by A. G. Hobson
“Aunt Trixie?” she places one finger to her lips.
“Shhh. Someone is coming.” My mother comes bursting in.
“Trixie. Leave Sienna alone. She needs to rest. She has been through a lot so go on home with your weirdness!” She scolds. I never realized it, but Aunt Trixie was the outcast. Just like me. That is the reason she and my mom never hangs out.
“Mom! Get out of my room! We are talking and I want her to stay.” I sit up to let mom know that I am dead serious. She looks between the two of us and huffs.
“So you would rather talk to Trixie than your own mother.” She displays her false hurt.
“Mom don’t be so dramatic.” I sigh with an eye roll. I lie back down and fold a pillow under my head this time. My mom storms out and slams the door. Aunt Trixie stands and locks the door. When she sits she goes straight back into the story.
“She was 20 years old when she met this dashing young man. She instantly fell in love with him. They began to date immediately. She could not think of anything else after she met him. As time went on he told her that he loved her very much, but they had to be discreet. He said his father had caught wind of their relationship and disapproved. She begged him to let her meet his father. She was sure that once he met her, he would change his mind. But her lover did not agree.” I wrap myself in my quilt. The story was proving to be very juicy. I settle in and lend her my undivided attention.
“They were only able to see one another early mornings or late nights. Nevertheless, they spent time together each and every day. He said he wanted to marry her and that he couldn’t imagine her with anyone else. For a while she didn’t mind that she could only be with him in secret. But over time she grew tired. She no longer wanted to be his secret. One morning she dressed in her finest clothes and went up to his house. He was very wealthy and she knew that his family only hated her because she was poor. She thought if she could convince them that she wanted to be with him because of love, they would be allowed to marry. As she approached their beautiful mansion she hoped and prayed that they would listen. She knew he would be angry but as soon as his father accepted her he would be overjoyed. She walked onto the porch and knocked on the door. As she waited for someone to answer she noticed all of the children toys on the porch. She shrugged it off and figured his parents maybe had a few small children. Finally a gorgeous red head answered the door. Her eyes were a dangerous shade of the lightest green. When she asked great grandmother who she was there for she froze. She asked for her lover’s father but the woman said he did not live there. She explained to the woman why she had come. The woman was horrified by her admittance. Her eyes grew dark and great-grandmother became very afraid. The woman started yelling and two little girls appeared behind her. She assured her that it wasn’t over and slammed the door. Our Great grandmother left very confused. The next day when her lover came to see her he was more than angry. He told her that she was in great danger for coming to his home, for the woman was his evil spirited wife, which his father forced him to marry because of his debt to their family. She was heartbroken she wanted to die. He gave her a leather satchel with a lot of money in it and told her to leave the island immediately. She refused and told him that she would stay and fight for him. With tears in his eyes, he bid her a final goodbye. He hoped that she would leave and never return. A few days passed and she only thought of seeing him again. One day she was in the grassy clearing tending her family’s property and the red headed woman came to see her. As she crossed the path great-grandmother was afraid. She know she was not coming for a cup of tea. When she reached her, she stared for a moment. Then she began to chant. The woman was a well-known witch. Her family wreaked havoc on the island, claiming all of the wealth they could. When she was finished she told her that she wanted to blind her. But she thought letting her see everything would save her from being with someone else’s husband. She promised she would see the death of her loved ones and be powerless to do anything about it. She would see her own death and have to wait for it. Before she left she told her to take the money her husband gave her and leave the island never to return or her death would come sooner than she could imagine. She of course fled and came to America. She discovered shortly after her arrival that she was pregnant with her first daughter. She quickly married great-grandfather and had our grandmother, dad’s mom. The curse she placed on her became a gift. Yes, she did see death but she could see a lot more. And, after years of torture she learned to control it. She mastered the ability. She envisioned what she wanted. She blocked the death and destruction and when she concentrated she could see whatever she needed. After her husband died she wanted to see her first love. She was able to see his fate, and the life that he lived. The curse that witch put on her became the ultimate gift. Later she discovered that her first daughter acquired it and taught her how to master it. No other woman in our family received the curse but you and me.” she grabs my hand and yanks me up from my bed.
“It is a curse Sienna. But if you let me help you, it can be a gift. I can teach you how to turn it on and off. You can use it at your leisure or not at all. My aunt and great-grandmother used it for profit. But I rarely use it at all. It has caused me to be reclusive. I knew we were going to have that accident. Kole is in a wheel chair and I knew he would be. We can’t really change the future but we can alter it if we get involved. I don’t know if he would have went on to be a successful lacrosse player, but I didn’t want to know. I can’t live with myself, I should have stopped from driving. So therefore, I don’t date. I stay to myself.” Aunt Trixie explains.
I gasp. Her tale is somber. I can’t stand it. I start to cry. “Why me? I don’t want to know my friend’s future. I don’t want to know my future. I’m scared aunt Trixie.” I cry, my body shudders from the choking sobs. I get louder. This is the worst possible news, I could have ever received. She holds me tight. We sit in an embrace, until my mom comes back banging on my door.
