The Experiment

by Grant C. Holland

  Aaron smiled and said, “I’ll lean on him. Maybe I can offer a few little special favors in exchange.” He wiggled an eyebrow to emphasize the point.

  Christy shook her head and said, “I don’t think I want to hear any more about that, but we could all show up at the bookstore around 10:00 in the morning, and then maybe I could slip out after fifteen minutes or so to get the place decorated here. We could just tell Sylvia I have some things I need to get done on my own, and you and Jamie could take her out to lunch. The party starts at 1:30.”

  Aaron said, “See, it’s perfect, and I can’t wait for my friends to meet Jamie. They already love you and Sylvia.”

  With a deep, comfortable sigh, Christy said, “You have some of the greatest friends, Aaron. Seriously, you do. Yale is always such a sweetheart to Sylvia. Derek is a lucky guy to have him.”

  Aaron laughed softly, “But not as lucky as I am to have Jamie.”

  Christy said, “I’ll have to tell you some stories about growing up with him. He’s not perfect, but yeah, I wouldn’t trade my little brother.”

  Sylvia called from the living room. “Mr. Austin, will you read this book to me? I’m not big enough to read it yet.”

  Aaron looked at Christy with a question in his eye. “Not big enough?”

  Christy nodded. “It’s a 100-page chapter book. Her daycare teacher recommended it. Sylvia is still only reading by remembering the story that has been read to her in the past, but her teacher was convinced that she would love the story in that book.”

  Aaron said, “She’s going to be reading War and Peace by next year.”

  * * *

  It looked like half the town turned out for the Undercover reopening. Sylvia wore a brand new flowered dress for the occasion, and she nearly strutted to the front door.

  Yale greeted them, and he threw his arms around Aaron wrapping his friend in a big bear hug. Then he reached out a hand to shake with Jamie saying, “Finally, we get to meet your new better half.”

  Jamie gripped the hand firmly and said, “Honestly, it would be difficult to be better than Aaron.”

  Derek stepped up behind Yale and said, “You’ve got him trained well already, Aaron.” Then he wrapped Aaron up in another hug and said, “Great to see you, buddy.”

  Emma and Jane stood back away from Aaron and Jamie for a moment looking like they were attempting to compose a photo shot. Emma said, “Yes, Jane, I think you are right. They just might be the most handsome couple here.”

  Derek frowned and crossed his arms over his chest. He said, “You two really know how to hurt a guy, don’t you?”

  Thomas and his boyfriend Hadley stepped forward. Thomas gave Aaron a warm hug and then stepped up to Jamie offering him a hug, too. He laughed when he said, “I’m sure we’ll be close friends soon. That’s how things happen around the Cove.” Then his eyes opened wider and he said, “Wait, I do know you now, Jamie. Didn’t you play trumpet in band?”

  Jamie laughed and said, “Yes, I did. How did you know that?”

  Thomas smiled and said, “I was just a lowly freshman with a saxophone.”

  Hadley leaned against Thomas and whispered, “One day in band camp…”

  He earned a sharp elbow in the side from Thomas who decided to make an announcement to the group. He said, “Since everyone is gathered around right now, I want to tell you all that I’ve hired a second veterinarian to help in my practice.”

  Spontaneous applause erupted. Aaron said, “That’s fantastic news! Is he here in town?”

  Thomas said, “He will be arriving in two weeks, and his name is Dex. He’s a young guy just out of veterinarian school, so I expect you all to make him feel welcome.”

  “Eligible?” asked Emma.

  Thomas laughed and responded, “Eligble…I think.”

  The crowd began to break apart and Sylvia headed for the children’s area of the store. Hadley’s Aunt Mae intercepted her and said, “Such a beautiful flowered dress. Did Aaron say your name is Sylvia?”

  Sylvia looked up at the kindly older face and nodded eagerly. “Yes, my name is Sylvia, ma’am, and it’s my birthday.”

  Aunt Mae smiled warmly and said, “Please, call me Aunt Mae. Everyone in town does. Would you like me to read a book to you for your birthday? Or are you ready to pick out a stack of books to take home?”

