Part One. https://peakd.com/truestory/@thehive/life-and-then
Part Two. https://peakd.com/truestory/@thehive/life-and-then-s4rd0e
Part Three. https://peakd.com/truestory/@thehive/life-and-then-s54jh5
Part Four. https://peakd.com/truestory/@thehive/life-and-then-s5fn5n
Part Five. https://peakd.com/truestory/@thehive/life-and-then-s5l5xk

I missed the beneficiaries setting on this post, I will send the equal about of hive the post makes to Rocco. (Message added in edit.)

I'll get myself charged under the child labour laws. The dumb things men do for a smile. Probably a bit more than that. Might be a bit of everything. The smile just highlights the moment. For a brief moment. Someone agrees with her, that the world was put here just for her.

The next day.. and the day after and the one after. Can I be your helper. Now there is nothing really. Like I could slave them away at bringing in a tray of can'd cola, one at a time. Between the weight of the items and the shelf height. So the first two days. Enthusiasm was denied opportunity. On the third day. A suggestion of maybe playing on the chromebook. This entertained for a while Youtube Elsa and someone else.

Monday came around, bored with waiting, arriving early to the shop. A portion of sausage rolls and a cup of tea. Yea, Tom. Cheeky enough to have a tea break before he does anything. by the time four o clock came. The drinks were full and shop clean. A look at the crisp multi packs and then it would be floating around for the rest of the day.

Rea. Hey, can I e your helper today?

Toms inner thoughts raced. There was something different about being a helper today. Oh jeazus. what the. Then life hit.

Tom. I'll tell you what. I'm about to take a break. How about we have a quick drink and then we find something to do. Tom had a Lucozade and Rea a Lucozade sport. They sat by the front doors the shop on a shrub stand. The break probably took five minutes. Tom enquiring about school and favourite subjects. Not much intelligence garnished there. That's why I didn't become a spy.

Moving back into the shop.
Tom. Tight let's find something to do. How about we do the crisps? More a statement than a question.
The look up and a smile was agreement.

Tom. Okay. Let's see what crisps we need and then see if we have any outside.

Chickatees
Waggles
Snax

Tom. Let's see if any of those are out there.

Tom walked first Rea followed.

Looking into the 40 FT container. Ooh I never knew this was here.

Tom got two 6 PK Snax. Three Waffles and asked if Rea could carry all three of those for him and another 3 packets of Chickatee's. Tom Left Rea to put the crisps on the shelf and stood back. Saying thanks for the help and she makes the job so much easier and faster. Those filled Tom asked. Any others we need.

Rea. Emm. King and burger bites. I can get them.

Tom. Yea okay. I'll go with ye anyway. Just in case a box of Rice Krispies falls and squishes you.

I think that was a that's impossible look I got then.

King Burger Bites. Doritos and variety packs Wotsits all go their chance to be filled by Rea.

Rea. Anything else?

Tom. We could do the toilet tissues and kitchen towels.

Rea. Yeah, Where are they?

Tom. They are over here. Let me show you. This one over here. We call this one the shed. There is heavy things in here though to. So You wait by the door and I will bring them to you.

Rea. Can I look in?

Tom. Yea sure you can look see where I am going and what I am doing, But don't walk in all the way. If the bottles of cola fall. They would hurt.

Tom passed a couple of kitchen towels and asked if she could put them in the shop. That they were too high for her to reach. But put them on the floor by where they go. He would go back and get more. This was repeated with 2 more kitchen towels, Then another trip with 2 toilet tissue and Tom carried four.

After putting the tissues to the shelf. Rea enquired again if there was more to do. This 10 minutes of work had taken a total longer then 30 minutes. Tom did not mind but did worry Mom and Dad might be wondering where she had got to.

Tom. We are all done now really for the day. You get yourself a packet of crisps and a drink if you want one.

Tom always paid for the drinks he gave to Rea. He also made sure she seen that he paid before she got to open them.

To be cont'd...