Page 44 of Her Alien Neighbor

This necklace is a symbol of the kind of marriage we had. It was not perfect, but it was exquisite, nonetheless. He kept the promises he made. He made me laugh. When I cried, his arms were there in an instant, holding me until I felt better. We fought, but we always forgave each other.

Even though many claim that marriage is “work,” ours did not feel that way. If it was work, then it was work we were both eager to do. Loving him always felt as easy as breathing, even when I wanted nothing more than to throw a book at his head.

I hope one day, should you decide to marry, that your marriage is like ours was. May this necklace serve as a reminder that you should settle for nothing less.

It was here we all sat, with wine in our glasses as we had a good chat, laughing about love and life and this and that. Axil played a prank, that sneaky rat, causing Zev to trip over his own feet and fall flat. These rascals are my family, even when they behave like brats. “I’m going to get him,” Zev said. “Lady Norton, please hold my hat.”

All my love,

Aunt Franny

“The dining room,” Axil and I say simultaneously as we finish reading the letter. Even without Axil’s help, Aunt Franny front-loaded the answer to the riddle in the first sentence. I doubt the next clue will be as easy to figure out, though. Aunt Franny’s too clever for that. She wants to tease me just as much as she wants Axil to help me solve each riddle.

I race into the dining room, Axil close on my heels. I look beneath the vase of fake sunflowers in the middle of the table. Nothing. Axil pulls out all six chairs and starts looking beneath the table as I check between the stack of folded cloth napkins. When Axil comes up empty, I check the armoire next to the table, filled with fancy china that I know has almost never been used. There are centuries-old teacups in here that I know are extremely delicate, so it takes me a while to check beneath and in each one.

“Found it!” Axil shouts, tearing through the scotch tape that held Aunt Franny’s next letter to where she hid it beneath the chair.

I rip it open as soon as I get my hands on it, and after a quick scan, I find no clues or riddles to solve. I’m disappointed, and I’m sure Axil can tell by the sigh I let out, but then I feel guilty for the disappointment. Like a letter from my late aunt isn’t enough of a reward. Although, she did raise my expectations by telling me there’s a pile of cash at the end of this treasure hunt, so I suppose I shouldn’t feel too bad.

“My dearest Vanessa,” I read aloud.

“You do not have to share it with me, if you do not want to,” Axil reminds me. It’s then that I realize how differently I see Axil compared to when we first met. Because I don’t mind sharing these letters with him.

“It’s okay,” I say. “I want to.”

He ducks his head shyly, his cheeks turning a bright pink shade as his lips curl into a smile. I thought he was mesmerizing before… Shy Axil is a sight I never want to forget.

I clear my throat as I continue reading the letter. “Yes, it’s just another letter. No, there is no riddle to solve. There are two clues left, and I have no doubt you will find them soon and reach the end of this treasure hunt. I thank you for humoring me. I had a delightful time putting it together and hiding the letters around the house. I hope you’ve enjoyed it too. Or at the very least, I hope this has provided enough of a distraction to dull the pain of my passing, and the deeper pain you’ve felt since coming back here.”

My voice breaks on the last line, but I take a breath, trying to mask it.

“Now, my dear girl, I sincerely hope the boys next door have been kind to you.” I notice Axil chuckle at that. “I know they have because they are good, decent fellows. But they are different, as I’m sure you’ve noticed. They are not like other men you’ve come across.”

Axil’s face hardens, and his posture turns rigid. I shift my position slightly so I can continue watching his reactions as I read on.

“I’m sure you’ve found that the majority of the male race to be lacking. I, too, have noticed this. It’s why I never remarried. How could I possibly go from having the perfect male specimen to an ignorant, lazy fool with a face like a boiled turnip?”

Laughter escapes me in a loud, undignified howl.

“The Monroe brothers, you see, are not and will never become the boiled turnips of the male race. They are abundantly curious about the world around them, always learning as much as they can about others in order to understand them. This curiosity is a profound and unique quality in a person. Do not dismiss them as ‘just like the rest’ because they are not. They are more. All my love, Aunt Franny. P.S. Perhaps your next clue can be found there, next door. Ask Axil where he keeps his goodies.”

“Goodies?” I ask Axil the moment I finish reading. “What kind of goodies are we talking about here? Sex toys?”

He scratches the back of his neck, looking embarrassed. “I believe she is referring to my stash of candy. I shall show you where it is. Come,” he says, gesturing for me to follow. We leave out the back door and head toward his house.

“I can’t believe I haven’t seen your place yet,” I mutter as he opens the front door. My mouth falls open when I step inside. It’s huge. I mean, you can tell it’s a mansion from the outside, but a house filled with grown men… I never expected it to look so nice, or so clean. The interior is a dark wood color much like a log cabin. The front door opens into the living room, and the design is an open floor plan with the humongous kitchen directly behind the living room. There’s a wide, curved staircase that leads from the edge of the living room to the upstairs hallway, with a room at the top of the stairs, and more off to either side. The first floor is similar, with rooms to the left and right of the living room and kitchen.

“Wow, this place…” I trail off.

The decor in the living room is minimal, but intentional, and with a classically masculine feel. There are wood carvings and framed photographs on windowsills, the coffee table, and the mantle above the fireplace. Thick plaid blankets are draped across the backs of all three enormous couches that face the TV in the far corner of the room. There is one worn brown leather couch in the center, and the other two couches are a deep burgundy. All three are overstuffed and oversized––the perfect couches for napping, I assume.

“It’s so…”

Axil laughs as he takes my hand. “I hope the ends of these statements are good,” he says. “Come. I will show you my goodies.”

I stop, planting my feet. “You know that sounded sexual, right?”

“I do,” he replies casually. “You did not think I brought you over here just to read a letter, did you?”

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