Page 15 of A Rose of Steel
“It’s Bumper,” she said. “He’s dead.”
Chapter Seven
I couldn’t get into the house fast enough for Auntie. When she gave me the news, she asked me to come as soon as I could. She needed me.
I thought perhaps she was upset about Bumper’s death. After all, she was club members with his mother, and the wedding and his subsequent death happened at her home and place of business.
“I know Delores Hackett is beside herself,” she’d said. “She is such a recluse. I don’t think she’s ever left Roble and Bumper was her life.”
“I’m so sorry to hear that,” I’d said.
“That poor, poor woman...”
But as soon as I got home, I learned it wasn’t concern for that “poor, poor woman.” It was that she wanted me to hurry so I’d have time to cook up something for her to take with her over to the Hackett’s house. I didn’t understand why she just couldn’t cook something herself.
“I didn’t think you’d ever get here,” she said, standing behind me, she had her palms in the middle of my back pushing me toward the kitchen. I guess I wasn’t moving fast enough for her. “I need you to get something done before you start getting ready for your date with the Chief-of-Staff.”
“Alex,” I said. Now I understood why it was so annoying when I kept calling him that. She had chastised me about it enough. “Just call him Alex.”
“Alex, the Chicago doctor?” Rhett asked, putting a silly grin on his face as soon as we emerged through the doorway. He was sitting at the table eating. I wondered why whoever had fixed him food, couldn’t do the same for the Hacketts.
“Do you have a home?” I asked.
“I do,” he said. “I just like the warmth and coziness of this kitchen. Family gathered together. Good food. Nice company.” He winked at me.
“You know, I know that you call yourself flirting with me,” I said.
“I hoped you’d notice,” Rhett said, still smiling.
“I was wondering if she ever would,” Auntie said. “Sometimes even with all her book knowledge, she’s pretty dumb about stuff.”
“I just don’t know if it might not be a waste of your time,” I said.
“Better stop sending all these guys packing, she said, “might not be any gentlemen callers left to come.”
“All what guys?” I said.
“I’m usually pretty good at managing my time,” Rhett said, I guess rescuing me from my auntie’s comment. “And it seems as if I always have time for you.”
“Aww that was sweet,” Auntie said, a big grin on her face. “Wasn’t that sweet, Romaine? He has time for you.”
“Have you been drinking some of Auntie’s brews?” I asked.
He chuckled. “I may have let her try one or two out on me.”
“See. Now I understand. I’d steer clear if I were you, Rhett. She’ll have you crowing like a chicken, or barking like a dog, dancing naked under the moonlight.”
“Dogs or chickens can’t go naked,” Auntie Zanne said. “You might want to tame down on your hyperbole. Work on not trying to scare away my clients.”
“How about if I just work on whatever it is you want me to cook so I can go out on my date with my beau.”
“Is he really your beau?” Rhett asked, it seemed his jovial smile he’d worn throughout our prior conversation had disappeared.
“Last time I checked he was,” I said. All the time those words were tumbling from my lips, my head was reminding me that I really didn’t know the answer to that.
“Look at you, all gussied up,” Auntie Zanne said as I came down the steps. “Haven’t seen you in make-up since you left Chicago.”
“That’s not true,” I said, although it probably was. “I wanted to look nice to go out, Auntie, so don’t give me a hard time about it.”
