Unconventional Lovers

by Annette Mori

  †

  Bri walked with a spring in her step after saying goodbye to Siera. She reached her recumbent bicycle, locked to the bike rack, and squatted down, as she worked her fingers over the combination lock. Sometimes, her small stubby fingers made it difficult to turn the numbers, but Bri had a lot of patience. Her aunt always said that’s what made her such a great assistant. Aunt Olivia had been her favorite aunt, not because she offered Bri a job, but because she encouraged her gift with animals.

  “You’ve got the golden touch, Bri. It’s your special gift to the world. Even if you don’t want to work with me, I think you ought to bless the universe with your gift,” Aunt Olivia had said, after she’d asked Bri to move to Washington and work at her veterinary clinic.

  Three years ago, Aunt Olivia had come to visit. Bri could feel her aunt watching her with the horses and farm animals. She’d been upfront about needing an assistant, and talked privately with her mom. Aunt Olivia had explained to Bri how she’d eased her mom into their conversation of letting Bri spread her wings and branch out into new life experiences. Aunt Olivia had confided in Bri, chuckling while telling her she might have pushed it a bit and used some old-fashioned guilt. She didn’t know what guilt her aunt had used, but she thought it might be something related to how sad and lonely Aunt Olivia was after Aunt Irene went to heaven. Bri needed a job, or she was destined to remain in the shadows and under her family’s well-meaning protection. It wasn’t like they discouraged her in any way; they simply didn’t expect much, and that had been slowly killing her zest for life.

  She had felt bad for leaving the family. Her mom had cried as Bri took the final step and crawled into her aunt’s red truck. Since then, Bri had blossomed under her responsibilities at the clinic. She was proud of herself when the staff at the clinic called on her special skills with a particularly difficult pet. She understood fear and was able to connect to the root emotion every time.

  The short bike ride to her aunt’s house on the lake was exhilarating. She ignored her aunt’s admonishments that sifted through her brain and stuffed her helmet in her bike bag strapped to the back of the rack.

  Darn, busted. As Bri rolled up to the garage, she saw her aunt’s frown.

  “Sorry, Aunt Olivia. I needed to feel the breeze in my hair. I met someone today. She touched my hair,” Bri confessed.

  Olivia’s frown deepened.

  “Come on in and sit down. Tell me all about it, and don’t leave anything out.”

  “Thanks, Aunt Olivia. You’re not too mad about the helmet, are you?” Bri asked.

  Olivia smiled and shook her head. “I’m more concerned about this new person you’ve met. I know your mom warned you about talking to strangers. Being friendly is okay, but sometimes people don’t have the purest motivation. Do you understand what I’m talking about?”

  “It’s because I’m the way I am. People might want to take advantage of me. I’m smart with animals, but not people. I hate that I was born this way. You and mom don’t have to be careful with new people.”

  “Oh honey. That’s not what I meant. Anyone can be taken advantage of. You are perfect just the way you are. Never let anyone make you believe anything different. Now, tell me about this person.”

  Bri led the way into the garage and lifted her bike to set it on the hook her aunt had installed onto the wall. She opened the door into the mud room and sat down to remove her gym shoes. She looked up at her aunt and grinned. She was excited and couldn’t wait to tell her aunt about her new friend. “She’s like me, Aunt Olivia, but she’s smart. She’s going to Big Bend in the fall. I wish I was smart enough to go to college. I never met someone like me who was smart enough to go to college. We’re going to be best friends,” Bri declared.

  “What do you mean she’s like you?” Olivia tentatively asked.

  “She’s Down's too,” Bri nonchalantly replied. Bri stood up and followed her aunt into the kitchen.

  Olivia raised her eyebrow. “I think I need to meet this young woman who is your new best friend.”

  “Okay. I told her to meet me again tomorrow evening at the park. Can I ask her to come for dinner?” Bri sat at her usual place at the table, while her aunt walked over to the counter to retrieve the plates she’d prepared.

  “Does she have a bike, or should I pick you up?” Olivia set the plate of salmon and grilled asparagus on the table in front of Bri.

