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“You ever going to tell me what happened?”
“Perhaps if it’s ever over,” she answered cryptically.
“It isn’t over?” I asked.
She sighed and dropped her arm as she moved away. “I just don’t know, Ruby.”
Angus came around as much as Amber allowed. They’d gone through some heavy stuff, which ended in a separation that surprised the hell out of all of us. She would not share the reasons why, though I asked.
Repeatedly.
I didn’t push anymore. I just vowed to be there for her whenever she was ready to talk. If ever. Amber protected those she loved, and she was protecting him, which meant she loved him still.
Minty’s gentle rap at the door interrupted another one of our non-conversations about Angus. Whatever happened, I knew that it caused my sister anger, pain, and deep sadness. It made it hard for me to look at him sometimes, which explained why Amber refused to tell me what happened.
Minty rushed inside laden with bags as soon as Amber opened the door. “Sorry I’m late! There were tons of people at the craft fair today!”
Shitfuckdamn.
“I forgot about that!” I exclaimed. “I meant to drop by to visit you! Damn it! Today was the first of the season?”
“No worries, Ruby. You’re a busy lady.” She placed her bags on Amber’s kitchen table. “I brought you three kinds of olives, lovely,” she said to Amber, then turned back to me.
“Everybody and their dog came today. I got seventeen commissions! That’s unheard of! I almost don’t want to go back next week!” She laughed her tinkling laugh.
Even flustered, she still looked perfect. Wearing designer jeans and a soft, off-the-shoulder blouse, with her hair slicked back into a high ponytail, and her makeup light, she could be the poster girl for any number of products.
“Are you going to be able to finish all of those?” Amber asked.
Minty looked at Amber serenely. “Of course! Next week I might get no commissions. My turnaround time is six to twelve weeks. I’ve got lots of time.”
“Is Minnie here?” Alex bounded into the family room, Jace close on his heels.
Minty’s face lit up. She turned and held her arms out. “Boys!”
They both hit her at the same time, nearly knocking her off her feet. When they were small, they couldn’t pronounce her name properly and called her Minnie. She never once corrected them, and the nickname stuck, but only for them.
She pulled out a chair at the dining room table, and the boys did the same. “I’ve got something for you both.”
Minty rarely showed up without something for the boys. I tried to dissuade her in the beginning, but Amber took me aside, and asked me to let it go. Minty didn’t have children of her own. Amber told me that when she asked Minty to stop buying for Alex, the pain in Minty’s eyes compelled her to retract the request immediately.
So, the boys gained a generous and benevolent aunt in Minty. Minty helped with driving when the boys needed it. Minty was the secondary emergency contact on their school and sports forms. Minty took them on overnights into the city, to the movies on New Year’s Day while we helped Yiayia cook, and to their favourite restaurant for their birthdays. Just yesterday, Minty picked them both up after school to go out for Alex’s birthday.
She handed an over-sized brown craft bag to each of them. “I hope you like them.”
“Aw, Minnie, we always like what you bring us,” Alex exclaimed, then hooted as he pulled his gift out of the bag.
Jace opened his own bag, and his jaw fell open. He pulled out a custom painted skateboard deck. He turned it over in his hands and ran his fingers over the design.
“Minnie,” he whispered. “Did you paint this?”
“No,” she smiled. “I told the artist all about you, and he came up with the design. She nodded toward Alex. “Same with Alex’s.”
“This is awesome!” Alex yelled. He jumped up and hugged Minty, nearly clocking Jace on the head with his board as he spun around.
“Alex!” Amber laughed. “Stop swinging that thing around!”
Undaunted, he headed to his mother to show her, then hollered at Jace to come back to the games’ room.
