Page 9 of Breaking Bristol

“Saving lives isn’t an excuse to miss Christmas dinner.” She winked as we walked into the kitchen. “But I’ll let it slide this time since we at least got you for New Year’s Day.”

“There’s no one I’d rather start the new year off with than my favorite auntie.”

She scoffed. “I’m your only aunt.”

“Still my favorite.”

My uncle was just pulling the heavy roasting pan out of the oven. “Hey, Uncle Lou.”

“Heya, sport.” He set the chicken on the stove and took off the oven mitts. “Good to see you.”

He gave me a bear hug, pounding my back with his open palm. And damn, that felt good. I’d really missed my family lately. “It’s good to see you, too. How’s the store?”

“Still open.”

I chuckled at the same answer he gave whenever anyone asked about Farm and Feed. “What do you need my help with?” I turned back to glance at Aunt Heidi.

“Nothing. Get a beer and sit. Your favorite aunt will serve you a plate shortly.”

It was pointless to argue with her. She and my dad had a competition on which one was more stubborn, and to this day, there’s no clear winner. I grabbed a cold one out of the fridge and joined my uncle at the kitchen table while we waited.

Aside from their daughter, my cousin Susie, they were my only family here. If I had made it on Christmas, I’d have seen her. Unfortunately, she had to work tonight, so I missed her again.

“I hope you’re hungry,” Aunt Heidi sang as she set a plate in front of me with what appeared to be half a chicken, a gallon of mashed potatoes, and a jug of gravy.

“I always am.”

Once she joined us, we prayed and then dug in. We talked about mundane things, played a couple of hands of poker, and had sweet potato pie. Afterward, Uncle Lou excused himself to the den, where he’d pass out in a matter of minutes.

“Everything was delicious.” I complimented as I helped Aunt Heidi dry and put away the dishes. They were still so old school that they didn’t have a dishwasher and had no intention of ever getting one.

She handed me a spatula. “Thanks, dear. I’m glad you liked it.”

“I always do.”

“Your uncle is already snoozing; otherwise, I’d ask him. Would you mind bringing a plate to the cabin?”

I looped the drying towel on a cabinet handle. “Uh… what?”

“Didn’t we tell you we rented out the cabin?”

“No. You didn’t. When did this happen?”

She pressed her lips together, and I knew why it had never been brought up—at least one of the reasons. “You had so much going on at that time, and I just… forgot to ever mention it, I guess.”

Yeah, killing a man really took up a lot of head space. “It’s okay. But isn’t Uncle Lou using it for hunting anymore?”

“Nah. He hasn’t used that for dove hunting in near on a decade. He just went there and watched sports and drank whiskey.”

I grinned. “You knew?”

“Of course, I knew. And while he was doing that, I read my romance novels and drank wine, so why do you think I encouraged it?”

“Auntie Heidi…”

“What?” She lifted her shoulders innocently.

When she smiled, there were more lines around her eyes. Her brown hair was graying, and she moved slower than before. I needed to spend more time with Heidi and Lou, and looking at her aging in front of my face made me pissed that I’d been so busy that I hadn’t prioritized them. That would change. “Nothing. You just surprised me, that’s all.”

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