  “Would you read to me?” asked Sylvia. Then, in a halting voice she said, “Aunt…Mae.”

  Aunt Mae said, “Pick out one of your favorite books, and then we’ll read through it in that chair over there.”

  Christy stepped up to Aunt Mae’s side saying, “Thank you so very much. She loves when anyone reads to her.”

  “Of course she does, and a child her age can never get enough of reading.”

  Christy said, “She will sit for you for hours if you let her.” Then she gestured over to Aaron and Jamie saying, “That’s my brother Jamie over there with Aaron. I need to run home and take care of a few things. Let them know if she’s any trouble.”

  Aunt Mae eased herself into a chair and said, “I’m sure that she will be no trouble at all.”

  Sylvia was engrossed in selecting books when Christy squatted down and hugged her from behind saying, “I need to go for a short while, Sylvia. You be a good girl and Uncle Jamie and Mr. Austin will bring you home.”

  Sylvia didn’t take her eyes from the shelf but leaned her cheek to the left for a kiss while she said, “Don’t worry, Mommy. I’m a big girl. I know what to do.”

  Christy held her hand over her mouth to keep from laughing and turned to head for the door. Aunt Mae gave her a wink and then turned toward Sylvia as she walked over carrying a small stack of five books.

  Jamie and Aaron disappeared behind one of the taller stacks of books, and they shared a quick kiss when they thought no one was looking. Christy detoured from her route to the front door of the shop saying, “Boys, you’ve got a little girl to look after. No hiding in corners.”

  Jamie whispered, “Damn, busted!”

  Aaron said, “Don’t worry, Christy. We’ll keep an eye on things. I’m sure Aunt Mae can keep her entertained for at least another half hour. Then we’ve got a great lunch planned at the Point.”

  Christy said, “Please be home by about 1:00 p.m. Some of the kids might arrive early, and I don’t want Sylvia to miss any of that.”

  Christy gave them each a kiss on the cheek saying, “I think I’m a little jealous. You all will have a great time, and I’ll be blowing up balloons.”

  Jamie said, “We’ll figure out a way to make it up to you, big sis, and Sylvia is going to love the party.”

  “Yes, I think she will. It’s her first real birthday party, and some of those kids from her daycare class are just so sweet.

  As Christy exited the store, Aaron said to Jamie, “I guess we’d better mingle. The Cove is a small place, and I’m sure Christy will ask someone about our behavior.”

  “Later at your place then?” asked Jamie.

  Aaron said, “Yes, later at my place.”

  Jamie endured interrogation from Aaron’s Purple Pack friends for the next twenty minutes until Sylvia walked up to them carrying a pile of seven books with Aunt Mae just behind.

  She said, “Uncle Jamie, look at this! It’s the best birthday ever! I’m getting these books!”

  Jamie squatted down and said, “Sylvia, I think we can get one or two of these, but I don’t think we can get the whole stack.”

  Aunt Mae interrupted. She said, “These books are on me, young man. Too few of today’s young ladies are really sold on reading. I intend to encourage the practice in little Sylvia.”

  Jamie stood back up and smiled. “I guess that I’ve been overruled.” He reached out a hand to shake with Aunt Mae. He said, “You’ll have to excuse me for not remembering your name.”

  A chorus of voices responded, “Aunt Mae.”

  She chortled softly and said, “I’m Hadley’s great aunt by birth, but all of my younger friends just know me a
s Aunt Mae.”

  Jamie shook her hand and said, “Thank you so much for your generosity. Has Sylvia thanked you properly?”

  Aunt Mae smiled and said, “She has given me the best thanks that a young lady like her can. She read a book to me.”

  The best moment in the day was yet to come. Sylvia ate a grilled cheese sandwich and most of a cup of tomato soup at the Point Diner, and she walked with Aaron and Jamie along the dock to stare down into the water of Summers Lake. It was surprisingly clear, and Sylvia pointed out three fish swimming. They darted in and out around one of the poles holding up the dock.

  She looked up and said, “I’m going to name them.”

