“Sorry I’m late.” Aunt Cindy brushed past me into the house. “Went to the theater early today to check out Carry’s progress with the set. You know how Carry can be.”

With wide eyes, I shut the door and turned to watch Aunt Cindy hunch over and contort her face into a sour look, her voice getting low and raspy.

“‘This yellow paint color is too bright. Those planks of wood aren’t cut correctly. We ran out of nails, Cindy! Why don’t you ever buy enough nails?’”

I would have laughed, but instead I dropped my bookbag in disbelief. True to form, Aunt Cindy never missed a cue.

“That woman would have kept me there for ten hours if I’d have let her.” Aunt Cindy picked my bookbag off the ground and flung it over her shoulder. She tilted her head, finally noticing how I hadn’t laughed at her impression. “What’s up, sweet pea?”

Before I could answer, we heard a scoff from the doorway to the kitchen. Greg stood there, still pissed and breathing heavily. Although, the moment he saw Aunt Cindy look over, the wind whooshed out of his sails. She looked him up and down, her cheery expression never changing.

“Hello Greg, looking lovely as usual. You growing out a beard? Cause it looks like you haven’t shaved in weeks”

Aunt Cindy walked up to Greg and sniffed the air around him.

“Or showered either. You and I really need to have a talk about self-care and personal hygiene.”

Aunt Cindy was the only person that Greg never challenged. She could walk all over him and he wouldn’t say a word. And for the life of me, I couldn’t figure out why.

“Whatever Cindy,” he mumbled, rushing past her and up the stairs.

Cindy watched him the whole way and when she finally heard his door close, turned to me with a grin.

“Is he given you trouble?”

“He hasn’t been recently.” I shuffled my feet, wondering if I should tell Cindy about the fight between Mom and Greg last night. Figuring Mom probably called her and talked about it already, I continued, “But just now in the kitchen, I-I thought m-maybe he was …”

Aunt Cindy gave me a one- armed hug.

“It’s alright, sweet pea. He’s just a sad man with not much going for him at the moment. Come on, let’s head on over to Casa de Cindy!”

We walked out of the house and to Aunt Cindy’s old, bright yellow, VW beetle. After we climbed into the car I could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

I don't know how I’d survive without Aunt Cindy.

                                                             ***

Casa de Cindy was a small cottage a few miles away from our house. Even though I lived with my mother, only Aunt Cindy’s cottage felt like home. I spent the majority of childhood there and most of my happy memories formed there as well.

We stepped out of Aunt Cindy’s car and opened the small gate into the front yard. A rainbow of flowers and plants crowded the flower beds along the walkway and I brushed my hand against them as I walked past. When we got to the door, Aunt Cindy blocked it, stopping me in my tracks. She appeared uncharacteristically serious.

“Let me apologize in advance for what you’re about to see in there.”

My ears perked up.

“What are you talking about? What’s going on in there?” I stood on tiptoe trying to see over Aunt Cindy’s shoulder and in through the window in the door.

Aunt Cindy gave a sigh. “It’s costume fitting day.”

My eyes grew wide and a smile broke out on my face. All the troubles of the day before and the sleepless night vanished.

“Then what are we waiting for?” I pushed past Aunt Cindy and flung the door open.

“Costume fitting day is the b …”

Three men stood in Aunt Cindy’s living room dressed in 16th century dresses. The youngest, a dark skinned man was twirling around looking at himself from all sides in a floor-length mirror, grinning from ear to ear and enjoying himself immensely. Another was only in a chemise and petticoat talking to an older woman who was pinning the hem. And the last man was in full costume including a wig and unshaven beard, looking thoroughly miserable, given how he was sitting with his arms crossed on the couch.

“Alright everyone,” Cindy said, from behind me. “There’s a child here, so be decent.”

I scoffed. “I’m seventeen!”

Aunt Cindy set my book-bag on the couch beside the bearded man, before kissing the top of my head.

“Exactly my point.”

I rolled my eyes.

“Cindy, we need to talk.” The bearded man shifted uncomfortably on the couch. “This corset is killing me. How am I supposed to dance in a corset? I can’t even breathe, let alone dance.”

“Aww Leonard,” Cindy gave him a pat on the head. “Women have been dancing in corsets for centuries. I think it’s a good opportunity for a man like yourself to get a taste of what tortures woman go through for beauty. Might give you a better appreciation.”

Leonard grumbled but didn’t say anything more.

“As for you, Thomas,” Cindy held out her hands towards the younger boy and made a grand gesture. “You look absolutely fabulous dahling.”

Thomas pretended to blush and waved his hand, brushing the comment away.

“Oh stop it Cindy.”

He turned back to the mirror and struck a fierce pose.

“But I do look absolutely divine don’t I?”

The man getting his skirt pinned up snorted and glanced down at the older woman.

“Good God. Mandy, hand me a pin. Tom’s head is gonna suffocate me if it keeps filling up this room.”

