reading a novel before finishing it. Po Thang took care of it for me, though. What a pal.
The phone woke me just as the sun hovered on the western horizon. "Hetta Honey, I'm afraid I have bad news," my mother drawled.
"Nothing can ruin what has been a delightful afternoon. Lemme have it."
Silence, then, "Have you done something to your aunt? You sound much too…pleased."
"As a matter of fact, I have. She is now staying with friends at a, uh, B&B in Loreto until you get here to take her home."
"What friends? She doesn't know anyone but you down there. What have you done with her?"
"Mom, honestly, do you think I would send her to stay with anyone wishing her harm?"
"She stayed with you ."
"And now she is in a safer place. Look, just come get her, and this whole hot mess will be over with, okay?"
"Well, that's why I called. I forgot to renew my passport and it's expired. Even with expedited service it'll take a couple of days to get the new one."
"That's okay, no hurry now."
Another pause. "Hetta, have you been drinking?"
"Not really."
"Then why are you sounding so…calm?"
Because Aunt Lil is probably in a straight jacket by now, being beat up on by nuns? "Mother, you have to trust me. Your sister is being taken care of. She's safe and sound. Oh, and by the way, be sure and raid her checking account for some of her cash so you can spring…uh, pay her rooming bill. She says she's broke."
I could practically feel my mother's doubts as to Lil's safety singing through ether, but she said, "I will. I'll call when I have my airline reservations confirmed. I have to connect in Los Angeles for the plane to Loreto, and they don't fly down there every day. And, it's over seven hundred dollars."
"Then take the money from that account she set up for the two of you. Or has she, once again, taken your name off that, and her will?" Everyone in the family had copies of many rescinded wills from Lil, as well as lists of stock certificates and bank accounts she'd put their names on when she wanted something, only to cancel later. I considered it a mark of distinction to be disinherited by her at least once a year.
"I am still able to withdraw funds. And by the way, Lil put you back in her will, so you should be nicer to her."
"She did?" Hmmm, I wonder if I could cut a deal with those nuns?
"Just what are you thinking?"
Jeez, she can read my mind over the phone? "Uh, Mom, I hear someone coming. Gotta go. Love you."
I wasn't fibbing to my mother; I really did hear the approaching drone of an outboard, but since Po Thang wasn't raising all kinds of Billy hell, it had to be someone he knew and liked. Sure enough, it was Robert, the Good Samaritan who took Lil off my hands, and he didn't look happy.
No good deed goes unpunished.
"Lemme get this straight, Robert. You've lost Lil?" Fighting to maintain a solemn countenance, and pure glee from my tone, I was also mentally calculating how to offer him some kind of reward for him not to find her again.
"More like she lost us. Gave us the slip when we stopped for gas, and she asked to go to the Ladies'."
"There is a God," slipped out.
"You know, Hetta, not to be judgmental here, but your lack of concern over that little old lady is slightly disturbing."
I barked a scoff. "You think I'm disturbing? You haven't seen little old Lil in action. Look, you guys tried to do something generous for her own good, and like everyone else who tries to help her, she's dumped on you. Whereever the hell she is, I wish her as well as I am capable of doing. But, because my mother is going to kill me for losing her big sister, I guess I have to go look for her. Which gas station?"
He told me, I grabbed my backpack, and snagged Po Thang's collar as he made for the door. "Sorry, fur face, not this time. I won't be that long, and I just don't need someone else to watch out for while I'm looking for Aunt Lil."
Po Thang slinked to a spot by the exit, leaned against the door, and gave me a
The phone woke me just as the sun hovered on the western horizon. "Hetta Honey, I'm afraid I have bad news," my mother drawled.
"Nothing can ruin what has been a delightful afternoon. Lemme have it."
Silence, then, "Have you done something to your aunt? You sound much too…pleased."
"As a matter of fact, I have. She is now staying with friends at a, uh, B&B in Loreto until you get here to take her home."
"What friends? She doesn't know anyone but you down there. What have you done with her?"
"Mom, honestly, do you think I would send her to stay with anyone wishing her harm?"
"She stayed with you ."
"And now she is in a safer place. Look, just come get her, and this whole hot mess will be over with, okay?"
"Well, that's why I called. I forgot to renew my passport and it's expired. Even with expedited service it'll take a couple of days to get the new one."
"That's okay, no hurry now."
Another pause. "Hetta, have you been drinking?"
"Not really."
"Then why are you sounding so…calm?"
Because Aunt Lil is probably in a straight jacket by now, being beat up on by nuns? "Mother, you have to trust me. Your sister is being taken care of. She's safe and sound. Oh, and by the way, be sure and raid her checking account for some of her cash so you can spring…uh, pay her rooming bill. She says she's broke."
I could practically feel my mother's doubts as to Lil's safety singing through ether, but she said, "I will. I'll call when I have my airline reservations confirmed. I have to connect in Los Angeles for the plane to Loreto, and they don't fly down there every day. And, it's over seven hundred dollars."
"Then take the money from that account she set up for the two of you. Or has she, once again, taken your name off that, and her will?" Everyone in the family had copies of many rescinded wills from Lil, as well as lists of stock certificates and bank accounts she'd put their names on when she wanted something, only to cancel later. I considered it a mark of distinction to be disinherited by her at least once a year.
"I am still able to withdraw funds. And by the way, Lil put you back in her will, so you should be nicer to her."
"She did?" Hmmm, I wonder if I could cut a deal with those nuns?
"Just what are you thinking?"
Jeez, she can read my mind over the phone? "Uh, Mom, I hear someone coming. Gotta go. Love you."
I wasn't fibbing to my mother; I really did hear the approaching drone of an outboard, but since Po Thang wasn't raising all kinds of Billy hell, it had to be someone he knew and liked. Sure enough, it was Robert, the Good Samaritan who took Lil off my hands, and he didn't look happy.
No good deed goes unpunished.
"Lemme get this straight, Robert. You've lost Lil?" Fighting to maintain a solemn countenance, and pure glee from my tone, I was also mentally calculating how to offer him some kind of reward for him not to find her again.
"More like she lost us. Gave us the slip when we stopped for gas, and she asked to go to the Ladies'."
"There is a God," slipped out.
"You know, Hetta, not to be judgmental here, but your lack of concern over that little old lady is slightly disturbing."
I barked a scoff. "You think I'm disturbing? You haven't seen little old Lil in action. Look, you guys tried to do something generous for her own good, and like everyone else who tries to help her, she's dumped on you. Whereever the hell she is, I wish her as well as I am capable of doing. But, because my mother is going to kill me for losing her big sister, I guess I have to go look for her. Which gas station?"
He told me, I grabbed my backpack, and snagged Po Thang's collar as he made for the door. "Sorry, fur face, not this time. I won't be that long, and I just don't need someone else to watch out for while I'm looking for Aunt Lil."
Po Thang slinked to a spot by the exit, leaned against the door, and gave me a
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