Page 59 of Half Baked

My heart hurt for my aunt and her pain, but it also hurt to think my mother might have said such a thing. Did my mother resent having me? Was it true or part of her dementia?

“Andrea takes off every weekend to those bars in Chattanooga,” Aunt Deidre continued. “I love having sweet little Maddie here. Andrea used to leave her with us for the whole weekend, and I’d get to do everything I’d love to do with my own child. But Albert says we’re encouraging bad behavior, so he put his foot down and said we can’t watch her anymore. It breaks my heart. I love that little girl so much.”

Mallory patted her hand. “She loves you too. Very much.”

Aunt Deidre sniffed. “Andrea started hiring a babysitter, but then Maddie had a nightmare, and when she couldn’t find her mother in the house, she went outside to look for her while that babysitter slept on the couch. Andrea came home and went to check on Maddie, and she wasn’t in her bed. The police were called, and they found the poor dear at the next-door neighbor’s house, huddled up on the back porch holding her stuffed rabbit.”

I stared at her in shock. While I was sure the memories of waking up and not finding my mother were from the same incident, I had no memory of wandering out of the house.

Aunt Deidre tutted. “Andrea didn’t leave her again for years. Not until she started seeinghimagain.”

“And what is his name?” Mallory asked.

Aunt Deidre rubbed her temples, looking distraught. “His name is right there, but I can’t seem to recall it.”

“That’s okay,” Mallory assured her. “You don’t need to remember, but do you remember how old Maddie was when Andrea started seeing him again?”

“She was in middle school. Maybe twelve or thirteen. He blew back into town and swept Andrea right off her feet. He said he loved her and wanted to be with her.”

“Why did she keep it a secret from Maddie?”

She pressed her temples harder. “I can’t seem to remember that either.” Her leg started twitching, and she pounded the heel of her hand against her temple. “Why can’t I remember?”

“That’s enough,” I said to Mallory and walked over to my aunt, squatting beside her. “Hey, Deidre. How would you like your eggs today? Scrambled or fried?”

Her hand dropped to the table, and her mouth twisted into a sour expression. “I want French toast.”

Mallory glanced up at the rooster clock. It was 7:40. “Maddie doesn’t have time to—”

“Maddie? What’s Maddie doin’ cooking in the kitchen?” my aunt demanded. “She’s too little to be unsupervised.”

“She won’t be,” Mallory reassured her. “I’m going to be in the kitchen with her.”

“Good morning,” Linda called out from the front door. “It’s a beautiful sunny day!”

Mallory shot me a look. “You need to go to work.”

I knew that, but I also knew I’d never be able to focus. Not after what I’d just heard.

“Linda?” I called out. “Can you take Deidre into the living room while my friend and I make breakfast?”

“Of course!” Linda entered the kitchen and greeted Aunt Deidre. I began cracking eggs into a bowl as she helped my aunt out of her seat and through the dining room.

“What are you doing?” Mallory whispered. “You’re not going to make her French toast, are you? You don’t have time, and I wouldn’t know how. I’d either burn it or serve her raw, soggy bread.”

“No. I’ll make her some eggs, and she’ll probably forget about the French toast by the time Linda serves it to her.”

“Do you think she was telling the truth?” Mallory asked, her brow furrowed.

“I don’t know. I know she gets stories mixed up, but it does correlate to some of my memories, so I think there’s at least some truth to it.”

“What good does it do you if she can’t remember his name?”

“I happen to know both next-door neighbors are still living next to our old house,” I said, scrambling the eggs with a fork. “I’ll just pay them a visit. They’ll be happy to see me.”

“Yeah,” she said, leaning against the counter. “That’s a good idea.”

“The only problem is I can’t leave Petra and Chrissy shorthanded, and I don’t want to wait until I get off at three. That would give me less than two hours before I have to be back before Linda’s shift is over.” I leveled my gaze. “Are you still planning on going to Chattanooga with your friends?”

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