We all laughed, and Thomas whipped around to glare at the man.

“Spare me Sunny. You’re just jealous that I look better in a dress than you do.”

Sunny rolled his eyes and glanced down at Mandy.

“You think I’m kidding about the pins. But I’m not.”

Mandy grinned and shook her head.

I didn’t know Aunt Cindy’s troop very well, mostly because they spent the majority of their time at the theater, however I did know that Mandy was born a mute. Aunt Cindy had put an advertisement online for a skilled seamstress and after observing Mandy’s mastery of sewing, she was hired. My Aunt liked to hire people of all kinds whether able bodied or not, misfit or popular, even some with a criminal history. She saw the potential in everyone and always brought out the best in them, which was what I loved most about her.

“Okay enough of that,” Cindy clapped her hands, “Mia shouldn’t you be doing your work books?”

“Aww can’t it wait?” I walked over to the dining table, which was covered with frilly fabrics and half-sewn clothing, “I can help you know.”

Aunt Cindy looked at the antique clock sitting on the fireplace mantel.

“Alright, you can help for an hour. But that’s it!”

“Yes!” I pumped my arms exuberantly, making everyone laugh at my excitement. If only they know how badly I needed a good time.

Aunt Cindy, Thomas, and I sprawled on the floor and began cutting pieces of fabric out for the patterns Mandy needed while Leonard helped Mandy continue pinning Sunny’s skirt. After a few minutes of silence, Aunt Cindy put down her scissors and carefully made her way to the record player sitting on the dining table. She rummaged through a box of records she had on the floor until she found the one she wanted.

“20’s swing anyone?”

Everyone gave loud sounds of agreement. Aunt Cindy put the record on and started snapping her fingers to the trumpets and percussion. Thomas got up as well and the two began to swing dance.

“I was wondering why it sounded so boring in here” Aunt Cindy said as Thomas twirled her around. “It’s because there was no music!”

I laughed, pausing in my own work to clap along with the beat as Aunt Cindy dipped Thomas.

It wasn’t long before Thomas was beckoning me and Leonard to join the dance, which we both did willingly. Sunny rolled his eyes at us, but even he couldn’t keep a smile off his face.

It wasn’t until we tripped on all the fabric on the floor and almost knocked over the dining table that Mandy put a stop to the dancing. She was quite protective of her work, and made us get right back to it. I always found it impressive how she could command the room without a sound if she needed to.

Even though Aunt Cindy said I could only help for an hour, I ended up helping for over four. After a quick lunch, Aunt Cindy realized just how long it had been and ushered me to my room to work on my workbooks, promising that I could continue helping later.

I reluctantly went down the hall to my room and purposefully left my door open a crack so I could listen in on their conversations.

Most of it was boring theater jabber, which I enjoyed as I flipped through a workbook on reading comprehension. It was only when I began to fall asleep over my math book that I heard Thomas say something that made my ears perk up.

“I don’t know what we’ll do without you Cindy.”

“Yeah,” I heard Leonard give a sad sigh. “Finding your replacement is gonna be hard.”

“What replacement?” Sunny snorted. “When Cindy leaves the theater’s done for.”

My heart dropped. Was Aunt Cindy leaving the troupe? She never mentioned that to me. I left my desk and crept closer to the door, putting my ear near the crack.

“Oh don’t be like that,” Aunt Cindy said. “I’ve been showing Tom the ropes for months now. He’d be an adequate replacement.”

“Oh God, kill me,” Sunny mumbled.

I heard Thomas scoff.

“I am so done with your attitude. Did you even listen to Cindy? She said I’d be an ‘adequate replacement.’”

Sunny sniffed. “Which in Cindy language means she couldn’t find anyone better.”

“Okay, okay that’s enough,” Aunt Cindy interjected. “I chose Tom on purpose because I trust he’ll do a good job. And I don’t want to have to worry about all of you while I’m in New York.”

I froze.

New York! Aunt Cindy hadn’t said anything about New York. Was she going to New York for a vacation? She had to be just visiting … right? Why did they make it sound like...

“Have you picked out an apartment yet?” Leonard asked eagerly.

“Yup everything is almost complete. Now I just gotta sell the cottage, pack all my things … and somehow find a way to tell Mia.”

I heard Thomas groan.

“I’m so jealous. I wish I could move to New York.”

My knees gave out from underneath me and I sank to the floor. Aunt Cindy was leaving me? No, no, I had misunderstood. I would talk to Aunt Cindy and everything would be straightened out.

But I couldn’t help hearing Thomas’s words repeating in my head.

I wish I could move to New York.

I covered my face with my hands and desperately fought back tears. This wasn’t happening. This cottage was my home. If Aunt Cindy left me, I wouldn’t have a safe place anymore. I wouldn’t have anyone to rescue me when things got bad.

If Aunt Cindy was really moving to New York … I would be completely alone.