Page 6 of Nigel

“I miss grams,”Chloe murmured, clinging to her cousin. Despite the age difference,the two got along like a house on fire.

“I recalled howshe used to bake all those pies.” Michael smiled in memory. “Iwas the only kid on campus with a basketful of goodies.

That got me in withpeople who would not usually give me the time of day. It also had metaking advantage of the gym on campus.” He looked over at hisaunt. “How come you never inherited her culinary skills?”

“That’sbecause she was more interested in following us around.” Lionelremarked dryly.

“Your aunt Avagot into more scrapes and trouble than all of us boys put together.”

“And you didyour best to get me grounded, so that I would not follow you aroundas much,” Ava shot back. She grinned at her nephew. “Hewas just jealous because I would beat him at every game possible.”

“You were aTomboy,” Jeffry said with a grin.

“She could outfish us all.” Kyle rubbed her shoulder affectionately. “Aswell as outshoot us.”

“It was a lotof competition. Having three older brothers tends to drive one up thewall.”

“I will takeyour word for it,” Maria piped up with a smile, light blue eyesglinting with humor. Her luxurious blonde hair was secured in a neatchignon at the nape of her neck.

When Lionel hadintroduced her to the family twenty years ago, there had been somestrain and discomfort. But their mother had welcomed her and saidthat if her son was happy with her, then she they should be happytoo.

And it was clearlyobvious they adored each other. They did everything together andwould take off every other weekend when they were not working totravel to remote areas where they would spend time with each other.

Dahlia was a slenderAfrican-American beauty with short dark curls and a no-nonsensemanner. She was a financial advisor and a wonderful mother. Kyle hadconfessed to his sister that he had been drawn to her because of thesimilarities in their personalities.

“She speaks hermind sis. And that is what I admire most about you.”

Ava thought about hermore as a sister than her brother’s wife. And she had a feelingthat it was also because Kyle was her favorite.

“She was myhero,” Jeffry murmured as he plucked a dewy yellow rose out ofa bunch and laid it on an empty space. “I often wondered how onearth she did it. Taking care of four kids on a stingy budget.”

“And we neverwent hungry.” Lionel’s deep voice was somber, his eyesglistening with tears. “Remember our birthdays?”

“She would bakea cake and purchase fruits to make homemade juice.” Ava shookher head. “I was tasked with the arduous chore of peelingfruits and vegetables for the particular day. I used to dreadbirthdays.

I would complain thatthe boys would be outside having fun, wading in the nearby river orplaying baseball and I was stuck in the kitchen, doing ‘women’duties. I would argue that we are way too advanced and I would quotefrom the history books and the rights of females to do whatever menwere doing.”

“What did shesay to that?” Maria asked in amusement.

“She wouldsimply look over and say in that calm and collected voice of hersthat I would thank her later.” Ava shook her head. “Youcould never win an argument with her. It was very frustrating.”

“And you werethe one with the most arguments.” Jeffry sent her an indulgentsmile.

“You refused towear dresses when it was time for us to go to services.”

“I wasdiscriminated against because I was born female.” She snorted.She had thought that this was going to be incredibly difficult, butwith her entire family around her, she was finding that it was easierthan she had anticipated.

She had spent lastnight tossing and turning in her bed as the memories flooded back andthreatened to drown her. She had fought with her mother since shecould talk, but that was just for form. She had brothers and as alittle girl, had realized that they had more fun.

As the only girl inthe family and the youngest, everyone had wanted to shelter her. Itdid not matter that she was big. By the time she was fourteen, shewas tall, not as tall as them, but tall enough. And she was big. Shehad size and height and that counted for something.

“And you madeyour opinion known.” Kyle still had his arm around her and bentto kiss the top of her head. His sister was beautiful, smart andintelligent.

And he was so proudof her. Her hair was natural, because at the age of fourteen, she haddecided that she would allow her hair to stay natural. When all theother girls her age were interested in getting their hairsstraightened by chemicals, she had decided against it.

Now she had anenviable head of thick dark hair that was now gelled back and securedinto a bun at the nape of her neck.

Her round face wasflawless, with a deep dimple in her left cheek when she smiled. Andher personality was larger than life. She was fearless andfrightening when she lost her temper but was completely loyal andcommitted.

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