He looked up in surprise. “For me?”
“Yes, for you. Santa left it at my house. Weren’t you listening?”
He made a face that expressed his disbelief in Santa Claus, then grinned and eagerly tore off the red-and-green holiday wrap. “Wow, a basketball! Gee, thanks…Aunt Ava.”
She felt a warmth course through her at hearing him address her that way, the same as the offspring of her sister and brother. To her that showed his desire to fit in with the other children, maybe that he even felt like less of an outsider. She kissed his cheek. “You’re welcome, sweetie.”
The others were equally pleased with Ava’s choices, and she received hugs and kisses from each one. After that the boys went outside to the driveway to test out Marcus’s new ball on the net over the garage. Ava cautioned them to merely take turns shooting hoops instead of playing an actual game because they weren’t dressed for rough-and-tumble movements associated with basketball, and they promised they would.
“You really light up when you’re around kids,” Maria told Ava. “That Marcus is a real cutie. Where did you meet him?”
“Oh, he was hanging around the shop last week after school had let out for the holidays.” Ava thought it unwise to give the full story of Marcus’s unsuccessful mugging attempt. It would get back to her mother, who would probably insist that they immediately hide all the valuables. In Ava’s opinion Marcus was not a thief, he was just a typical boy—and a very sweet one at that—who had taken a wrong turn. Now she was more determined than ever to see that he got back on the right path.
*****
“Thanks for bringing me with you, Aunt Ava. I had a really nice time,” Marcus said once they were in the car. He paused, then asked, “Is it okay if I call you that? I know you’re not really my aunt, but I felt kinda funny calling you just plain Ava around the other kids, since all of them call you Aunt.”
“Of course I don’t mind.”
“And thanks for the basketball. I’m gonna play tomorrow.”
She tried not to let the relief she felt show. Playing basketball was a much better activity for him than stealing. “I’m glad you liked it. Did you have enough to eat?”
“Oh, yeah!” He patted his stomach. “It was good, too. All my favorites. Turkey, ham, stuffing, gravy, sweet potatoes, string beans, rolls…mmm! And all those desserts!”
Ava smiled. He had sampled them all—the apple pie, the peach cobbler, the pound cake and even that sickeningly sweet pecan pie that Joy always insisted on making, even though no one liked it. It was all Larry's fault for not being truthful with her. To spare his wife’s feelings he insisted his children have small pieces and cut a large slice for himself, which he took a few bites of, raved about and then disposed of when she wasn’t looking.
“Maybe you’ll come by the shop Saturday and help me eat some of the leftovers I brought home with me.”
“What’s wrong with tomorrow?”
“I’m not working tomorrow. The shop will be open, but I won’t be there.”
“Will the food be any good by Saturday?”
“Of course. A couple of minutes in the microwave I keep in the shop, and it’ll be good as new.”
“Sure, I’ll be there. Saturday at lunchtime.”
“All right, Marcus; you’ll have to show me where you live so I can bring you home.”
“I can walk from your house.”
“No, you can’t. It’s late, Marcus, and you’re a little boy. I’m not going to let you walk these streets alone in the dark.”
“I’m not a little kid. Besides, it’s only eight-thirty.”
“No, Marcus,” she said firmly.
“And I told my grandmother that if we got back too late I was going to spend the night.”
She sighed. She hated all this secrecy, and her concern about the fitness of Marcus’s grandmother as a guardian to allow him to stay the night with someone she didn’t even know mounted, but she decided to let him stay. At least at her house he’d be safe. He wasn’t going to tell her where he lived, and she wasn’t about to turn him loose on the streets at this hour. If he stayed with her he could safely walk home in the morning.
Upstairs in the spare room, she pulled the seldom-used twin sleeper mattress from its folded position inside an oversized chair and made it up with sheets and a plaid quilt.
Marcus showed up as she was finishing. “Is this where I sleep?”
“That’s right.”
He wandered over to the pine armoire in the corner. “What’s this?”
“Go ahead and open the doors. Try the top ones first.”