  “The fish?” asked Jamie.

  Sylvia nodded and pointed at them in turn. “That one is Aaron. That one is Jamie, and the bigger one is Christy.”

  Jamie laughed and said, “Don’t tell Christy that she’s the big one.”

  Aaron scooped Sylvia up and held her on his right arm. He said, “Speaking of Christy, I think it’s about time we headed home. I’m sure she will be waiting for us.”

  “Mommy is home?” asked Sylvia.

  Jamie said, “I’m sure she’s home by now. There just might be a surprise there for the birthday girl.”

  “What’s a sur…surprise?” asked Sylvia.

  Aaron said, “Something special that you didn’t expect.”

  Sylvia was curious and excited the rest of the drive home. She bounced in the back seat and peppered Aaron with questions while Jamie drove.

  Aaron deflected them saying, “I think your Mommy will have to answer, Sylvia. I don’t know the answers.”

  The best moment of the day happened when Sylvia walked through her front door to see an apartment filled with brightly colored balloons and strung from wall to wall with pink and purple crepe paper. A huge sign hung in the middle of the living room proclaiming, “Happy Birthday Sylvia!”

  Christy faced the door with her arms flung wide. Aaron set Sylvia gently on the floor and she raced across the room to be gathered into Christy’s arms.

  Sylvia exclaimed, “Mommy! Best birthday ever!”

  10

  Aaron

  “Aaron, I don’t really know if I want to move.” Christy was seated on her couch with her feet pulled up under her. It was almost 9:00 p.m. and Sylvia was sound asleep in bed. She sipped at a cup of hot tea and looked at Aaron where he was seated on the opposite end of the couch.

  He said, “You really are starting to sell me on the tea. I grew up with my dad drinking iced tea and my mom saying hot tea was nasty, but this is pretty good. It grows on you. It’s not coffee, but I think I like it.” He took two sips in quick succession.

  Christy frowned. “I’m glad you like the tea, Aaron, but that wasn’t what I wanted to talk about. What do you think about Sylvia and I moving to the city. Will you come with us?”

  He shook his head. “I don’t think I can. At least I can’t yet. I’m a small-town guy. Every time I’m up there I have fun, and Jamie’s apartment is beautiful, but I feel like a fish out of water. I get confused.”

  “Confused?” asked Christy.

  “Yeah, it’s just like there is so much…of everything. I don’t know where to look, and it’s a good thing Jamie is with me, or I don’t think I would ever find anything. I use the GPS on the phone, but then there are alley ways and parking lots that look half like a street. I guess I’m just meant for places like the Cove.”

  Christy hung her head. “We would miss you.”

  Aaron knew that he would miss them badly. Christy and Sylvia really were like family. He loved being Sylvia’s second favorite uncle. He worried that she would quickly find another friendly neighbor if they all moved to the city, and he would fade into the background.

  Christy was good company, too, and Aaron felt like he needed somebody to look after. He never knew that about himself, but he realized he treated his friends that way until they started pairing off. Aaron was always the dependable one to rush to his friends’ sides whenever they were in need.

  Unfortunately, Jamie had a very good reason for suggesting the move. There was a chance it would get Christy away from Ethan for good. They knew that he didn’t have dependable transportation. No court or authority had given him rights to see Sylvia, and they had no specific reason to share a new address.

  Aaron sighed heavily, but he thought he needed to reiterate Jamie’s point of view. He said, “Jamie has a really good reason for suggesting that you move. He even told me that he would spring the money for getting Sylvia into a great private school.”

  Christy said, “Yes, I know. That’s why I haven’t told him no. He’s doing it for all the right reasons, and she starts kindergarten in the fall. Did he tell you that he wants me to come up and look at apartments?”

  Aaron sipped at the tea and said, “Oh, he said something about inviting you up to his place without Sylvia. He told me he wanted to have some time and space to talk about it while not being burdened with child care.”

  A tiny flame of anger was kindled in Christy’s eyes. She said, “Sylvia is not a burden.”

