excerpt
Aunt Millie came for a visit at the end of July. Tyne had only just
arrived home from her day shift at the hospital when she looked out
the front window to see a vehicle pull up to the curb. She gasped
when she saw her aunt step out from the car door that a middle-aged
man held open. Then she flew down the stairs and outside in her
bedroom slippers, ignoring the fact that a light rain had been falling
for almost an hour.
“Aunt Millie,” she called as she ran down the steps, “you’re early.
I was going to come downtown and meet you at the bus depot. Oh,
I’m sorry.”
Millie clasped her niece in her ample embrace, then held her at
arm’s length to look her over. “It’s okay, dear. I didn’t have to take the
bus after all. My neighbours were coming to Calgary so they offered
me a ride.” She turned to thank the man who held her suitcase for her,
introduced him to Tyne, spoke briefly to the lady who sat in the front
passenger seat, then waved as the sedan pulled away from the curb.
Taking Tyne’s arm she wasted no time before speaking her mind.
“You look tired. Are you getting your rest?”
Tyne laughed as they made their way up the stairs to the upper
floor. “Yes, Auntie, I’m getting my rest. You don’t need to worry
about me.”
In the apartment Millie removed her white straw hat and threw it
on a chair in the living room. “You must be working too hard. You
haven’t had a holiday since you graduated.”
Tyne shrugged. “I’m taking a few days off in August. Moe and I are
going camping.”
“Tenting?”
“Yes, in the mountains. Haven’t done that since the time we all
went with Mom and Dad, remember?”
Millie sighed as she sat down on the sofa. “A long time ago, I’m
afraid. I don’t fancy sleeping in a bag on an air mattress nowadays.”
Tyne smiled. “It’s okay if your mattress doesn’t go flat in the night.”
They laughed, remembering their experiences on the family
camping trip when Tyne was twelve years old.
Suddenly, Millie said, “Are you seeing anyone? That is, are you dating?”
Tyne sat down across from Millie, delaying her answer …
Libros Libertad 