Mom Over Miami - By Annie Jones Page 0,40
if we never spoke the truth to you, as well.”
“Okay. Fine. Speak the truth, Aunt Phiz.”
“You sure?”
“You flew from China to Loveland for my benefit. I’d be stupid not to take advantage of your input.”
“Stupid? Pretty strong word to use about yourself.”
“You going to lecture me about how I talk to myself, too?”
“Just taking note, dear.” She took a sip of tea, waggled her head, made a silly face at Tessa, then focused on Hannah again. “And by the way, I flew here from India, not China.”
“I knew that.” She bumped the heel of her hand to her forehead. “You probably think I’m so wrapped up in myself that I didn’t realize I kept saying that wrong.”
“I don’t think you’re wrapped up in yourself, Hannah.”
“Mine, mine, mine?”
“Your first word. Simple. Innocent, really. Your way of declaring your independence…and your insecurities. Your whole life, I’ve seen those forces at war within you.”
At six years old, Hannah’s sister Sadie had pushed her off the monkey bars and Hannah had had the wind knocked out of her. This felt a lot like that.
“But you know, sweet girl, insecurities and the driving desire for independence—they stem from the same place.”
“Really?” She didn’t want to hear more, but she couldn’t seem to keep herself from asking, “Where?”
“You tell me. Close your eyes.”
The spoon full of pasty-smelling cereal froze in midair. Hannah’s hand trembled slightly.
“Close your eyes,” Aunt Phiz urged again, this time slipping the spoon from Hannah’s hand and taking up the task of feeding Tessa herself.
Hannah swallowed. If she leapt up now and pretended she had to go, she might make her getaway. But get away from what? Independence and insecurities stemmed from the same place—within her. No matter how fast she ran, she’d never get away from that.
So she obeyed her aunt and shut her eyes.
“Your fear that nobody wants you and your need to prove that you don’t need anybody come from…” She took Hannah’s hand and waited for her to finish.
“My mother’s leaving.” No surprise there. Then why did the hurt of saying it feel so fresh?
“Honey, she’s been gone all your life. Isn’t it time you finally found a way to make peace with that? With her? With yourself?”
“I’ve tried. And every time I think I just may have done it—”
“Knock, knock!” A woman’s voice wafted through the house from the front door.
Aunt Phiz flinched, then started to lumber up from her chair. “That’s the neighbor lady. I’ll send her on and stay and take care of Tessa.”
“Phyllis? Just poking my head in to say I got all the way over here and forgot my glasses. I’ll be right back.”
Phiz turned to call out, but Hannah stopped her.
“It’s okay. You made these plans long before I sprang this Tessa deal on you.”
“But you deserve some time alone to deal with the destroy-it-yourself sisters and maybe do a bit of soul-searching.”
Soul-searching? Destroy-it-yourself? Hannah shuddered to hear them both so closely phrased together. “No, thanks, Aunt Phiz. You get your hair done. Tessa can tag along with me this time.”
“Or you could pack your bags and fly away.”
“What?”
“Don’t you remember?”
Hannah rolled her eyes. Of course she remembered.
But Aunt Phiz was going to tell it anyway. “When you girls were little, I’d come and stay as often as possible. But my work made demands. And there were those times when my husbands were still alive and expected the wifey to put in the odd appearance at home.”
“Odd appearance. Have you ever made any other kind?” Hannah chuckled kindly.
“I’d like to think that sometimes I made a welcome appearance?”
“Yes.” She could still recall the excitement that ruled their house when word came that their aunt had scheduled a visit. “But then you always had to…you always had to fly away.”
“And you used to ask if you could come.”
Hannah shut her eyes again. She took in a deep breath, and with it the familiar scent of tea and baby food and home. “Pack me in your bag, Aunt Phiz, and fly me away with you.”
“I’d do it now if I could, but you’re too big to fit in my bag.” She touched the tip of Hannah’s nose. “And you have your own husband and family expecting you to make the odd appearance around the house.”
“True, and right now I have two sisters who want me to appear at the church in a few minutes—only I won’t be the odd one in that scenario.”
“One phone call and I can cancel my hair.”
“Oh, no, Aunt Phiz. How