JUNE'S POV
My mind drifted to Miguel, guilt squeezing my chest, making it hard to breathe. The poor reception here kept us apart, each of us likely trying to connect in vain. I felt the weight of my silence, knowing I needed to make things right. I knew I should have told him about my whereabouts at least.
Suddenly, Aunt Julie's voice shattered my thoughts, bringing me out of my reverie and back to the present. I struggled to refocus, the reality of my present situation hitting me hard.
"Earth to June! Where were you just now?" Aunt Julie's voice cut through the air, her hands working the soil with purpose.
"I was lost in thoughts of home," I confessed, the sun's heat bearing down on us.
"But this is your home," Aunt Julie reminded me, wiping sweat from her brow with the back of her palms.
"I'm engaged, Aunt, and I left without a word. Miguel must be worried sick," I admitted, the weight of my actions heavy on my heart.
"Congratulations once again dear," Aunt Julie acknowledged, eyeing the ring on my finger. Memories of Miguel's proposal flooded back, a bittersweet reminder of the distance between us. A small smile danced across my lips as I reminisced on how it wasn’t so long ago he had proposed.
“Thank you,” I whispered appreciatively as I twirled the ring in my finger. I missed Miguel dearly and I could only hope he was doing okay.
"You'll see him soon, June. Stay a little longer with me," Aunt Julie urged, her eyes pleading for more time together.
Lily's laughter in the background drew my attention, a brief respite from my inner turmoil. She was playing with the little puppy that Aunt Julie had acquired and the sight had my insides twist in a happy knot. Lily looked happier and healthier which I was immensely grateful for.
"Why did you summon me, aunty?" I inquired, my gaze fixed on her, wiping the sweat from my brow with the back of my hand. The sun was blazing and I was getting uncomfortable. She remained silent, engrossed in her task, a subtle evasion evident in her demeanor.
"It's been two days, aunty, and you still haven't revealed the reason for calling me," I pressed, our hands toiling the earth in her garden, the distant laughter of Lily adding a whimsical soundtrack to our conversation.
"Patience, my child," she murmured, planting a delicate flower seed, causing me to narrow my eyes in suspicion. The relentless sun beat down upon us, intensifying my frustration, not only from the sweltering heat but also from my aunt's deliberate avoidance of the matter at hand.
"Patience?" I retorted, a tinge of exasperation creeping into my voice.
"Yes, June! You've always been the inquisitive one, and you know what they say about curiosity, it killed the cat," my aunt remarked with a sly chuckle, a hint of mischief dancing in her eyes as she tended to the newly planted seeds.
"But, aunty, I have responsibilities to return to, and Lily has school waiting," I reasoned with her as she rose from the ground.
"It's the weekend; spend a little time with your old aunt. You hardly visit," she lamented, her lips forming a pout, her gaze imploring me to stay. Rising to my feet, I stood tall, towering over her.
"You still owe me an explanation for summoning me," I teased, wrapping my arms around her as we made our way back to the house.
"Lily, dear," Aunt Julie called out, interrupting Lily's play in the garden. Lily darted towards us, eager to join us as we returned to the house.
“Yes, Nana,” Lily answered, her fingers smoothing her wild locks, a smudge on her cheek catching my attention. I gently wiped it away as she fixed her gaze on Aunt Julie, anticipation shimmering in her eyes.
"Here, I need you to gather as many blueberries as you can and fill this bowl," Aunt Julie directed, handing Lily a small bowl, prompting a puzzled furrow of my brow. Lily accepted the bowl eagerly, darting out of the house and into the garden with purpose.
"Blueberries? What's the plan?" I inquired, trailing Aunt Julie into the kitchen.
"Blueberry pie," Aunt Julie responded simply, a wide grin spreading across her face.
"Your legendary pie," I remarked, a wisp of intrigue curling from my lips.
Aunt Julie chuckled, teasingly pinching my cheeks as she prepared tea on the stove. I assisted by setting out the tea cups on the table.
"Yes, but this time, you're in charge," Aunt Julie declared, pouring the tea into the cup, the liquid bubbling to life with a soothing hiss.
"Why me?" I questioned, a dry chuckle escaping. Aunt Julie's blueberry pie was a cherished delight, her culinary prowess unmatched. I puzzled over why she'd pass the torch to me.
"An important visitor is on the way, June. It's your turn to bake the pie," Aunt Julie insisted firmly, sipping her tea before leaving the kitchen. Curiosity piqued, I followed her, eager for more details about this mysterious guest.
"An important visitor?" I probed, my mind swirling with questions. If he was that important, why would she want me to take on such Herculean task to prepare her infamous pie, I thought to myself as I scratched my head in contemplation. It didn’t seem right to me.
"You heard right," she whispered, her voice barely above a breath, the air thick with anticipation. Aunt Julie's eyes held a secret, a flicker of mystery dancing within them as she settled delicately on the couch, her demeanor a facade of calm.
As I fixed my gaze upon her, a torrent of questions surged within me, each one a wave crashing against the shore of my curiosity. "Who is this important guest, and why must I undertake the task? Shouldn't you, the maestro of your renowned pie, be the one to craft it for such a distinguished visitor?" I fired off my inquiries, each word laced with intrigue, prompting Aunt Julie's laughter to fill the room, her teacup finding its place on the table with a soft clink.
"One query at a time, dear child," Aunt Julie's words floated through the room, her figure reclining into the chair, a picture of tranquility.
