"An Aunt makes life a little sweeter."
~~**~~
I remember when I was eleven, my mother and father had a particularly bad fight. I ran out of the house, away from my screaming parents, away from my obnoxious older brothers, and to the sanctuary of the Butterfly Aquarium in the museum. Aunt Jean had taken me there once when I was eight or so, and it had been my favorite place to be ever since. I loved watching the butterflies float around behind the glass, their wings a flurry of colors and shapes as they went about their business. I loved reading all the facts about the butterflies on the plaques on the walls, and seeing how their environment was changed according to the seasons outside their little perfect world.
"Nothin' can ever hurt these sweet little creatures," Auntie Jean had told me the first time we visited, "They just flutter around, drinking the sweet nectar of the flowers, doing whatever they please, not a care in the world." I remember thinking then that I would do anything to be a butterfly. I wanted that freedom to do what I wanted, not to be harmed by my parents' harsh words that cut into me almost daily. I wanted to escape my brothers' teasing and abuse. I wanted to be a little butterfly and I wanted Auntie Jean and Uncle Kevin to be butterflies with me.
I stayed in the museum all day, watching people wander through the exhibits and admire the butterflies and other attractions. I never wanted to go home. I remember walking to the restroom and glancing out the glass front doors. The world outside had gone dark, I had no idea what time it was. I just wanted to hide in the restroom until the next day, I didn't think my parents even noticed my absence. I would have stayed, in the museum that is, except for my Aunt had dropped by the house when I was gone, planning to take me out for a surprise picnic. She had called around the house, searched my room, climbed through the hay in the barn, looking for me. When my parents admitted they hadn't seen me since that morning, Jean flipped out on them, cursing and yelling at them and telling them what rotten parents they were for me.
She knew where I would be, and right when I walked out of the restroom, she was there at the front door, begging the security guard to let her in so she could search for me because the museum was already closing. I stood frozen in place as she continued to beg, watching her pleading eyes dart around the lobby. And then she spotted me.
"Emmie Lorraine Vouge," She cried from the door, looking over the guards shoulder at me. Once the guard saw me standing there, he let Jean pass and she ran to me. I started to cry when she scooped me up in her arms and hugged me.
"I'm sorry, Auntie. They were fighting and Herald and Gerald and Bo were picking on me and… and…" I was sobbing, staining her blue T-shirt with my tears. She soothed me and thanked the guard as she carried me out to her truck. She placed me in the middle seat in the front and slid in next to me, buckling my seat belt and putting the key in the ignition. I spent the night at her house that night, after she had a quiet but angry conversation on the phone with my father. Uncle Kevin rolled out three sleeping bags for us under the magnolia tree in their yard and he told me stories of his trips to Egypt as I drifted to sleep. I dreamt of butterflies that night.
After a particularly stressful day at work, I traveled down to the Butterfly Esplanade. It was amazing because I could actually catch the butterflies, but I still missed the old museum with the butterfly exhibit. Being there reminded me of the museum with Auntie Jean and I smiled. I remembered that day, and many days after that, where I would escape to the museum, and then when night fell, I would stay with Jean and Kevin.
Hanging out at my favorite bars always lightened my mood. The drinks were fabulous and the music was light-hearted. I danced with a few guys, but was never interested enough to get their numbers, let alone their names. I had been asked, as usual, if I wanted to go back to their places, or meet up again sometime, all such requests I politely declined. Work had been keeping me busy, my cellular rang basically non-stop and I hardly had any time for myself. A relationship was definitely out of the question at the moment. I was making quite a bit of money, however. Selling free things I got (and still get) for being a celebrity and starring in plays totally helped. My weekly routine was getting easier, work and then stardom were my two main priorities as they were keeping me afloat in life. It was getting harder to earn promotions though, so I figured that I would definitely need to focus on that if I ever wanted to move up and out of middle class.
I came home one night for a change of clothes (I was planning to go to a dance club) and found my old phone practically clanging off on the wall. I thought it was funny that someone was calling me in the first place, the only people who ever called me were Harry when a new opportunity showed itself and a few coworkers when they wanted to hang out. I found it even stranger that someone would be calling my house phone instead of my cell phone. I didn't even know the number to the old thing.
"Hello?" I spoke into the receiver softly, preparing for a crank call.
"Is Emmie Vouge home?" A woman's high pitched voice echoed back.
"This is Emmie, may I ask who's calling?" I was confused, I was sure I've never heard that particular voice before.
"Oh, hello Emmie. My name is Sandra, I was a friend of Jeannette's…." I asked her to continue when her voice died out after mentioning my aunt. I didn't understand how someone got this number and I couldn't fathom a reason why Jean had anything to do with this Sandra person calling.
"I was talking to your boss this morning and we were discussing the next step you should be taking soon to make sure that your aunt's efforts are not wasted. I was Jeannette and Kevin's financial advisor. They set away quite a big sum of money for you, plus you were in their will and have full ownership of everything you want of theirs. I was asked to contact Harry two months after your eighteenth birthday to let you know the news, so here we are." Sandra stated in a professional tone.
