By My Side

After dropping Phoebe and her son off back at her apartment, Cole decided to take a drive to clear his head. He started to drive with no particular destination in mind. He simply needed to get away. To clear his head.

His thoughts kept turning back to Phoebe and those mysterious words she had spoken in the parking lot. What kind of parents just left their daughter to fend for herself? What kind of parents did not want to be involved in their grandchild's life? He knew for a fact if he were to ever have children of his own, his parents would be overjoyed. They would certainly want to be involved with the children. So, where was that not the care with Phoebe's parents?

Cole's mind continued to mull over the situation and, before he knew it, he was pulling up in front of familiar, colorful beach house and putting his vehicle into park. He laughed to himself. This was the only condo in the exclusive neighborhood that looked more like a child had painted it than a professional. He had to admit, however, that it did fit the personality of the sole occupant extremely well.

"Cole? Oh, what a wonderful surprise! It is the perfect day for a visit." Obviously, overjoyed to see him, the elderly woman on the front step of the condo pulled Cole into a tight hug that, in comparison with his hard and statuesque physique, emphasized her petite stature.

"Hello, Aunt May. Are you busy?" Cole hadn't realized it until now, but he had found the perfect person to help him straighten his head out regarding Phoebe.

"Never am I too busy for my favorite nephew. Come in. Come in," she spoke happily as she pulled him inside the house towards the kitchen.

Cole could remember spending many summers in this very house. His parents, who were both now retired, had come down to stay with May every summer when he was growing up. She was actually his mother's aunt, but she had insisted that he not call her great aunt, because it made her feel too old. Every morning, just as the sun was coming up, he and Aunt May would sneak out of the house before his parents awoke and build sand castles on the beach. He had always been able to come to her for advice. He just hoped now would prove no different.

"Would you like a cup of creamy hot cocoa?" She asked as she was already in the act of setting just such a cup down in front of him.

Smiling, Cole accepted the steaming cup and took a small sip before turning his attention back to his aunt. With her gray hair all pulled back into a sensible bun and her paint splattered smock, he could tell that she had been painting again. That would explain the newly colored garage doors.

"So, to what do I owe this delightful visit?" she asked as she sipped her cocoa.

"Well, I kind of need some of your advice," Cole began, not really sure how he was going to fully explain his problem without telling her too much.

"Who is she and when do I get to meet her? "

"Who is...how do you...how did you...," Cole sputtered in surprise. How had she known? He hadn't yet said a word about his personal dilemma.

"Don't look so surprised. You haven't asked me for any of my advice in years and the first time you do, you expect me to not know that it is about a woman with whom you are involved?" May laughed at his stunned expression.

"Well, you are not exactly right. It is about a woman, but I am not 'involved' with her. Not, yet, anyway," Cole grudgingly admitted.

"So, you want my advice on the best way to get the girl to say yes?" May asked, her head already filling with ideas.

"No, it's a little more complicated that just that. There is a beautiful woman and she has been working as a temporary secretary until Carla – my full-time assistant – comes back from maternity leave. She is not the type of woman that I would normally notice and, yet, I find myself unable to get her off my mind. She is there when I wake up and continues to occupy my thoughts even in sleep." Breaking off his words before he could let any more slip out, Cole looked beseechingly towards his aunt in the hopes that she might hold the answer to all of his problems.