The Flavor Of Love (11 page)

Keigo watched as her bony index finger traced several lines in his palm. His hand started to warm up and tingle.

Disconcerted, Keigo quickly pulled his hand from her hand. A tingling sensation lingered in his palm. Maybe she was crazy and a loon and said the same thing to every poor sap she met. She was bound to be right sooner or later and no one would be the wiser to the ones she was wrong about.

“
I know you’re curious as to how I know, but you won’t ask because you’re not a believer.” Auntie Loo smiled at his stunned look. “I also know that you sought the advice of psychics when the investigators failed to turn up anything new. I’m sorry they scammed you. They were pretenders. The thieving bastards make it hard on those who really can help people.”

“
This mystic mumbo jumbo should be against the law,” Keigo muttered.

“
Don’t worry; I’m not trying to make you uncomfortable.” Auntie Loo’s smile turned into a frown. “Do me a favor. Don’t say anything negative about Etta’s psychic abilities. She is very sensitive about it. She isn’t like the rest of us. She has always been uncomfortable about her capabilities, especially as a child, bless her heart. She was so sensitive. Children can be cruel about things they don’t understand. The only time she had friends was when the other kids wanted to take advantage of her and ride and eat for free at the carnival.”

“
Her grandmother owned a carnival? That’s a bit unusual, isn’t it?”

“
I suppose someone like you would think so,” Auntie Loo commented, eyeing him from his three hundred and fifty
dollar Bruno Magli’s
slip-on shoes to his black long sleeve
John Varvatos
pullover shirt.

Keigo fidgeted under her unblinking assessment.

“
Was Etta aware that the other children were using her?” Keigo asked, shoving his hands in his front pants pockets.

“
I believe she knew. She just wanted to fit in so bad she let them use her. It didn’t last too long because Fay, her mother, was livid. She also was upset with Etta for not wanting to learn how to perfect her skills,” Auntie Loo cackled. “Etta was a little bitty thing but that girl had a mouth on her, even way back then. She fought her mother every step of the way, always saying she wanted to be ‘normal’.”

“
She seems to accept it now,” Keigo pointed out.

“
It took her grandmother getting ill to get her to help and be a part of the circus family when she was twelve years old. She did that for some time and the newspapers and cameras loved her little pixie face with those big dimples, but as soon as her grandmother got better, she dropped it all and pretty much strayed from the practice.”

Keigo remained quite waiting for Auntie Loo to continue. He liked hearing things about Etta she may never have disclosed to him.

“
Etta got her wish. With her father’s help, they persuaded Fay to let the girl have a normal high school experience. It was then that the girl changed her name to simply, Etta.”

“
That seems a bit extreme. Didn’t other kids think it was strange she had no last name?” Keigo’s right eyebrow cocked in question.

Auntie Loo shrugged her thin shoulders. “How often do young people even know their classmates last name?” she replied. “What I do know is with no last name, they couldn’t do a name search on the computer and bring up information on her and her family.”

Keigo nodded, “At least she got her wish to be like any other teen.” He grinned. “She is so full of energy; she probably was very popular.”

“
Not quite,” the elderly woman shook her head. “If it wasn’t for her older brother Toby transferring schools so he could watch over her, it wouldn’t have worked at all.”

Stunned by this bit of information, he asked, “Why not? I don’t understand.”

“
For some reason, the kids didn’t take to Etta,” she confided. “It was as if they sensed she was somehow different. It probably didn’t help that she was telling them what they should and shouldn’t eat.” Auntie Loo chuckled. “Bless her heart, she just couldn’t help herself. As much as Etta hates her gift, it’s in her blood and she has to heed the calling.”

Keigo felt a tugging at his heart. “It had to have been very disappointing for her after going through so much trouble to fit in.”

