Tuck Sinn

31

Early on Sunday morning, Tom laid, sleeping.

But through the drowsy dark of his closed eyes, he heard the front door open. He heard voices downstairs. And the sleep he had been in was gone, so he resigned to getting out of bed, eyes closed, and moving through his room to his closet. He picked out clothes and then he heard someone's voice talking with Aunt Polly downstairs. His eyes opened wider. Tom listened. That was definitely Becky in their house. Tom picked out new clothes.

He changed in his room quickly, hoping Becky wouldn't decide to come upstairs and see him getting dressed. He put his clothes in the bin, knowing he would have to get those clothes washed soon, and opened his door. He heard pots being set and moved on the stove, and heard Becky and Aunt Polly still talking with eachother. Tom left his room and walked down the stairs quietly.

Sid was sitting at the table, already eating while Aunt Polly and Becky talked in front of the stove.

"Hi." Tom said from the bottom of the steps. Becky turned and smiled from where she was. He ran a hand through his hair-- and he realized he should've combed it-- and walked towards her and Aunt Polly.

"You eating breakfast with us?" Tom asked Becky quietly. Her eyes squinted for a moment at the question, but she nodded.

"Yes. Didn't you know?" She asked back, and Tom shrugged.

"Becky, Tom, get yourselves a plate of food-- I hope to be leaving soon." Aunt Polly said, turning from shaking and stirring a pan on the stove to look at them, wiping her hands together.

And so they did, and got seated at the table, and ate. Soon enough, Aunt Polly sat down and ate too, and they were all together at the table.

"So, Tom." Aunt Polly started, and Tom chewed his food. "You and Becky," She shakily drank some tea she had gotten for herself. Tom watched her set it down, nervous, hearing the small clink of it meeting the table again. He looked up at her face. "When are you two going to get married?"

Tom's breath stopped into a choke.

"Wh--" Tom looked to Becky quickly. "What?" Tom asked, his mouth full of food. Becky was smiling, and her hand came to his and squeezed it. Tom's other hand came to his hair and pulled through it nervously. "I, uh... Um..." Tom had trouble breathing. "I-- I don't know, Aunt Polly."

"Well, it aughta be soon, right? Are you two engaged yet?"

"Well, Aunt Polly, we thought it best to hold off on that for a while longer. To get through school." Becky said. Had she been deciding all this already? Without him?

"Why, when I was in school, kids were getting married all over! Tom, don't tell me you're too scared to do it-- I need some grandnieces and grandnephews!"

"Grand-- Aunt Polly!" Tom exclaimed, looking to Becky again. His face was reddened and his hand was in his hair. Becky smiled and squeezed his hand again. Tom could see Sid's face in a crooked smile, watching all this.

Tom was obviously distressed.

"Aunt Polly, I think it's best to go to church before we're late, don't you think?" Becky asked, and her sweet, calm voice dragged the conversation away. Tom's heart was still beating too fast and imperfectly and uneven, even as Aunt Polly said "Yes, Becky, I believe you're right." And as they all picked up their plates. Becky pulled her hand away and picked up his plate, and so Tom was left at the table, thinking erratically.

"Oh, come on, Tom." Aunt Polly said. She was already to the door, opening it. Warm air came through, pulling across Tom's skin. Becky came back to Tom and squeezed his shoulder, and he got up, still feeling hollow.