There was something about Aunt Greta that made me want to simultaneously vomit and get down on my knees to worship her. The woman could literally smell a scandal. When Roger went barreling into the church I think she moved faster than he did to track us down.
As she was walking over, I smiled and went to cut her off. Best to act completely natural to throw her off or maybe I shouldn't. Acting completely natural in front of Aunt Greta would be to sulk, roll my eyes at everything she says, and generally act like I'm still fourteen. That might or might not be the best way to go.
"Hey, what are you doing, Aunt Greta? I figured you would be following Nathaniel and Rachel to the reception hall."
"Oh I was just about to go, dear," she said as she craned on her toes, trying to see around me. "I just wanted to tell that lovely man you were with to save a dance for me."
Relief. This was just a cougar moment, it had nothing to do with what she had seen or rather didn't see. "He's having a spiritual experience at the moment, but I'll be sure to tell him when he's all done."
Greta frowned, but turned after murmuring that she was sure I would pass along her message. I watched her click out the big double doors and down the steps. When I was sure she wasn't doubling back I bent down and peered into the darkness beneath the choir box.
"How's your spiritual moment going?"
"You crazy girl, I nearly peed myself trying not to laugh when you said that." Roger was striding out of the shadows, smiling that politician smile. "She must think I was back there pleasuring myself."
"That wouldn't deter her. Knowing Greta, she might be coming on to you even stronger now that she knows you're a religious man."
"Still want me to go with you to the reception or would you prefer to go on your own?"
I just raised my eyebrow.
"All right," he said smiling. "Let's go to a party."
There is little about this situation that I like. Roger is unstable and has 'transformed' once today already. He has my crazy, perfect on paper aunt trying to sink her claws into him. And to top it all off, I realized I would much rather be out in my Mini-Might costume kicking some villainous ass. It was all very troubling.
We got into Roger's car. No Betsy tonight despite my trying to talk Roger into letting her out for a spin. It was for purely selfish purposes though; I wanted to show off to my family that I was friends with a really cool guy. But Betsy doesn't come out for selfish reason, only for the powers of good.
The air was getting warmer as we sped off towards the reception. It would soon be summer again. Next month it would be a year since Roger was stabbed while trying to bust drug dealers standing on a street corner. A year since we started our training, separately and yet together somehow. Even though there was no discussion, no sit down meeting that we were going to start training to being an earnest battle, that's exactly what happened. I can't tell you at what moment I finally accepted what the future held. I just knew that my perspective had shifted.
