But a few years ago, about the time Aunt Kay broke her hip, Uncle Stan, who'd been living in Paulbrook with his wife and daughter, got a divorce. He'd decided to buy a house here in Stillburrow and have Aunt Kay and Chigger live with him. And every other weekend his twelve-year-old daughter, Jordan, stayed there as well.

Uncle Stan's house was huge. It was two stories high with six bedrooms, four bathrooms, a basement, and an in-ground pool in the backyard. I was envious. But then, Burke had always been a respectable name in town. Mom had really messed up when she'd hitched herself to Dad. Of course, she'd been in high school and it probably seemed exciting to date a guy seven years older than she was. I once overheard that Grandpa Burke almost disowned Mom when she came up pregnant with Marty. But Aunt Kay stepped in and smoothed down the ruffled feathers.

Still, I don't remember Mom and Grandpa ever talking when I was young. She'd always drop Marty and me off to visit and then leave. A few hours later she'd return to pick us up. We'd wobble back to the car, stuffed with Aunt Kay's snickerdoodles and ready for a nap. But after Grandpa died, 104

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Mom stayed around during our snickerdoodle visits to chat with Aunt Kay. I never thought that was odd until I got older and learned how to listen to gossip.

Anyway, Aunt Kay lived with Uncle Stan and Chigger and sometimes Jordan. Directly across the street from her lived the president of the bank. The Carters also had a two-story house with a front circle drive. Theirs was bigger than Uncle Stan's house though, and had a three-car garage attached to it. I couldn't help but stare at it every time I went to visit Aunt Kay. I almost tripped on Uncle Stan's front porch steps I was so busy examining Luke's house.

It was a Friday afternoon. Jordan had just come to visit the weekend before so she wasn't due to show up for another seven days. I caught my footing and turned away from Luke's house, trying not to wonder if he was home. The Central Record had published his first poem in that day's paper. Here's a clipping from my editor's column:

* * * *

It's time for the good students of Stillburrow to become literary critics. One citizen, who wishes to remain anonymous, is interested in pursuing a career in writing poetry. But our mystery poet would like to know if he or she possesses any actual talent. So let's give Anonymous our honest opinions, good or bad. Just drop off a short review of what you think of his or her work in the journalism room to let us know how you feel. And now here is a sample piece. Drum roll please: Hibernation

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Still deep I burrow, waiting for tomorrow. Closed off, I bear. The open elements don't care. Laid here in this nest, dormant now I rest, Aching to live and roam, though still burrowed in my tomb. When time brings my spring, maybe I'll rise like a king.

—Anonymous

I'd already received plenty of feedback to Luke's masterpiece. And just as I'd thought, they all loved him. It hurt knowing I'd lost my standing in the writing department. No one would picture me anymore when they thought of the town's writer. They would now think of this new mysterious poet.

But I was also proud. The man I had a crush on was living out his dream. He was a local star poet already. And he was destined for better things.

I knew he'd probably be looking me up any time now, eager to know what everyone thought. I was going to have fun stringing him along. I felt it was my duty to make him sweat it out as long as I possibly could before letting him see the replies. I smiled just thinking about my next round with Luke Carter.

I knocked on Aunt Kay's front door and waited. I could hear Chigger barking inside, his long toenails clicking against the hardwood floor as he came running. I couldn't resist one more peek toward the Carter House, though. I stared up at the windows and wondered which one was his room. But then Aunt Kay opened the screen door behind me and I turned back to greet her. Chigger jumped up and his paws landed on my shinbone as I stepped inside.

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"My favorite grand-niece," Aunt Kay said, and immediately gave me a pillowy hug. Chigger sniffed at the brown paper bag in my hand. I lifted it out of his reach and handed it as well as a copy of The Central Record to Aunt Kay.

"Happy Birthday," I said.

"Oh, my goodness. Is it that time of year again?" Like a giddy child, Aunt Kay opened the bag. I tossed the paper on an end table and watched my great aunt inhale the hot air coming out of the opened sack. The aroma that spilled out of it about had Chigger going crazy. He jumped and barked, his long body flailing and twisting in the air with each bound.

"Down, boy." Aunt Kay wiggled her finger at him but she didn't close the bag. Instead, she pulled out a still-warm doughnut and took a huge bite. Her favorite food had always been glazed doughnuts. She closed her eyes and moaned as she chewed. When she opened them again to look at me, I read the thanks on her face.

"Mom will be over after her hair appointment," I said. Aunt Kay rolled her eyes and said with her mouth full, "I swear, your daddy might've paid off his shop by now with all the money Andrea's put into fixing her hair." I laughed because it was the truth and watched my great aunt stuff her mouth with another bite. Chigger had opted to jump on my leg and whine while staring up at me with begging eyes.

"Mom's got another gift for you. The doughnuts are from me and Marty."

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Aunt Kay nodded. This time she finished her bite before saying, "And where is that boy? I don't think I've seen him since summer."

"He's..." I was trying to come up with an excuse for my brother when I realized what I was doing. Why should I make excuses for him? "He's an idiot," I finally answered. "He doesn't go to visit Mom and Dad, either. I guess he thinks he's too good for his family anymore."

"He sounds just like his mother. I heard about him moving out. And he's working at the grocery store, is it?"

"Yep." I nodded. "He looks really stupid in that little apron he's got to wear. But that hasn't stopped Abby Eggrow from giving him the goo-goo eyes."

"Eggrow? You mean the principal's girl?" Again, I nodded. "She's the older one." Here's where I should pause and say I never gossip...until I hit Aunt Kay's company. There's just something confidential about being around her that makes me want to spill every piece of information I know.

"He's been dating her for a few months now," I went on.

"Isn't she still in school?"

"She's a senior this year. Next year, she's going to Paulbrook for a pre-med degree. She's going to work her way up into being a doctor. The principal and his wife won't shut up about how proud of her they are. She'll be the first doctor in the family."

Aunt Kay didn't seem all that impressed. "And how is it she fell into Martin's company?"

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"Well, Abby's been working at the grocery store as well. Her uncle, John Getty, gave her a job there. I guess she's going to rent some apartment off campus next semester and she wanted some money to buy furniture and that sort of stuff for it."

"I suppose her parents will be paying for her education and the apartment, then?"

I rolled my eyes. "Of course."

"I see." Aunt Kay looked down her nose at me. She disapproved of parents paying their children's way through college. She said that at age eighteen, the child was an adult and should fend for him-or herself, as she had done. And look at her, master's degree in tow, paid for by her own sweat and toil.