  Bri scrunched up her face and smacked her head. “See, I’m so stupid. I didn’t ask. She was walking, so maybe she lives close to the park.”

  Olivia reached over and stroked Bri’s head. “Don’t ever call yourself stupid. You are a wonderful, talented young woman, and I am sure this new friend will be delighted to spend time with you.” She sat down at the table with Bri. “How about if I rush through closing up the clinic and swing by the park tomorrow? We can toss your bike in the back of the truck and hers too if she has one?”

  “Oh, thank you, Aunt Olivia. You’re the best. I know you’re going to love her like I do.”

  The frown returned to Olivia’s face.

  Chapter Five

  Siera banged the screen door open. She knew she was late when she saw her mom sitting at the table tapping her fingers. She was probably wondering what happened to delay her return from work.

  “Oh, honey, I’m glad you’re here. I was about to call the National Guard,” Kathleen joked.

  “Aw, Mom, I was at the park. I met someone. I think I have a friend.”

  Kathleen paused, and her stiffened posture betrayed her feelings about Siera’s declaration.

  Siera had a knack for noticing emotions. People often underestimated her ability to observe certain nuances of human behavior. Even though her mom tried to act nonchalant, Siera noticed the nervous twitch as she asked about her new friend. Her aunt was sitting on the counter. She looked so much younger than her mom, even though only a few years her junior. Siera loved her aunt, she was funny and a lot more comfortable to be around than her dad’s brother, Uncle Frank.

  “Oh. Why don’t you tell me about it while your dad finishes his grilling masterpiece,” Kathleen’s voice quivered very lightly.

  “It’s all good, Mom. She was sweet. She has Down syndrome too. She’s not like those other kids in the special schools you didn’t want me going to. The geese weren’t aggressive around her. It was amazing, and she has really pretty yellow hair. I touched it. It was so soft.”

  “What was she doing out at the park all by herself?” Kathleen asked. The clipped tone revealed her true feelings.

  Deb glared at Kathleen but didn’t say a word. Siera loved her aunt, because she treated her like she was normal. Not too many people did that.

  Siera recognized her mom’s fear. Even though she’d always encouraged Siera, sometimes her protective nature came out whenever Siera talked about her efforts at forming friendships in school. Siera had been hurt before, and she knew how much it wounded her mom to see her cry over another disappointment.

  “She works at a veterinary clinic. Isn’t that cool? She graduated from high school, too. She told me we would be best friends. I have a friend, Mom—a real friend.”

  Kathleen’s shoulders relaxed a little.

  Jeremy sauntered into the kitchen with a plate of bison burgers.

  Toby, her younger brother, shuffled behind and made a face behind his father’s back.

  “Hi, pumpkin. How was your day today?” Jeremy asked, then looked over at Deb. “One or two extra plates?” he asked.

  “One. Don’t ask,” Deb answered.

  Jeremy raised his eyebrow, then shifted his eyes back to Siera.

  “I have a friend now, Dad.”

  Jeremy frowned and Toby grinned.

  Siera noticed how her mom caught her dad’s eyes and the look seemed to reassure her dad.

  “She met a young woman feeding geese at the park,” Kathleen clarified.

  “Why don’t you invite this girl over for one of my famous burgers?” Her dad smile
d.

  “Dad thinks he’s the best griller west of the Mississippi. He was trying to impart his expert knowledge on me today. ‘No son of mine is going to make a lackluster burger, I’ll teach you all my tricks,’” Toby mocked.

  “Go ahead and ridicule me now, but when you get serious with a girl, she’s going to expect you to demonstrate your grilling prowess. If you don’t have game there, she’ll throw you back in the pond. How do you think I got your mom to marry me? She was never the same after I invited her to a barbecue. I separated myself from the flock that day. Right, hon?”

  “Sure, whatever you say.” Kathleen grinned.

  Siera knew her dad loved her, but it was hard to erase the memory of the argument she’d heard through the vent in her bedroom five years ago. On that night, she’d learned how her father had reacted to her birth.

