Devil's Work

I have an uncle and his name is Mikey. He has a wife named Alicia who is my aunt. I don’t have to call them Uncle Mikey or Aunt Alicia. I can call them by their first names like I do with Gerard and Frank. This I know.

Frank tells me that the last time I saw Mikey and Alicia was long, long ago, before I met my grandparents. Frank said it was safer. But I hardly remember them. I only remember a face like Gerard’s and a woman with long black hair.

The drive takes forever. We leave in the afternoon and then we get there at suppertime. Gerard hauls all the bags inside and greets his brother and sister-in-law, and then Frank brings me in since he thinks I’m sleeping. I’m not because I’m just keeping my eyes closed.

“She’s gotten so big!” There is a squeal. The voice is high and light to my ears. This is Alicia. She picks me up and kisses my forehead.

“She’s gotten her first tooth, too,” Gerard announces proudly. “Can almost see her second and third coming in, too.”

“Wow!” The man who must be Mikey exclaims. “Wow Gee, you must be so happy.”

“We are,” Frank smiles, and then he hugs Mikey. Alicia hands me to Mikey afterwards. He caresses my cheek and then laughs.

We go into the living room and Alicia makes coffee for everyone. Frank gets my supper and my milk. He lets Alicia feed me. I notice that she has a much softer touch and voice than anyone else.

“So how’ve you been the past few months?” Mikey asks Gerard and their conversation is drowned out because Frank and Alicia are also talking. I notice that nobody mentions the strange men who have been bothering us, or the cars, or the phone call. I am scared that Gerard thinks that Mikey won’t help him.

Alicia talks to me after a while because Frank tells her to. He tells her that he knows something is different about me because I don’t talk ‘baby gibberish’ and I take no interest in the Baby Einstein DVDs that we have at home. Alicia shakes her head at Frank. Frank must be known for having drastic ideas, I am finding out.

“It’ll be so exciting when you grow up!” she exclaims, feeding me my dessert. “We’ll have so much fun together. I’ll be such a cool aunt, don’t worry! I’ll teach you to do your make-up and – well, maybe Gerard can do that for you. But I’ll take you to the spa and we can talk about girly things!”

“Ooh, can I come too?” Frank asks eagerly.

“No, strictly for girls,” Alicia pouts. That brings a smile to my face, sort of. But the fact of leaving Frank and Gerard scares me, because I need them. I don’t think I could ever leave them and go to a spa.

Frank laughs, though. “I’m gay, isn’t that close enough?”

“Just because you love men doesn’t make you a girl, Frank,” Alicia laughs with him.

“Oh well, because I only love my man,” Frank shrugs, smiling still, and then touches Gerard’s leg. Gerard absentmindedly reaches over and strokes Frank’s hand while he talks to his brother.

“Your dad is silly. I hope he doesn’t act too much like that around you at home,” Alicia tells me, letting me finish my food. “Anyways. Maybe Mikey and I will have a baby too, and you’ll get a cousin! Wouldn’t that be fun? We’d all go out and have a fun time!”

“What was that, Alicia?” Mikey asks. He laughs as Alicia’s face goes cross. Mikey continues, “I think she’s influenced by you, big bro. She wants a baby.”

“Um, every woman wants a baby at some point in time,” Alicia explains in a haughty tone, “I’m choosing now to want one. I mean, come on, I’m married, right? And just look at her...” Alicia presses a gentle kiss on my cheek. “So cute!”

“Right.” Mikey rolls his eyes and shakes his head. I have a feeling that Mikey and Alicia love each other more than they let off. They act almost like Frank and Gerard do.

While Alicia brings my food into the kitchen, Frank picks me up and rubs my hair back. His strokes comfort me.

“Hey, did you bring her stroller?” Alicia pokes her head out of the kitchen.

“Yeah,” Frank replies. “Why?”

“Wanna go for a walk?” Alicia proposes. “It’s still light out, and what, it’s a special occasion, so she can go to bed later, right?”

“A walk would be great,” Mikey interrupts, standing from his seat on the couch. He stretches and then pulls his brother to his feet. “Come on, Gee. Alicia and I have been walking almost every night. It’s great.”

“We never go for long walks in our neighborhood,” Gerard says while shrugging his shoulders. I can see the concern in his eyes.

“It’s pretty safe, this is a new neighborhood with lots of kids,” Alicia tells him.

“All right,” Frank decides before Gerard can protest again. “I’ll get the baby set up.”

Gerard’s face falls at Frank’s verdict but he says nothing more.