Allie’s Game by SebastianJoe

 Allie’s Game by SebastianJoe

Here’s how it happened…

§ 1

So I’m driving back to my place from an overnight work trip, late on a Friday afternoon. Thankfully, I’m heading back into town instead of the other direction. Otherwise I’d be moving slow with the rest of the pack trying to reach their private sanctuaries on some lake, or taking their unruly brats to some resort.

I considered calling my niece before I left since she lives just a hop, skip and a jump off my planned route, but I figured she’d probably be busy. We haven’t seen each other in a couple years so I thought it’d be nice to catch up.

We never really connected until she was around thirteen or so. Before that she didn’t pay much attention to me on those rare visits I made to my brother’s house. But for some reason, right around the time she went through puberty, she became attentive and affectionate towards me. I was surprised at that because I don’t think I ever gave her any reason to be.

No. This isn’t a story set in those years. That was innocent and adorable, and I never harbored any improper thoughts about her. That would just be sick.

The attention she paid me was pleasant, but brief, since I only visited rarely, as I previously mentioned, maybe once or twice a year, and only for a few hours at most. So I saw her probably less than ten times her entire life.

After she graduated high school, I heard she went off to college, and I didn’t see her again until she was twenty. We ran into each other at a movie theater of all places, and happened to be there to see the same movie. Since I’m only ten years older than she is, our interests weren’t that far apart.

We sat next to each other during the movie, talking quietly, usually when it was appropriate. Her two friends sat on the other side of her. Occasionally, we’d whisper wisecracks to each other when something ridiculous or completely unbelievable happened onscreen. It was a riot and we all got along well.

After the show was over, the four of us chatted for a while, then went our separate ways. My niece and I exchanged phone numbers and addresses before leaving, promising to stay in touch.

That was two years ago. Obviously we didn’t stay in touch.

So on a whim, I tell myself, “What the hell? I’m not in a hurry. I’ll stop and surprise her. If she’s not home, I’ll leave her a note. She’ll probably get a kick out of that.”

What I initially thought to be a quick jaunt to get to her place turns out to be a major detour, thanks to some flooding and some road construction, that takes me twice as long and three times as far.

By the time I pull into the driveway of the little house she’s supposedly renting a room at in some sleepy little town, it’s already after seven o’clock.

Knocking on the door, I wait with baited breath for it to open. Finally it does. Some guy who appears to be in his mid-forties answers the door and gives me a bored look.

His appearance makes me think of someone who may actually be into molesting thirteen year old girls, or boys, so I keep a safe distance just in case, even though I’m not thirteen.

“Yeah? Are you selling something?”

“Uhm… No. I was looking for someone who I think rents a room here. Her name is Allison. Do I have the right place?”

From the blank expression on his face, I can tell he’s thinking. Hard. Just before it looks like his internal processor is about to start smoking from the effort, his face lights up.

“Reddish hair? About five foot seven? Nice ass?”

“Uhm… yeah, that sounds kind of like her,” I tell him. “Does she still live here?”

“Nope. She moved out probably… a year ago? Don’t know where to though. Sorry.”

“That’s okay. I appreciate your time. Have a good evening.” I turn to leave.

“Yeah, you too,” he replies, then adds, “If you find her, tell her Ray says hello.” He smiles lasciviously.

“Sure. Will do.” I get back in my car and close the door. “Or not,” I say to myself.

Shaking off the heebie-jeebies, I back the car out and drive down the road a little ways where I spot an abandoned gas station. I pull in and throw it in Park, then consider my next course of action.

Since it took a Herculean effort to make it this far, I decide to try Allison’s phone number. She answers on the first ring, like she was expecting me to call. “Uncle BJ!”

“Hey Allie! I hope I’m not catching you at a bad time.”

“Not at all! I’m just sitting here trying to figure out how to kill a perfectly good evening. What are you up to? Are you still living down in the city?”

“I am, unfortunately. I’d rather be living on a lake somewhere, but you know how it goes. I’m a slave to my job because eating beats starving.”

She laughs. “Well, you should come visit sometime then. I happen to live on a lake now,” she says matter-of-factly.

“Oh really?” I ask, curious. “Did you win the lottery or land some rich guy with your wily charms?”

She laughs again. “Uhm… no. Neither. We’re renting.”

“We?” I ask.

“Yeah. I don’t know if you remember that couple you met at the movie, Nikki and Diego?” she asks.

“I do actually. How are they? Have they tied the knot yet?”

“No, not yet. They’re still hedging their bets,” she explains, giggling. “But hey, enough about them. What’s up? I’m sure you didn’t call just to hear me ramble.”

