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“Three. Not old enough to remember much, but my mom kept so many pictures of him up and talked of him so often, it always felt like I knew him, if that makes sense.”
“It does.”
“So yeah.” She blows out a soft breath. “Elvis.”
“You know, I’ve been known to do quite the Elvis impersonation.” I lift my top lip and give her a littleuh-huh.
“Oh my God, please stop.” Her laughter fills the car.
“In all seriousness, though, I happen to love the king,” I tell her. “I also happen to share his obsession with peanut butter and bananas.”
“Seriously? Me too. There’s this place where I used to live that made peanut butter and banana grilled cheese sandwiches called The King, and they were so good. Like I can’t even tell you how delicious these freaking things were.”
“Cheese with peanut butter and bananas... That might be taking it a little far for me.”
“I thought the same thing, but I’m telling you, the addition of cheese is surprisingly so good. Yiya refuses to make them for me, citing them as an insult to food, but when I have my own place, just you wait.”
“Well, if you’re offering to make me some, Idohappen to have a kitchen of my own, and I’d be more than happy to let you make anything you desire.”
“Nice try, but I’m not going to your house.” She grins.
“Like ever?” I gasp playfully.
“You know what I mean,” she mutters with a laugh.
“So is getting your own place something you’re working on? I mean, not that I didn’t love your aunt grilling me and all. Made me feel young.”
“I’m sorry about her. She means well, I promise. It’s just, after her husband died and then Mom... we’re kind of all the other one has. She’s protective of me.” She pauses, and since I can tell she wants to say more, I don’t speak. “I don’t know if you know this, but my mom died a few months ago. That’s why I moved here, to be with the only family I have left.” She tries to hide the emotion that clogs her voice, but there is no mistaking the sadness behind her words.
“Your aunt told me...” As did Aspen, I obviously don’t say. “Before she threatened me within an inch of my life.” I try to lighten the mood with a joke, though I’m not sure if it’s ill-timed. “I’m just kidding. She just wanted to be sure my intentions were good.”
“I’m so sorry,” she grumbles.
“Don’t be. I think it’s great that you have someone looking out for you.”
“Yeah, I honestly don’t know what I would do without her. Give her some time. I promise she’ll grow on you. Especially if you eat her cooking.”
She flies past the mom conversation before I can really ask a single question about her. Of course, I’m curious about what happened, but I’m not insensitive enough to ask.
“She’s a good cook?” I ask instead.
“She’s actually a retired chef. And I don’t just mean a fry cook at some little diner. I mean, classically trained, Michelin Star type of chef.”
“So I can expect my invite to dinner... when?”
To this, she just laughs.
“I really like living with Yiya, but I’d like to have my own place by next summer.” She reverts back to where we started. “I went from living at home, to... taking care of my mom.” She hesitates, like she is going to say something else but changes her mind. “I’ve never lived by myself before. I kind of feel like it’s time, ya know? To build my own life.”
“I get it. Though living alone isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Hell, I would have lived with Aspen forever. The apartment was way too fucking quiet after she moved out. It’s been years and I still haven’t fully adjusted to being alone.”
“Yeah, if it were up to Yiya, I’d never leave. I think she likes having someone else in the house. But as much as I love her, I came here for a fresh start, and I don’t think I’m going to get that by living with my aunt until I’m forty.”
“Do you ever regret leaving California?”
“Yes and no. I mean, I miss my old friends. I miss the house where I grew up. I miss... my old life. The one I had before Mom died. But after she was gone, it just didn’t feel the same.” She lifts a single shoulder in a half-shrug. “Anyways, let’s talk about something else. Tell me about your parents.”
“There’s really not much to tell. They married in their twenties, popped out a couple of kids, and now are happily retired as Memaw and Pop-pop.”