  Siera had heard angry loud voices in the small den below her bedroom and crawled from her bed to open the heating vent to listen. She knew she shouldn’t. It was wrong to invade her parent’s privacy, but when she heard her name, it was hard to resist.

  “You expect too much of her,” her dad declared. “Why can’t you let her go to that school where she’ll be surrounded by kids like her?”

  “And you expect too little. I haven’t forgotten how you reacted when the doctor gave us the news. You passed judgment that day, and you’ve never seen her potential. All you can see is her condition. Well, she’s as talented as every other kid, and I will not let them turn her into a pity project so some self-imposed executive can feel good about hiring the poor handicapped girl. Why do I have to fight you, too? It’s bad enough I always have to do battle with the schools.”

  “Aw, Jesus Christ, Kat. Won’t you ever let me live that down? I was a new father. I wasn’t ready to hear the news. It simply took me a little more time to get used to the fact that our first baby wasn’t perfect. It was a knee-jerk reaction.”

  Siera heard something crash. “Do you hear yourself? Not perfect. Even now, you consider your daughter less. I didn’t think you could ever say anything more hurtful than ‘we should have done that amniocentesis test and aborted when we had the chance.’ But now here we are, fourteen years later, and your profuse apology means absolutely nothing. Your true feelings are coming through again,” Kathleen shouted.

  “Shit, Kat that’s not what I meant. You know how much I adore Siera. She’s lonely and hasn’t been able to make one friend. It’s not right you pushing her so much. Can’t you see how awful the public school is for her? It’s going to break her spirit someday, but you don’t care about that, do you? You are so hell bent on making sure everyone treats her like any other normal teenager, but she’s not, and she’ll never be. That is not something you have control over.”

  “She won’t get the same opportunities in life at that school. Can’t you see that? When she goes to college and proves them all wrong, then you’ll see this is the right decision. I know you love her, but can you please temper that protective streak of yours and believe in her a little more?”

  “Isn’t her happiness and well-being important to you at all?” Jeremy countered.

  “Of course it is. She’s fine. I make sure she isn’t the recipient of bullying. I’m on it. Trust me.”

  “Just because the kids don’t bully her, doesn’t mean she’s happy. Haven’t you noticed how she never talks about school? Every one of her teachers tells you that she’s as quiet as a church mouse. Well that’s grand for them, but what about her connection to other kids? It’s nonexistent and you know it.”

  Siera crawled back in her bed. She didn’t want to listen to their conversation anymore. She supposed they were both right, but the realization her father hadn’t wanted her when she was born cut her to the bone. She knew deep down her dad loved her. His fear and protective nature were dictating his perspective.

  In the end, her mom got her way—like she always did wherever Siera was concerned. She would attend Big Bend College in the fall, like her mom wanted, but at what cost to her health and well-being.

  Suddenly, everything had changed. Today with Bri made all the difference in the world. She finally had a friend. It was something she’d prayed about every day since the age of five. God had finally answered her prayers.

  “Can I, Dad? I think she would love your burgers as much as I do,” Siera said.

  “So, what’s the girl’s name?” Jeremy asked.

  “Bri.” Siera sighed. “She has the most beautiful yellow hair.”

  “She does? Hmmm. Dark and light like your mom and me. You got those beautiful wavy dark locks from your mom. Now I know you are destined to be best friends. Contrasts are good.”

  “She works at a veterinary clinic as an assistant. Isn’t that cool? I wish I had a job working with animals. I love cats and dogs,” Siera said with excitement in her voice.

  “You know, those clinics see other animals besides cats and dogs. You would have to take care of snakes and other slimy reptiles,” Toby teased.

  “Ew. I don’t like snakes,” Siera answered.

  “Don’t you like your job at Walmart?” Kathleen asked.

  Siera lost her smile and shrugged. “It’s okay, I guess.”

  Kathleen narrowed her eyes. “Honey, did something happen today?”