“Trixie! What are you doing to my daughter? Why is she crying?” she yells through the door. I stand and release my aunt. I walk to the door and open it. I slowly return to my bed and sit. The tears will not stop.
“What is wrong with Sienna, Trixie? She just got out of the hospital for god’s sake. You always upset people with your presence.” Trixie looks at me and stands. She walks to the door of my room and I call out to her. “Please don’t leave Aunt Trixie! I need you. I can’t do this alone!” I run to her and hug her. Suddenly a stifling pain resonates from one side of my head to the other. I scream out and clutch the bandaged side.
“Oh my, Sienna you need to rest. No more crying. Whatever she has done to you we will deal with it later.” She pushes me toward the bed and I slide in beneath the covers. My mom storms over to my aunt and begins to shove her out of my room.
“Mom no! If she leaves, I’m going with her.” Jacquie almost faints. “And I want her to stay for the summer. Promise me you will stay with me for the summer, Trixie?”
“I was hoping you would come to stay with me Sienna.” I sit up.
“No, Scott is leaving in August for college I have to spend the summer here, so I can be with him.” she rolls her eyes with a long exaggerated roll.
“Alright, I will stay here if it is alright with Jacqueline.” She looks at my mom, who throws her hands up. “I am not answering that!” she says before exiting my room. Trixie walks over and sits beside me.
“Alright, first thing I want you to do is concentrate on some type of fantasy. It can’t be about anyone you know. It has to be a character or a stranger. Close your eyes.” She commands.
“No, I don’t want to see.”
“Trust me Sienna. Concentrate on something fictional.” I listen to the sound of her voice. I close my eyes and all I can think about is Puggly the bear, a show that Jarvis loved when he was little. I drift off humming tunes from that annoying children’s show.
CHAPTER 9
When I wake it is a new day. My headache is a faint irritation. I
turn and the sun is shining through my curtains. Jacquie has definitely been in rare form since my stint in the hospital. I especially like the explosive décor she has selected for my room. I didn’t even notice yesterday. Everything happened so fast I ignored the radiant colors in my newly decorated room. I wonder when she actually decided to do it, and did my flip flopping father have anything to do with it? I guess he is really serious about making things work with her. But that must suck for Natalie. Because now she and her daughter has to experience the pain that my family endured all of the years he was off playing Barbie dream house with her. I stare at the frilly yellow sheer curtains that my mom draped across my windows. I slowly scan the room and there are plush new area rugs to replace my worn old ones. She even put new pictures up on the walls. The cute colorful throw pillows beside my bed gives away the presence of brand new bedding. I am in awe, because I did not notice last night. I sit up and slide back against my head board. I run my fingers through my tangled hair.
“I have got to do something with this jungle of tresses.” I say trying to pull my already loosened bandage. A brush has not touched this head of hair since I dressed for school Monday, and now a whole week has passed. I slither out of bed and glance at myself in the full length mirror that stands alone in the corner of the room.
“Oh gosh. I look terrible!” I cover my face to hide the hideous reflection. And, to think Scott has been looking at me like this for days. I am completely baffled by him. Why would he want to date such an average looking person? And by average I mean plain, very plain. Maybe he is getting ready for his charity work or trying out for his community service hours. I laugh to myself. The thought of him looking at me as a community service nearly causes me to start balling. But it is just too darn funny. I drag myself over to my bedroom door and open it. My nose catches the delightful whiff of bacon. And I believe I smell a host of delicious smelling tidbits dancing together. I throw the bandage into my garbage pail and grab a scrunchie. I pull my hair into a messy bun and run down to get a plate. When I get to the kitchen my family is all sitting together like a hokey group of bread passing, can I get you a drink, head nodding, bright smiling, dopes. It is nauseating to watch. I mockingly stick my finger in my mouth and proceed to grab me a taste of this surprisingly wonderful looking breakfast, I assume my mom has prepared.
“Good morning baby girl. I was wondering when you were going to grace us with your presence.”
“Mom, baby girl? I was sleeping. That is what people do at night, right?”
“Yes honey, but I have been cooking for an hour and I know you smelled it. You have a nose like a hound.” A chorus of laughter erupts. I turn and scowl at the table. My dad gets the picture and shoves a crispy piece of bacon into his mouth. I see his jaw clench as he crunches on it.
“Where is aunt Trixie?” I ask scanning the table.
“She went home. But she promised she would be back later. What is the sudden attachment for her Sienna?” Mom asks.
“I need her right now mom. She knows what I am going through. She is the only one that can.”
“I am your mother. There is nothing that she can help you with that I can’t.” She snaps.
“Mom this is not about your sibling rivalry. I am going through something you will never understand.”
“Trixie doesn’t even have children! How can she possibly know more about what you are going through, than me?”
“You know what mom, I just lost my appetite. When she gets here, send her up to my room.” I turn to stomp away and my dad grabs the end of my tank. I turn to him, squint my eyes and frown.
“Sienna, I know you that you feel like you have issues that none of us could possibly understand. But I am here to tell you sweetie, there is not.” He softens his look.
