When The Sun Sets

8: To Ride a Bike

Part One | Chapter Eight: To Ride a Bike

Bellefonte, Pennsylvania

June 1919

The house itself is so big, I find myself lost many times. If I'm not stranded in the middle of the Aunt Geraldine's husband returns in the morning, bowing his head down to me and hugging Harry tightly, slapping him on the back a few times. Jared is his name. He has startling dark eyes and hair just beginning to grey at the edges, a towering figure, and a firm handshake. He seems intimidating with the shadow across his face until he begins speaking, and the thick Irish accent comes through. Ashamed of my awful interpretation of his accent, I feel apologetic for ever getting angry at people being unable to understand mine.

Jared, however, doesn't mind my leaning into him to catch the words better while Harry speaks to him in a low tone. Instead, Jared smiles at me and puts a hand on my shoulder and says, "We're going to make their brains turn inside out, aren't we?"

The family has a routine. They wake up early, have breakfast, and then disband to do their own things. Then, we come back together for lunch. Jared shows Harry and I the library when we spend a few hours, wordlessly looking through the piles of books they've collected over the years. Then, we head out to the meadow to see all the animals.

I offer to help Aunt Geraldine in the kitchen, but she tells me kindly that she prefers to do the work all alone. She gives Harry the same answer, laughingly telling him that she's not that old yet.

Jared disappears for a bit, spending time with Grace in the garden until it's lunchtime and the two people with young souls return with dirty streaked across their face and the dog shaking mud off it's fur. Aunt Geraldine goes tight-lipped at the sight of dirt in her spotless foyer, but Jared kisses her and melts away the worry.

Jared sits down heavily and digs into lunch, pausing to wave his fork in the air.

"How's your mother?" he asks Harry after taking a sizable gulp of his water. "Still as stern as ever? I swear, Geraldine, that woman never knows when to rest. Bet you take on after her, Harry."

I want to supply him with the answer that his accusation is absolutely correct, that Harry is the stubbornest man anyone will meet and if he goes on anyone, it's his persistent mother. Harry, instead, shakes his head.

"She's doing well. She's staying with Thea to help with the baby."

Jared's eyes widen. "Right! The baby! How is she?"

"She's well. Er, both mother and daughter, I mean."

"Well, that's a relief. I'm pleased to hear they're both happy. How about your father?"

I stop, bread halfway to my mouth, to peer closely at Harry. His jaw tightens and his expression hardens, eyebrows pushing together. From my position across the table, I can tell he's uncomfortable, though it may not appear that way to Geraldine and Jared who haven't seen him in years. Harry's eyes drop back to his food as he says, "I'm not sure. I haven't spoken to him a while."

"Ah," Jared says, catching onto the tension in the air. "Well, that's unfortunate." Some audible chewing. "Well, Annaliese. Tell me about you."

With a start, I tell him the same thing I told his wife yesterday: where I'm from and how Harry and I got together. I speak excitedly about college and the job I hold now, New York, and the trip Harry and I are taking.

Aunt Geraldine pipes up, cutting Grace's chicken for her. "Oh a trip! That's exciting. Where are you going next?"

"I'm not sure. We're still figuring that out."