“There’s no pressure, Lee. None at all. He doesn’t have to make a decision now. You don’t ovulate until tomorrow right? We’ve got all the fuckin’ time in the world!”
That was the first time I ever heard my uncle get mad or swear.
“You calm down,” she said. “Come on, Mikey; let’s go for a walk. And talk.” She stood up and took my hand, pulling my frozen body out of the chair. “And you,” she pointed at my uncle, “you calm down.”
*****************************
They lived right next to a field the town kept mowed. We walked across that without talking and then took a broad path through a patch of tall trees. Mostly pine and oak, I think.
“He’s a good man,” she said.
“Really good,” I said.
“The best man I know—have ever known. That why I’ve stayed with him; that’s why I’ve been faithful to him since the day I met him. Now almost thirteen years.”
“He told me last night, but I kinda didn’t understand, but understood,” I said. “Does that sound stupid?”
“It would,” she laughed a half-hearted laugh. “It would if I hadn’t felt the same way. He told me last night too. Told me his plan.”
“So just to be real clear, Uncle Zack wants me to … to—”
“He wants you to get me pregnant. To impregnate me.”
“And not by a, like a donation?”
“No, not by artificial insemination. By the old fashioned method. You have to understand what a prideful man your uncle is. That’s a weakness and a strength of his. He goes the extra mile to do things others can’t because of it. But, it can get in the way too.”
“Like now.”
“Like now because he wants the world to think the baby is his. And the world WOULD think that because you look so much like him. The child couldn’t help look like me, of course, but also like him. You are a perfect match.”
“So, you’re on board with this,” I said and stopped to look at her. She turned to face me and the sun filtered down through the trees and leaves and reflected off her red curls, making them light up in places.
“Yes and no. The yes part is wanting a baby, wanting it so much it makes me cry myself to sleep some nights. The no part is making you do something that will change you, change your life. That isn’t fair to you.”
“And … the sex part?” I said.
“I told you. I’ve been faithful to your uncle every day, every hour, every minute, and happily so. That streak would end. But, if I could get pregnant …”
“And you wouldn’t be freaked out it was, yanno … me?”
“Next to your uncle, YOU are the only man I would want it to be. Mikey, I’ve known you almost your whole life, and I want you to know I love you. Love you so much. So proud of you. I would love to have a son or daughter just like you.”
“That means a lot, Auntie Lee, it really does.” She had never said anything like that before, even though I had felt it over the years.
“Now,” she said, “on the other side of things, would YOU be freaked out? You know I’m twenty years older than you, probably an old lady to you. And, I am your aunt, even though we’re not related by blood.”
I didn’t want her to think I thought it was gross or anything. “NO! I think you’re beautiful and crazy smart, and … sexy too.”