  “Just some stupid teenagers. I don’t care. I’m going to study hard. I don’t have to work at Walmart for the rest of my life. I don’t want to talk about it. Can we eat now? I’m starved.”

  Siera didn’t miss the concerned look Kathleen gave to Jeremy.

  “Hey, Sis, tell me who they are and I’ll pound them into the pavement,” Toby stated.

  “No one’s pounding anyone into the pavement.” Kathleen glared at her husband and son. “We don’t regress to violence to solve issues in this household.”

  “Tell that to the vase,” Toby grumbled.

  Deb laughed.

  “What was that?” Kathleen asked.

  “Oh, nothing,” Toby answered.

  Jeremy chuckled. “I think he was referring to your abuse of inanimate objects whenever you’re pissed at me.”

  “Do not encourage him. I know you’re the one who told him to pound anyone who gave Siera grief,” Kathleen chastised.

  “Stellar advice.” Deb raised her thumbs in the air.

  “Who, me?” Jeremy batted his eyelashes.

  Siera laughed. She loved her younger brother. He was as protective as her dad and aunt, but none of them could make the other kids like her. That was beyond their abilities.

  Chapter Six

  Bri pedaled her recumbent bike down the road. She was anxious about getting to the park by five. Her aunt had noted her nervousness and finally allowed her to leave the clinic.

  “Go on now, we can close up. Mrs. Thompson is bringing Rufus, but he’s easy to handle. Don’t forget to invite your new friend over for dinner tonight. I’ll pick you both up in about an hour. Okay?”

  “Thanks, Aunt Olivia. You’re the best.” Bri nearly sang her response.

  Bri had her iPod stuffed into the pocket of the biking shirt, as she listened to her favorite female artists. She shared a similar taste in music to her aunt who had added the mix to her player. She was singing along to Brandi Carlisle, when she entered the park.

  Carefully dismounting, she rolled her pride and joy over to the bike rack and locked it up. She’d saved her money to purchase the expensive bike and took very good care of it.

  Her aunt made her put most of the money she earned into a high-interest-bearing account she wouldn’t be able to touch for five years. Although Bri had complained at first, she bent to her aunt’s will after she had carefully explained. Someday, Bri might want to purchase something that would foster more independence, and she would never be able to do that without a nice nest egg. Her aunt was smart that way. She always knew how to get through to Bri.

  Bri had told her aunt about her dream of independence, when she first moved to Washington, and she suspected her aunt had filed tha
t away to pull out at the right moment. It worked. Bri desperately wanted to feel normal, and living independently would be the first step.

  Bri removed from her bike bag the ziplocked container of cabbage and cauliflower leaves. She skipped over to the bench and clicked her tongue.

  Several of the regulars came waddling close, waiting for Bri to share the tasty treats.

  Footsteps on the gravel scared the geese away. They were familiar with her, but not a new person sneaking up on them. Bri knew it was her new friend and jumped up to greet her.

  “You came.” Bri’s smile threatened to take over her whole face. She set the bag to the side and impulsively pulled the young woman with dark, wavy hair into an enthusiastic hug. She was happy when Siera returned the hug with equal fervor.

  “My aunt asked me to invite you to dinner tonight. Can you come? She wants to meet you,” Bri declared.

  Siera smiled. “I’d like to, but I have to ask my parents. They were hoping you would come to our house for a barbecue. My dad makes the best burgers. I think he wants to show off for you. He grills other things too. They want to meet you.”

  “Do you have a cell phone? I don’t. I never had anyone I wanted to talk to before now, and I spent all my money on this bike,” Bri confessed.

  “Yeah, I do. My mom wanted me to have one in case there was an emergency. The only people I ever call is my family. I don’t have anyone else I want to talk to either.” Siera blushed. “Except, now I do, and you don’t have a phone.”

  “I can get one. If I ask Aunt Olivia, she’ll let me spend some of my money on a phone, now that I have someone to call. So, can you call your parents and ask them?” Bri glanced at her watch. “Aunt Olivia said she would come pick us up in about thirty minutes.”