Part 3 (2/2)
snowflake Kevin lived in an expensive contemporary house in Potomac, its cedar siding tinted a rich russet- brown and lushly overgrown with Virginia creeper and English ivy, its front yard a miniature forest of rhododendron and birch trees and azaleas. There were no stray leaves on the ground, save beneath a solitary j.a.panese maple whose bounty was scattered across the gra.s.s like crimson longyearprints.
”Uncle Brendan! Uncle Brendan's here!”
Two small girls, Cara and Caitlin, danced excitedly on the front porch. Twins, with long silken hair so deep a red it looked violet in certain lights, paper-white skin and green eyes. They were wearing smocked flowered dresses and their hair was ribboned with pink satin bows so immense it looked as though they were wearing throw pillows on their heads.
”Peter! Where's Peter! Hi Peter!”
The girls ran over to the car and began pounding on the window. Peter regarded them with the same reserved interest he'd shown the iguanas at the zoo, but when Cara yanked the door open and flung herself at him he kicked fiercely at the back of Brendan's seat.
”Cara! Hey, honey, come give Uncle Brendan a kiss-it's okay, Peter-come here, sweetie, remember he gets a little excited if-”
”Actually, you're our cousin.” Caitlin stood watching him solemnly. ”Not our uncle. Our first cousin once removed.”
”Oh yeah? Well here, come give Uncle Cousin Brendan Once Removed a kiss-”
”Brendan!”
Another figure appeared on the porch, radiant in crimson velvet and ecru lace, her hair a gold corona framing a face even paler than the girls'.
”Eileen, hi-gee, you look great! Hi, Caitlin, Cara, hi hi hi hi-”
Brendan unfolded himself from the car and the twins' embrace, freed Peter from his ca.r.s.eat.
Eileen clattered down to hug him, Peter sliding behind his father's legs as she did so; and Brendan felt that irresistible tug of l.u.s.t and awe he always felt when he saw his cousin's wife.”Wow!” He drew back to admire her dress, protected by a spattered ap.r.o.n with the legend <fontsize=-1jesus is=”” coming:=”” look=”” busy.=”” ”you=”” really=”” dressed=”” for=””></fontsize=-1jesus>< p=””>
”Tell me about it.” Eileen dabbed Brendan's chin with a finger, erasing a smudge of lipstick.
”Girls, go get your father.”
She swatted at the twins and sent them racing into the house. ”And close the door! I've been doing this job out in Warrenton, redecorating Senator Weston's place,” she continued, turning back to Brendan. ”Almost broke my wrist on that G.o.ddam chainsaw , the chain came off and-”
Brendan laughed. Eileen had been a lingerie model-”the Rosey Underwear girl,” she called it- for the Rosellen's Boudoir Catalog, before quitting to have babies and then become an interior decorator for the horsy set out in Middleburg. Now she wielded a chainsaw and glue-gun like Martha Stewart on steroids.
”-oh, but you know what it's like,” she ended.
”Breaking my wrist on a chainsaw in a senator's house? Actually, no.”
”And how is Peter?” Eileen's tone softened as she took in Peter, sheltered behind his father and chewing his rubber duck. ”Hi, darlin'-”
She glanced at Brendan. ”Will he let me hug him?”
”No. But Peggy-his teacher at Birchwood-he'll let her hold him, now. Sometimes.”
Eileen gazed down at Peter. ”That's okay,” she said softly. ”That's just fine, okay Peter?” She turned back to his father, holding the front door open. ”I'm glad he's doing so well, Brendan.
Kevin told me, that new school is great and he's just making such great progress ...”
Brendan followed her inside, wondering what on earth Kevin could have said. The two cousins seldom confided anything more personal than Redskins' scores. ”Oh, and listen,” Eileen went on, taking his arm. ”Tony said not to worry, he got the cider.”
”The cider!” Brendan slapped his forehead. ”I totally forgot.”
”That's what I'm telling you, Tony's bringing it.
”Tony? I thought he had to work.”
”Change of plans. Here, Peter, you can put your things in here. Brendan, you too”
”Brendan! Peter! Glad you could make it-” Kevin loomed in the doorway, beaming.
”Yeah, great to be here, Kevin, thanks.”
”Girls!” Kevin ordered. ”You all go play nicely together, you and Peter.” He turned and made his way down the hall.
”Sure Dad.” Caitlin smiled respectfully at the younger boy. ”Hi, Peter. Would you like to come watch TV with us? In the other room?””It's down here,” said Cara, and started off. Peter shook his head, looking at the ceiling and patting his rubber duck against one cheek.
”You know what?” Brendan started to explain. ”Sometimes he doesn't like to go off on his own.
But maybe in a few minutes, if I go-”
Without a word Peter began walking. Still gazing at the ceiling, but following Cara into the cozy room where a TV was already turned to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
”Hey, Brendan.” Kevin stuck his head out from the kitchen. ”What're you drinking?”
”Uh, club soda. Fizzy water, anything.” Brendan's brow furrowed, and he crossed to where the children sat.
”He's watching with us,” said Caitlin. On screen the camera panned a crowd of waving children, then swept up to take in a shapeless scarlet ma.s.s floating against a backdrop of skysc.r.a.pers and cobalt-blue sky. ”Look Peter, it's Elmo!”
”Sesame Street. The universal language.”
Brendan looked up to see Tony standing in the hall. He wore a black T-s.h.i.+rt, faded black jeans, and his leather jacket, augmented by four gallons of cider balanced very precariously in his arms.
”Tony. Hey, why didn't you tell me you were coming, I would've given you a lift.” Brendan scooped up two of the gallons and took a step towards the kitchen. ”I thought you had to work.”
Tony shrugged. ”Well, you know how it is.” His gaze remained fixed on the television. ”Gee, look at Elmo! He sure looks bigger in real life, huh? Hi goils,” he called to the twins. ”Look: it's Crazy Uncle Tony.”
The girls glanced up, gave high-pitched squeals of glee, and raced over to hug him.
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