Auntie Jenn - Chapter 03
A Meeting of the Minds
I tried to stay awake as long as I possibly could that night; I really wanted to talk to Auntie. I had to find out if what I suspected to be true was, in fact, true. At first, everything had seemed so perfectly obvious, like puzzle pieces sliding effortlessly into place. But the longer I turned it over in my mind, the more improbable it all began to sound, and doubt crept in. The certainty I had felt earlier started to dissolve, replaced by a gnawing uncertainty that maybe I had misread everything entirely.
I watched television long after Mom and Dad had gone to bed, but nothing held my interest enough to keep me engaged. Eventually, I retreated to my room and climbed into bed, hoping my latest novel would draw me in. Yet, before long, the words began to blur and swim before my eyes. I set the book aside, planning to rest my eyes for just a few minutes, all the while listening for the faint sound of Auntie's return.
I awoke with a start, rubbing my eyes and glancing at the clock. Shit, I thought angrily, I had been asleep for almost ninety minutes. Leaping out of bed, I cautiously opened my bedroom door. When I had gone to bed, I left the living room light on for Auntie, but now the house was in complete darkness. Well, almost complete. I smiled faintly, noticing a shaft of dim light spilling from beneath Auntie's bedroom door.
Hurriedly, I threw on a pair of nylon running shorts and a tank top, quietly closing my door behind me as I crossed the landing to Auntie's room. I knocked lightly before pushing the door open just enough to peer inside.
Auntie was sitting up in bed with her knees drawn to her chest, the blankets gathered around her legs, watching TV. She wore a pale blue nightgown with thin spaghetti straps that bared her shoulders, with delicate lace tracing the neckline. Her smile was warm and inviting as she saw me, and waved me to come in.
"Hey, there you are," she said, patting the bed beside her. "Come and sit with me."
I hesitated momentarily but then approached and sat beside her on the bed. "What are you watching?" I asked, glancing at the TV.
"An old movie," she replied with a smile. 'Jerry Maguire'... and my favorite part's about to come up."
I nodded, settling in next to her as the familiar scene began to unfold on the screen. There was a comfortable silence between us as we watched together.
On the screen, Tom Cruise is telling Renée Zellweger he loves her, and then, after his lengthy confession, she utters the immortal line "You had me at hello."
As the screen faded to black for a commercial break, Auntie raised the remote and switched off the TV, letting out a soft, contented sigh. "I just love that part," she said, her eyes still lingering on the now-dark television screen. The room was illuminated only by the soft glow of her bedside lamp, casting a warm, cozy atmosphere around us.
For a moment, neither of us spoke, the quiet intimacy of the scene settling in. I glanced over at her, noting the peaceful look on her face. "Yeah," I replied, "it was a really poignant line."
She turned to look at me, her expression gentle. "You know," she said softly, "sometimes, it's those simple, honest moments that say more than anything else."
I smiled and nodded. Now that Auntie and I were alone and face to face, with no distractions, a disquieting sense of hesitation and insecurity began to creep in, dispelling the tentative confidence I had felt earlier.
"So?" she said, cocking an eyebrow at me, "You certainly seem a little more... relaxed and casual... than you were earlier this afternoon," she said, the corners of her mouth lifting into a very slight smile.
I shrugged slightly, raising my hand with my thumb and forefinger slightly parted. "Little bit maybe, I guess," I said with a self-conscious smile.
Auntie laughed softly. "Good," she said, "That's at least a step in the right direction. I take it that means you've been thinking about everything we talked about earlier?"
I nodded, feeling the weight of her gaze on me. "Yeah, I've been thinking about it quite a lot, actually," I admitted. "I've been wracking my brain, trying to figure out what you meant when you said I was missing something important."
Auntie tilted her head slightly, her smile deepening. "And...?" she prompted gently, encouraging me to continue.
"Well..." I began tentatively, "I think I might have a pretty good idea about what you meant."
She turned her body toward me, leaning in a little closer, her shoulder against the pillows. "So tell me..." she said softly, her smile fading, "What is it you have come to realize that you didn't quite grasp this morning?"
I sighed, feeling my face begin to warm as my uncertainty grew and I felt the first stings of renewed embarrassment. "I mean... I THINK I know what you meant, but..."
"But what?" she countered, folding her hands in her lap.
"Well..." I began hesitantly, "But, I guess I only THINK I know... I'm not really sure."
Auntie smiled sympathetically, "You know what I think?" she said, "I think you're probably a little afraid that you'll be embarrassed all over again if you're wrong about it." she said, summing up my feelings exactly.
I nodded and laughed self-consciously. "I guess... yeah, maybe I am... a little."
She smiled and laughed softly, "Tell you what," she said, "Why don't you just start talking... telling me your thoughts and... if I think you're going down the wrong path at all... I'll stop you before you say anything embarrassing."
I nodded, "Okay." I said hesitantly, "But... before I do... could I ask you just one question first?"
"Sure...of course," she said with a nod.
"Well... it's just that when I started thinking about everything..." I said, speaking slowly to organize my thoughts, "I... um... really began to wonder exactly WHEN it was that you first noticed... you know... that I was standing in the doorway last night?"
