Aunt Edna

Chapter 1

This chapter is dedicated to ideasinthedark, because of all her support and help. Without her, none of you would be seeing this story. 

CHAPTER 1

I fidgeted in the back of the limo. My brother, Donovan, sat at the other end of the spacious car, typing furiously on his phone. Neither of us had spoken the entire car ride. In fact, we hadn't really spoken in three years, until he showed up at my house out of the blue a couple of days ago.

I had just gotten home from work, and was looking forward to watching some mind-numbing soap operas on TV, when he knocked. I assumed it was the mailman or something; I never got visitors without warning.

He had already turned back to his phone by the time I opened the door. Standing there in his immaculate suit, hair slicked back, a disinterested look on his face, I barely recognized my playful, annoying brother. Somehow, in the three years we'd been out of contact he'd turned into a fancy businessman.

"Penny," he said like the worldly businessman greeting an old friend, except tinged with a little uncertainty and nostalgia. He immediately shouldering past me into my house and regarded it with a disinterested look. "Are you going to Aunt Edna's funeral?"

"What no hug? No how are you?" I replied sarcastically. He gave a slight smile, but said nothing.

"Do you want something to drink?" I continued, heading towards the kitchen. He shook his head.

"Just answer the question, Penny." He sighed. I stopped and turned back toward him.

"You seriously thought you could turn up at my door, after three years of silence, and expect me to jump into this conversation about this Aunt Edna that I didn't even know we had?" Frustration boiled beneath my skin, Donovan seemed to have forgotten that even though he was the fancier, richer, taller sibling, I was still the oldest. I wasn't going to give in so easily.

"Where have you been? What have you been up to? When did you start dressing like this?" I gestured generally to his outfit that resembled the one of a cliche secret agent.

"We'll have time to talk later." he brushed me off easily, barely reacting. "I came to suggest we go over together. I've booked two tickets for tomorrow."

He paused, regarding me carefully, and continued cautiously, as if what he was about to say could hurt or anger me in some way.

"That is, if you're going. I would completely understand if you didn't want to go. It's true, you didn't know her, and it's such a long trip." He continued watching me, waiting for my answer anxiously. If I hadn't known him, I would've thought that he desperately wanted me to come for some bonding reason, maybe to reconcile, but he had never been the type. I turned away from his searching gaze and continued into the kitchen, where I poured us both a glass of chocolate milk.

"You read the card," I replied finally, "Her dying wish was that her entire family reunite, at least for her funeral. It would be cruel to deny her that."

I watched my brother's reaction carefully. He had really mastered the poker face, but I noticed a slight tightening, his eyes became more guarded.

"Of course, you're right." he said, his voice tight as well, "I'll pick you up tomorrow 6am sharp." He whisked out the door, leaving me with an untouched glass of milk and so many questions.