by Pat Simmons
She was packing up her things and about to stand when Ava Elise strolled in her direction and took a seat. “I hope you plan on coming. It would be nice to have another sister present to increase the diversity at this function.”
White males dominated the field. Despite diversity programs throughout the pharmaceutical industry, blacks and other minorities had to work harder and be better than the average white workers to stand out. Tabitha understood the strength in numbers support system, but she had other obligations now. “You know that I know how important these gatherings are. If I didn’t have my great-aunt living with me, I would be there. She’s suffering from dementia and can’t be left alone.”
“Bring her.”
Tabitha leaned closer as if they weren’t the sole occupants of the classroom. “Aunt Tweet has always been a social butterfly, but recently she’s starting to wander. I can’t watch her while concentrating on a Q&A with a doctor.”
Ava Elise nodded, then patted Tabitha’s hand. The gesture was comforting. “My family has been in a similar situation, so I understand your concerns. Four eyes are better than one pair. She’ll be in good hands with you and me looking out for her.” They stood. “It’s only for a couple of hours, and you’ll want to hear the chief surgeon and a group of endocrinologists from Barnes Jewish Hospital’s findings on using our new drug to treat hyperaldosteronism.”
With no more excuses, she agreed, then left.
Friday morning, before she used the bathroom, Tabitha tiptoed to Aunt Tweet’s bed.
She was resting peacefully and her breathing was even, then one of her aunt’s eyes popped open. “I’m still here.”
“Whew!” Tabitha almost jumped out of her skin. She patted her chest, trying to comfort her pounding heart. “You scared me.”
“Didn’t mean to, baby. I was just resting my eyes. I get up when the birds start chirping and fall asleep under the melody of the crickets and owls.”
Those night sounds would keep Tabitha awake. “Don’t you feel well?”
“I’m fine. Don’t you worry about me, Miss.”
“I’m Tabitha, your niece.” She didn’t add remember, because her poor aunt couldn’t.
Aunt Tweet only stared and nodded with a slight smile.
“It’s early, so you don’t have to get up yet. I’m going to take a shower, then make breakfast by the time you come downstairs.” She relaxed, knowing her aunt’s whereabouts. She backtracked to her bedroom where her furniture was modern, airy, and white, even her wood shutters, unlike her aunt’s dark furniture. An over-sized floor rug and oil paintings gave her oasis splashes of color.
The walk-in closet she enjoyed had been redesigned from a nursery off the master bedroom. Tabitha spied the powder blue business suit, hanging from a brass hook. She changed her mind as the sunlight brightened her room by each second, giving her a mental and physical boost.
She squinted for something cheerful and not so businesslike on a Friday. A flirty flowing lilac-and-blue dress caught her eye, and it would complement the suit jacket.
It would be perfect for the company-sponsored event she had to attend that evening. Once she showered and dressed, Tabitha added a thin chain necklace, for the fun of it, to match her earrings. She finished off her attire by slipping her stockinged feet into slingback heels. Today would be a good day.
MARCUS OPENED HIS FRONT door and blinked. He was dumbfounded. Tabitha, who didn’t look happy, and her aunt were back.
“Would you like to use my cell to call 9-1-1, or yours?” she sassed. Her nostrils flared and her beautiful eyes aimed darts his way. She rested a hand void of a ring on her shapely hip, as if she were counting down the seconds for him to answer.
Lifting his brow, Marcus grunted. Her audacity amused him as much as it irritated him. Should he be mad the woman had violated his edict, or excited that she did, so he could see her again. What was it about her that captivated him, rendering him weak?
He was a man who had authority over seventy employees, some of whom had served time in prison, yet this little woman was exerting her mental strength to turn him into a purring kitten. In all honesty, if they would have a duel, she would win because her beauty arrested him.
Nope, a woman wasn’t taking him down like that. “Why don’t we both make the call? Maybe, they’ll get them here faster.”