“
Oh, Etta eventually got her chance to be normal. Toby was popular in sports and she was his sister, so they put up with her. The real big change came when Toby’s best friend and quarterback of the football team Neil Phillips, fell crazy in love with her. After that, her high school experience became everything she dreamed it could be. She was homecoming queen and nominated for prom queen, but she withdrew herself because her grandmother had worsened and Etta spent all her extra time with her until she finally passed away.”

She paused as if waiting for him to comment or ask another question. When he didn’t, she shook her head and continued. “Everyone thought Etta and Neil would marry right out of college, but Etta was working as an apprentice chef at this fancy downtown hotel. They offered to send her to one of the best culinary schools in Paris, France for two years, as long as she signed a seven-year contract to work for them. She accepted. Neil was furious because she didn’t even discuss it with him. They broke up.”

“
Etta mentioned Neil but she didn’t elaborate,” Keigo admitted. “She said it was a story for another time.”

A surprised look came over Auntie Loo’s face. “I can’t believe she mentioned him to you at all, with you practically being a stranger. She must sense that you understand her pain, since you too lost someone you loved.”

Keigo nodded with pursed lips. He had disclosed personal information about himself to her. Maybe, it was because they were strangers that it was easier to talk about it. Or Auntie Loo could be correct; it could be the common bond that drew him to her.

“
After Fay decided to close her mother’s carnival after she passed away, most of us conjugated here to San Francisco because Etta’s father, Fredrick had invested in his old neighborhood and wanted to relocate to his hometown. With the carnival out of business, there was no reason for me and a few of the others to stay in the south, so we packed up to move out west.”

“
So this neighborhood is made up of old carnie people?” Keigo asked.

“
Watch that ‘old’ stuff,” Auntie Loo narrowed her small eyes at him in warning until they practically closed shut. “Fred, Fay and Etta never treated us like misfits. With their love, we found out what it was like to have a real family. I will always be grateful to the Chirac and Jones family. Auntie Loo looked over at Etta’s house and said, “Soon after her grandmother died, her father became ill. We thought after he passed away, it would be awhile before we had to face another lost, but then we lost Neil and almost lost Toby in the same accident.”

“
Etta and I both have lost are fathers after long illnesses and as you said, we lost the ones we thought we would spend the rest of our lives with,” Keigo voiced.

“
You both need to move forward,” Auntie Loo spoke in a soft knowing voice.

Keigo’s shoulders tensed, the muscles in his jaws flexed as he bit down on his back teeth to keep his emotions in check.

Auntie Loo graciously changed the subject. “You are lucky to have our Etta cooking at your camp. She is a great chef and she has a broad knowledge of herbs. There is something very comforting about eating meals she prepares. Her mother and her grandmother are just as gifted. To look at Etta now, you’d never know that until Neil died, she fought against her psychic abilities.”

“
I admit there are some things that can’t be explained in this world, but I just can’t give in to the psychic stuff, Auntie Loo.” His voice was heavy with sarcasm, but he just couldn’t let her go on thinking he was a believer when he wasn’t.

“
Huh?” Auntie Loo blinked several times and cleared her throat. “I think I’ve been running off at my mouth a bit too much. Etta doesn’t like people talking about her.” She chuckled, touching her hair as if making sure it was still in place.

Keigo figured a wind sheer could tear through here and not budge Auntie Loo’s stiff hair sprayed do. Looking at his wristwatch, he said, “I knew I was early, but I hadn’t realized I was
this early
. Do you think Etta is awake or should I call my driver back and return in a couple of hours?”

“
She is awake. If you leave now, you won’t be able to catch up with her again until late this afternoon,” Auntie Loo informed him.

Keigo shook his head and laughed, “Is that another prediction?”

“
Oh, you are trying to be a funny,” she harrumphed. “Actually, I know her habits,” she assured him. “Let me see, at this time of morning, Etta is probably doing yoga in the atrium. If you leave and come back in two hours, she will be talking Sandy down on her prices for the best produce at the farmer’s market. They let her in about thirty minutes before they open to the public and she gives free advice for what ails them and advertise on her Internet website.”