"And who might this significant guest be?" I probed, heeding her advice to untangle the web of my curiosity one query at a time.
"Patience is not your forte, is it?" Aunt Julie's response, a riddle in itself, forced me to bite back further questions, my lips pressed tight to contain the flood of wonder within me.
"The guest, well, his identity shall unravel in due time," Aunt Julie's cryptic response hung in the air as she savored her tea, a moment of pure bliss for her. Her love for the brew remained a mystery to me, an enigma I couldn't decipher.
"If his importance is as grand as you suggest, why entrust the task to me?" I prodded, seeking clarity amidst the veils of secrecy surrounding this impending visit.
"Curiosity, dear June, is a double-edged sword," Aunt Julie's parting words lingered in the air as she gracefully departed, leaving me spellbound, my mouth agape. I watched her silhouette fade into the distance, swallowed by the shadows of her room.
Frustration clawed at me as I fumbled with my phone, attempting to reach Miguel once more, only to be met with silence, the knot of exasperation tightening within me, a groan escaping my lips in the stillness of the room.
"Mommy," Lily called out, her voice tinged with urgency, pulling me from my thoughts. As she approached, a basket brimming with blueberries cradled in her arms, my astonishment grew at the sheer bounty she had gathered in such a brief span.
"Wow Lily, you've truly outdone yourself," I commended, a smile dancing on my lips as a blush painted her cheeks a delicate shade of pink.
"Where should I put these?" Lily inquired, her eyes alight with eagerness.
"Just leave them in the kitchen and I'll join you shortly," I directed, to which she acquiesced without hesitation. Despite my attempts, the phone call to Miguel remained elusive, a frustrating barrier I eventually relinquished with a sigh of exasperation.
Rising with a grunt, I made my way to the kitchen, only to discover Lily indulging in a blueberry, a mischievous grin adorning her face, her teeth stained a vibrant hue that prompted a chuckle from me.
"Care to lend a hand in the kitchen?" I proposed, met with an enthusiastic nod from Lily. Extending my hand for a high five, she eagerly reciprocated.
"Start by doing the dishes," I instructed, proceeding to cleanse the blueberries. Time slipped away, marked by the distant chime of the doorbell, signaling the arrival of the mysterious guest Aunt Julie had alluded to. Though curiosity tugged at my senses, I remained anchored in the kitchen, focused on perfecting the pie crust.
"Welcome!" Aunt Julie's warm greeting resonated as she welcomed the guest inside.
"Hello Juliet," a deep, male, resonant voice replied, casting a veil of intrigue over the room. My mind whirled with questions, pondering the identity of this enigmatic visitor.
"Stay here!" I urgently whispered to Lily, who attempted to sneak a peek at the visitor . The shuffle of footsteps echoed as I turned my attention back to the oven, a sense of anticipation enveloping the room.
"June!" Aunt Julie's voice sliced through the air, a sharp call that coaxed a shiver down my spine, a harbinger of unforeseen events lurking on the horizon. Reluctance clawed at my insides, a desire to evade the encounter warring with the inevitability of Aunt Julie's expectations.
"Can I come with you?" Lily's innocent inquiry pierced the tense ambiance. I nodded in agreement, and Lily held my hand in hers.
Emerging from the confines of the kitchen, Aunt Julie's radiant smile held a mysterious allure.
"Stanford, this is my niece June, and that over there is my granddaughter, Lily. June, this is my longest time friend, Stanford,” Aunt Julie's introduced with a weight I couldn't comprehend.
The approach of Stanford, a figure cloaked in enigma, sent tendrils of unease snaking through my core. His outstretched hand seeking for a handshake, depicted a gesture of civility and charm.
"Pleasure to meet your acquaintance, June," Stanford's voice, smooth as silk yet tinged with an undercurrent of intrigue, echoed in the recesses of my mind, a melody of uncertainty that refused to be silenced.
“And you too Lily,” he greeted, wanting to shake Lily as well but she shielded away, hiding behind my legs. Lily's apprehension mirrored my own, her instinctual wariness a testament to the enigmatic aura shrouding Stanford in an aura of enigmatic allure.
With a polite excuse, I retreated to the sanctuary of the kitchen, the weight of Stanford's gaze lingering on my retreating figure made me quell with unease.
"Mommy, who is that man?" Lily's innocent query pierced the veil of uncertainty as she handed me a mitten.
"He's Mr. Stanford," I responded, deftly donning the mittens as I tended to the oven. The tantalizing scent of the freshly baked pie enveloped the room.
"Did you know him before?" Lily's question interrupted my culinary focus, drawing a grunt from me as I wrestled the pie out. Carefully placing it on the kitchen table, I marveled at its delectable appearance.
"No, my darling, this is our first meeting," I affirmed, retrieving the dishes to prepare the pie for serving.
"That's strange," Lily remarked, causing me to pause, a tinge of confusion clouding my thoughts.
"The pie is strange?" I inquired, inspecting the pie with a critical eye, prompting a soft chuckle from Lily.
"Not at all, mommy, it looks yummy," Lily complimented, evoking a swell of pride within me. Gently pinching her cheeks in gratitude, I proceeded to slice the pie and distribute it onto the awaiting plates.
"So, what's strange then?" I probed as I arranged the food on a tray for serving.
"Mr. Stanford looked at you as if he had seen you before."