Just Be True To Me

***

After Irene disappeared, he pulled her into his lap and nuzzled his beard in her neck. “You’re supposed to be on my side.” He was able to taste the gravy on her lips as he kissed her. “You don’t know how happy I am right now. If I’m being honest, I was a little scared.”

“Of me kicking your Grandpa out of that rocking chair?”

He nodded. “Yes.”

“I’ll give him a pass because he’s an old man.” She pecked his lips. “And I like you. A lot.”

Clifford pushed a stack of bills across the counter, his hopes of getting out of the door before Irene noticed dashed when she called his name. He winced as the stack slapped him in the chest. She cut him off before he had a chance to reply and didn’t protest when she shoved it into his pocket. They both laughed when she peeled off a couple of bills.

He said, “I was just trying to show my gratitude.”

“You want to show your gratitude, bring this one back to see me.” She pulled Mia into a long embrace. “I’m gonna give you my number, in case this one gets out of line. He has a lot of his grandfather in him.”

“No he doesn’t,” Larry said as he labored through the door. “I know how to use my hands. I bet you he can’t fix that leaky faucet in the bathroom.”

“You can’t fix the faucet.”

“Can too.”

Irene asked, “Then why haven’t you done it yet?”

“I got more important things to tend to. Like keeping you from turning into a fat hog.” He snatched the piece of toast before she had a chance to bite into it. “Because you’re my sister and I care about you and I love you.”

“And you need someone to keep from blowing your brains out.”

“That too.”

The trio exchanged hugs once more. Mia was half into the sunlight when Larry called her name.

He scratched the back of his neck, his eyes trained on his shoes. “I’m not crazy, no matter what Irene and Clifford tell you. I’m sorry for what I said earlier. I do think you’re pretty.”

A long silence followed. Both Clifford and Irene’s eyes bounced back and forth between them.

“I’d like to spend some time with you before we leave. I bet you we have more in common than you think. And you were right. I am from the south.” She stood in front of him. “Do we have a date?”

Larry raised his eyes, his head still down. “Yeah.” His gasped as she hugged him. “Pretty and smells good. You gotcha a good one here boy. You better do right.”

After a long day of visiting various family members, Clifford told her they had one more stop to make before going to the hotel.

Mia picked up the picture and rested in her lap. She hadn’t mentioned his mother for fear of his response, but she was definitely curious about the mysterious woman. Other than the trial, she hadn’t been interested in who she was and the influence she had on him. Given Irene’s personality, she assumed it was something along the same lines. Using the picture as a reference, she created an image of her, applying a few gray strands to her auburn hair and adding a few wrinkles to age her. She was still pretty and still had her vibrancy.

She smiled at the thought of hugging her, becoming slightly nervous that she might come across as too anxious. She made a note not to say anything about the trial. Realizing that she hadn’t thought about it their entire trip relaxed her.

Clifford picked the picture up. Though he smiled, the corners of his eyes drooped. “Not this time. She’s not feeling too well.”

“When did you see her?”

“I have a friend of mine to check up on her weekly. That’s one the one I’m paying to keep my secret,” he said with a wink.

***

The tires gobbled up the gravel as they traveled up the long driveway. A modest house colonial house awaited them. The white paint was cracking, allowing the maple colored wood to peek from underneath. Two young boys were busy chasing the butterflies. Once they grew tired, the older of them situated himself in the tire swing, instructing his brother to push harder. They didn’t become aware of the truck’s presence until Clifford slammed his door.

“Uncle Cliffy.”

Clifford caught one of them of each arm. Their adolescent giggles perfectly complimented his deep guffaws as he spun them, their legs flailing in the wind. They took turns telling him about the day’s accomplishments, catching a garter snake, making a clay volcano that exploded, and helping their mother make her famous double chocolate chip cookies, Benji, the younger brother, getting to lick the spoon.

“You know the drill,” Clifford said.

The boys formed a line.

“Chores?”

“I mopped the floor, cleaned my room, put my clothes in the washer, and washed out the tub,” the oldest brother, Dale said.

“Benji?”

“I washed and dried the dishes, helped mommy clean the kitchen, and I helped dad change the oil.”

Clifford peeled off six bills from his signature stack. “Homework?”

“Done,” both boys said.

He peeled off another two bills. “How long has it been since I’ve seen you.”

Benji gave chase to a lightning bug. “Three weeks.”

Clifford peeled off six more bills. He then dropped to a knee. “I know I haven’t been around much, but Uncle Cliffy has been working hard to take care of everybody. That’ll change really soon. You see that lady sitting in my truck?”

They both peeked over his shoulder, Benji commenting on how pretty Mia was.

“She’s my special helper. So I want you to put your best foot forward and be the gentlemen I know you are.”

A mannish smile began to appear on Benji’s face. He twisted back and forth in the mischievous way that children do when they stumbled onto a secret. Soon, his smile was taking up more than half of his face. “You like her.”