Revenge of Cornelius (6 page)

Bobby was evidently taken aback as
guilt quickly shrouded his face. However, he was aware that the
bluntness of her tone was just Mira being Mira. "Um…yes." He held
his head down like a puppy dog.

She looked at him. "What's with you
two anyway?"

"Who? Your Mom and me?"

"Yeah. Why are you practically the
topic of conversation every time I come back home?"

Bobby grinned shyly. "I guess it's
because I see them a whole lot these days."

Mira shifted to her side. "I hear
you've been helping around here a bit—Dad with the yard
work."

"Yeah." He grinned again. "Your dad
really loves his yard work. He only allows me to do so much,
though."

"Thanks." A soft expression
formed.

"For what?"

"Helping my dad."

"Oh, that's nothing. He's a great guy;
been nothing but kind to me. Did you know he linked me up with that
job at the Mill?"

"No, I didn't know that," Mira
replied.

"I was down on my luck at that time
and good-paying jobs around here were pretty scarce. Your dad
looked out for me, so I feel greatly indebted to him. Furthermore,
I recently got promoted and now I'm taking up some courses at the
Community College a few evenings every week. All thanks to your
dad."

"That's impressive, Bobby. Congrats on
your promotion."

This time, he blushed.

"So, I thought that since your father
always did his own yard work on the weekends, I'd pop by and help
him out," Bobby added.

"That's really sweet of you," Mira
said. "Dad's older now and I know he refuses to entertain the
notion that he can't do quite as much as he used to before. He can
be stubborn sometimes."

"You're telling me? I have to pretty
much fight to convince him to let me do the heavier work. He thinks
he can handle it, but I've been seeing how much his back has been
bothering him lately and my conscience wouldn't allow me to stand
by and let him do it."

Mira shifted on her back again. "Dad's
been on me lately about going back to college."

Bobby's ears were perked. "Are you
gonna?"

"Eventually. I have a really good job
right now with great benefits, so I don't feel the need to rush
anything. I'll go back at the right time."

There was a little silence, then Bobby
cleared his throat as if something was actually stuck inside of it,
yet nothing but pure nervousness prevailed.

"I…I was wondering if you'd like to
have lunch with me tomorrow or we can go for a couple of cones
instead," he stated apprehensively.

Mira was looking into space, obviously
giving his proposal some thought.

"If you'd rather not, I understand."
Bobby needed to break the ice that had quickly surrounded
him.

"I'd like that…lunch, I mean," Mira
answered.

"What?"

"I said,
yes
, Bobby—I'll have
lunch with you."

He was now smiling from ear to ear,
his face alight with overwhelmingly relief. "Oh, that's…that's
great!" The excitement was clear from Mira's point of view. "Would
one o'clock be okay? You can bring Rosie along if you
want."

"Yeah. I'll see about
that."

"Sorry?"

"My daughter's stuck to my dad's
ribcage, so I don't know if she'll be the least bit interested in
coming with us. Maybe if she hears 'ice cream', she'll at least
think about it," Mira replied.

Bobby smiled.

"Oh, by the way, I just remembered
something. Rosie's going over to a neighbor's house tomorrow, so
she definitely won't be coming with us. She's met a new friend
named Alex and is really looking forward to spending some time over
at his house with his mom."

"I see. Well then, it'll just be you
and me," Bobby declared with immense anticipation.

"I guess," Mira said stoically. She
felt it was the least she could do for the poor guy who was so good
to her father. Nothing more, nothing less.

* * *

"So are you having a great time
today?" Sara asked Rosie. They were sitting at the front window of
the ice cream parlor at a beautifully glazed, circular table. Rosie
had just taken a huge lick of her ice cream cone.

"I had a blast, Nana!" she managed a
response with some of the butter pecan still caked up on her
tongue. "And this ice cream's great too!"

Michael and Sara laughed.

"I'm glad you're enjoying yourself,
pumpkin." Sara put her elbows on the table and rested her chin atop
interlaced knuckles.

Michael suddenly grimaced as he
pressed onto his left, lower back.

"Are you all right, honey?" Sara
asked.

He glanced at Rosie and saw the
concern in her eyes. "Yeah, I'm fine. Probably just a pinched nerve
or something."

"Are you sure, Pops?" Rosie
asked.

"I'm doubly sure, pumpkin," Michael
nodded with a smile.

The little girl continued licking her
ice cream—this time, not saying very much.

6

_________________

Mira and Rosie made the long walk up the Benjamin's driveway the
following morning. The child had stuffed a few play items in her
backpack that she was eager to share with Alex. Mira noticed that,
unlike the other day, only one car sat in the driveway. It was a
shiny, black Cadillac with a convertible top. The emerald green
Buick was missing.

She stooped down and checked Rosie's
face again after ringing the doorbell.

"Oh, hi. You've arrived!" Andrea said
upon opening the door. A plain, burgundy dress with short sleeves
was partially hidden behind her pink and white floral apron. Alex
was standing excitedly next to his mother.

"Yes, Ma'am," Rosie replied softly,
glancing shyly at Alex.

"Hi, Mrs. Benjamin. I hope we're not
too early. Hi Alex." Mira smiled.

The little boy waved his hand
cheerfully.

"By no means are you too early,"
Andrea replied. "Come on in, Rosie."

Mira kissed Rosie on the cheek as she
released her hand.

"Bye, Mom. Love you!" The little girl
hurried inside to join Alex.

"Have you had breakfast yet? I made
pancakes," Andrea asked Rosie who then looked back at her
mother.

