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“We’re going to have to come visit soon. But, for now, Shelby’s mom isn’t doing well, and it’s just hard to get away.”
“I understand. Maybe I can get away one of these weekends coming up. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you.”
“Well, you coming to see us only works if the man in your life joins you.” I can’t help but smile, but I also roll my eyes at my crazy aunt. “Because, you know, I want to meet him.”
“First, he’s not the man in my life. Second, you’ve met him plenty of times.”
“No, I met him as a kid. I want to meet the man.” Shelby’s muffled voice carries over the line and then grows more distant.
The spoon clanks against the tile countertop. One day, I will renovate this kitchen. But I’ve been slow to change things since inheriting my family home from my father. With just me in the house, there’s been little need. My palm flattens over my belly, and I send out the thousandth wish into the ether.
“I want to meet the love of your life.” Aunt Nora’s voice brings me back.
I let out a huff loud enough she can hear me and argue, “He’s not the love of my life.”
“You don’t love him?”
“Of course, I do. But you know there are different relationships in life, right? We mean a lot to each other. But neither of us is looking for that traditional setup.”
“Katharine Hepburn famously lived next door to her lover for years, refusing to move in with him. Nontraditional doesn’t mean he’s not the love of your life.”
I sit in the kitchen chair and pull my legs up under me, letting my gaze fall on the Christmas tree. “I don’t know, Aunt Nora. I’d like to think my monthly hook-up isn’t the best I’ll ever have.” The romantic in me wants more. And I’ll never get more with Ian. Sure, I vent to him about the silly crapola that happens at the salons, and he’s my person I call for, well, really anything these days. “Besides, I want a person I can share lazy Sundays with and cuddle with at night, and that’ll never be Ian.”
“Haven’t I interrupted you on a lazy Sunday at his place?”
“Are you calling bullshit on me?” I grin. “I mean, yeah, you have, but those days are rare.”
“Eh, well–”
“Aunt Nora, I don’t need someone. I’m fine. I’m happy. But all I’m saying is I’m not quite ready to give up on the dream. At heart, I’m a romantic. And I’d like to believe there’s a great love out there, and I just haven’t met him yet.”
“Okay. But take it from an old lady. Don’t let life pass you by while you’re waiting for a bus that might be having engine troubles.”
“Aunt Nora.” The woman’s truly unbelievable. And grumpy.
“Just saying.” She huffs, but it’s light and loving in the way she has. “You going over to the Dukes’ for Christmas lunch tomorrow?”
“More like brunch.” The Duke crew will arrive after lunch, and I want to be sure to get out of their way so they can have family time.
“What time is your man supposed to get there?”
“Would you quit calling him that?”
“Monthly hook-up doesn’t work for me, dear. You could call him your gentleman friend. Mary from yoga likes that phrase.”
“Aunt Nora.” Before this call, my mood had been happy and buzzy, and yet here she is bringing me down into an eddy. “He’s driving down today. He worked late last night and said he had some shopping to get done before he left Houston.”
It’s after nine. He definitely isn’t in a rush to get here. As a matter of fact, it’s so late now I won’t be surprised if he drives straight to his parents’.
“And no news on the baby front?”
My eyelids close. There it is. The reason I can’t speak to Aunt Nora as regularly these days. She. Always. Asks.
“No. I don’t think it’s going to happen.” I probably need to tell Ian that, too. We’ve been trying for months now. I mean, yes, we missed October because work was too intense for me to get away. In early December I didn’t think I’d get away, but he drove down, spent the night, and then was on his way back to Houston since I had to work. But no success.
“Well, hun, you can’t give up. Sometimes it takes time. But this is what Shelby and I call your enjoyable Plan A. Maybe while you continue enjoying yourself, you could get the paperwork rolling on Plan B.”
“Would that be IVF or adoption?”