A flash of fear replaced her fierceness. That concerned him. It had been so subtle that if he had blinked, he would have missed it. Folding her arms, she jutted her chin. “I’m pressed for time this morning, so let’s get this over with. One minute my aunt was asleep, the next she’s at your doorstep—”
He held up his hand. She had no idea how bad he wanted to make good on his threat, but he refused to be a bully, as Demetrius had inferred. “Have a nice day, Miss Knicely.” Her stunned expression was amusing. Just to irritate her, he glanced over his shoulder at the car. He waved and grinned. “Good morning, Aunt Tweet.”
“Good morning, baby,” she yelled and waved.
He turned back to Tabitha and dropped the smile. “Seriously, if you’re not capable of taking care of her—”
“Seriously,” she snapped, “walk in my shoes.”
He stepped off the porch, and within seconds, towered over her. A mistake. Her perfume brought his irritation down a notch. The sun seemed to spotlight Tabitha, and he noted her dark brown hair blended perfectly with the shade of her skin. That’s what he called natural beauty. She stepped back as he scanned her attire. He briefly wondered if her hidden toes were manicured.
Stop getting sidetracked. “I don’t know your shoe size, but if I could squeeze into them, I would still do a better job.”
This time she invaded his space and wagged a long, slender finger with nail polish the color of a blue sky at him. She seemed too flustered to have a comeback. “Whatever.” She twirled around and sauntered away. The hem of her dress flowed around her legs, flirting with his eyes.
Stop ogling! he chided himself. “Lady, you just don’t get it. This is my property. I’m trying to be nice about this—”
“Too late. You are a certified jerk for life. I’m sorry to trouble you.”
An hour later, Marcus was pacing the floor in his office. He was wondering if the word fool was stamped across his forehead, judging by Tabitha and Victor’s insulting behavior.
“So what are you going to do about this little home invasion thing?” Demetrius snickered.
He scowled. “I have no idea. Seriously, I need to call the police and at least have her put on notice about elderly endangerment.”
“But something tells me you won’t—no, can’t. You like her.” His brother chuckled.
“Why wouldn’t I? She’s very mannerable, despite her neighborhood adventures. She reminds me of—”
“I know...Grans,” Demetrius said, cutting him off. “But I’m talking about the other neighbor. The gorgeous one—your description, not mine.” He held up both hands in surrender.
Huffing, Marcus didn’t reply as he stormed out of his own office. Being attracted to a woman was one thing, respecting her as a person was another. Next time, he would make the call.
Chapter 6
T
he good day Tabitha had hoped for turned into a nightmare. First, she was going to be late. Second, she had to freshen up Aunt Tweet, change her clothes, and feed her before leaving for Bermuda Place. And third...it was official that she was going to be late, her first week!
She needed about sixty seconds to waddle in a self-induced pity party, but she couldn’t. She would definitely schedule that later.
Back home, she found herself praying to tame her frustration. Holding her tongue, she performed her tasks. Before walking out the door, she decided to put on her blue suit. She wasn’t in the mood for the flirty dress anymore.
An hour late, Tabitha apologized for her tardiness. Ava Elise graciously accepted and continued through the lessons. Flustered, Tabitha wanted to cry and not wait for a scheduled pity party. She wa
sn’t one for dramatics, nor was she one to feel out of control or to be tardy.
During the class’ mid-morning break, Ava Elise pulled her aside. “Walk with me.”
“Okay.” She braced for a tongue-lashing or verbal warning as she followed her trainer through the door to the campus’ courtyard.
“What happened?” she asked softly.
Shaking her head, Tabitha could barely open her mouth when the tears flooded her face. Ava Elise guided her to a nearby stone bench surrounded by meticulous flowerbeds. She and Aunt Tweet were supposed to work in the garden and plant flowers. It triggered another crying binge.
“Here.” Ava Elisa handed her a travel-size package of tissues, which must have come from her suit pocket.
Nodding her thanks, she dabbed her eyes and blew her nose.
“Take a deep breath,” Ava Elise coaxed her. “Tell me what’s going on.”
“I’m so sorry. I maintained perfect attendance. I don’t practice tardiness...”
“Hey, I’m not worried about you being late. I won’t have you sign a verbal warning. I’m concerned about you. You looked flustered when you came in.”
