Common Ground

Matheson tried to keep his temper under control as he drove through Williamsburg to the Outlet Mall where Hannah was supposed to be.

He spotted her after driving around for about fifteen minutes as the Outlet was packed with people and that only irritated him further. He saw her sitting on a bench before she saw him and he quickly parked the car as someone was pulling out.

"Now Matheson, keep your cool" Val warned. She could tell that he was tense and angry.

"Wait here" Matheson replied getting out of the car and slamming the door.

He walked over to Hannah who was sitting on a bench with her hands clasped together. She did not look at him directly.

"Hannah" he remarked crisply pointing in the direction where he had parked. "The car is over there."

Hannah didn't say anything, but got up and walked to the car following him. She knew that he was angry at her.

"Matheson-"

He cut her off and turned to her, his anger apparent. "I don't know what caused you to pull this ridiculous stunt!" he snapped. "I have been working long hard hours and I wanted a little time to rest and recuperate. I wanted some time with my woman, Aunt Hannah. I know you can't comprehend what I'm talking about-"

"I'm not stupid, Matheson" she protested.

"What are you then?" he snapped back at her. "What in the world would possess you to come down here uninvited? It's not on your way home. You deliberately came here to ruin my time with Val and I don't appreciate it!"

"That's not it at all" she protested following behind him.

Matheson waved a dismissive hand at her and continued to walk to the car. "I don't want to hear it!"

"You can stay the night, but I hope Uncle Billy comes and get you as quickly as possible. You're a miserable old woman and you can't stand to see anyone else happy! I am happy for the first time in years and you or no one else is going to ruin it for me Aunt Hannah."

They reached the car and Matheson climbed in and didn't even open the door for his Aunt he was so angry. Val got out of the car so that Hannah could get in the passenger side in the back seat. She noticed immediately that Hannah's eyes were red as if she had been crying. Their eyes locked and Hannah looked away. She had a hanky and dabbed her eyes.

Val looked at Matheson who was staring straight ahead, his lips pressed together in a grim line. He pulled off as soon as she shut the door. The tention was thick as well as the awkward silence and Val wondered what in the world he was going to do. They rode the rest of the way home and Matheson's eyes did not leave the road. They pulled up into the driveway and Matheson got out of the car and walked to the front door to open it. Val got out of the car and bent back the front seat so Hannah could get out.

"Thank you" she murmured not meeting Val's gaze. She looked up at the house and saw that Matheson had walked in already.

"Hannah what's going on" Val asked grabbing her arm. "What's this all about?"

Hannah didn't reply but walked up to the house and then through the front door. Val followed her inside. She didn't see Matheson so she called out to him.

"Up here" he replied from upstairs. She followed Hannah up the steps and she stopped on the landing and indicated for her to walk ahead of her. Val saw the light on in the bedroom down the hall and she walked down there with Hannah following close behind.

Matheson looked up as they walked through the door. "You can stay here for the night" he said not looking at Hannah directly. "The room has been cleaned and fresh linen is on the bed."

"Thank you Matheson" Hannah responded softly.

Val raised an eyebrow. Where was the smart mouth aunt that she had met before? Something most definitely was wrong.

Matheson walked past her and headed out the bedroom. "Come on Val."

Val looked at Hannah. "Where's you things? Don't you have an overnight bag?"

"No I left everything with Billy" she replied looking around the room.

Val looked at her surprised. She had on a plain gray dress that buttoned down the front with a white peter pan collar.

"You can't sleep in that!" Val protested. "You're much smaller and taller than I am, but I am sure I can find you something to sleep in."

She half expected Hannah to refuse, but all she said was "Thank you."

Val walked out of the room and found Matheson in their bedroom. She could tell that he was still angry by his jerky movements as he moved about the room. He threw the car keys on the dresser and pulled his shirt over his head.

"Matheson" Val said quietly.

"What?" he snapped, his anger still apparent.

Val stared at him a moment and didn't say anything and watched as he put his hand to his head.

"I'm sorry babe. This whole thing has given me a splitting headache. I hope if you don't mind if we don't go out. I want to lie down for a bit."

"Of course not Matheson" she replied. "There's plenty of food in the fridge. I'll fix us something. You shouldn't have let this whole thing upset you so much. Most likely it caused your pressure to rise which is why you have a headache."