“Actually, I did, kind of.”

“Kind of?” she asks.

“You mentioned your new place is on a lake. Is it far from the little town you used to live in a couple years ago?”

“Nope. Just a few miles away,” she answers. “Why? Did you need my new address?”

“In fact, I do. That would make it much easier to visit you if I had it.”

She laughs. “I suppose it would. Are you ready?”

I fumble with my phone. “Okay, shoot.”

As soon as she’s finished giving me her address, I hit my mapping app. It tells me I’m six minutes away.

“Hey Allie. Sorry, but, can I call you back in a few minutes?”

“Sure, as long as you don’t call me Sorry Butt,” she jests, laughing at her own pun. “I’m so glad you called! Don’t forget! I’ll pout all night if I don’t hear from you.”

“Okay Allie. I promise I won’t forget.”

Six minutes later, my car is parked in her driveway. In front of me is a cute little cabin-like home and the lake is visible through the trees, a hundred feet away. I quickly call Allie back.

“Uncle BJ! You didn’t forget,” she says excitedly.

“Well of course not. You’re my favorite niece.”

“Awwww,” she begins. Then I hear talking in the background. “Oh, hey. Now I need you to hold on. I think maybe the pizza guy is here.”

“Sure. I’ll wait,” I tell her, getting out of my car and walking towards the front door.

“That was quick,” I hear her say in the background. “He shouldn’t be here for another ten minutes.”

When I reach the front door, I hang up on Allie and knock.

The door opens to reveal my niece’s trim, five foot seven inch body, wearing cut off jean shorts and a black t-shirt. Her red hair is pulled back in a ponytail. Just her forehead is visible because she’s looking down at the money she’s counting.

“I think it’s all here,” she states.

“You think?” I ask in an over-the-top sarcastic voice.

Startled by my tone, her eyes dart to my face. It takes her a second before she realizes it’s me standing in front of her and not the pizza guy.

“Uncle BJ!” she shouts, almost knocking me over as she throws herself in my direction and wraps her arms tightly around my neck. I hug her almost as fiercely, lifting her off her feet.

“What…? When…?” she says, trying to form a coherent sentence. I set her back down. She looks at me again to make sure her eyes aren’t playing tricks on her.

“Surprise,” I say, smiling from ear to ear.

She hugs me again.

“Wow. This is quite a reception,” I tell her. “I would have come sooner if I’d have known you’d be this excited to see me.”

She backs up, finally letting me breathe. “Did you come all the way out here just to see me?” she asks.

“Well… kind of,” I explain.

“Well… come in and explain how you ‘kind of’ came to see me,” she insists, grasping my hand and pulling me through the doorway. “I want to know everything. What brings you this far out to the middle of nowhere?”

I let her lead me through a small entryway and into the kitchen. “Well… I was on my way back from an overnight work trip and decided to stop by. I thought about calling you before leaving to come home but I figured you might be too busy for the likes of me.”

“Oh nonsense,” she says, motioning to a stool as she plops down on the one next to it. “You so should have called me. Even if I had plans, I would have made time for you.”

She takes my other hand with her free one. Now grasping both hands, she looks at me adoringly and smiles. “I’m so glad you’re here. How long can you stay? Do you have to go home yet tonight?”

“Well… I technically don’t need to be anywhere until Monday morning, but I’d hate to impose…”

“Oh don’t be silly,” she says, cutting me off. “You’re staying here tonight so we can catch up. We’ll find room for you somewhere.”

A knock at the door interrupts our conversation. “Stay right here,” she says firmly, as if I might bolt for the door when she’s not looking.

Fifty seconds later she returns with three pizza boxes and sets them on the counter.

“Nikki! The pizza’s here!” she yells, opening a cabinet door and pulling out four plates. Nikki appears from around the corner.

“I’m starving!” Nikki says as she enters the room, her cute, five foot five, caramel-skinned body stopping dead in its tracks when she sees me.

“Uncle BJ!” she shouts, smiling. Forgetting the pizza, she closes the distance between us and hugs me with her petite but busty frame, not as fiercely as Allie, but enthusiastically none-the-less.

“Wow. Apparently I was way overdue for a visit,” I say, hugging her back and laughing.

She backs up and looks at my niece, then says in her southern black accent, “Allie Gator, why didn’t you tell me he was comin’ to visit? I woulda baked a cake!”

My niece and I both laugh.

“He didn’t tell me he was coming,” she explains in her defense. “He just fell outta the sky.”

“I wanted to surprise you Nikki,” I fib, playing along.

“Well you certainly did that. There might not be any cake, but we certainly have enough pizza! Are ya hungry?” she asks.