“My aunt...” She swallowed the lump in her throat, conjuring up the memories, “one moment, she’s in the bed before I showered. When I finished and was dressing, something told me to glance out the window. Aunt Tweet was outside in her nightgown, probably on her way to this scary neighbor’s house.”
Her trainer listened patiently and didn’t interrupt, even though their break time had surely ended.
“That’s why I don’t think it’s a good idea for me to attend the meet-and-greet tonight,” Tabitha shared.
There was a moment of silence, then Ava Elise spoke. “I know you made a sacrifice to take in your aunt, even on a temporary basis, but life goes on, and you’re going to have to figure out how it goes on. I’m here if you want to talk, but I’m giving you two orders. There is no compromising.”
Uh-oh. She held her breath, waiting for the edicts.
“Take as much as time as you need to compose yourself. I know you won’t have any problems catching up. Second, I expect you and your aunt this evening. Try not to be late.” She stood. “But if you are, it is completely understandable.” She bent and snapped the stem of a tulip to Tabitha’s surprise. She lifted it to her nose, then handed it to Tabitha.
She laughed. “I can’t believe you did that.” Her eyes widened in disbelief as they both looked around the garden area, hoping no one saw what she did.
“Me either.” Ava Elise grinned. “But I won’t tell if you don’t.”
“You stuck me with the evidence, so I’m walking back inside with you.”
The rest of the day went by without any more incidents. Ava Elise dismissed early, so those who were attending the function in a few hours could have some downtime. Tabitha appreciated that. At home, she changed back into the dress she had planned to wear earlier. It had turned out to be a good day after all.
Hours later, she and Aunt Tweet arrived at the after-work event with twenty minutes to spare. Ava Elise waved, and Tabitha returned it with a triumphant smile as she made introductions.
Living in her upscale neighborhood in Philly, her aunt had hosted parties, conducted meetings, and sponsored all kinds of socials, so she knew how to be the life of the party. Her aunt impressed Ava Elisa with her knowledge of how to plan parties and who should be included on guest lists, what to serve on the menu, then bounced to a wide range of topics.
After the chief surgeon had ended his talk, she and Ava Elise formed a tag team, watching Aunt Tweet. Soon, a doctor took a seat next to her aunt. Both were laughing.
“Your poor aunt is going to need rescuing in sixty seconds, because Dr. Kincaid has a captive audience for his monologue of ground-breaking procedure,” her trainer said, walking up beside her.
“If he keeps her still, then he could talk her to sleep,” Tabitha said as Aunt Tweet stood with the doctor’s assistance and made her way to the buffet table. She began to pile a plate with meatballs as if she hadn’t eaten in days.
She hurried to rescue Aunt Tweet from self-destruction. How could she be hungry? They had been nibbling on filling hors d’oeuvres since they arrived. Removing the plate from her aunt’s hands, she gave her a portion of the meatballs, then situated her at an unoccupied table as far away from the food as possible. Tabitha was surprised to see Dr. Giles, with whom she had been speaking earlier, watching her.
He approached her after she left Aunt Tweet at the table. “We didn’t get to finish our conversation earlier.”
She immediately apologized for her abrupt disappearance. “Sorry. My aunt has dementia caused by her Alzheimer’s,” she explained, “so I have to keep her on my radar.”
“Ah, dementia.” He stroked his chin. “Clearly, my specialty isn’t in neurology, but there are so many diseases that have dementia symptoms—Parkinson’s, Huntington’s, Lewy body, even depression.”
“Yes, I know. Since her diagnosis, I’ve read everything I can about the symptoms, but classroom learning and everyday experience isn’t the same. I thought I was prepared, but my aunt keeps surprising me,” she mumbled to herself, shaking her head as she reflected on this morning’s embarrassment. Shoving back the memories, Tabitha put all her energy into listening to Dr. Giles, in hopes of learning something she had overlooked in reading. His clinical assessment wasn’t much help. The bottom line was there weren’t any breakthroughs in the near future.
The gathering disbursed soon after that with commitments from physicians to accept samples to treat their most challenging patients suffering with hyperaldosteronism. On the half-hour drive home, her aunt dozed. When they arrived, they crashed within another half hour.
