Free NOT What I Was Expecting by Tallulah Anne Scott Page A

‘Eliza, you know Gus
Jenson down at the bank.  He can help you out,’ but she wouldn’t hear of it. 
Said I was the only one.  Made me feel special that way, you know?”
    As I listened to
Barney talk I became convinced this was Luke’s uncle.  In the conversation I’d
overheard, he mentioned the poor man making sense one minute and losing you the
next.  It was time to change the subject and go for a less emotional topic.
    “You’re Luke’s
uncle aren’t you?” I asked softly.  While it’s true I’d decided not to pump him
for information about Luke, I felt I needed a topic that might be more
comforting to him than the previous subject.
    “Luke?”  Barney
looked at me blankly for a few seconds, but then I saw the relief in his face. 
“Luke, yes, he’s a fine boy.  My brother would be so proud of that boy coming
all the way back here just to make sure I’m not lonely.  He’s living with me
now, you know.  He was always checking in on me before, but now he’s here
whenever I need him.  Fine boy!  You’re friends with Luke?”
    “I don’t really
know him all that. . . ,” I started to explain.
    Barney grabbed my
arm, and pulled me in Luke’s general direction.  “Oh, sure, sure.  You gotta
meet Luke.  Luke!  Luke!” Barney yelled as we headed toward Luke and CeCe who
were still engrossed in conversation.
    My mind didn’t
work fast enough to do anything except go with the flow on this one.  Wow, Luke’s
Uncle Barney must have been working out as well, because he had some grip on
him.  Besides, CeCe and Luke had stopped talking and were watching us approach,
so any momentary fantasy I had of escaping without being seen was out of the
question.  Did CeCe just wink at me with one of those ‘I took care of it’
smiles?  This funeral just kept getting better and better!
    “Luke, I was just
talking to – I’m sorry, I didn’t get your name,” Barney apologized as he
discovered he couldn’t make introductions.
    “Maggie,” Luke and
I responded at the same time.
    “And I should be
the one apologizing to you,” I continued.  “I didn’t introduce myself.”
    Barney chuckled,
“Well, I notice my nephew came up with your name quick enough and already found
a lovely lady to keep company with this morning.  I guess you take after your
Uncle Barney, Luke!  I have always been pretty popular with the ladies, if I do
say so.”
    “Well, Uncle
Barney, you are, and you do say so all the time,” Luke laughed as he and his
uncle shared a comfortable grin.  It was obvious they were very fond of each
other.  “These lovely ladies are Fry’s bosses,” Luke continued.  “I went to
high school with them and just ran into them again yesterday.  This is CeCe,
Uncle Barney,” Luke introduced the only person in our foursome his uncle hadn’t
met.
    “CeCe was just
telling me about some of the things Maggie has accomplished since high school,”
Luke informed Uncle Barney.  He then turned his attention to me as he pierced
me with his warm, brown eyes.  “I have to admit I’m impressed and feeling a
little inadequate in your presence.”
    Although Luke said
this with a smile, it didn’t really lessen the blow I felt which just slammed
me in the gut.
    While I gave them
all a tentative smile on the outside, inside a voice was screaming, What did
you do, CeCe?  WHAT DID YOU DO?   Unfortunately, the earth refused to open
and swallow me up, so I was about to find out.  Dumb earth!
    “Working with
adults unable to read?” Luke remarked incredulously.  “Big Sister to a
motherless girl who was in trouble as a juvenile offender, but now, thanks to
you, is on the honor roll?”  Luke went on without any opportunity for me to
respond, not that I knew how to diffuse this.  “And your work at the hospital. 
Reading to sick children and holding newborns in the neonatal unit?  Those are
not small contributions.  I hope this community realizes all the hard work