Page 35 of Miles. Alton & The 9:04
Chapter Twelve – Fracas
Mae sat quietly inthe passenger seat for the return ride to Alton.There were so many thoughts running through her head, and in three days, she’d learned, for the most part, who the man whom she would marry truly was as a person.He was a kind man who knew how to work with his hands and take care of those he loved.
“Penny for your thoughts,” Thom said.
“Aunt Sue loves you a lot,” she replied.
“She is the only motherly love I know,” he said.“My Dad was kind of a single parent for a while there when we lived in Colorado, which was a nice place.Then he got sent to Kansas, which was not.After a series of unfortunate events, so to speak, Lebeau and I ended up in the system and were sent to live with Aunt Sue.”
“Unfortunate events,” she said, arching her eyebrow.
“Drunken bar fight on a Friday night, and his disorderly conduct on Monday was ungraded to involuntary manslaughter,” he explained.“We visited him twice per month, on schedule, shared report cards, life milestones, and more.Still do.However, when we arrived at Aunt Sue's, so much had gone wrong for us that my brother and I—he’s about 18 months older—we were sad cases.”
“I'm sorry,” she said, touching his arm.
“Don't be.Aunt Sue embraced us at her front door and welcomed us into her home,” he said.“We started school that Monday, and she drove me and Lebeau to school and walked us to our classroom, and at the end of the day, she was at the classroom door to take us home.She did it every day for a week.The second week, we rode the bus with the other kids.Gael took watch on the bus, he always sat with Kimbrae, and we were close by so no one could mess with us.”
“Your own little gang,” Mae commented.
“Our own protective pod,” Thom corrected.“We learned then to take care of each other, as we still do.The original seven, we formed a bond of family that has nothing to do with blood.Aunt Sue passed out hugs, love, and discipline while teaching us life values, which we still honor.As I said, she is the one who taught me how to give love freely, expecting nothing in return.”
“She is an amazing woman,” Mae added.“And the other kids?”
“Not really my story to tell; therefore, I shall not,” he said, offering a smile.“What about your family?”
Mae shrugged.“My parents have been married since high school.My father is a retired train conductor, which he wanted my brother to do, but he didn't.Jae married a woman in medical school who is an ear nose and throat doctor, and he is a stay-at-home dad.”
“Didn't expect that,” Thom said.
“Yeah, he's a traditionalist who limits screen time and encourages reading, and the kids can carry on conversations with adults with thoughtful responses,” she said.“My sister is a train conductor who is married to a city bus driver who is the crankiest, most disengaged person you will ever meet.Their kids are cyber junkies, always a device in their hands, no social skills, and rude for the most part.”
“There is a contrast for you.How do your parents feel about it?”he inquired.
“Most of the time, I sit at the dinner table on Sunday wanting to be anywhere else,” she said.“I have the job in the tower; therefore, I have made it. All I truly wanted was to be the person driving the train.I know how.I just never really got a chance to do it.So, in my spare time, or whenever I get a moment, I take out my baby and ride the lines.”
“How did you get into corporate giving?”
“My master’s is in Nonprofit Management and Leadership.My undergrad is in marketing, and they needed a grant written for a land lease, so it fell on my desk,” she said.“I wrote the grant, got more than requested, and was pushed towards the Philanthropy Department.The woman in charge didn't want to work with me, so the CFO said fine, put her in another department, and gave me her job.I didn't have any room for failure, so for five years, it became my life.”