  Aaron waved his hand. “Oh, he didn’t mean it that way. He meant having full concentration on the idea of moving. He asked me if I would take care of Sylvia, and I told him that I could.”

  Christy reached up and brushed her hair over her shoulder. “Oh, Aaron, I don’t think I could do that by myself. At least I can’t do it right now. I would look at an apartment with him and think about you and think about here in the Cove, and I would just lose it. That’s not fair to Jamie.”

  Aaron sipped at the tea again. He said, “This really is good,” and then he saw another frown on Christy’s face and quickly added, “I’m thinking, too. Just give me a few minutes.”

  He watched Christy’s hand shake as she lifted her cup. Then an idea occurred to him. Maybe it would help both of them. He could learn more about life in the city, and he could see some of the options Jamie wanted to share for Christy and Sylvia.

  Aaron said, “I’ve got an idea, Christy. Try this one on for size.”

  Her hand stopped shaking for the moment. She asked, “Something that might work?”

  He said, “Maybe…” Then he added, “What if I went with Jamie to look at apartments for you and Sylvia while the two of you stayed here at home. I could take lots of pictures with the phone. I have to admit that I have no idea what places would be like in the city. Maybe they are better than I think. We certainly don’t live in a palace here, but it is comfortable.”

  She raised an eyebrow and asked, “Do you think you can go with Jamie, and, well, focus on the apartments and not Jamie?”

  Aaron smirked and said, “All swimmers have to come up for air once in awhile.”

  She said, “Well, if Jamie is okay with that, then I guess I am. I still kind of hate the idea of living in the city, but I do want what’s best for Sylvia.”

  * * *

  Aaron didn’t even really see the first three apartments. He was too busy reeling from sticker shock. He knew that apartments would be more expensive in the city than they were in Catlett’s Cove, but everything they looked at so far was 50% higher in monthly rent than at home, and the units were smaller.

  Jamie could sense the frustration and said, “But look what you could do with this space. The open concept makes it feel bigger, and you don’t have walls carving up the space.”

  Aaron sighed and said, “So that means you can have the dining room table, couch, and your bed all in the same room? I don’t know that I like that idea, Jamie.”

  Jamie waved his arm around the room and said, “Then you get a screen to divide the room up a bit.”

  Aaron crossed his arms over his chest. “So you spend more money to buy something to make the smaller space that already costs more into something livable. I just don’t know…”

  “Well, the next two you might not like because they are even a little bit more expensive, but I think the buildings are nicer, and they have
a more traditional layout.”

  Aaron had to admit that the crown molding in the next apartment was a little classy. It was an older building, and that meant painted white woodwork and painted white crown molding. Still, the hallway looked like an old-fashioned hotel, there was no outdoor space specific to the apartment, not even a shared balcony, and the view was a Starbuck’s coffee shop across the street instead of the woods outside of the bedroom window at home.

  Jamie wrapped an arm around Aaron’s waist. He said, “You’re not happy with this one either, are you?

  Aaron said, “Maybe we should just take a break for lunch. Wasn’t there a little diner just down the street from here? Maybe it would give me a better feel for the neighborhood.”

  While the apartment agent stepped out of the room, Jamie gave Aaron a quick kiss. He said, “That’s a good idea. You know, I love that you are willing to do this for my family. It shows how much you really care.”

  Aaron nodded and said, “We all care. That’s part of what makes this so hard.”

  They ate at a table set up on the sidewalk outside of a small cafe. Aaron was certain that more people walked by in an hour than would pass by on Main Street in Catlett’s Cove in an entire normal weekday. He asked, “Jamie, do you ever feel really crowded here? I mean, you grew up in the Cove.”

  Jamie took a bite of his smoked turkey sandwich. He said, “I guess it’s exciting to me. I think that every one of these people that walk by has a story, and sometimes they intersect with each other in unexpected ways. It’s exciting, and there are so many more opportunities for something new to happen than back home in the Cove.”

  “But it feels like everything I know could get lost.”

  Jamie reached his hand across the table to grip Aaron’s fingers. He said, “I would never let you be lost.”