He grasped the knobs and pulled open the doors, exposing a television. “Wow! You got a TV in here!”
“Yes. I’m going to set the timer for an hour, and when it goes off, it’s off for the night. I don’t want you staying up ‘til all hours watching stuff that’s not meant for kids anyway.”
“But there’s no school tomorrow, Aunt Ava.”
“All right; I’ll give you an hour-and-a-half, but no more. I’m going to leave you a washcloth and towel on the sink, plus a T shirt you can sleep in. And if you wake up before I do there’s some cereal in the pantry and milk in the refrigerator, so help yourself. If you need anything else knock on my door. My room is right across the hall. And don’t go anywhere until I’m up, okay?”
“Okay. You know, I was real surprised when you gave me that basketball.” He impulsively hugged her. “I didn’t think—well, I didn’t think you’d have anything for me.”
His words made a direct connection to her heart. She swallowed hard and hugged him back, then kissed his cheek. You get a good night’s sleep, okay?”
“Okay.”
Ava was downstairs turning off lights when the phone rang. She blew out her breath. A sixth sense told her it was her mother with one last negative comment for the road. “Hello,” she said brusquely.
“Merry Christmas, Ava.”
She couldn’t place the male voice. “Merry Christmas. Who’s this?”
He laughed. “I’m sorry. It’s Hilton, calling from Augusta. I guess that was a sneaky way of trying to identify whether or not I have competition.”
The thought that he was jealous of anyone else she might be seeing brought a smile to her lips, but she forced herself to sound stern and said, “Well, I’ve got to tell you that it can be a little unsettling when a strange man calls my home at night and calls me by name.”
“You’re right. I’m sorry.”
“I forgive you. Hey, wait a minute! You don’t have my phone number. You don’t even know my last name! How is it you’re calling me?”
“Easy. I just called Catherine and got your number from her.”
“Oh.” Ava made a mental note to call her friend tomorrow. Catherine had already singled out Hilton for herself, and surely his interest in someone else had to be bruising to her pride. Some women had turned on friends because of things like that, and Ava hoped Catherine wouldn’t feel she had encouraged Hilton in any way. Best to make an attempt to smooth things over between them if she could.
“How was your Christmas?” he asked.
“Actually…it was pretty good.” The pitch of her voice rose on the last four words, ending on a high note, and she smiled as she realized she was speaking the truth.
“You sound surprised. You were expecting a dud?”
“Not exactly, but it usually isn’t my favorite time of year.” She realized that remark begged for an explanation, so she rushed on. “You know, people rushing to buy gifts they often can’t afford and all of that. The real meaning of the holiday gets lost in the shuffle.”
“I know what you mean.”
“How was your day? Is your family well?”
“Oh, yeah. Everyone’s doing fine.”
“Do you have a large family, Hilton?”
“Sort of. My mother and father were both only children. My mother died over thirty years ago, and my father’s been remarried for maybe a dozen years. I just hav
e one brother, but my stepmother has six kids, and we’re just one big happy family. The third generation is plentiful. My brother and his wife have twin boys and just adopted a little girl. Maxwell’s got plenty of cousins and step-cousins.”
“Maxwell?”
“My son. I told you about him, didn’t I?”
“You mentioned you had a six-year-old son, but you didn’t mention his name. Maxwell is my last name.”
“Well, that’s certainly a coincidence. Is that your married name?”
“No. I took my maiden name back after my divorce.”
“Oh. Well, we usually call my son Max.”
“Did you spend the day with him?”
“Yes. Today he got to get reacquainted with my side of the family.”
“Reacquainted,” she repeated. “Don’t they see each other often? They live in the same city.”
“Yes, but his mother pretty much associates only with her relatives.”
“Well, that doesn’t seem fair.”
“You’re very diplomatic. Actually, it stinks. But what counts is that we had a wonderful time today, and I’ll see him as much as I can while I’m here.” He paused. “I’d like you to meet him. I think you’d like him.”