"You're probably right" he said kicking off his shoes. "I don't want to even see her right now."

"Matheson" Val said calmly and sat on the bed beside him. He had taken off his clothes and was lying across the bed in his boxers.

"Hmmm?" he asked lying on his stomach.

"Something's not right" Val said rubbing his back. "Your aunt has been crying and she's not talking much. You couldn't help but notice how contrite she's acting."

"I really don't want to talk about her, Val." He replied. "There's nothing wrong with her!"

She got up and went in the bathroom and wet a washcloth and came back and wiped his face.

After a few minutes, he opened his eyes and looked at her because she was quiet.

"What's wrong, Val" he asked. "You think I'm being too hard on her?"

"Matheson, your aunt doesn't even have a toothbrush. Something is wrong. I'm going downstairs and fix us something to eat. I'll check on her and see if she wants anything. I have some extra things in my suitcase that I'll share with her."

Matheson closed his eyes and didn't reply. He didn't want to think about his aunt. He had a quiet vacation planned with Val. Why couldn't people just leave them alone!

Val got up and walked down the hall. She knew that Matheson was upset, but still if he would look beyond his anger, he would realize that something wasn't right. She walked down the hall and tapped on the door and opened it. She found Hannah still sitting on the bed.

"Are you hungry?" Val asked. "I'm going downstairs and try to throw something together."

"I don't want to put you out" Hannah replied staring at her hands.

"You have to eat something" Val replied.

Hannah didn't reply and she shut the door and walked down to the kitchen. She found some corned beef in the pantry and some potatoes and onions and quickly made a stew that her mother used to make for a quick meal. She was surprised to see some corn meal and hoped that there was baking powder and flour in the cabinet. Finding everything she needed, she quickly mixed some cornbread together and poured it into a square Pyrex pan she found.

It wasn't long before the stew was done and she looked in the oven and quickly checked the cornbread. It wasn't the seafood dinner that Matheson had promised, but still it would fill a hungry belly. She found herself humming as she took the cornbread out of the oven and quickly stirred the stew and cut the burner off.

She was surprised when she turned around and found Hannah standing in the doorway.

"It smells delicious" Hannah said. "You people can cook."

Val raised her eyebrow at the 'you people' remark but didn't reply.

"You're welcome to some" she said. She sat three bowls on the table. "I'm going to fix Matheson a bowl and take it upstairs. He's not feeling well."

Hannah walked over to her. "I guess he's upset with me"

"Something like that" Val replied putting the stew in a bowl and cutting a piece of cornbread.

Hannah looked around the kitchen. "The house hasn't changed much…just looks more modern."

Val looked at her surprised. "You've been here before?"

"It was my parent's house before my father gave it to Gregory" she said. "Billy and I used to come here with my parents before they had Gregory. "She looked at Val. "It was the only thing I asked him for and he gave it to Gregory" She laughed bitterly. "He told me that if I ever found a husband, that it was his responsibility to buy me a house."

She took the ladle from Val and put some of the stew in a bowl. Val was surprised at her outburst. She glanced sideways at Hannah. Her hair was pulled back in a bun as usual. She was a plain woman, but that was because she chose to be that way. She wasn't ugly. She seemed unhappy and Val found herself feeling sorry for her.

"Why not just buy your own?" Val asked.

"Why would I buy a big old house just for myself" Hannah replied. "It's more reasonable just to live in a condo like I'm doing now."

Val looked at her and didn't reply. She took the bowl of stew and cornbread and placed it on a tray and carried it upstairs. Matheson was still lying on the bed and he opened his eyes when she came into the room.

"What's this?" he asked sitting up. "It smells good."

"Just something I threw together" Val replied. She watched as he ate the stew and cornbread.

"Feeling better" she asked.

"A little" he replied. "Where's Aunt Hannah."

"I left her downstairs" Val replied. "I think you should talk to her Matheson."

"Not tonight, Val" he said.

She dropped the subject and got up and opened her suitcase. She pulled out a nightgown that she'd brought and an extra toothbrush that was in a double pack that she had never used and took it down the hall to Hannah. She knocked on the door but didn't receive an answer. She opened it and found the room empty and figured that Hannah must still be downstairs. She put the gown and toothbrush on the bed and shut the door.

