17
Cavorting Cats and a Delusional Ghost
If I didn’t know better, I’d say that Alex’s sense of humor was expanding. Groaning and moaning represented a marked improvement from his previous displays of displeasure. He’d tended more toward broody looks and tense bouts of silence. And since I was in a good mood, inspired by my great-aunt’s reappearance in my life, I was going with that theory.
“Mandy told me there was a party in the parking lot.” He nodded at Dot and Alfred, then eyed me and said, “Great-Auntie Lula. Hello again.”
“Lula Belle, if you don’t mind.” She stuck out her hand. Her not-wispy, very corporeal hand. “Great-auntie, pshaw. I swear my niece started that nonsense just to make me feel old. ‘Old ladies get into less trouble,’ or so she thought.”
I winced. That sounded lik
