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She laughed heartily.“Oh, my darling girl, you’ve cheered me up.Thanks for coming.How’s Jenny doing?”
“She is a Godsend.She is everything I could want in both a colleague and a friend.”
Aunt Laurie grinned as she opened the fridge.“Glad to hear it.That was a good idea you had.Wine?”
“Yes, a thousand times, yes.”
I caught her up on news from my parents, and she told me about the colorful cast of characters she’d met whilst in hospital.She was an excellent narrator, and I laughed my way through two glasses of a chardonnay.
By the time we came to order food, we were both more than a little squiffy.Laurie took charge of the order process, laughing with the Hans on the phone, and thirty minutes later, Lara gave us our order, carried in an insulated bag on her electric bike.
The food was salty and strong-flavored, and perfect.
As we ate, I filled Aunt Laurie in on Seb’s letter.Her face darkened.
“That ratbastard.”
“I didn’t know anyone actually said that outside of films.”
“Well, I’m bringing it into circulation, especially for your shitty ex.”
“You swore!”I gasped, because it was so entertaining to hear someone who had once been an authority figure when I was a kid swearing.
“You should have heard me when I broke my arm,” she chuckled.“I turned the air blue.”
I dug into the steaming plate of shrimp lo mein.It was the perfect umami flavor, and the fat curls of shrimp were juicy enough to burst between my teeth.“He’s that and more.But the worst thing is that I really thought I knew him.I guess, better now than when we were already married.”I shuddered, just imagining it.
“That’s the truth.”
After we ate, I showed her my sketches for the wedding cake.Aunt Laurie pored over the designs, nodding, adding a few tweaks here and there with a pencil.
“It looks fantastic,” she said decisively.“And Iwillbe back to run the cash register for a day, or longer, so you can make this sucker.”
“Only if you feel up to it,” I insisted.“I can use the evenings if I need to.How’s Jess’ honeymoon going?”
“She keeps sending me pictures taken from snorkeling boats or from the tops of exotic mountains.”Aunt Laurie smiled.“I’m happy for her.I hope they come back with some extra luggage, if you know what I mean.”She circled a hand over her stomach and I laughed.“Are you coming to this fancy wedding?Other than as a supplier, I mean?”
I pushed my empty plate aside and took another sip of wine, as Aunt Laurie snapped a shrimp cracker in half.“Well, Rick’s invited me.And I think I’m going to say yes.”
“Good for you.He’s a catch.”my aunt grinned, sipping more wine, and then topping up both our glasses.
“Oh, I know.And you’ve been plenty vocal about it if I hadn’t been sure.”
She laughed.
I was going to be hungover tomorrow.Reading my mind, Aunt Laurie said, “You can stay here, if you like.Plenty of room.Spare bed is always made up, because I always judge other people on whether their spare rooms are ready, and if I’m gonna do that, I have to ensure my own house is in order first.”
I almost choked on my wine, sputtering out a laugh.I loved her.She was so similar to my mum, and I felt a pang of homesickness.
Before I could drink too much wine to type, I texted Jenny.
Me: Going to say yes to the wedding.
Jenny: OMG!We need a makeover montage.
And then I texted Rick.
Me:Yes.I’d love to be your date at the wedding.X
