but I was so proud to wear shoes with lace up strings. See honey, you'll learn soon enough that comforts don't help people grow." Grandma smiled and gave Suri a tight hug.
"Make sense now?" Grandma asked as she stood up and walked away.
"Yes mam," Suri replied smiling. She watched Grandma walk toward the front of the house. Then she stopped and turned her head over her shoulder.
"Won't you do me a favor and tell Cara that I said she can help me sew my dress after breakfast tomorrow. That should give you enough time to swing under the tree by yourself- with out her supervision," Grandma said with a wink.
"Yes mam!" Suri said beaming from ear to ear. "I'll go tell her right now!"
