called them. She was probably betraying all of humanity by closing the door on the suits. She didn’t care. Edna realized the tension she’d been feeling in herself all evening was now gone. She no longer believed the aliens would hurt her. She sighed, knowing they’d be leaving like all the come-from-aways, leaving her to live her days alone. Edna shook her head. As if you’d be going anywhere but the cemetery , she told herself. I’d never leave this place. It’s in me bones.
Edna looked at the business card Mr. Formal had given her as she listened to a car start up and move away. It was plain white, with only a name and the Government of Canada symbol in the upper left hand corner. She left the card on the side table in the living room as she walked back towards the warmly lit kitchen.
The aliens looked as if they hadn’t moved since she left. Frozen into positions around the table, it didn’t even feel like they were in the room. Edna made her feet louder as she walked in and settled back into her chair. “Without Jonno to play his fiddle, guess the government has to provide the entertainment too. Don’t ye worry. They were just looking for an escaped criminal.” Edna looked at Glasses. “I told them there were none of those here in Maberly.”
Glasses smiled gently as the three of them seemed to unfold a little and relax. Auntie Simmons reached over and stroked Edna’s arm, leaving it warm. “Well, I think it’s time for dessert.” Edna went over to the fridge and brought out a pink and frothy angel food cake. “Now this is a Betty Crocker cake mix. I don’t know who she is, exactly . . .”
After the meal was finished, plates scraped clean and mugs of tea polished off, Edna and the aliens sat contentedly back in the white vinyl chairs. The aliens had coaxed Edna into telling the ingredients for all the recipes as well as the best stores for value. They repeated the occasional word back to her in their funny deep squirrel voices. She showed them the packets of Jell-O and mini marshmallows and the cans of tuna in her pantry. The aliens chittered excitedly. She even broke down and told them the secret ingredients of her tuna casserole. French’s prepared mustard, two egg yolks and pesto sauce that Kate sent up from the city. “Why not? I know you won’t tell anyone in Bonavista.”
The aliens left after helping her do the dishes. George and Auntie Simmons had washed and dried and put away under her direction while Glasses stood in her pantry and stared at the cans of tuna. As they all stood by the back door, George, Auntie Simmons and Glasses touched Edna’s heart, her hands, their own mouth and their middle. Then they each bowed and said a halting thank you. “Thank you for welcoming. Enjoyed. Not forget. Thank you.” George added, “Tuna. Very fine, very fine,” and winked.
“You’re welcome,” Edna replied warmly. “You drop by my back door any time you’re hungry.” Edna looked at the aliens. “I guess you won’t be back in Maberly any time soon.”
They looked back at her with quiet eyes. Edna touched her heart, pressed her hands together and then leaned over into Auntie Simmons and touched her gently on the mouth and on her stomach. Auntie took her hand for a moment and her orange eyes held Edna’s faded blue ones. The aliens went out the back door. Edna shut and locked the door behind them. She pushed aside the yellow curtain but couldn’t see out into the dark.
Edna threw away the green and brown and grey food in the metal Tupperware left by the aliens. Some was still steaming hot and some refrigerator cold, but it still smelled odd and you never knew. Better safe than sorry. She stacked the containers beside the sink for morning, thoughtfully caressing each smooth finish.
As she settled into bed, setting her alarm for 5:30 a.m. to cook for the Bonavista Ladies’ Social, Edna thought over her evening. I never thought aliens would be such back door folks. Just
Edna looked at the business card Mr. Formal had given her as she listened to a car start up and move away. It was plain white, with only a name and the Government of Canada symbol in the upper left hand corner. She left the card on the side table in the living room as she walked back towards the warmly lit kitchen.
The aliens looked as if they hadn’t moved since she left. Frozen into positions around the table, it didn’t even feel like they were in the room. Edna made her feet louder as she walked in and settled back into her chair. “Without Jonno to play his fiddle, guess the government has to provide the entertainment too. Don’t ye worry. They were just looking for an escaped criminal.” Edna looked at Glasses. “I told them there were none of those here in Maberly.”
Glasses smiled gently as the three of them seemed to unfold a little and relax. Auntie Simmons reached over and stroked Edna’s arm, leaving it warm. “Well, I think it’s time for dessert.” Edna went over to the fridge and brought out a pink and frothy angel food cake. “Now this is a Betty Crocker cake mix. I don’t know who she is, exactly . . .”
After the meal was finished, plates scraped clean and mugs of tea polished off, Edna and the aliens sat contentedly back in the white vinyl chairs. The aliens had coaxed Edna into telling the ingredients for all the recipes as well as the best stores for value. They repeated the occasional word back to her in their funny deep squirrel voices. She showed them the packets of Jell-O and mini marshmallows and the cans of tuna in her pantry. The aliens chittered excitedly. She even broke down and told them the secret ingredients of her tuna casserole. French’s prepared mustard, two egg yolks and pesto sauce that Kate sent up from the city. “Why not? I know you won’t tell anyone in Bonavista.”
The aliens left after helping her do the dishes. George and Auntie Simmons had washed and dried and put away under her direction while Glasses stood in her pantry and stared at the cans of tuna. As they all stood by the back door, George, Auntie Simmons and Glasses touched Edna’s heart, her hands, their own mouth and their middle. Then they each bowed and said a halting thank you. “Thank you for welcoming. Enjoyed. Not forget. Thank you.” George added, “Tuna. Very fine, very fine,” and winked.
“You’re welcome,” Edna replied warmly. “You drop by my back door any time you’re hungry.” Edna looked at the aliens. “I guess you won’t be back in Maberly any time soon.”
They looked back at her with quiet eyes. Edna touched her heart, pressed her hands together and then leaned over into Auntie Simmons and touched her gently on the mouth and on her stomach. Auntie took her hand for a moment and her orange eyes held Edna’s faded blue ones. The aliens went out the back door. Edna shut and locked the door behind them. She pushed aside the yellow curtain but couldn’t see out into the dark.
Edna threw away the green and brown and grey food in the metal Tupperware left by the aliens. Some was still steaming hot and some refrigerator cold, but it still smelled odd and you never knew. Better safe than sorry. She stacked the containers beside the sink for morning, thoughtfully caressing each smooth finish.
As she settled into bed, setting her alarm for 5:30 a.m. to cook for the Bonavista Ladies’ Social, Edna thought over her evening. I never thought aliens would be such back door folks. Just
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