I contemplated for a moment, "So… What does that mean? I get everything they ever owned and then some? How am I going to be able to fit everything from that giant house into my little suburban track home?" I was flustered. There was no way that all of the amazing things that Jean and Kevin had would be able to fit into my house, and I couldn't afford a bill for a storage unit.
"Well that's the other thing I wanted to talk to you about. Most of their things have been sold for your account, but under their demands. Your aunt specifically told me the things that could not be given away, which are the things that you inherited. This includes the instruments from the band room, the hot tub, some specific pieces of furniture, an old-"
"Sandra, please hold on. I can barely fit a keyboard in my house and you're expecting me to find a place for my aunts huge piano? I would love to keep everything but I really don't have any room at all and-"
"Emmie, I wasn't done," Sandra interrupted me quietly.
"I'm sorry," I sighed, "Please continue."
"Your aunt and uncle knew that you wouldn't have room or the sufficient funds to travel back to Riverview to pick everything up," She continued.
I looked up to the ceiling impatiently, wishing Sandra would just get to the point already. I hate waiting.
"As you probably know, their house in Riverview has been sold to your oldest brother and his family. All of their furniture has been moved to Bridgeport for you. Now I know that this may be a surprise for you since you just moved in a few months ago, but the reason I was talking to Harry was because I was making sure you made enough money to pay your bills."
I was slightly insulted. I had been working hard and I make quite a bit of income, my bills for this house were next to nothing. "I'm sorry," I said in a clipped tone, "But I'm not sure I understand. I make a nice amount of money from not only my job but from other opportunities that Harry helps me with. I am capable of taking care of myself, even if I am young," I heard Sandra shuffling papers on the other end of the line before she replied.
"Emmie," She finally spoke. I figured that got her to stop beating around the bush and tell me what this was really about.
"Jeannette and Kevin bought a house for you there in Bridgeport. I was making sure you made enough money to pay the bills for that house. The money they left you is so you can furnish and landscape whatever your aunt left untouched and then the rest is for the accessories you might need as time goes on. I never had a doubt that you couldn't support yourself, you are Jean's niece after all," Sandra laughed.
I was stunned. A house? No way. I could ditch my little yellow piece-of-crap house so soon? I couldn't wrap my head around it.
I must have been quiet for a long time because Sandra had to speak up.
"Emmie? Are you still there?" She questioned worriedly.
"Yes, I'm here," I whispered back. Sandra chuckled and went into an in-depth description of the moving process, people I needed to speak to, and how I should proceed with my job to keep my bills in check with enough money to be able to enjoy the life I came to Bridgeport for in the first place. I swear I felt like I was in one of those commercials that say you can change your life with one phone call. It was the longest conversation I've had in all of my life.
~~**~~
I asked for the address of my *gulp* new home and then took my bike up to just peek around.
But when I got there I couldn't even muster up the courage to walk up to the front porch. The house was beautiful, of course. Auntie Jean would never settle for second best. I didn't even know what to do with so much space, and I could already tell that there was a lot. Sandra had told me that a few more things needed to be done before I moved in and I could see the shadows of people working inside the house, even though it was late at night. I couldn't stay for long. Being there showed me that I had a long week ahead of me if I followed Sandra's orders, which I did.
~~**~~
Eating leftovers isn't my favorite thing to do, but I managed anyways. The movers were already at my house, moving my limited amount of furniture to the new house. I would no doubt sell most of it, but I wasn't sure exactly how much I would need since I didn't even look through the windows.
The only things left in my house were some things in my room which would be moved the next day and the regular necessities in the kitchen and bathroom. I wandered through my tiny empty house while I waited for the call that I needed to tell me to get my butt moving on this house thing. That day would be the most stressful day by far of the whole week.
I sat on the ground in my now barren living room, still waiting for the call. When my cell finally rang, Sandra was on the other line, giving me detailed instructions on where to go and who to talk to. I jotted everything down and went off to do my days calling. I had gotten the day off from Harry so that I could situate everything. I was grateful that he knew everything that was going on.
When my chores were finally done, I had the move in date for my new house and another opportunity that Harry had lined up for me if I was up to it. I accepted, figuring I could squeeze one more thing into my hectic day, and headed off one last time that evening.
Signing autographs, spreading the news about a new restaurant, and attending a book signing were my three endless tasks that Harry had assigned, but my popularity rose immensely that day, which was probably the highlight besides being the new owner of the biggest thing a girl of 18 could probably have to her name, a house.
I got home, grateful that my bed was still left for me and collapsed onto it, fully dressed.
I fell asleep like that, and I dreamt of catching butterflies with a small, beautiful, and mysterious child. The child's laugh was contagious and I woke up smiling with the sun shining on my face.
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