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He spat out the cigarette again. Lucy looked away when he crushed it, her head shaking from his ‘signatures’ already littering her home.
He brushed past Lucy. “Let’s go check out this mansion,” he said with excitement and mumbled to himself, “Ain’t ever been in a mansion before.”
Lucy followed, stopping to see the crude form the large truck made against the otherwise perfect form of the compound.
“If this is your way of telling me you’re sorry for all those years of mistreatment,” he paused and turned around to be sure his sister was listening, “then apology accepted.” With the way he yelled out his words, everyone had to be listening.
Lucy opened her mouth, but Benjamin appeared from around the corner. She sighed in relief.
“Uncle Barney!” Benjamin greeted him with genuine excitement.
“Well if that ain’t my favorite—and only—nephew. Come here!”
Their chests bumped and Benjamin let out a deep grunt as his uncle grabbed him and squeezed him. His loud voice boomed with laughter as he let go of Benjamin and looked him over.
“All grown up.” Using one strong arm, he bent Benjamin down by a few inches and rubbed his hair like he’d always done when his nephew was just a little kid. Benjamin chuckled and freed himself, patting his hair back in place. “It’s been too long, Uncle Barney.” His uncle grinned.
“Well, your mom invited me over and I thought to myself, hey, I gotta check on my hotshot nephew and snotty sis, see how they’re doing.” Stretching out his hands like a graceful magician, he added, “and here I am.”
“It’s nice to see you, uncle.”
Barney continued laughing as if listening to a string of jokes only he got, until his eyes fell on Ava coming their way. “Now, lookey what we have here. Who’s this beautiful lady?”
Ava smiled and greeted him. “Hi, I’m Ava.”
Pushing up his pants and wiping his hand on the side of his jeans, he took her hand in a strong handshake. “Ava, pretty name. I’m Barney, little Ben’s Uncle.” His eyes went to Benjamin who now maintained an uncomfortable expression on his face.
“Nice to meet you, Barney.” Ava caught his western accent and the resemblance between him and Lucy. Barney laughed and cast a knowing glance at Benjamin, and then at Ava.
“Are you two…”
Ava looked at Benjamin, hoping he’d take over, but he switched his gaze to his uncle. Seeing that no one was finishing his sentence, he said to Benjamin, “Is she the one?”
Ava took a step back, waiting for an opening to escape.
Chuckling awkwardly, Benjamin muttered a weak “yes.” His uncle frowned. Barney would have pursued the matter on any other occasion, but everybody seemed just too uncomfortable right now. He let the issue die and marched around the house, giving himself a tour.
“Please tell me y’all have some kind of booze stash or something; I’m parched.”
“It’s ten a.m.,” Lucy shouted from the corridor.
“Exactly!”
Ava chuckled. “He seems… nice,” she said, drawing out her words. “So, is this the Uncle Barney who taught you how to fix cars?”
“Pretty much. That, and how to burp on command.”
Ava smirked. “What a gem.”
“You have no idea…” Benjamin smiled as well.
Ava giggled, drawing Lucy’s attention. “Yes, you have no idea.”