I snatch my arm away from his grip. “First of all, dad…” I straighten the wrinkles in my shirt from his hold. “Just because you are stroking mom at night, doesn’t mean that you get to just jump back in and start parenting. You have been MIA for two years. I am use to you being a silent partner. You write the checks.” I press my lips together and stare him square in the eyes.
He stands. I believe he wants to hit me but he would not dare.
“I know what I did to you guys was unforgivable, but I am definitely still your father. You will not speak to me that way.” He tries to hold his chest out. But he isn’t convincing anyone, but himself. I roll my eyes and continue to the stairs. I reach the entrance and my mom grabs me.
“Sienna Grace Young! What in the hell has gotten into you!” She holds both my shoulders and yells directly into my face.
“Mom if you want to be with Casey that is fine. But I am not going to sit here with the three of you while you pretend life has just been peachy.” I say as I take a step back from the French toast gust I am catching as she speaks. The upwind is sweeping her breath directly into my nostrils. She pauses. I believe I have stunned her into silence. But I refuse to toy with my parents while they play house.
“Just go to your room.” She whispers as she walks away. I instantly feel regret. I really want to be happy for her, but I just can’t. My dad’s sins are unforgivable in my book. Maybe one day I will feel different, but not today. I stomp up the stairs. I want them to feel the vibrations of my protest.
I get to my room and I slam my door. I know I am doing the absolute most, I just do not want to think about this shaky living situation that they are forcing on us. Jarvis is so happy though. Dad plays video games with him in the evening after work. He has plenty of plans for them. He wants to make up for the time that they have lost. Little kids are so easy. All you have to do is extend some promises with a smile and they are 100 percent in. Not me, I will not give in. He has to do more than what he’s doing to get me to join in the Stepford lie. I flop onto my bed. I bury my face into my pillow. My day could not have started off any worse. When I close my eyes, I see Natalie holding my baby sister. She is preparing a bottle in a beautiful red oak and black kitchen. Her hair is much longer than I remember, and it is no longer black. She has died it a bright shade of auburn with gold highlights. She has it hitched up high on her head in a folded ponytail. She wipes her eyes as she prepare Shanna’s meal. The tears will not stop, soon she stops wiping and let them fall where they may. I quickly hop up. I just had another vision. It must be happening in real time. I concentrate on Puggly again, so that I can’t spy. After hours of concentrating, I drift off.
The weekend passes and I spend most of it in my room avoiding my mom and dad. Trixie has been staying in there right with me. I am grateful for the time she has spent with me. She leaves Monday morning confident I can get by without going nuts. She promises to return when the summer begins. I will call her if my gift starts to consume me.
I start school and I am lucky that I am able to avoid Eva and her new crew the whole week. I guess she has had some of her classes changed, because she hasn’t been to math. The glamour dolls and their male crony has also skipped out of gym for the week. I guess I’m happy about it, but I feel like I have the black plague. Everyone stares at me when I walk the halls with Scott. It is so uncomfortable. Luckily he has the power to make me forget anyone else exists. When I leave gym Friday, I run to the parking lot and Scott is waiting beside his car. I run to him and we spend the next ten minutes locked in a spellbinding lip war. I don’t care who sees. I am so into him, especially since he has been glued to my side since we started this relationship.
“I really like what you have done with your hair this week Sienna.” He smiles as he runs his fingers through my bouncy curls.
“I did it for you. You are always saying how you like my hair down. My aunt cut and styled it for me. She works at an upscale salon in Rochester. So she gave me some nice highlights and I couldn’t be happier.”
“Yea, and you have been wearing a little makeup. I love your glossy lips the most.”
I blush. He says the most delightful things about me. He always has. I assumed it was because he wa
s my friend. But obviously it was because he really meant them. He stares at me while I try to force the blood leave my cheeks.
“You are so beautiful. And all Trixie did was bring it out more. I have to call and thank her.” He smiles and I am lost in his intense gray glare. We start to kiss and it becomes heated. He pushes me against the range rover and the wind is knocked out of me. I slide my hands in his hair where they love to be. His hands explore my body and I am only too anxious. When he grabs my hips I pause. My eyes roll and I forget where we are. I place my hands atop of his and help them along. When I open my eyes his is closed tight indulging in my touch. He quickly pulls away, leaving me out of breath.
“I am so sorry Snickers. I have to go to practice. The game of the season is tomorrow.” He says breathing hard.
“Oh no Scott! I was hoping to go to your house tonight.” I say wiping the gloss that has smeared onto my face.
“I know, but after the game we can do whatever you want, okay?”
“I just did not want to go home.” I pout.
“Are you still avoiding your parents?”
“Yes I am. I will not pretend with mom and Jarvis that dad has just been there the whole time. I won’t”
He chuckles as if I have done something as cute as a puppy. He nips my chin and my pout turns into a beaming smile. He plants one last kiss on my lips. He slowly lifts away. My eyes are closed and lips still puckered when he places my hair behind my ear.
“Drive the range home and pick me up later.” He holds the keys in the air and I stick my palm out. He releases them and they fall into my hand. I clutch them tightly.