[Second Chances 02]California Dreams by Morris Fenris

finally fell asleep, but it felt good to be back home and in control of her life once more.

Chapter 11
    “I shouldn’t be more than a couple of hours. Are you sure you’re okay with this?” Grace asked Jane one last time.
    Jane smiled and shooed her out the door, “Go. Princess Daniella and I have a tea party to attend, don’t we sugar?”
    “Yes. But first, you promised we could make finger sandwiches.” Daniella got a funny look upon her face and skirted around Jane to reach her mother, pulling her hand until she leaned down. Daniella whispered, loudly, “Mommy, she’s not really going to put fingers in sandwiches, is she?”
    Grace and Jane both struggled to contain their laughs as Grace answered her daughter, “No, Dani. They’re called finger sandwiches because they’re little and you eat them with your fingers.”
    Daniella seemed to think about that for a moment and then smiled, “Okay. I gots it.”
    “You do?” Grace asked, wondering what exactly was going through her daughter’s head. “Explain it to me so I’m sure.”
    “Well,” Daniella told her, placing a hand on her hip and pointing with a finger of the other hand, “If you eats it with your hands, it’s okay as long as you call it finger stuff. Like, finger pizza, or finger carrots. But we wouldn’t want to eat finger cereal.” Daniella made an icky face and shook her head. “No, that would just make a mess.” Turning to look at Jane, she instructed her, “You’s got to use a spoon for cereal. Not a fork, cuz that makes a mess too.”
    Jane couldn’t contain her laughter anymore and asked, “Tried it huh?”
    Daniella looked saddened as she nodded her head, “Yep! Forks have holes in them.”
    “That’s about right.” Looking at Grace, she nodded at the clock, “You’re going to be late if you don’t head out right now.”
    Grace gave her daughter one last hug with a reminder to “Be good for Aunt Jane.”
    As she drove into the arts center, she thought about the upcoming semester and all of the things that needed scheduled. I hope we got our new funding.
    The San Diego Center for the Performing Arts was a non-profit organization that helped promote the musical arts. Grace was in charge of the Vocal side of the center, not only coaching and directing several ensemble groups, but she was also in charge of the Southern California Children’s Choir – or SCCC.
    The SCCC was a choir designed especially for children in grades two thru eight and was an audition-only group. The choir had been started to give talented kids a place where they could learn and develop their talents long before entering the public school higher education classes.
    The three hundred voice choir met from September thru May every year, with the season broken into two semesters. The second semester would begin in only two short weeks, and Grace was still undecided about the songs they would be performing this semester.
    She arrived at the center to see many cars she recognized, as well as a few she didn’t. She made it to her office without seeing anyone, and then realized that the meeting was ready to start. She hurried to the theatre, entering from the back and taking note of everyone present.
    Derek York, the director of the center, was surrounded by people she didn’t know, and she smiled as she approached.
    “Good morning, Grace. I trust you had a pleasant trip to Montana?”
    “Yes, I did. But, it is good to be back home.”
    “We’re glad you’re back as well. Let me introduce you to our guests. This is David Simpson and his wife Deirdre. You might have heard of her husband’s endeavors in education with the Simpson Preparatory Academy?”
    “Why, yes! In fact, my daughter is slated to begin preschool there on Monday.” She shook hands with Deirdre, a very stately looking woman with a kind face and the gentlest touch.
    She turned to shake hands with David as well, “My daughter is very excited about joining your son’s