"Can I, Mom?"

Andrea seemed puzzled.

"Yes, you may, Rosie," Mira answered.
She looked at Andrea. "She's had breakfast already, but she always
manages to find space for pancakes whenever the opportunity
presents itself. She absolutely loves them."

"Oh, I see why she asked you!" Andrea
chuckled.

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Well, would you like to come in for
coffee or tea?"

"I would love to, but I have to help
my mother with a few chores," Mira explained.

"All right. Well then…I'll see you
later. Don't worry about Rosie; she'll be fine."

"I'm sure she will. Thank you so much
for having her come over, Mrs. Benjamin. I'll be back for her in a
few hours."

"You take your time, dear." Andrea
smiled. She watched Mira descend the porch steps, then she quietly
closed the front door.

Andrea followed the children who had
already taken their seats at the breakfast table. "Alright then.
Let's dig in, people!" she said, sitting down and dishing up
pancakes for the kids. Rosie was already feeling quite at home and
was anxious to show Alex her toys.

About twenty minutes later, Andrea
told them: "Wash your hands before heading upstairs,
okay?"

"Yes, Ma'am," Alex and Rosie responded
simultaneously.

They hurried into the downstairs
bathroom and Rosie waited while Alex quickly washed up. From her
peripheral vision, she thought she had seen someone pass by in a
dark suit.

"Is your dad here?" she
asked.

"No. He left a little while ago," Alex
moved away from the faucet so that she could get her turn. He dried
his hands on the large towel nearby and scooted out of the
bathroom.

"Meet me upstairs!" he cried, darting
up the winding staircase.

"Okay!" Rosie yelled back, quickly
rinsing the few remaining suds from her hands.

She too dashed out of the bathroom,
then stopped abruptly as blocking her passage in front of the
staircase was a tall man with white hair and a short distinctive
moustache. He was dressed in a black coat suit that appeared to be
older in style than what she was accustomed to seeing, and he wore
shiny, black shoes. He was distinguished-looking. It was the same
man she had seen when she and her mother were leaving the day
before.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have been
running." She lowered her head with guilt.

The man slowly folded his hands in
front. "That is quite all right, little girl. I'm Mister Koney.
What's your name?" he asked.

"Nice to meet you, Mister Koney." She
looked up again. "I'm Rosie. I'm just visiting today."

"Nice to meet
you
, Rosie." He stepped
graciously aside with a nod—an invitation she took to proceed
upstairs.

Alex was already in the process of
sifting through his toy box when Rosie stepped inside the room.
Let's play with my robot! His name's John. You want to?" he asked,
stretching out his hand with the twelve-inch tall robot suited in
military-like armor.

"Yeah, that's cool!" Rosie gladly
accepted and straightaway twisted the twining mechanism at its side
and placed it onto the floor. They gleefully watched it march up
and down the room until it died down completely and Alex went over
to restart.

Andrea heard the giggles upstairs
while she washed the dishes.

"I brought my favorite doll," Rosie
said, reaching into her backpack. "Her name's Gina. Would you like
to hold her?"

Alex frowned. "I'm a boy. Boys don't
play with dolls!"

"Why not? I'm playing with your robot
and I'm a girl."

"Boys and girls can play with robots,"
Alex thought to educate her.

"Not girly girls…and I'm a girly
girl."

"Who says?"

"No one, but I think since I'm playing
with your toys, you should play with mine." Rosie was
pouting.

"Okay, okay. I'll hold your doll for a
little while, but if my Mama comes in here, I'm giving her back."
He took the doll.

Rosie smiled with a real sense of
achievement.

After a while, she was on the floor
with the robot and a toy truck while Alex was sitting nearby
changing the doll's clothes. "These are like my Mama's—only
brighter." He pointed to the doll's chest.

"How do you know?" Rosie
delved.

"I walked into her room one day and
saw her getting dressed," the boy divulged.

"Hurry and put on her blouse before
she catches a cold."

"Okay. I wouldn't want her to catch a
cold. When I catch a cold, I feel so yucky." He quickly dressed the
doll.

"Yeah. Me too. Take Baby out of my
backpack. I think he's getting a bit warm in there," Rosie
said.

"Baby?"

"Yeah. That's my teddy bear. Mom got
him for me on my birthday."

Alex started searching for the
bear.

"Hey, do you think your Mom or Mister
Koney would like to play with us?" Rosie asked.

Alex stopped dead in his tracks. His
face turned flushed. "You saw Mister Koney?"

"Yeah, downstairs. He seems awful
nice."

"Oh."

"What's wrong?" Rosie noticed the
sudden change of his demeanor.

"Nothing." He placed Baby on a pillow
next to Gina, then climbed up onto the bed and went in a fetal
position.

"Aren't you playing
anymore?"

"I don't feel like it. I just want to
lie down for a while," Alex replied.

"Are you sick?"

"Uh, uh." He shook his
head.

"Well, you kind of look sick. I'm
gonna call your mother. Mrs. Benjamin! Alex is sick!" she cried
from the landing.

Rosie heard the thumping of feet
mounting the staircase. Andrea entered the room moments
later.

"What's the matter?" She spotted Alex
in bed. "You're not feeling well, honey?"

"I'm okay, Mama," the boy replied
softly.

"Are you tired?" She sat next to him
and felt his fore-head.

"A little."

Andrea looked at Rosie. "Rosie, would
you like to help me downstairs? We can let Alex rest for a while,
then a little later, you two can play some more."

Rosie glanced at Alex. "Yes,
Ma'am."