Alan took a second bite. The cabbage was crisp, and he let the sweet taste mingle with the sour on his tongue. “What did you do with this slaw, Auntie Erin? It’s delicious, but I don’t remember having it in the past. Is it a new recipe?”

“You like it? I found the recipe in one of my magazines. It has pineapple with the cabbage. I thought it sounded good, so I gave it a whirl.”

“Pineapple,” repeated Alan. “I never would have thought of putting that in cole slaw. It’s a creative idea.”

“That’s why you should always stay open-minded,” said Auntie Erin. “You might discover something that you like.”

“I’m impressed. I think most people assume older people are stuck in the past and never want to deal with anything new, but I look around your place, and you’re as up-to-date as me.”

Auntie Erin lifted a glass of iced tea and sipped. Alan noticed her perfectly painted long fingernails while she enjoyed the tea. Alan loved the way Auntie Erin looked at him. He always felt like there were perhaps a hundred thoughts behind her gaze that she left unsaid. “Here’s the way I see it, Alan. Most of the new creations in the world are meant to make our lives easier or more fun. Since my body makes life a little harder as each year passes by, why wouldn’t I try something new to try and pull myself even? It’s the people that create new ways to destroy things that we need to avoid.”

Alan laughed softly. “You are always so wise, too.”

“Are you enjoying the house? And how is Boomer? You must take me into town so I can greet him. I feel a little claustrophobic some days now that my vision is too poor to drive.”

“Oh, any time, Auntie Erin. Give me the word. You can join us for dinner. Yes, I love the house. It’s beautiful, and I wish the walls could talk. I’m sure there are many stories they could tell.”

Auntie Erin leaned forward and whispered, “They know a few that nobody should ever hear.”

Alan stood up to clear the plates from the table. He said, “I spotted a pie on the counter when I arrived. Is it apple?”

“Of course. I know that’s your favorite. Slice me a tiny piece. I’m already full, but I can never turn down an apple pie. Those apples are from an orchard over in Wisconsin. My friend Gladys went with her kids and brought me back two dozen.”

Auntie Erin watched closely as Alan carried the dishes to the kitchen. She saw slumped shoulders and clipped movements that lacked Alan’s usual youthful energy. She called, “There’s vanilla ice cream in the freezer. Add a scoop to your pie, but I don’t need any right now. I eat my ice cream before bed.”

Alan brought the plates to the table and sat down. He was quiet as he handed Auntie Erin a fork. Taking his first bite, he said, “Oh my, this is yummy. You still make the best apple pie. I know Mom tried for years and years to do just as well, and she finally gave up. She buys her pies at the grocery store now.”

Auntie Erin wrinkled her nose. “I’ll never understand that. You can’t get the crust right unless you make it by hand one pie at a time.” She took a bite and slowly chewed. After swallowing the morsel, she asked, “Is there something bothering you, Alan? Or are you feeling ill? You’re not the energetic young man this evening that I’ve always known.”

Alan sighed, and he struggled internally wondering what information he should share with his great-aunt. She was always sympathetic, and he was correct in pointing out her wisdom, but something made him hold back. He said, “Work is hard right now. I suppose it’s always complicated taking over from someone else. Some say it takes at least a year to learn a new job.”

Auntie Erin took another bite and tilted her head slightly to the right. Alan knew she wasn’t buying the “tough time at work” strategy as the full explanation. “And there’s more…” whispered Auntie Erin.

Swallowing a spoonful of ice cream, Alan blurted out, “I’m dating a man, and I don’t know if I should. It’s causing problems for both of us, and I guess I’m scared.”

Auntie Erin smiled and reached one of her hands forward on the table. Alan looked at the aged fingers, the blue veins and the paper-thin skin. He reached his hand forward as well until they clasped together. “Life is scary,” said Auntie Erin. “At least all of the good things are.”

“Marrying Uncle Henry was scary?”

“Terrifying. I thought I would faint at the altar. It’s a good thing the skirt had so many petticoats. My knees were knocking underneath.”

Alan grinned. “You didn’t faint, did you?”

“No, and then there was the wedding night. I was a good girl, so you can imagine how frightening that night was.”

“He’s Mexican,” said Alan. “Some people in Coldbrook Bend don’t like that.”

“Who’s Mexican?”

“The man I’m dating. Sorry, I’m still stuck thinking about me.”

