Triple - Jeremy Freedman

Chapter 3

- Lucille -

"Why couldn't I have a room to myself?" Elise asked at nobody, angrily unpacking from her suitcase into the bureau on the left wall.

"Because you're unpredictable," I stated simply, doing the same but packing my things into the bureau on the right wall. I wanted to talk to someone about Aunt Anne. "So did you notice that-"

"Aunt Anne looks just like mum?" Elise finished my question quietly, the anger vanishing from her voice.

"I noticed that too," Haylie said from the doorway, Felix behind her. They were probably already done unpacking. They were the first ones packed to go on this trip, so Haylie had helped Elise and I.

"Just be careful not to put her under unreal expectations, because even though she may look like mum, she isn't." Felix reminded us gently. Haylie and I nodded somberly, Elise staring blankly at the wall. A faint 'yeah' was the only sign she'd heard.

"Well, Let's go get to know them, yeah?" Felix said brightly, turning towards the end of the hall to go find Aunt Anne and Uncle Eric. I put away the last few things on top of the bureau, I'd organize them later, if I felt like it. Elise stared at the half of her suitcase she hadn't unpacked, then opened the bottom drawer, scooped up everything, and shoved it in. She looked at me and shrugged, following Felix out of our room.

"That was horrifying," Haylie commented as we walked down the hall. I could practically feel Elise roll her eyes and pop her imaginary bubble gum. Felix had already knocked on the door, and Uncle Eric had opened it and was stepping out, Aunt Anne behind him.

"Are you done unpacking?" Uncle Eric asked.

"Yeah," Felix replied, the three of us nodding our heads.

"Well then Let's go downstairs and chat," Aunt Anne was ecstatic. We went down the curving staircase and let them lead the way to the living room.

"So You work for Vogue?" Aunt Anne asked Felix, impressed.

"Yeah, I work as their editor." He smiled, abashed.

"You think you could get me on the cover?" Uncle Eric asked, Looking at a spot on the wall and flipping long invisible auburn tresses, making us all laugh. I decided I liked him and his humour.

"We've definitely got a spot for next month," Felix went along.

"So how did you guys meet?" I asked next, curious to how they found eachother. They smiled, and glanced at one another, silently connecting over the moment.

"I was just starting out at my job, but since I was new, they had me scouting for bands that I thought had talent and that we could offer professional management. So I was out at a small restaurant, which had live music, and his band was playing there."

"You were in a band?" Elise interrupted.

"First guitar," He nodded. "Your aunt sat at a table right in front so she could get a good look at us."

"And I could see everyone except him," Aunt Anne started, but broke off into a laugh. "The singer was in the way. So I leaned over to try and get a look."

"But," Uncle Eric urged her through the laughs.

"But, I fell out of my chair because I leaned over too far."

"And Even though she hadn't seen me, I'd seen her. And by then, I'd already fallen hard. So you know what I did?"

"What?" Felix and I asked.

"I stopped playing right then and went to help her up."

"Wasn't your band mad at you?" Elise squinted her eyes.