Becca surveyed the sea of boxes with a determined expression. "Well then, point me where you need me. I'm ready to work."
"The kitchen is partly done, and I'm going to start working on the living room," Harper said. "Everything else still needs unpacking. All the boxes are marked, and stacked in the rooms they're supposed to be in."
"I'm with you in the living room," Nathan said, inspecting the labels on the boxes in the spacious room. "Half a dozen of these are labeled 'knick-knacks.'"
Harper just grinned at him, unapologetic. She loved her collectables.
"I'll take care of the bathrooms." Becca headed down the hallway, pausing to wave at Talya who was carrying an armload of books into the spare bedroom.
"I've got the books," Talya called out cheerfully. "This room looks like it could be a library."
"Yes, that will be my study," Harper called back.
Jacinth had already claimed the kitchen, her hands moving with practiced efficiency as she unpacked dishes and cookware. "The organization in here is coming along nicely," she said, opening another cabinet.
Katerina disappeared into the hallway with a stack of fresh towels and sheets. "I'll get these into the linen closet," she called over her shoulder. "Harper, your color coordination is impressive. And by the way, how about if I make up your bed?"
"That'd be great, thanks," Harper called back.
The sound of cheerful chatter and rustling boxes filled the apartment, punctuated by Talya's occasional exclamations over interesting book titles she discovered. Nathan caught her eye from where he stood connecting the big-screen television, which stood proudly in the center of an entertainment center. "You okay?" he asked softly.
Harper nodded, unable to keep the smile off her face. "More than okay. This is perfect."
An hour later the doorbell chimed again, and Harper's fox-enhanced senses caught the delicious aromas even through the closed door. She threw it open, to find Kester and Tamera standing in the hallway, laden with dishes.
"We come bearing sustenance," Kester announced, holding up a large pan that smelled of ground beef, pasta, and béchamel sauce.
"That smells amazing," Harper said, stepping aside to let them in.
Tamera followed, unloading a large bowl of salad, pita bread, and hummus onto the kitchen island. She looked around the living room and dining room. "Wow, this is coming along fast!"
The scent of food drew the others from their various tasks. Talya bounded into the kitchen first, peering eagerly at the dishes as Kester and Tamera set them on the counter.
"Is that pastitsio?" Katerina asked, inhaling deeply. "Kester, you've outdone yourself."
"Fresh from the restaurant kitchen," Kester confirmed, pulling off the foil cover to reveal the layered pasta dish.
Harper retrieved plates from the newly stocked cabinets while Nathan grabbed utensils from a drawer. Everyone gathered around the kitchen island, drawn by the mouth-watering aromas.
"This looks wonderful," Jacinth said, helping to distribute plates.
Kester glanced around the apartment as he served generous portions of pastitsio. "The place is coming together nicely. You've got a good crew here, Harper."
"You've made amazing progress," Tamera agreed, removing the lid from the dish of hummus. "Though I wish we could stay and help more."
"The restaurant calls," Kester explained apologetically.
"We completely understand," Harper assured them. "Thank you so much for bringing lunch. I'll wash the pans and stuff and bring them back this evening."
"That's fine," Kester assured her, heading for the door.
"Don't forget to save room for dessert," Tamera called over her shoulder as she trailed after Kester. "There's baklava in the blue container."
The group settled around Harper's dining table - her first meal in her new home. The pastitsio was perfectly layered, the pasta tender and the meat sauce richly seasoned. Conversation flowed easily as they ate, punctuated by appreciative sounds and requests to pass the pita bread.
After clearing away the lunch dishes, Harper set the baklava aside. "We'll save this for our victory celebration when we're done," she said, closing the door.
The afternoon stretched on as they tackled the remaining boxes. Muscles ached and energy flagged, but determination to finish kept them going. Nathan hauled empty boxes to the recycling area by the trash bins downstairs, while Becca and Katerina organized the spare room. Even Talya's endless enthusiasm had dimmed to quiet concentration as she arranged books by genre on the shelves.
