Cutler 04 - Midnight Whispers

to leave anyone out"
    "Oh? Any new friends since your last letter?" he asked tentatively. I knew what he meant: did I have a new boyfriend?
    "No," I said. His smile widened and his shoulders rose as he brushed back his long black hair, hair as ebony as Daddy's. He had the longest eyelashes, too, so long and thick they appeared false. "What about you?" I asked.
    "Nope," he said. "I'm still hanging around with Tony and Doug and Jerry. I didn't tell you, but Doug's sister got engaged and married all in a month," he added as he passed through the rear exit and out to the walkways.
    "A month!"
    "Well," he said, pausing, "she had to."
    "Oh. Is everybody upset?" I asked.
    "I guess so. Doug doesn't talk about it much. Every family has its black sheep, I guess. Which reminds me," he said, "is Fern here yet?"
    "Uh huh. She cut her hair down to nothing. I don't think Daddy's seen her. She'll be sleeping at the hotel and Aunt Trisha is staying at the house and will be sleeping in her room. Mommy wanted it that way."
    "I can't blame her. How's Pauline Bradly? Does she still twirl her hair with her forefinger when she talks to people?" he asked. I laughed.
    "She just gets nervous, Gavin. She's really a very shy girl," I explained.
    He nodded. When I looked back toward the ocean, I saw that the clouds were beginning to break up. Patches of blue could be seen. That and Gavin's arrival warmed my heart. Gavin knew what I was gazing at; he always teased me about the way the weather affected my moods.
    "Sorry for the clouds," he said. "I tried to blow them off, but . . ."
    "At least it won't rain," I said. "It looks like it's clearing."
    "It wouldn't dare rain. Are you very excited about your party?" he asked.
    "Yes. I'll so glad you could come," I added. "Me too," he said, pausing to look at me. "You look very . . . nice."
    "Do I look older? I don't feel older," I said quickly. "Even though everyone is treating ne as if I am."
    He studied me with those soft dark eyes for a moment.
    "I think you look older," he said. "And prettier," he added. He turned away as soon as he uttered the words, but for me they lingered like the scent of blooming roses. "Hey, isn't that Jefferson on the lawn mower out there?" He waved and Jefferson saw us and urged Buster, the grounds worker, to stop so he could get off and run to us.
    "GAVIN!" Jefferson cried. Gavin scooped him up and swung him about.
    "How you doing, little nephew?"
    "I'm working, Gavin, cutting the grass. Later, I'm going to help repair the steps on the pool. They're chipped."
    "Oh, sounds important," Gavin said, winking at me. I was still quivering from the way he had looked at me and had said, "prettier."
    "You wanna see? Come on, I'll show you the steps," Jefferson said, clamping his hand around Gavin's. Gavin shrugged helplessly. I followed behind, my head down, my heart in a happy pitter-patter.
    How confusing our lives were in so many ways. Gavin and Daddy were half-brothers, and Gavin was therefore my brother Jefferson's uncle, but he was no blood relation to me. He used to tease me, however, and tell me I had to call him Uncle Gavin, because he was technically my step-uncle. Even though we joked about our relationships, the strange union of families made us reluctant to talk about how we really felt about each other. I wondered if we would ever get past that and if we did, wouldn't it just complicate everyone's lives even more?
    After Jefferson had shown Gavin the work that had to be done on the pool, he ran back to Buster to complete the cutting of the lawns and Gavin and I were alone again. The wind was blowing the clouds apart faster and faster. Sunlight was beaming down on parts of the hotel and grounds. Gavin and I continued our walk through the gardens, talking about our school work and things we had done since we had last seen each other. We both repeated a great many things we had written in our letters, but it seemed as if he had to keep talking just as much as I had to. The silences that fell between us made us both feel funny. When our eyes met, we would shift our gazes to something else and both try to think of something else to say.
    "I guess we better get back," Gavin finally said.
    "It's getting late and I’m sure you want to start getting ready."
    "I'm suddenly very nervous," I said. "Not for myself as much as I am for Mommy," I added. "She wants this to be a great party."
    "It will be. Don't be nervous," he said, smiling and squeezing my hand quickly. My fingers