Page 33 of Miles. Alton & The 9:04
“And the third?”Kimbrae asked.
“The one who broke into my house to make me dinner?”he said.“That one, a sweet woman, who cashed in my plane ticket for gas money to fuel her three-day drive from South Dakota.However, in my defense, Aunt Sue, I did as you taught me, I took it to the Lord in prayer.If potential bride number three was my gift, then I would humbly accept the fairy chaser as my wife, and if she wasn't the right life partner for me, please show me a sign.”
Thom pointed at Mae.Everyone looked at her, making her blush.“The next morning, arriving on the 9:04 line, driving her own diesel engine, and wearing a cute little engineer's outfit was this beautiful creature.She hit those air brakes, climbed down from that engine, and said, ‘I'm looking for Thom Brown,’ and I heard the angels on high singing, and now, she's agreed to be my wife.”
“Well, after hearing you singing that song on Mateo's album, I would have agreed to anything,” Mae said, laughing.
Katherine frowned, “Thom singing?”
Mae blushed, “Yeah, the song he won the Grammy for on Mateo's album.”
“Thom, you have a Grammy?”Gael asked.
“You can sing?”Kimbrae asked.
“Do you people even know me?”Thom asked, leaning back in the seat, seemingly defeated.
Aunt Sue was the only one who was not surprised.She was aware of Mateo's shenanigans with Thom and had never approved.The matriarch guided the conversation.
“Thom, why did you start singing with Mateo?”Aunt Sue asked.
“Honestly, I didn't have a choice,” he said.“He would come to Chicago, when I was still living there, and take me to these after-hours spots.One or two looked as if they were former Speakeasies or bordellos.Heck, Miss Essie's was a whorehouse.”
“Thom!”Aunt Sue said.
“Sorry ma'am, but it was.And Miss Essie ran a tight ship,” he explained.“Essie was, or is, a big gal.She has these giant assets that dangle unharnessed, and they swing like huge pendulums.That woman came out of the back room, spotted me, and made a beeline for my crotch.I had nowhere to run since the spot was tighter that a nun's knees.She grabbed me by my good ear and yanked me forward, and I was suffocating between those massive casabas.I was told that I had to perform.Perform what I asked that woman?She held one massive boob in one hand and a mic in the other.I went for the mic.”
Mae touched his arm and asked, “Thom, what did you do?”
“What do you think I did?I got my scrappy butt on stage and began my rendition of Stormy Weather,” he said, singing a bit of the song.“Each time I finished a song, Essie's legs would spread wider as she sat in the front row.I think I sang five songs by the end of the night and she stuffed four hundred dollars down my pants.I felt so dirty.”
The table erupted into laughter.Thom didn't think it was funny.“Mateo also learned that night that hot spots paid extra for a trio.I was making the money, but he was burning me out.The money was good.Kimbrae, what was it, like fifty thousand in three years, cash money?”
“Pretty close,” she said.“I always wondered where that money was coming from, but I never asked.”
Gael asked, “A Grammy for real?Which song?”
“Overdressed Toads,” he said.
“That's you?That's you singing that song?”Peter said, having not said much at all during the meal.“Well, you learn something new every day.”
Mae was now looking at him, twirling her hair.A smile of pure pride covered her face as she watched her man explain how he made a bit of scratch on the side.In her heart, she knew marrying him would be the best decision she could ever make because in a pinch, he would get on stage if that's what was required to feed his family.
Aunt Sue watched the woman.Her odd little boy, who collected trains, played music, and grew vegetables like he was born to it, had found himself a wife.The lady had good energy, and Thom seemed at ease seated next to her.It also impressed Aunt Sue after lunch when Mae helped clear the table, wash and put away the dishes, and offered to help snap peas for supper.She sat at the table with Katherine and Kimbrae as if she'd been a part of the family her entire life.
“He chose well,” Aunt Sue said, smiling at her.
Aunt Sue brought over to the table two bowls and six apples, three green and three red.She passed Mae a paring knife.Mae didn't respond, simply took the knife and began to peel the apples which she assumed were for a pie.As when she was a child, she sliced the apple, ensuring it was the right size before cutting the others and placing the slices in the bowl.Aunt Sue passed her a lemon, which she halved and squeezed the juice on the cut slices of apples in the bowl.
“I like a hot water crust for my pies,” Aunt Sue told her.Step by step she walked Mae through making the crust for the pie.“In my apple pie, I add golden raisins and walnut pieces.”
Mae followed her instructions, watching Aunt Sue sift through the brown and white sugars along with the flour and cinnamon, creating a dusting over the apples.Real butter got cut into chunks, going into the pie pan as the final top layer went over the pie.An egg wash was created, and Mae brushed the pie, placed it on a cooking sheet, and slid it into the oven.Aunt Sue set the timer.
Tears came to Mae's eyes when she looked at Aunt Sue.It took everything in her to not bawl her eyes out when she looked at the sweet woman.She got it.She understood it.
“This is his favorite dessert, isn't it?”
“It is, and now, you know exactly how I make it,” Aunt Sue said.“However, that should not prevent you from sitting at this table one weekend per month, if available.Understood?”
