Free Stunner by Niki Danforth

to your appointment.” He tucks the pad in his pocket and leaves.
    I wonder what Teresa was up to all those years after she left Scranton. Calling up the image of the dead bird holding the scrap of paper in its beak with the names
Teresa & Frankie
, I consider the bizarre trio of Teresa, Bobby Taylor, and Juliana. Or was it a foursome with that guy Frankie? OK, Bobby and Teresa were cousins. It’s also clear that Bobby and Juliana have some kind of baffling connection, where he could
ruin everything
for her, I guess with my brother. But what exactly is Teresa’s relationship with Juliana? Simply friends? Or how about… Nah. That’s just too big a stretch. Or is it?
    Whatever, the story has to be a fascinating one, at the very least, and more importantly, would help me further understand Juliana. I might even find out whether she could be the best or worst thing that’s happened to Frank since Joanie’s death.
    ~~~~~
    I stop by Meadow Farm to drop off a book I think my brother would enjoy reading. That’s my excuse anyway, should anyone ask. My real purpose is to dangle information on Joe Taylor in front of Juliana and gauge her reaction.
    I breeze into the foyer ready to call out, when I hear a woman’s voice speaking in low tones. The voice comes from the library, and the speaker is Juliana. I tiptoe closer and stand quietly beside the door, hidden from view.
    “…oh, darling, don’t cry. I’ll see you very, very soon.” Her voice is gentle and reassuring. A pause comes as she apparently listens. “Middle school girls can be so mean. Believe me, I remember.”
    Then I hear Juliana walk across the room and unlock a French door to the outside. “It sounds as if
Tía
Connie took care of it,” she says to the person on the other end of the line.
    I peek in and see my brother’s girlfriend from the back, outlined against the open French door with the phone to her ear. Then she kisses into the mouthpiece. “Oh, darling, I love you very much, too.” Her voice is surprisingly warm. Who in the world is on the other end?
    Juliana continues. “Now please put
Tía
Connie on the phone.” Who is
Tía
Connie? “Are you OK, Connie?” she asks. “Shall I send more money?” She listens. “OK. Love you, too.” She clicks off and hangs up the phone.
    I wonder if Frank knows who
Tía
Connie is. I go back to the front door and slam it as if the wind has blown it shut. “Hi! Anybody home?” I call out.
    “In the library, Ronnie,” Juliana shouts back.
    Walking across to the door of the library, I stick my head in with a big smile. Juliana is sitting on a long white sofa flipping through a magazine. She looks up, cool as a cucumber.
    “Hi, Juliana.” Smiling at her, I march over to Frank’s desk. “Found a book that my brother might enjoy.” I place the book on top of his stack of mail and sigh, rubbing my forehead. “I thought when my kids left the nest, I would stop worrying. No such luck. You have kids, Juliana?”
    First a long pause as she puts the magazine aside, then, “I have four stepchildren.” She looks at me with curiosity. “Is one of yours giving you a tough time?”
    “My youngest. Jess,” I answer honestly. “We’re working on financial responsibility…I remember it being much easier with Tommy and Brooke, but maybe that’s my imagination.” I scribble a quick note to Frank and tuck it inside the book.
    “Frank and I love to read, and we’re always trading books. You have any brothers or sisters, Juliana?”
    “No, I was an only child.” Her voice is even.
    “Oh.” I pause. “I can’t imagine growing up as an only child. Frank, Peter, and I, well, we always had each other’s back. Frank and I still do.”
    “When you’re an only child, you learn to look out for yourself.” Juliana looks neither sad nor happy, but merely neutral.
    “How about cousins?” I then ask. “They can be like siblings.”
    “No, no close cousins.” She volunteers nothing more.
    The silence is