by Tina Mikals
Chapter 37
An Early Birthday Present
"Just what are you wearing?" cried Sheila, pulling aside the corner of May's unzipped down coat.
May shivered on the front porch of Sheila's house and breathed whitish, translucent fog out of her nose in the freezing December air. Before she answered Sheila, she turned around and waved to her mother inside the new Escalade backing down the drive. Lynn Taylor returned her daughter's wave before pulling out into the street.
May waggled the cell phone in her hand. "I got your text message. I came right over from fencing class. I didn't even change. You said it was an emergency."
"I forgot you had one of those fencing classes this morning."
"My third one. It's not easy, but so far, I love it." May grinned and opened the other side of her coat, showing all of her new uniform. "What do you think?"
Sheila gave her a crooked smile while she pulled a sweaty lock of hair off of May's cheek with a nauseous look then tucked it behind her ear.
"What is up with you?" May said, closing her coat. "Can I come in, please? It's freezing out here."
"Oh, right." Sheila backed up into the warm house.
"Do I smell chocolate chip cookies?" said May, putting her sports bag on the floor. "You making them for Charley? He's coming over any minute, right? He's going to have to drive me home—Mom had an appointment. Where are you guys going anyway?"
"Didn't Charley tell you?"
"Like I get any information from him."
"The museum."
May laughed. "That ought to be good. How did you manage that? Good luck, that's all I have to say. If you happen to lose him, just go back to where they keep the statues; he'll be the one that isn't moving. By the way, you two didn't happen to have a fight on Thursday, did you?"
Sheila sat down on the entryway bench. "Did he say anything?"
"He didn't have to. He's been sulking for two days."
"Good."
"Whose is that minivan in the driveway?" asked May as she plopped down next to Sheila. She tucked her cell phone next to her, leaned over and took off a boot.
"Oh that? My aunt's here," said Sheila lightly.
"From out of state?" asked May, taking off her other boot and sliding the pair underneath the bench.
"They were living in Boston for a few years. My Uncle Harvey is an architect. They just moved a couple of towns over."
"I remember now. Didn't we go with them to the beach one summer? I seem to recall your cousin, Derwin, throwing sand in my hair."
"Duncan," corrected Sheila. "And he was only nine at the time. Besides, I think he liked you."
"That's a good reason. Took me two days to wash it all out." She picked up her bag, took her cell phone from the bench, and headed into the living room.
"Aren't you even going to take your coat off?" asked Sheila, following her.
"Why? Charley will be here any second; he's never late for anything." She went to put down the phone in her hand and nearly dropped it on a large floor vase full of silk flowers in seasonal red, white and gold.
"She moved that little table to the back hall," said Sheila.
May put the phone in her jacket pocket as she walked to where the painting of Carlisle Castle had once been. Instead, Aunt Cora and Uncle Frank sat smiling out from their rose garden with Rufus curled up at their feet and their daughter swinging from an apple tree in the background.
May said, "The castle painting is in Ohio you told me?"
"Yes, and I'm glad too. My mom sold it to a museum there for a bundle. They still haven't figured out what he put in the paint or the varnish. I bet someone would probably pay a fortune for the formula."
Let them wonder, thought May.
"Mom didn't know the painting was a family heirloom when she sold it. She probably wouldn't have if she'd known, but I'm not sorry it's gone. She sure wishes she'd bought more paintings at the estate sale though. Have you seen Eurocorp? Mom says, 'thanks for the tip'. The stock has tripled in the last week!"
"So I heard," said May with a wink.
"Your mother must be happy you're taking an interest in her line of work."
"You could say that. It's paying for college."
"Did you hear they're opening Carlisle Hotel in the spring? You want to go check it out when it opens?"
May thought about it for a second. "Nah."
"You're right. It wouldn't be the same."
May walked to the coffee table. Next to the usual stack of magazines was a hastily wrapped Christmas present and a large paperback art book. Making no comment on the present, she read the title of the book. "Great Movements in Art History. Your mother reading that?"
"I am," said Sheila.
"No kidding?"
"I figure it couldn't hurt, right? I mean, my mother hasn't a clue what she's doing; I thought I might be able to help out a little."
May set her bag down on the floor. "Okay, now. What's the big emergency?"
Sheila dived for the present on the coffee table and handed it to her.
"Christmas was last week. You already gave me a gift, remember?"
"Actually, it's your birthday present," said Sheila. "I'm sorry about the Christmas wrap. I know you hate it. I usually try to make a special trip to the store, but I didn't get a chance. I'm sorry."
"Don't worry about it. I know you've been a little preoccupied this year. Anyhow, I like the surfing Santa wrap. It's very festive. But my birthday isn't 'till next week." May offered back the gift.
"It's early," said Sheila.
She held the present up to her ear and shook it. "What is it anyway?"
"Open it."
"You know I hate surprises," she said, shaking the present again and listening to the shifting noises inside. "Can't you just tell me?"
