“IDON’T NEED Akeeper,” I grouched. “Maverick will be back in a few hours.”
A week had passed since I returned from the hospital and people’s lives were returning to normal. My mom and dad left me in Maverick’s capable hands after a tearful goodbye a few days prior. I appreciated their help, but I was glad to have the house and Maverick to myself again.
“No, but you need a personality transplant,” my Aunt Minnie snapped in return. “Maverick had some things to do that he couldn’t put off anymore and he didn’t want to leave you alone. Not because you can’t take care of yourself, but because he loves you,” she added quickly when I opened my mouth to protest. “What’s got you looking so glum? You’re sitting on your back porch on a gorgeous fall day looking at pictures of you and a man that makes you extremely happy. Yet, you look like you’ve just gambled your entire life savings away and are now penniless, homeless, and sexless. You make no sense.”
I looked at her then, really looked at her. It almost felt as if I was seeing her for the first time. I detected a note of jealousy and bitterness that was confirmed when she said, “Some people have it all and don’t know how to appreciate it.” As long as I’d known my aunt, she’d never been in a relationship. All questions about dating and love were replied to with jokes and sarcasm. Why was I detecting the nuances of a broken heart long left unhealed just then? What kind of psychiatrist was I? “You may not remember every little detail of your life the past few months, but isn’t it enough to know in this moment that you are loved? Can’t you just allow time for your brain to heal and bask in the love that others would kill to keep?”
Minnie had always been a straight shooter – blunt and to the point. I had always admired that quality about her, yet I never asked what brought her to that point in her life. Sure, some people were naturally that way, but in others, it was learned from life experiences; as if they just couldn’t stand to bog themselves down in the quagmire of other people’s bullshit.
“You’re right, Aunt Minnie. Your wisdom once again has made me feel better.”
“Fuckin’ A.” She nodded and gave a fist pump of victory before she turned her suspicious gaze on me. “I’m not falling for your trickery.”
“I’m being serious! You’ve given me the best advice of anyone for my entire life. It’s just a shame you haven’t taken the same advice you’ve given me.” I shrugged in mock sadness. Really, it felt good to be analyzing someone else for once instead of trying to focus on the few months of memories I temporarily lost. They were trickling back slowly just as Dr. Pastori said they would. “It’s too bad you’ve never let your heart heal and allowed yourself to love again.”
Her immediate response was some kind of grumble of denial that I couldn’t quite decipher. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She raised her head arrogantly and looked over the water.
“Too bad, because Mr. Bristol has the hots for you. He’s quite the silver-haired fox.”
“You, of all people, assume that I’m in to cock.” She pinned me down with a disappointed glare. “Why, because I’m a woman?”
“No, it has nothing to do with your gender or his. I’m basing my statement on the fact that you get as nervous as a hen with a fox in her house when you see him.” I cracked a smile as her face turned pink. “Your voice gets a little softer and you ooze southern-girl charm every time you speak to him. It’s so freaking cute.”
“Fuck you and fuck cute! I am beautiful. I am captivating and amazing.”
“You are all of those things and many more, which is why it’s a shame that whatever hurt you’ve had in the past is not letting you get to know Mr. Bristol better. If you think you’re too old…”
“Boy, you are really pushing me on this beautiful day the good Lord made.” I knew I had her rattled when she went from a sentence containing “fuck” twice to one praising God. “Why don’t you just go on back to pouting that your big hunk of a man left you for a few hours. Don’t drag me down and project your misery onto me. I’m perfectly happy with my life.”
“If you say so,” I replied with a shrug. “We can both go on pretending. I pretend to be miserable so Maverick feels bad and wants to make it up to me by getting naked. You go on pretending that you’re not a little bit lonely as you pine after the silver fox next door.”
Her only response was a deep sigh that was mixed with frustration and sadness. I wanted her to say more, but just then two teenaged boys rounded the corner of the house and headed to the porch. They looked enough alike to be brothers. They wore matching expressions of worry as they approached the porch steps.
“You must be Dante and Hunter, the two little shits who vandalized my house.” Their shoulders drooped in confirmation.
“My house,” I reminded Minnie. “Come on up, boys.” According to Maverick, we were both fond of the boys. Maverick spent a lot of time coaching baseball for one of them. I didn’t remember it yet, but I’d seen plenty of pictures.
“Do you remember us yet?” The youngest one asked. He had so much hope in his eyes that it truly hurt to tell him the truth.
“Not yet, but I’m sure it’s only a matter of time before I do. Are you boys doing okay? You look a little down.”
“We’ve just missed hanging around you guys is all,” the older one said. “I’m Hunter and this is Dante.” I was grateful he identified who was who and saved me the embarrassment of having to ask.
“Well, I’m feeling much better so I don’t see why you guys can’t come back and hang out with us again. I know this sounds weird, but I guess I owe you gratitude for bringing me here.” Minnie harrumphed beside me. “I’m pretty sure you guys learned a lesson and won’t do anything like it again. Am I right?”
“That ghost scared the shit out of me,” Dante said. “He was sure pissed at us too.”
“Can you blame him, boys?” Minnie had lost the edge to her voice. “He loved that house more than anything. He and Octavius had been through so much together and this house was the testament to Tave’s love for him. They couldn’t show their love for each other in public, but inside these walls they could be themselves. Can you imagine how hard that would be? To pretend that the man you love is your cousin and not your lover?”
“No,” Hunter said softly. “That’s really sad.”
“My granddaddy was his younger brother and Elijah moved him and his wife over from Scotland after Octavius passed. Granddaddy used to tell me stories about Elijah all the time. He said Elijah was always working on keeping the house in tip-top shape. He learned a lot about construction and updated the house over the years to keep with the modern era. Hell, Elijah worked up until the day he died.” Minnie sighed softly. “Eighty-five-years old and still working on the house he cherished so much. His heart gave out on him when he was making repairs to the wall in the master bedroom.”
I sat up straighter. “My room.”
“Yes, but you’ve always known that. It’s never bothered you before. Why do you look so spooked?”
“I’m not spooked.” I wasn’t. I had a feeling, a spine-tingling kind that made my heart race in excitement, not fear. I looked at Dante and Hunter. “Where were you when Elijah freaked you out? I mean, Maverick said you managed to tear out some plumbing in the downstairs bathroom and do some vandalism downstairs and upstairs so he didn’t scare you right away. What did you do to make him so angry if those other incidents didn’t?”
