Page 10 of Memories of the Past

Aunt Vi looked at me and shook her head. “No, dear, I think I’m going to stay up here with my heating pad and work on my needlepoint. Besides, I think my days of running that bookstore are over.”

I was just about to take my eggs out of the pan when her words caught me by surprise, and I stopped. I never thought I’d hear those words from Aunt Vi. She’d run this bookstore since she had been in her twenties, perhaps even earlier. “What do you mean?” I asked, a shiver running through me.

“Pet, bring your breakfast over here and come sit down. I want to talk to you about something.” She patted the chair in front of where my coffee sat.

I dumped my eggs onto my plate beside my lightly buttered toast and carried the plate over, sitting down, my stomach turning in anticipation of what she wanted to talk to me about. I’d just taken my first bite when Aunt Vi reached into the pocket of her robe and pulled out a brochure and slid it in front of me.

“Retire in comfort,” I read aloud. “Willow Valley’s new retirement complex has much to offer.” I frowned as I turned the brochure over, barely glancing at the rest of the words printed on it. “I don’t understand. What is this?”

“Pet, I put my name on the list over a year ago, while they were still building. I never mentioned anything because at the time I wasn’t even sure if it was what I wanted, but as time went on, I know I am now ready to retire and pass the store on to you. I don’t want to be a burden to you with doctors’ trips and looking after me. You have enough to deal with, especially with the store.”

“Aunt Vi, don’t be silly. You looked after me all these years.”

“Ah, but you were easy, dear. You always were a good girl, and you barely got in the way of anything,” she said, smiling at me the way she always did. “I fear that I will put too much pressure on you, so I put my name in.”

My stomach sank at the fact she thought she would ever be too much trouble for me. She was all I had. I wasn’t married, I had no children… Well, except Luna, and now that we’d hired Ava, if I needed to be away from the store for a bit, it didn’t matter. I had no idea what it was she was getting at.

“Anyways, they called me about two weeks ago. There is a suite for me there. I’ll be with people my own age, and they have games and trips, a pool, plus my suite has a small kitchen so I can either cook my own meals or I can sit in and eat with the others.”

“I see that,” I said, opening the brochure to take a closer look.

“Trinity, it’s time, dear. It’s time for you to take over the running of the bookstore. Besides, you should be out dating and bringing men back here. Not living like an old lady like me.”

I took a drink of my coffee, still shocked at what I was hearing. “Aunt Vi, there is no need for you to move out, and we aren’t going to start on the dating front. You know how I feel about that. I have no problem taking over the bookstore, no problem at all, but I can still look after you as well.”

“Oh, my dear, my joints ache, the stairs are getting harder for me to navigate. I can’t even bend to maintain my gardens any longer. This will be good for me. Plus, they have health care right on site. I won’t need for anything.”

The lump that sat in my throat was growing bigger by the second, and I swallowed hard as the words on the brochure went out of focus. Aunt Vi was the only family I had; she was all I had, and the thought of her leaving made me want to cry.

“I’ve already given them my move-in date. I’ll be moving in on Tuesday.”

I looked around our small two-bedroom apartment, wondering what the place was going to look like after she left. Most of the things here were hers, which would mean I would have to furnish the small two-bedroom apartment.

“Don’t worry, the only things I’m taking with me are what’s in my bedroom. My suite is fully furnished, but I want my own bed and my recliner. They have all the other stuff I need there. So, the apartment won’t be empty.” She rested her warm hand on my forearm, her way of comforting me.

I looked at Aunt Vi, wondering to myself how it was that she read my mind. “How did you know I was worried about that?”

“Because I know you,” she said, patting my hand. “I could already see you trying to figure out what you would need to order,” she said, smiling.

“All right, I will post a notice on the door that we will be closed on Tuesday then, or see if Ava can fill in. I’ll take you and make sure I like the place, make sure you like the place, and that you get settled in okay.”

“Sounds good, dear. Oh, and look at the time. It’s going to be nine before you know it. You better get down there. Customers will be waiting.” Aunt Vi smiled at me.

I could barely smile back, but I did it anyway as I picked up my plate and downed the rest of my coffee. I made my way down the stairs from our apartment to the store and flipped on the lights. I went over to the door and flipped the sign and the lock and went about my daily checklist. My heart was heavy at the thought of her leaving, and I’d spent the first few minutes trying not to cry. When I’d completed my opening list, I stopped and looked around the small bookstore. The old wooden shelves were worn and scratched, same with the old wooden counter. The place could use a coat of paint as well, I thought. I’d wanted to fix it up for years, but Aunt Vi loved it the way it was, so I never mentioned anything. Now that she was moving on, I decided that now may be a good time to start. I also wondered about possibly expanding. The lot beside us had sat empty for years, and I knew Aunt Vi and I had talked about it. I grabbed my notepad and pen and jotted down a quick list of the things I’d like to fix. I’d need something to focus on after she’d moved.

* * *

It was almost dark when I pulled the car into the small driveway and walked around the back of the house and slid my key into the lock. I climbed the back stairs to the small apartment and stopped at the top. Luna was in the front window, basking in what was left of the sun for the day. I stopped, slipped my shoes off, and dropped my purse on the couch and looked around the apartment. It was oddly quiet, and I reached for the remote and turned on the TV to drown out the silence.

I’d taken Aunt Vi over to the retirement village today and had gotten her settled in. She seemed happy and excited, and I’d spent the day with a forced smile on my face, until I’d returned. I’d never felt so alone on my drive home, but if I thought that was alone, I’d been wrong. This is alone, I thought to myself as I wandered into the kitchen where I pulled a frozen dinner from the freezer, removed the box, and threw it into the microwave that sat on the counter.

I wandered down the hall and stopped just outside Aunt Vi’s bedroom. I expected to see her sitting in her chair, working on her needlepoint, but the room now was completely empty. It was so strange to see it empty. I stepped inside and wondered what I would to do with that room. I heard the beeping of the microwave and made my way back to the kitchen, pulling the now hot dinner onto a plate, and carried it into the living room where I sat down on the couch.

I looked around the room as I ate, thinking I could perhaps give myself a little more space in the living room for another chair and make Aunt Vi’s old bedroom an office. Yet part of me still hoped she would call any minute and tell me to come and pick her up. I’ll hold off, I thought to myself. Nothing had to be done right away.

I dug into my dinner, reached for the remote, and flipped the channel toThe Golden Girls, smiling to myself. Aunt Vi and I always watched them in the evening during dinner. Soon I’d eaten my dinner and curled up under a blanket, with a hot cup of tea at my side. Luna jumped down from the windowsill and jumped up onto my lap, rubbing her head on my chin, purring loudly. I pulled her into me, and for a moment, I didn’t feel completely alone.

CHAPTER 5

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