“I’m an old lady,” said Auntie Erin as she smiled. “It takes me awhile sometimes to catch up, but don’t worry, I always do.”

Alan said, “Coldbrook Bend hasn’t been as friendly, as I thought it might be.”

Auntie Erin sighed. “So many people never learn. I remember when Latin men were the best lovers in the movies. My girlfriends and I swooned over them. There was Anthony Quinn and Ricardo Montalban. He was handsome in the 50s before that silly 70s TV show.” She patted Alan’s forearm. “And the Puerto Ricans in West Side Story. My girlfriends and I whispered about what it would be like to date someone from south of the border.”

“The guy who played Bernardo in West Side Story was actually Greek American,” said Alan.

“But we thought he was Puerto Rican. That’s what mattered. Did you ever see Yul Brynner playing a Mexican in a movie? And he was Russian.” She fanned herself again.

“Well, maybe it would be easier if Diego was a movie star.”

Auntie Erin patted the arm again. She shook her head. “People never learn. Do you know what happened to German people in Minnesota during the great wars? It wasn’t so bad in the 40s, but they tarred and feathered in the first war. When we declared war on Germany after Pearl Harbor, Daddy talked to the neighbors that he knew were German and told them he would fight anyone who treated them poorly. He knew what happened the time before. Granddaddy told him those stories.”

“But what should I do when they make threats, Auntie Erin? I don’t want Diego’s business to fail, and I don’t want to lose my job.”

“Some things are more important than business and a job. Do you love him, Alan?”

“I’m worried that I do.”

Auntie Erin put her fork down. “You should never worry about being in love. Falling in love is one of the greatest gifts in life. Treat it that way. You wouldn’t return one of the best Christmas gifts you’ve ever received, would you?”

“But what if something horrible happens?”

“What if it doesn’t? Remember my story about marrying your Uncle Henry? I was frightened, but I knew that I loved him, and, as it turned out on our wedding night, well, that detail you don’t need to know.”

Alan whispered, “And I already know about that part with Diego.”

They both grinned. “When do I get to meet Diego?” asked Auntie Erin. “Don’t make me wait until the wedding. I might not be around that long.”

“Can I ask a question?”

“That’s what I’m here for. When you get to be my age, you have so much information and so many opinions. Answering questions is what I should be doing all day long.”

Alan chuckled softly. “I love you, Auntie Erin.”

“I love you, too, but that’s not a question.”

“My question is this. You’ve never treated me any differently since you found out that I liked men. You mentioned me getting married just like that. How do you do that? How is it that easy for you?”

Auntie Erin reached up and pushed her glasses up on the bridge of her nose. She said, “I wish I could say I’m special in some way, but I’m not. I can tell you a short story.”

“I’m all ears. I’ll finish my pie while I listen.”

“You know that I worked as a secretary for over thirty years. I worked for a man down at Tar-Mor in Zephyr for ten of those years. One day, for some reason, he decided that he could trust me, and he told me about his private life. He was in love with a man.”

“Wow,” whispered Alan. “You worked at Tar-Mor? Why didn’t you tell me that?”

Auntie Erin shrugged. “Sometimes it feels like half the town works there. I didn’t think it was anything unusual.” Auntie Erin folded her hands in her lap and watched Alan take the next bite of pie. “I’m glad to see you enjoying my apple pie.”

Alan swallowed the bite and asked, “So what happened?”

“He was in love with a writer, a man who worked for the newspaper here in Coldbrook Bend. He told me about grand weekend trips to the Twin Cities. They went to movies, and they stayed in expensive hotels. They had dinners served by waiters in dark suits with cloth napkins draped across their arm. I suppose that’s what you did back then if you were in love with another man.”

“Is he still around? He would be a fascinating person to meet.”

“No,” whispered Auntie Erin. “I don’t know all of the rest of the story, but I know it wasn’t all happy. Even though his life was was hard, I’ll never forget the look on the face of my boss when he told me he had enough love shared with that man to last at least two lifetimes. They were so handsome together. He showed me Polaroid photos.”

Alan said, “I’ll have to introduce you to Diego. He is handsome, too.”

Auntie Erin pushed her glasses up once again. “There’s only one thing I regret about knowing the personal life of my boss.”

“What is that?”

“I wish they could have had a wedding.”