My aunt had two travel trunks, one she insisted was a must when on a cruise, and then there was a lovely mist green Samsonite luggage set that included a square overnight case and a round case. The luggage would be bulky by today’s standard of easy, maneuverable suitcases, but there was a style to the old ones that caught the eye, and I could just picture my aunt standing outside a well-known hotel with the set of luggage somewhere in Europe waiting as it was loaded into a limo to take her to the airport. The places those suitcases must have traveled and the stories they could tell. Hopefully, the contents would somehow reveal those stories.
I smiled again when I spotted the two sewing mannequins draped with scarves and large, floppy sun hats sitting atop of each of the headless stands. Those hats were a staple of my aunt’s when she went to the lake. Those and her large sunglasses of which she had many.
I couldn’t resist. I grabbed a bright multi-colored scarf and tossed it around my neck and plopped the pink sun hat on my head. For sure now, my aunt was with me to tackle the task at hand.
I went through the luggage set first, not surprised to find it empty. I recall my aunt telling me that once you start storing things in your luggage, you would never travel again. My luggage sat empty just like my aunt’s. I set the luggage aside. I couldn’t discard it or sell it. I intended to somehow make use of it in my bedroom.
I came across an old suitcase with several travel stickers on it. It was dated and had to have been one of my aunt’s earlier pieces of luggage that perhaps she kept out of nostalgia. My smile grew when I opened it and saw it filled with gloves. My aunt wore gloves with almost everything. Long, short, silk, cotton, knit, leather, you name it, my aunt had it. I looked through them and came across a note-sized envelope at the bottom. It had my name written across it.
I opened it and there was my aunt’s lovely handwriting.
My dear Pepper,
I was certain your curiosity would have you going through all that I left you, so I decided to leave notes for you in various places as you explore what remains of my life. If only these gloves could talk they would tell you so very much… perhaps too much, dear one.
Wear them for fun and do share some with Amy since she will wear them with flair and style while you will wear them with loving memories.
Love you always,
Aunt Effie
Tears trickled down my face. Leave it to my aunt to stay in touch even in death and to know me and Amy so well.
“Pepper.”
I jumped and let out a scream, thinking my aunt was reaching out to me from beyond the grave.
“Easy, Pep, it’s just me,” Ian said.
He wisely approached me slowly, though when he saw me wipe at my cheek, he hurried his steps to me.
“What’s wrong?” he asked and wiped gently at the tears left on my cheeks with his thumb.
“You never call me Pepper.” I sounded as if I accused him of a grievous faux pas.
“I cannae say why I did. It simply slipped out.”
I handed him the note while I took a few strong breaths, hoping to calm my pounding heart.
“Your aunt must have been amazing. It’s no wonder my uncle fell in love with her. I imagine you’re eager to find more notes.”
“While I am, I also don’t want to find them too fast. Each note would be like a visit from my aunt, and I don’t want her visits to go by too fast.”
“I don’t blame you. I would feel the same,” he said and smiled. “I love the hat and scarf.”
I tossed my chin up as I had seen my aunt do many times and tried to strike a pose that had come so naturally to her and hopefully do it justice as I took on a more cultured tone.
“Darling, you simply cannot sit on the beach without a hat to protect your face. Or you will resemble a prune before your time.”
Ian’s smile faded slightly, his gorgeous blue eyes turned sultry, and his Scottish accent grew thick as his arm slipped around my waist. “Prune face or not, mo ghràdh, I will love you forever.”
At that moment, I heard one of my aunt’s bits of advice clear in my head.
Don’t mistake lust for love, Pepper, they are two different things. Lust doesn’t get you through the difficult times, love does, even though you may not realize it until later.
That Ian would love me prune-faced made me realize that lust did not drive our relationship, love did.
“I’m keeping you,” I said and stretched up to reach his lips.