She hadn't eaten herself so she went back down to the kitchen and fixed her a bowl of stew and took it upstairs to eat with Matheson.

"Where's Aunt Hannah" he asked when she returned.

"I'm not sure" Val replied sitting in a nearby chair. "She wasn't in the kitchen. She's probably wandering around the house. She said that this was her parent's house and that her father gave it to your father after he and Emily got married." She sipped the stew and looked at Matheson. "She says that she asked your grandfather for the house and he in turn gave it to your father. He told her that it was her husband's duty to buy her a house."

Matheson looked at her surprised.

"I didn't know that Gramps gave this house to my parents. No wonder she was so hell bent on coming down here. Still…she knew we were here on vacation. It wasn't right for her to barge in here."

"Maybe not" Val replied. "Maybe she wasn't thinking and now she regrets it. She's not the acid tongue aunt we left in Baltimore for sure. Something's not right. I feel sorry for her."

Matheson smiled. "That's what I like about you. You have a heart of compassion, even for someone like my aunt."

Val smiled. "I gave her a gown I bought. Obviously I won't be using it."

"Obviously" he replied walking over to her pulling her to her feet.

She reached inside his boxers and began caressing him making him hard instantly. She began kissing his chest. His nipples came to life and she heard him groan as she ran her tongue over them.

"Matheson" she whispered working her way down his body as he stood before her.

"Hmmm?"

By now she had reached his navel and he stumbled back against the bed. She pulled down his boxers and he kicked them off. She pushed him back on the bed. "You really should talk to her" she replied.

"I know what you're doing, VaLysia!" he protested weakly. "You're not playing fair!"

She took him in her mouth. "I love the taste of you, Matheson" she replied running her tongue along his length. She ran her tongue around the sensitive head and observed the drop of pre cum that formed before licking it. "It's so hard…and so sweet..." she continued teasingly licking him. "I'm going to lick your balls now" she said and he groaned as she did just what she said. "Just think about it."

"Val…oh god" he moaned after a few minutes of her teasing tongue. "Come on up here."

She laughed but didn't do as he asked, but took him again in her mouth.

"Val…I need you to stop" he protested weakly.

"Why?" she asked looking at him.

"Because…I won't be able to last much longer if you keep this up." He replied.

"That's my goal" she snickered returning to her task. She had never made him cum this way and she wanted that experience. She sucked him hard as she tried to take as much of him as possible moving up and down his shaft. Matheson began moving and she tried to keep up with him. She tried not to gag and control the situation as she could tell that he was close. She stopped a moment using her hand as he continued to move at a frenzied pace.

"Come on baby" she encouraged looking at him with his eye tightly closed. "Cum for me baby."

She took him back into her mouth again sucking hard. His breathing was labored and he was moaning. He then suddenly rose up on the bed and felt him stiffen. His hand was pulling on her hair as he exploded in her mouth. She was surprised as the taste was different than she imagined. It wasn't bad…just different. She released him as she felt him soften in her hand and quickly kissed him and laid on the bed beside him.

"I think I like eating the babies" she whispered giggling.

He looked over at her and smiled. "You're a very bad girl."

She giggled again. "Well…it's true. You said that I taste like salt water taffy and sunshine. You taste like ice cream and sparkling cider."

He laughed. "Oh really? I'll have to remember that one."

He sat up on the bed. "I feel a whole lot better now."

"I bet you do" Val responded. "Do you feel well enough to find out what's going on with your aunt?"

"You're not going to let this go, are you" he asked. "You know I can't refuse you after you told me that I taste like ice cream. " He pulled on his boxers and stood up. "I'll go and talk to her."

"Thank you" Val replied grinning.

She watched him as he dressed and she decided to go and clean up the kitchen. She quickly threw something on and went downstairs. She glanced at the clock and saw that it really wasn't that late, only nine o'clock. She could hear voices in the den and surmised that Matheson must have found his aunt. She quickly began putting the dishes in the dishwasher.

Matheson felt more relaxed than he thought possible when he came out of the bedroom. He knocked on Hannah's bedroom door, but didn't get an answer. He opened it and peeked in, but did not find her there. He then walked to the bathroom door and knocked and opened the door, but the light was off.

He went downstairs and began to wander around and found her sitting in the den staring out of the window.

"I used to sit here and look out when I was a child" she remarked when he walked into the room.

