Curious to see what events transpire over the next year.
My sometimes cousin Becca blew into town last weekend. Usually I’m warned by the Chemtrails that her broom leaves across the sky, but not this time. I got a text message from her to meet at our usual coffee shop. She looked pretty good, not too worse for wear. It's been five or so years, since I've seen her. I'm not sure what she's been doing, where she's been, or if she could even tell me; but that's the way Becca is.
So after we got our coffee, she’s now drinking hers black, without all that extra crap she used to put in there, she led me to a table in the back. She still sparkled and was very upbeat.
“So Uncle.” She said. “It looks as if your stocking didn't work.”
“I don't stalk anyone! Well, outside of Qwirky Girl in L.A., but I just pretend because she likes the attention.
“I didn't mean stalk, but stock, there's a difference.”
“I don't stock people.”
“I think we covered this years ago. Anyway, you did and it hasn't done you any good, has it?.”
I sighed. “No it hasn't done me any good. Some I had carefully stocked away have slowly vanished, leaving only some marginal beauties.”
“It's just like in your ‘Slice’ story uncle. And remember how Skinner never remembered meeting you?” She said with a bit of a sad look in her eyes. “Why did you expect it to be any different now that you're available?”
“Well, one can always hope.”
“Hope springs eternal and all that folderol!” She said. “But you know as well as I, that things aren't going to change. You’re the same person you were in the beginning, you're the same person now. They all look at you the same way. It was real nice when you were married. Widowed, the game changes. And except for the ones you don’t want to come a calling, they're going to slowly start to vanish because you know why Uncle Greg. You’re going to have to step off your front porch and search.”
“I was worried.” I said. “If you came back into town, what would happen between us.”
“Uncle, didn't you know that when you sent mom a copy of your story ‘A Darkness of Auntie’, that I would find it and read the story too? Come on! That’s what I do for a living! But I can understand how you got the wrong idea! At least mom finally told you the true story, how she was already pregnant with me at the time.”
“When did she tell you who your biological father is?”
“Oh, not long after her diagnoses. Dad had always been my dad, and always will be. But mom knew I needed to know all of the details. I was old enough by then.” She reached out and laid her hand on my arm. “It’s okay. Mom’s not your aunt, more like a ‘kissing aunt, if there is such a thing. Maybe I just wanted to be more than just a kissing cousin to you.
“I wondered, especially after I helped you dispose of that body. When you kissed me, but I was able to fend you off.”
“I wouldn't have done anything more because you were married. But I’ve always wanted to kiss you, ever since I was a teenager. And I knew we had to do something so the officer wouldn’t be suspicious about what we were doing on the road to Kirby Cove after midnight. And I knew I could get away with it.” She grinned mischievously. One can never trust my Becca. “It was really nice then, Uncle Greg; but now I know we wouldn’t work. We are vastly different.”
“Yes.” I answered, and smiled at her. It was nice that she had grown up and understood that long term relationships were based on more than just physical attractiveness.
“Soon you’ll step off your front porch. But you've got to be careful at the home office! You know whom I'm referring to. You could make a mistake, and it would be a lulu!”
“Yes I know who you're referring to. I just didn't know you knew about her.”
She smiled. “Well, I have my sources. You should be careful. You no longer have the ring to protect you.”
‘No I don't.’ I sadly thought to myself.
“It could be a big mistake!” Becca continued.
“Yes, and it might be a fun mistake, for a while.”
“Yes.” Becca answered. “She will probably try to get something started even though you're 3000 miles apart and you're rather long in the tooth.”
“Thanks for reminding me. You little witch!”
She smiled. “And yes it could be fun for you, Uncle. Something to pass the time, maybe a ‘meantime girl’, while you're at the home office? Because I think you're going to be there a number of times this year.
“Yes, a bunch of times.” I answered.
“But eventually it's going to go south, turn into a big mistake”.
“But it might be fun making a mistake. I’ve never made one.” I answered.
“Yes.” Becca sighed. “Unlike me, you've had an excellent record and you might think to yourself that you could at least have one mistake, but this one might be really big. The mistake could end two different ways. One, it could end abruptly and terribly, with a broken heart, or two. The other way it could be a mistake if it doesn't end and you end up years down the road realizing the mistake you have made.”
“This is interesting cousin Becca. Relationship advice coming from you.”
She sighed. “Yes, but I am good at it. I've left a trail of mistakes round the world.”
“Yes, that you have.”
“And speaking of cleaning up mistakes. When are you going to write our story, the story of the body?”
“You’re story. I just helped with the cleanup. You know, ‘Real friends help you move bodies’.”
She smiled wickedly. “And family helps you bury them.’ That makes us family!”
“I suppose I could write that at any time now.” I said. “I can obfuscate the information so no one could actually tell what the circumstances were.”
“Cool. Just call me if you need help with the details.”
“You know, if the cops ever find the body, I’ll have to marry you just so they can’t force us to testify against each other.”
“I know.” She said and she smiled wickedly.
That wicked smile still haunts me.