“I’d like to meet him. Like I said, I love kids.” This is the perfect time to tell him about me. I could say, ‘I always wanted to have kids of my own, but unfortunately it’s not possible.’ But she said nothing. For one thing, they were talking on the phone and she wouldn’t be able to see his reaction. For another, she simply didn’t want to. She was enjoying his attentions too much and wasn’t ready for it to end. She wanted to hold on to the pretense of what might be for just a little while longer.
She might be able to have a successful relationship when she was past her childbearing years, but that was still a long way off. She wanted to enjoy what might very well be the last hurrah of her youth as long as she could. Besides, she still knew nothing about Hilton’s hopes for his future. Maybe he didn’t want any more children, which would mean she was worrying for nothing.
“I’m going to try to bring him down for his spring break. He was asking me about where I live.”
“I hope it works out. It’s such a nice surprise to hear from you, Hilton.”
“Yeah, it was pretty stupid of me to leave town without getting your number. I just didn’t want the day to go by without my talking to you.”
“That was sweet.”
“Hey, it’s Christmas. Maybe next year Max will get to spend the holiday in Florida with me, so I can spend the day with two of my favorite people.” He grew quiet for a few moments, then said, “Uh, there was something else, Ava. Something I want to ask you.”
“What’s that?”
“What’re you doing New Year’s Eve?”
*****
Ava pulled the dress over her head, her head and torso temporarily lost in the fabric. The only thing she and Kendall insisted on was wearing sophisticated honor attendant dresses, not wanting to look like teenagers going to a debutante ball. Kendall was matron of honor and Ava maid of honor, and their dresses were identical. Vicky had come through for them, choosing knee-length strapless maroon velvet sheaths with sheer nylon covering the shoulders, collarbone area, upper back and extending into long sleeves, and velvet bands at the throat and wrists. Vicky’s own bridal dress was the same style, but was made of taffeta instead of velvet and had a tea-length full skirt.
Everything was in order at the club where both the ceremony and reception were being held. It would be a small affair with just sixty guests.
Ava, Kendall and Vicky dressed in the same room. They giggled like children as they fastened each other’s buttons and helped with each other’s hair.
“So this be the last time the three of us will be together for a while, huh,” Vicky said as she pulled on her stockings.
“Why, are you never coming back to Nile Beach?” Kendall asked.
“Of course we’ll be back. Our families are here. Why else would we come back here to get married?”
“I think you’ve got a case of the heebie-jeebies about re-marrying,” Kendall said. “You weren’t this nervous about moving up to North Carolina.”
“That was different. It wasn’t binding. I could have just picked up and come back if it didn’t work out. Now Shayla and me are going to be moving in with Danny and his kids. It’s all so…final.”
“But it did work out, Vicky. That’s why you’re going to make it official.”
“You’re a first-time newlywed, Kendall. You don’t understand how it feels to fail at marriage. I’m terrified of doing it again.”
Ava spoke up for the first time. “I’ve failed at marriage, Vicky. I know the line about always and forever should be changed to, it’s good as long as it’s good and not a minute more. But you and Danny were made for each other. Remember, he’s probably just as anxious as you are to avoid another divorce. Don’t worry, hon. This time it’s for keeps.”
“Thanks, Ava. I hope you’re right.”
Ava’s smile was mischievous. “So now that that’s out of the way, let me be the first to ask. You gonna have any more kids?”
“Oh, boy,” Kendall said in a knowing tone. “That’s a question I’ve heard a lot since I walked down the aisle, just without the ‘more.’” She rolled her eyes, for unlike Ava, Kendall had never wanted children.
“I guess I’ll be hearing that now,” Vicky said. “We considered it, but we’re leaning against it. Romantically, it’s a sweet idea, but financially it’s not practical. How are we supposed to educate them all?” Vicky had one daughter and Danny had a boy and girl.
“You could probably manage. It’s not like the whole burden will be on you two. Hell, I used to serve banquets at local hotels when I was at Spelman,” Kendall said.
“I agree,” Ava said. “Let the little bugger help pay his way.”
“You must want another godchild real bad, Ava,” Vicky said. “What’s going on with you, anyway?”