Matheson sat across from her and didn't reply.

Hannah looked at her nephew and saw that he no longer appeared as angry as he had been earlier. He looked so much like her own father…in fact more than he looked like her brother. He had his mother's large eyes, except for the color and he had her father's blond hair.

"You look like your grandfather sitting there watching me" she stated looking back out the window again.

"I'm just trying to understand what's going on in that head of yours" Matheson replied.

"Do you think I like being like I am?" she asked still staring out the window. "Do you think I don't know what you all say about me? I'm the ugly spinster aunt that no one likes. I'm a burden, and embarrassment, a failure. No man wants Hannah! Maybe I can sell her off to the highest bidder!" she laughed bitterly and Matheson was surprised at the pain her heard in her voice. He had never had this type of conversation with his aunt before. She had barely tolerated him when he was growing up.

"I've never said you were ugly" Matheson replied. "Everyone is beautiful in their own way. I just never understood you. You were always frowning and you seemed mean to me. I was always scared of you."

She turned from gazing out the window and looked at him directly. "But you're not anymore, right?"

"No." he replied. "I'm a man now Aunt Hannah. I'm not a little boy anymore."

"I can see that" she replied looking out the window again. "I guess you're wondering why I came here. I don't fully understand it myself really. You mother said some things….some things that were true…yet very upsetting to me. I realized that my life is almost over…" her voice cracked with emotion that she was trying to control "and it's too late for me! I dreaded going home back to that empty house of mine. Billy was anxious to get home and I hated him for it. He has something to go back home to…everybody has something! I have nothing….I just wanted to relive a happy part of my life for a little bit. I was secretly glad that the axle broke. I saw my chance to escape back to my childhood for a little while and I took it! My coming here was not about you."

Matheson stared at her in disbelief. "I don't know what my mother said that could be so upsetting-"

"Don't you" she shot back cutting him off and glaring at him. "You look at me and what do you see Matheson? You see an old woman who's never been loved. No man has ever wanted me…unless my father paid him to take me out. I'm the ugly duckling of the family. I have the Hendricks's looks" she laughed bitterly again. "I look just like you and Billy and Gregory. I have that 'Hendricks" hard face and while it looks great on a man, it doesn't do much for a woman!"

She stood up. "I'm sorry if I intruded on your little love fest. I'll be gone in the morning and in the meanwhile, I'll just stay out of your way!"

She attempted to walk by him and Matheson grabbed her arm swinging her around.

"You're not ugly, Aunt Hannah!" he said. "You just need to let someone get behind that wall you've built up over of the years." He reached and grabbed the bun on the back of her head and tugged on it and felt her hair come loose in his hands. It was long and thick and mostly gray.

"Stop wearing this ridiculous bun. Let your hair down. Stop wearing these old timey dresses that don't become you! Put a smile on your face." he snapped.

"Matheson!" she said grabbing her hair shocked at his actions.

"You've given up and that's so disappointing" Matheson snapped back. "You're only sixty some years old and you look and act like you're eighty because of your attitude. If you change that, you can look like you're forty. Dye that gray out of your hair! Wear a becoming style! Wear some modern clothes! Change your attitude and stop hiding behind that sharp negative tongue of yours!"

Hannah gasped at her nephew's boldness and looked at the doorway and found Val standing there looking puzzled at the two of them. Embarrassed with her hair flowing freely, she rushed past Val up the steps to her room. Val heard the door slam from upstairs and looked at Matheson.

"What was that all about?"

"I told her that she needs to change herself. She thinks her life is over. Val, I think she's still a virgin and she's sixty years old! She's been told that she's ugly. Can you believe that?"

Val smiled sadly. "It sounds very familiar, Matheson."

He stared at her realizing what she was saying. Val too had been told that she was ugly by family members. He couldn't believe that his father would make his own daughter feel that way. Maybe it was just Hannah's interpretation. The father he knew was always loving and kind. He couldn't believe that he would damage his daughter in such a way.

"I can't believe that my father or my mother would tell her that she was ugly." Matheson said. "There must be some mistake."

"Maybe it wasn't said to her directly, Matheson" Val said walking over to him. "Maybe it was implied. Her face brightened for a moment.

"Why don't I take her out shopping tomorrow? Do you think she'll go with me" Val asked.