On Saturday, both woke later than usual. The only task on their agenda was to plant flowers. Later, she planned to do more reading and drug comparisons before class the following week.
Working side by side in the flower bed, Tabitha listened as Aunt Tweet chatted about her childhood antics. It was entertaining and relaxing until she realized her aunt was pulling up the petunias they had just planted. “No, no. Stop pulling up our flowers.” She felt as if she was scolding a kindergartener. Her frustration surfaced.
“These aren’t flowers, they’re weeds,” she argued and continued undoing their tedious work. Getting up, Tabitha dusted off her pants, then assisted her aunt to her feet. She would have to finish later—by herself. “That’s enough for one day. Let’s get cleaned up and eat.”
“I ain’t ate in a while.” A while was a big breakfast two hours earlier.
The rest of the day, they stayed inside and watched movies. About eight, her aunt retired to bed, so Tabitha replanted the flowers that were pulled, and planted the rest. By the time she finished, cleaned up the mess and watered her efforts, it was ten-thirty. Turning off the lights, she climbed the stairs, checked on her elderly house guest, then relaxed in a Jacuzzi filled with bubbles.
The next morning, Tabitha felt someone nudging her from her sleep. Her sore muscles protested the interruption, so she snuggled deeper under the covers.
“I’m ready, sweetie,” a voice echoed in the room.
Springing up, she blinked until a familiar face came into focus. Aunt Tweet was fully dressed with her purse dangling from her arm. She yawned. “For what?”
“Church,” she stated in a tone as if Tabitha should’ve known.
Whew. One minute, she thought her aunt was asking for permission to leave for Marcus’ house. This was an easy one. “We don’t go, remember?”
Aunt Tweet frowned as if she were straining her brain. “My church is across the street from my work.”
What was she talking about? Her aunt had been retired for more than twenty years. Maybe she was referring to Bermuda Place as her job, which would make sense, since she had gone there every day that week.
If there was a church nearby, she hadn’t given it a second glance. Besides, she was drained. Her body craved sleep a
nd relaxation. Wasn’t Sunday a day of rest, anyway? She floated back to her pillow. “Let’s do a rain check, please.”
“Tabitha Faye Knicely, if you don’t get out that bed, I’ll drive myself.”
Tabitha sprang up again. After being called “Miss” a few times, Aunt Tweet had remembered her name. She was about to celebrate the baby step when she remembered her aunt did know how to drive. It was where she could end up that concerned Tabitha, so she wasn’t about to call her bluff. “Give me an hour.”
“Cut it in half,” she ordered with a suspicious grin and adjusted her pink hat.
“Why don’t you sit here and watch me?” Tabitha patted a spot on her bed, then sprinted into her closet and grabbed the first dress she saw off the hanger. Before she raced into her shower, she wagged her finger lovingly. “Please don’t leave this house,” she begged, putting her hands together in a feigned prayer.
Although her aunt nodded and seemed content to be sitting, Tabitha broke a record with her grooming. Even her sisters would be impressed.
The aroma of breakfast greeted Tabitha when she stepped out the bathroom. Her aunt was as defiant as a toddler going through her terrible twos. She dressed, then gathered her purse and walked downstairs. Aunt Tweet was busy behind the stove, whipping up scrambled eggs, while sausage was sizzling in another skillet. Toast was already stacked on a plate.
They silently said grace and were enjoying breakfast when her aunt looked up from her plate and chuckled. “You remind me of my graduation picture from George Washington High School.” Tabitha beamed at the compliment. “You should’ve been my sister instead of Pallie.” Priscilla and Palmira “Pallie” were twins, but not identical.
From what her father had shared, Aunt Pallie had died in her twenties from some illness—gone too soon. Their only other sibling was Tabitha’s grandmother, Pearl—her father’s mother. Aunt Tweet was the only one left out of three girls. No husband, children, or sisters. The Knicely girls were the only living relatives Aunt Tweet had on her father’s side. Kinfolks on her mother’s side were so distant Tabitha wouldn’t know them if she passed them on the sidewalk.