“
She does this every morning?”

“
Etta is a creature of habit,” Auntie Loo cut her hooded eyes as him.

He looked at her doubtfully. Were they speaking of the same person? Never had he met such a flighty woman.

Her smile broadened. “I know she seems to be a bright spark with a capricious nature, but when it comes to running a kitchen, she is as serious as they come.”

“
That remains to be seen.” Keigo shook his head decisively.

“
Don’t let her chatty approach fool ya. The girl is as sharp as a tack, so as you become more irritated with her constant talking, her mind is tallying up your weaknesses.” Auntie Loo grinned at him and reached out to tap his arm with her hand. “I personally think she irritates people on purpose because eventually she breaks you down and you find yourself doing nice things for her. Anything to shut her up.”

“
Well, I’ll be damned.” Keigo let out a long, audible breath. “I suspected as much. No one could be asinine enough to misbehave in my courtroom the way she did the other day.”

“
Courtroom, you say?” Auntie Loo’s eyes gleamed with newfound interest. “Tell me, what did she do? Are you here to take her to jail? Need some handcuffs? I got some of those furry ones.” She wiggled her makeshift eyebrows at him.

Keigo shook his head. “What kind of psychic did you say you were?”

“
An angry one if you keep provoking me,” she warned, half seriously. “So what is this about Etta being in your courtroom?”

“
If Etta hasn’t already told you, it’s not my place to say.” Keigo rubbed his chin. “I suppose you better go consult that crystal ball of yours, Auntie Loo.”

She leaned further over the short bushes between them and spoke in hushed tones, “Look here, don’t think because you are tall and handsome I won’t take a cane to that tight little ass of yours. You keep pissing me off and I’ll get Big Bertha to put a
hex
on your pecker.” She held up her thumb and forefinger barely two inches apart to illustrate. “It will shrink it up to this size,” she threatened with a raspy cackle.

Keigo bit down on his back teeth to keep a straight face as he asked, “Auntie Loo, if this ‘Big Bertha’ can shrink my penis, does that mean if I say I believe in psychics, she will make it bigger?”

“
Wee!” Joy bubbled in her laugh and watered her dark eyes. “I got to remember to tell Bertha that one,” Auntie Loo complimented. “I like you Keigo Kyou. So I’m going to give you some good advice.”

“
If you are about to school me on the fine arts of lovemaking, then I’m afraid you’re a bit late. I already had that discussion with my father, years ago.” His mouth twitched with amusement.

“
You don’t know anything about lovemaking until you allow an older woman to teach it to you,” Auntie Loo laughed richly. “You’re getting me all flustered and off track.”

“
You mentioned that there was advice you wanted to give me,” he reminded.

“
Oh yeah. It’s about Etta.” Her voice lowered to a conspiratorial tone. “She has closed her heart to love. I think she is too young to be living alone the way she do. She had much to offer a man like you and she would make a wonderful mother just like all the women of her bloodline. She just needs patience and understanding.”

“
You sound like she’s breeding stock.” He crossed his arms. “Why are you telling me this?”

Her teeth flashed white when she grinned. “Because at the moment, you are still in denial. But once you stop being as foolish as she is, you will need to be patient if it takes her a little bit longer to catch on. Before you ask me the question I know you’re going to ask, let me say, that this is my prediction and because you’re a friend of Etta, it’s free.”

“
Enough joking, Auntie Loo. I think you’re wrong on this and don’t go placing these foolish notions into Etta’s head.” To ease the brashness of his words, he added in a softer tone, “The relationship between Etta and I are of a professional nature.”

Auntie Loo shook her head at him and clucked her tongue at him, “You and Etta have a lot in common, including your
pigheadedness
,” she sighed. “I just hope the both of you aren’t so stubborn you aren’t willing to accept the second chance you are being given.”