Sheila sighed. "It's some new paints. I knew yours had got all dried up, so I thought you could use some more."
"Thanks. Can I open it later?"
"What I figured," said Sheila.
Charley always says that, thought May as she unzipped her sports bag and slid the present inside. "So that's the big emergency?" she said, zipping the bag back up.
From the kitchen, she heard the sound of the slider to the backyard open. A second later a small, dark haired boy tore into the living room, wiggled out of his snow covered coat and let it drop on Bonnie Hazelton's immaculate wood floor.
The boy had on a red cape. He did an elaborate karate chop in the air. "Yah," he yelled at May with superhero gusto.
She stared down at him. "Let me guess. This is the big emergency? You offered to babysit, and now you need me to do it while you go to the museum?"
The boy stared up at her and wrinkled his nose. "You dress funny," he said.
She put her hands on her hips. "So do you," she shot back. There was something familiar about the kid. "What's your name?" she asked suspiciously.
He put a hand on his hip, copying her. "I'm Shane O'Callahan. I'm five," he said, holding out a splayed hand proudly.
May said in amazement, "You know, he kind of looks like—"
"I know."
Sheila's mother and aunt were concluding the mandatory house tour. The sound of their voices could be heard as they turned the landing and descended the staircase into the living room.
May heard the slider close in the kitchen and a low, resonant voice called out, "Hey, where did you go? Get back over here, Rugrat, and take off your boots!"
The voice was both familiar and yet unfamiliar at the same time.
The male voice from the kitchen said, "Hey, what the—? Aunt Bonnie? The cookies are done. Don't worry, I've got 'em, though I think they're a little burnt."
From the other room, May heard the sound of kitchen drawers opening and closing, then the oven door shut with a clang. She heard an aluminum pan clatter loudly. "Ow," yelled the voice from the kitchen, followed by unintelligible, vitriolic muttering.
Sheila whispered, "Duncan just got his license this year, and he was driving my aunt
around. He's always kind of looked out for me maybe because I didn't have a brother. I missed him when he moved away to Boston. But he's back in the area now. Only he doesn't know anyone around here anymore, and he's a little—well ..." (Sheila looked up at the ceiling and inclined her head as though she were trying to think of just the right word to use) "… shy."
"Shy?"
"Yeah. You know—a little like you."
"I don't think I would really describe myself as 'shy'."
"Oh, it doesn't really matter, does it? Anyhow, I thought—that is—if you didn't have anything else to do this afternoon ...."
"This afternoon?" said May, confused.
"Yes, May—the museum. I figured that maybe you might like to go with us. I'm trying to get Duncan to go, but he says he would feel like a sixth wheel."
"I think you mean a fifth wheel," she said, trying to think of any excuse she could come up with not to go. Since she was drawing a blank, she stalled for time. "You mean go somewhere with you and Charley?"
"Yes, me and Charley. Grow up, May. It's a museum. I promise I won't kiss him in front of you."
"Eyew."
"Oh please say 'yes'! I haven't seen Duncan in ages. If you don't go, he won't either."
Shane jumped up and down and shouted, "Can I go? Can I go, too?"
"What are you saying? You mean this afternoon?"
"Yes, this afternoon! In case you're wondering, it's called being spontaneous."
May's stomach went hollow. "I don't know, Sheila, I don't feel so good all of a sudden. It's like a hundred degrees in here."
"You're probably just overheated. Take your coat off, for heaven's sake." She spun May around and wrestled her down coat off of her.
"I don't know about this, Sheila. Can I at least peek around the corner first?" She was feeling suddenly lightheaded.
"He's really sweet, May."
"That's not a good sign."
"No, I don't mean that—it's just, well—oh, never mind, you'll see. Really, he's a super nice guy." Sheila closed her mouth abruptly. "Actually, I didn't really mean to say that, either. What I meant was—"
"That's okay. I get the picture. He eats nails for breakfast, right?"
"Yeah. He's the worst guy you'd ever want to meet, I promise." Sheila looked down at Shane who was yanking on her hands now and hopping up and down. She squatted down and patted the floor. "Sit down, Shaney, and I'll get those boots off of you. You don't want Aunt Bonnie to be mad at you, do you?"
Shane sat down dutifully with his legs spread out and his palms on the floor behind him for support. He stared at his pretty older cousin while she removed his wet boots.
In the kitchen, Duncan O'Callahan took off his Aunt Bonnie's reindeer shaped oven mitts. He grabbed a warm chocolate chip cookie from the wire rack on the kitchen counter, whisked crumbs off his favorite black t-shirt and stuffed the cookie whole into his mouth.
With his cheek contorted by the cookie and brushing his hands together, he lumbered into the living room in search of his energetic little brother.
Sheila smiled up at her cousin as he came through the archway, but Duncan didn't see her, instead his brown eyes widened at something else in the room. He stopped chewing suddenly and winced.
Sheila turned around just in time to see May topple over and hit the floor.
"That was so cool," shouted Shane with his eyes huge and one boot off.
