To explain his arm in a cast. Alanis told Greataunt Frances he had been wounded in a battle with Indians. I could see Great- aunt Frances thought that was perfect. Stuart had no idea what was going on, but he was happy to play along. The potatoes, peas and bread were all right, but the steak turned out so tough that it took forever to chew a piece.
"I was just going to make myself a cheese sandwich for dinner," he said.
We saw Bones hanging back, watching us. The aroma of the meat had made him braver, and he came closer and closer until Miss Puss appeared and raised her back.
"Oh, leave him be," Great-aunt Frances told her cat. She scraped up some meat and brought it to Mr. Marshall's dog.
"What's going on here?" Stuart finally asked when Great-aunt Frances stepped away from the table. "Why are you all wearing the funny clothes and talking like you're in a movie or something?"
"Jordan's great-aunt likes to pretend when she has dinner. It's like being in a play or in a movie. And don't you make fun of it either." Alanis warned him.
Stuart grimaced. "It's weird," he said.
"So, it's weird. You don't think you're weird."
"Don't get so mad. I don't care."
"Besides," Alanis continued. "I've been invited to move in with Jordan. We're going to do lots of things together from now on."
"Move in? You mean, you're going to live here. too?"
"Yes. Stuart, hello. That's what moving in usually means." Alanis sat back smiling. "It's our house now. You can come by when we invite you, if you're good, that is. When are your parents returning?"
"Tomorrow. I guess," he said. "We might let you stay overnight.'"
"What? Really?"
"We'll see," Alanis said. "You have to go through a test first," she added.
"What test?"
"You'll see," she said. He looked at me. but I had no idea what she meant.
She leaned over to whisper. "Boys have erogenous zones. too," she said to me and turned back to Stuart. "Jordan and I have a serious science project we've begun. It involves sex. Do you want to be part of it?"
"Sex?"
"Yeah, you ever hear of it?"
"Sure I heard of it. What is the project?"
"You'll see. Maybe. It's a very secret project. We have to be sure you won't go blabbing."
Stuart shrugged. "I can keep a secret as good as anyone else,"
"Maybe," Alanis said. "Don't say anything else about it just now," she warned as Great-aunt Frances returned.
"That poor dog. Do you feed him?"
"He eats scraps every day," Alanis said. "Besides, it's Granddad's dog. He should be worrying about it, not me and my mother."
"Oh, we should all look after each other." Great-aunt Frances said. She sat and looked about with a wide smile across her face. "Isn't it just beautiful here? You can feel like a pioneer living here."
Stuart looked around as if he had never been here. "My dad always said this was a nice property, especially because of the big pond."
"Yes," Great-aunt Frances said. "The pond is special. I used to spend a lot of time just lying in the rowboat and letting the breeze blow me here and there while I looked up at the clouds. You can almost feel yourself falling into them,"
She looked lost in her memories for a moment. We were having a warm September. The leaves of the trees didn't even have a hint of changing colors. The air was perfumed by the rich aroma of the newly cut grass, and it reminded me of the times I'd followed Ian around Grandmother Emma's mansion while he'd searched for interesting insect specimens. Most of the time it had been as if I'd been alone, but sometimes he had gotten so excited about a find, he'd called out to me and I'd come running. Of course, none of it had been interesting to me. but I'd pretended as best I'd been able. I'd been happy for him. He'd have so much to explore here, I thought. Why couldn't they let him come to live -with Great-aunt Frances, too?