5

Of all the positives she listed out when deciding to come home, “Being an Aunt” was written very large, circled and underlined. It was the biggest reason. It was strange to her how differently she and Aunt Alice saw their Aunthood. Listed opposite to “Being an Aunt” was “Being with Aunt Alice.” And even though it was unjustified and probably unhealthy, Molly couldn’t help but feel guilty for her pointed dislike of her Mother’s only sibling. Maybe part of it was a feeling of obligation that Molly, try as she might, was incapable of honoring—she couldn’t love her mother’s adored sister. Alice and Evelyn were as close as Mike and Molly growing up. After Alices’ messy divorce, she’d moved in with the Browns and Molly had often seen the two on their stomachs in the living room, by the garden, or on Mom’s bed, feet lazily kicking air, giggling like teenagers. She even giggled with Mike, who was a senior that year and quickly became Aunt Alice’s darling. But what had been a neutral lack of like before Alice moved in quickly became a tense and thinly veiled mutual dislike. Equally mutual was the silent agreement to make happy for Evelyn. In the ten years since her death, Alice and Molly had continued that agreement though it became more strained each year.

Molly had never quite understood what was wrong with their relationship, or what Aunt Alice felt was so wrong with Molly. Oh, she had the usual nit picky list of grievances memorized—Molly was spoiled, she didn’t help out Mother enough (she should not just do her assigned chores but look for others to do without asking), expected too much from financially (apparently a beat up Oldsmobile sans fender and 100K+ miles was too swanky of a teenage car in Aunt Alice’s estimation), was emotionally needy (she couldn’t say hello or goodbye without hugging her parents). Molly was also selfish (i.e. messy room), she didn’t think of how her actions affected others (staying out 4 minutes past curfew, ONCE!), and she was weak because she ran away from her problems (when she dropped physics because the math was too hard and took anatomy instead). Molly did feel guilty for everyone of Alice’s charges against her, but in more mature moments she felt wronged. What sixteen year old youngest child daddy’s girl isn’t a bit spoiled, selfish, and emotionally fragile? There was never slack to be had when it came to the way Alice cut her opinions of Molly. With her parents gone, Molly had tried to cling to everything of value to her parents. In her own muddled way that included Aunt Alice and her opinions.