Shine

Bald Tires and a Broken Wheel

"Hey Seth!" Aunt Clara called when she got home, shaking off her own umbrella and cuddling it up with mine. It was thundering now. I love thunder.

"Hey, Aunt Clara!" I tucked in a bookmark and traversed back into my chair. "How was work?"

I heard her throw her purse on the table. "It was good! Convinced a very embarrassed couple that if their fetishes involve shoving strange objects in strange places they might want to seek counseling for their own physical health."

I made an unladylike chortle. "Or tie a string around them."

"That was my other suggestion. How about you?"

I finally made it into my chair and came down the hall. "Funniest thing happened today—"

She turned away from the table and put one fist on her hip. "You decided to take a walk in the rain?"

I winced. "Ah. And of all the people to happen to see me first when I got stuck, my biology partner, who happens to be the son of your boss, happened to pick me up and drive me home. Yup."

Aunt Clara sighed. "Sethlyn, really? You saw the weather this morning, why would you knowingly take a risk like that?"

"Bad mood?"

"Spring fever really isn't a good time to actually develop an actual fever, hon," she said, sympathetic, but more concerned with preserving my life than that day's good mood. "I'd like you to double on that supplement you take tonight, and do not forget the antibiotic that goes with it. I'll take your temperature before you go to bed and again in the morning."

I threw my head back with a groan, but I knew she was right. "Small towns."

"Hey. Small towns run in the family."

"Uuuuguhhh."

"Love you too, hon. Thanks for getting the chicken out."

"No problem. Sorry I wasn't back earlier." She heaved another sigh and sank dramatically onto the couch. "I'll play with the meat in a minute." She gave me a tasteful side-eye, the good kind. "So what's he like? I hear good looks seem to run in the family, despite the evident lack of genetic correlation."

I chuckled and rolled up level with her. "Goodness me, that's for sure. He walked right out in the rain; I'm jealous."

"He cute then? What's he like? So I hear he's your lab partner?" She propped her head on her fist, fully spring-loaded to receive on gossip.

"Ahh.... He thinks it's cool that I collect rocks," I offered, nodding. "That was nice. Most people think it's just a kid habit."

"And a mad geologist habit."

"Yeah that too. No he's really nice. Dunno why he and his siblings don't talk to more people—they seem to kind of be the outsiders, as I've heard it, but I guess to each their own."

She shrugged, contentedly at a loss. "Maybe they feel uncomfortable being so obviously the most well-off family in town. Money can do things to you."

I gave another nod, this one in solemn acknowledgement. "Very true. However he didn't seem that....snooty, on the occasions when I've talked to him. I mean we don't really chat during class but we had a good conversation in the car."

"How far'd you get?"

"It took about ten minutes to get back."

"Oh wow. Damn, hon."