"Who knows" Matheson replied. "Let's go up together and talk to her."

They went upstairs and knocked on Hannah's door.

"Come in"

She was sitting on the bed in the oversized nightgown that Val had provided.

"I see that it's too big on you." Val observed. "It's a size twelve and I know you're a lot smaller."

"I'm an eight. I'm not that much smaller" Hannah replied. "Thank you though."

Matheson crossed his arms. "I hope I didn't hurt your feelings, Aunt Hannah. It has been a very stressful day to say the least."

"Yes, well you did hurt my feelings, Matheson" she replied looking at him. "However, considering everything, it was somewhat justified. I don't hold it against you"

"Look" he said sitting on the bed beside her. "I don't understand what's going on. You ran down here, for what? What did you hope to accomplish? What did my mother say?"

She looked at Val and hesitated.

"She's going to be my wife Aunt Hannah. You can talk in front of her. What is said in this room is just between us. I know my mother can be a little odd at times, but she's not a mean person. What did she say?" He reached over and took his aunt's hand, which caused the dam to burst as tears began to run from her eyes.

"She hates me! She makes it sound like sex is such a glorious thing and she's always throwing it in my face because she knows that no one wants me. She and Gregory parade around like they are the world's most loving couple! She doesn't know what it's like to have been ridiculed all your life! She's always been surrounded by love!"

She blew her nose and wiped her eyes. Val looked at Matheson who was obviously confused by what Hannah was saying.

"Maybe that was just your perception of things" Val interjected gently. Emily always talks about sex to everybody. That's just how she is."

"Did Gramps tell you tell you that you were ugly? " Matheson asked. "Where did this come from?"

"No, not directly. He just used to joke with me and said that I was too tall for a woman. He told me that I had the Hendricks' look which was a pity since I was a girl. He didn't mean any harm, I guess. I mean I knew that he loved me… I guess when I found out that he was trying to find dates for me…my pride rose up and I wouldn't cooperate. How pathetic is it for your father to try to buy you a date! I heard Billy's friends telling him plenty of times that I looked like the farm woman with the husband holding the pitchfork! Papa actually thought that was funny!"

She stood up and looked out the window. "Papa was consumed with raising your father after Billy told him that he wasn't interested in running the business. He kept telling me to find a husband and I just dug my heels in and refused. Mama told me that I had money to make up for my lack of looks. I stayed away from home as much as possible. I traveled and I taught High School French. I became independent, but that wasn't good enough! I was a failure in their eyes because I wasn't marriage material! Then your mother came along and it was like I didn't even exist at all. He said Emily had spunk! All I used to hear was how wonderful Emily was. Both of them were constantly singing her praises!"

Matheson looked at his aunt sympathetically.

"That was because Mom helped with the business. She bought into Gramps' dream" Matheson replied. "Neither you or Uncle Billy was interested in the bakery."

"I can't believe that you've never met someone…someone you cared about" Val said. "Surely there was someone at one time in your life."

"Not really" Hannah replied. "Once they found out that I was Hannah Hendricks the namesake for the business, they saw dollar signs. I've never trusted men's advances. I never felt that they were sincere."

"Well that's your problem right there" Matheson replied. "Did it ever occur to you that just maybe there was someone who cared about you for you and not for money?"

She turned to Matheson. "I couldn't take that chance!"

"You mean you wouldn't take that chance" Matheson replied. "This is why you are alone today."

"How do you know that she's not after your money?" she replied pointing to Val.

"Because she's never asked me for a dime. I've been with women who've wanted what they could get out of me, Aunt Hannah. I know the difference" He said.

"I love him" Val replied. "I don't care about the money."

Hannah looked at Matheson and then back to Val.

"Well I guess you're lucky then" she replied skeptically.

"Look Aunt Hannah. It's not too late for you. Why don't you and Val go shopping tomorrow and you buy some decent clothes and get your hair done in a decent style." Matheson suggested.

"I'm not a child, Matheson. I know how to dress" she snapped.

"Of course you do" Val replied. "He just meant that maybe you'd want some company when you shop. Why not try out a new style and new makeup just for fun?"

Hannah looked at Val. "Maybe so"

"We could go out around ten" Val continued. "I doubt if your brother will be here before late tomorrow afternoon.

"Alright" Hannah conceded. "Why not? Ten it is."