“Oh, I don’t know. I just think a baby would be nice, that’s all.” She saw Kendall and Vicky exchange glances and knew they were wondering what had gotten into her, since this was a topic she usually avoided. She wasn’t sure herself. All she knew was that she was feeling lighthearted and carefree, which was unusual for her at this time of year.
“I really like this dress, Vicky,” Ava said as the three of them stood in front of the mirrored wall. “I wish Hilton were here to see how sharp I look.”
“Uh-huh,” Kendall said knowingly. “So you would have invited him after all, if he wasn’t going out of town. Inappropriate, my ass.”
“I didn’t believe that, either, Ava,” Vicky confessed.
“Well, at the time I believed what I said.”
“And what’s changed?” Kendall immediately asked.
“Don’t get personal,” Ava replied with a smile.
Someone knocked on the door, and Kendall went to answer it. Vicky’s mother was delivering the littlest attendants: Vicky’s and Danny’s daughters, who were both flower girls; and Danny’s son, who was the ring bearer, all dressed in their wedding finery.
Shayla, Vicky’s five-year-old, ran straight to her mother, saying, “Mommy, you’re beautiful!”
“Careful,” Vicky said, bending at the waist. “Don’t muss Mommy’s makeup.”
*****
Ava squared her shoulders, determined no one would see how nervous she was about walking down the aisle. Organizing nuptials was one thing; being part of it was something else; but because she was a few inches shorter than Kendall, she was the first to begin marching.
She felt everyone’s eyes on her, which was uncomfortable, but as she scanned the room she saw so many familiar faces she broke out into a smile.
She noticed a broad-shouldered man in a navy suit who was standing like everyone else, but who faced straight ahead toward the altar instead of turning to watch the bridal party walk down the aisle. His unusual stance made him stand out
in the aisle seat, where he stood next to Kendall’s husband Spencer Barnes. When he did turn around just as she was approaching she nearly lost her footing.
It was Hilton.
He winked at her, and her mind spun with a dozen questions. Why was he back so soon? And what on earth was he doing here?
She suspected who might have all the answers. “Kendall,” she hissed after the ceremony had begun. “How is it that Hilton is here?”
Kendall responded by placing a freshly manicured index finger against her mouth and hissing, “Shh!”
The ceremony was lost to Ava; all she could think about was Hilton, sitting just a few rows back from where she stood. She stood at an angle and tried looking out of the corner of her eye but couldn’t see him.
Vicky and Danny shared the traditional kiss to seal their vows, and the guests, most of whom had been around twenty years before when the newly married couple were high school sweethearts, applauded wildly. Kendall sniffled and Ava’s eyes grew damp. She and Vicky had been friends since grammar school—they were teenagers when Kendall moved to town and they became a trio—and she couldn’t have been happier for her friend. She hadn’t known Vicky’s first husband well—Vicky had met him when she was working in Orlando—but when they married she had a strange feeling that something wasn’t right, and after that Vicky didn’t look as happy as she had before. She didn’t tell anyone about the emotional abuse her insecure husband inflicted upon her regularly until four years later, when she left him and came home to Nile Beach with her young daughter in tow. But this marriage would last, Ava thought. She could feel it.
Her smile was genuine as she left the room in the recessional, her arm hooked with that of an usher. Her eyes locked with Hilton’s, who was on his feet, applauding along with the others, a look of fondness in his eyes that Ava knew was reserved for her.
*****
Fortunately, the photo session went fairly quickly. Ava knew she wasn’t going to get any information out of Kendall, who always seemed to have an excuse for why she couldn’t talk whenever Ava attempted to confront her.
After the official introduction of the bridal party and the bride and groom were having the first dance. They had the dance floor to themselves while dozens of flashbulbs went off. The bridal party was then asked to join them, and finally the guests. To Ava’s surprise, Hilton cut in on the groomsman she was dancing with. Her partner released her so swiftly she thought she would fall backward. A friend of Danny’s from North Carolina, his wife was among the guests, and he was clearly anxious to be with her.
A Love of Her Own Page 9
