Page 15 of Desperate Vows

My aunt chuckled. “Ma’am makes me sound like I’m eighty.”

“There’s no way you’re a day over twenty-five.” Claire shot back.

Well, that was one way to get on my aunt’s good side. She’d been twenty-five since I was twelve.

I could almost see my aunt smiling. “Well, thank you, sweetheart.”

“I’ll go get started.”

When I was sure Claire wasn’t around, I peeked around the corner and stepped out. “Aunt Helen,” I whispered.

She turned around and made the aunt squeal before hugging me tight.

“Shhhh. I’m… undercover.” I angled her in such a way that my back was to the rest of the kitchen just in case Claire returned.

“Talk about a surprise. My nephew is gracing me with his presence.” It was a chastisement, but I didn’t let it get under my skin. She didn’t really know what my siblings, and I were up to. We were giving back too, we were just doing it a little more violently.

I glanced over her shoulder. “The better question is why you’re letting Claire Benoit work here.”

Her lips twisted as she leaned back. There was no mistaking the shock in her eyes. “What? She’s not working here, and if she were, they’d be calling me Sweeny Todd.”

“She is working here.” I pointed to where Claire was serving potatoes. “That’s her.”

“Nooooo…that’s Claire Santos. She started volunteering about six months ago. That sweet girl can’t possibly be related to them.”

I tugged my aunt from the kitchen to her office and shut the door. “I’m telling you that’s her.”

My aunt sat down hard in one of the chairs facing her desk. “That can’t be. I’ve seen that girl give the shoes off her feet to a barefoot woman. I’ve had to scold her for giving money to Frank when he fell off the wagon. I just can’t believe it.”

I took the seat next to her. “She’s given someone the shoes off her feet?” That didn’t track with her family’s image. They only gave back when they were sure they’d get recognition for it.

Nodding, she said, “She did. Just plucked them right off and spent the rest of the night barefoot. She doesn’t grumble when I give her trash duty. I’m telling you, Lucas, she’s working her way to sainthood. You have to be mistaken.”

I didn’t know what surprised me more. That she used an alias or that she was getting praise from my aunt. I’d often imagined that if she met Jesus, she’d tell him his hair needed a brush. The woman was sweet but critical, and here she was singing Claire’s praises.

Maybe this was a good thing. I’d been racking my brain trying to figure out how I was going to tell Aunt Helen I was marrying her without her killing me. “Aunt Helen, I have something I need to tell you.” I leaned back, trying to keep myself out of smacking distance. One thing about my Aunt Helen: she didn’t care what I was the boss of. If I needed a good swat, she’d give it.

She looked at me, still bewildered by the information I’d given her. “What? Should I expect Franklin to show up?”

Shaking my head, I said, “I’m marrying her.”

“Marrying who?” Her eyes widened. “Her? That girl out there? Claire San—Benoit?”

“Yeah.”

She stood and began speaking in Greek. Mom and Dad had taught me some, but I’d let it go over the years. I caught a few of the words and suspected she’d be stopping by the confessional on the way home. “Lucas how could you do this? You know what they did.”

“I know, but this gets me close to that monster. I want him to pay for what he did. I want my face to be the last thing he sees before he dies. I want him to know it’s me that’s taking his life. For Gianna, Dad, and Mom.”

“But marriage? That’s forever, Lucas.” Her face fell. “You are getting married in the church, right?”

The question caught me completely off guard. I had a long list of sins already. It was a fake marriage. Did I really want to tempt God to put a lightning bolt through me? “Uh…”

“The answer is ‘Yes, Aunt Helen.’”

“I don’t know. Doesn’t the bride and her family take care of that stuff?”

She huffed. “I’ve never heard her speak of any family or friends. There are times when I’ve caught her with tears in her eyes or seen a wealth of sadness overcome her.” Her body softened. “I?—”

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