middle schools, and the high school. All of the buildings needed a face lift, and the parking lots were not in good shape. Jason said he wasn't as concerned with the outside of the building as he was with what went on inside. He had hopes that the next proposed tax levy would pass, and I hoped it would, too. I was aware of all the teachers across the country who were being cut from their jobs, and it worried me. I did not see how we could afford to lose any teachers at the high school since most of us carried at least one extra class per day to insure all the students got the education required by the state. I finally shook my head and gave myself a mental shake. It was Friday, and I was done with school for the week. I was going to go and see Gail and her kids and hope she was planning something great for dinner. I hadn't been to the grocery for several weeks now, and my cupboards were bare! Even if they weren't, I wouldn't cook for just myself. I existed on canned soup and crackers for dinner most evenings.
I heard loud music when I pulled in the driveway at the lovely home Jason and Gail provided for their kids. I grinned to myself, deciding to have some fun with Scott and Liz. I unlocked the front door with the key Gail insisted I keep, and when Gail spotted me I covered my lips with my finger, indicating she was to keep quiet, and I then pointed upstairs, giving her a hint. Gail shook her head, resigned to the fact that I would probably never grow up when it came to playing practical jokes on people. I waited until I was sure which bedroom was providing the house with enough racket to wake the dead, and then I reached high above my head and pounded so hard on the door it's a wonder I didn't put my fist through the wood! I heard a rush of scrambling in Scott's room and the music was abruptly turned off. The door opened then.
"I'm sorry, Dad. I forgot the ear…! Aunt Gill!" Scott sputtered. "That was a rotten, dirty trick!"
"I think it was funny!" Liz exclaimed, giving me a hug. "Hi, Aunt Gill!"
"Hello yourself!" I squeezed her back, and then I stepped forward to give Scott a big hug. "I couldn't resist, honey. Do you have any idea how often your Dad busted me for the same thing when I was your age?"
"A lot!" they said together, and then laughed at my expression.
"Dad said you always played your music loud," Scott said, nodding. "But, not as loud as mine, huh?"
"Oh, I don't know. I could hear you outside, though."
"You'd better turn it down, brother. Dad will ground you if he catches you again."
"I accidentally pulled out the earphone plug," he admitted. "You staying for dinner, Aunt Gill?" "I'm not sure. What's your Mom fixing?" I asked. "If it's one of her health nut meals, I'll drive through McDonald's and think of the two of you as I enjoy my Big Mac and vanilla milkshake."
"We're having pizza and sodas, but knowing Mom, there will be a big bowl of salad, too," Liz confided in her Aunt.
"I can handle that," I said decisively. "I'll see you later; I want to talk to your Mom about something important."
"That picture?" Scott asked, looking at me. "Is it a prank, Aunt Gill?"
"No, it isn't. But, don't you worry. There has to be some sort of explanation."
"Mom thinks you are going to disappear from our lives," Liz announced, tears filling her eyes. "I wouldn't like that."
"I wouldn't either," I reassured her as best I could. "I love you both, and I don't want you to worry, okay? There has to be a reasonable explanation for that picture."
"You were wearing your necklace!" Scott pointed out, his eyes as serious as Jason's could be.
"I saw that," I agreed. "I'll see if your Mom and I can figure it out."
"I wish it was a practical joke, Aunt Gill. Dad would be mad, but I'd rather that than what Mom is thinking."
I nodded, gave each of them another hug and reminded Scott to plug in his earphones and turn down his volume so he wouldn't go deaf. Then I hurried downstairs to find Gail and see if we could find an
I heard loud music when I pulled in the driveway at the lovely home Jason and Gail provided for their kids. I grinned to myself, deciding to have some fun with Scott and Liz. I unlocked the front door with the key Gail insisted I keep, and when Gail spotted me I covered my lips with my finger, indicating she was to keep quiet, and I then pointed upstairs, giving her a hint. Gail shook her head, resigned to the fact that I would probably never grow up when it came to playing practical jokes on people. I waited until I was sure which bedroom was providing the house with enough racket to wake the dead, and then I reached high above my head and pounded so hard on the door it's a wonder I didn't put my fist through the wood! I heard a rush of scrambling in Scott's room and the music was abruptly turned off. The door opened then.
"I'm sorry, Dad. I forgot the ear…! Aunt Gill!" Scott sputtered. "That was a rotten, dirty trick!"
"I think it was funny!" Liz exclaimed, giving me a hug. "Hi, Aunt Gill!"
"Hello yourself!" I squeezed her back, and then I stepped forward to give Scott a big hug. "I couldn't resist, honey. Do you have any idea how often your Dad busted me for the same thing when I was your age?"
"A lot!" they said together, and then laughed at my expression.
"Dad said you always played your music loud," Scott said, nodding. "But, not as loud as mine, huh?"
"Oh, I don't know. I could hear you outside, though."
"You'd better turn it down, brother. Dad will ground you if he catches you again."
"I accidentally pulled out the earphone plug," he admitted. "You staying for dinner, Aunt Gill?" "I'm not sure. What's your Mom fixing?" I asked. "If it's one of her health nut meals, I'll drive through McDonald's and think of the two of you as I enjoy my Big Mac and vanilla milkshake."
"We're having pizza and sodas, but knowing Mom, there will be a big bowl of salad, too," Liz confided in her Aunt.
"I can handle that," I said decisively. "I'll see you later; I want to talk to your Mom about something important."
"That picture?" Scott asked, looking at me. "Is it a prank, Aunt Gill?"
"No, it isn't. But, don't you worry. There has to be some sort of explanation."
"Mom thinks you are going to disappear from our lives," Liz announced, tears filling her eyes. "I wouldn't like that."
"I wouldn't either," I reassured her as best I could. "I love you both, and I don't want you to worry, okay? There has to be a reasonable explanation for that picture."
"You were wearing your necklace!" Scott pointed out, his eyes as serious as Jason's could be.
"I saw that," I agreed. "I'll see if your Mom and I can figure it out."
"I wish it was a practical joke, Aunt Gill. Dad would be mad, but I'd rather that than what Mom is thinking."
I nodded, gave each of them another hug and reminded Scott to plug in his earphones and turn down his volume so he wouldn't go deaf. Then I hurried downstairs to find Gail and see if we could find an
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