Not really. “Yes, I’m ready.”
“I can get our bags later.” He leaned over and pulled me into a kiss I gladly welcomed.
“Did you tell your aunt we were coming?” I’m not sure why I was just asking this question.
“Yes, she knows. She’s thrilled to meet you. Here’s the Letts. The blonde is my aunt Linda. Her partner is Joann. Little bad bugger is Mandy.”
He smiled at me and I was comforted by the excitement in his eyes.
We both stepped out of the truck at the same time. I grabbed my purse and closed my door. I looked at the front door and it was open. I little girl with bright red hair was standing there smiling widely. She waved at me. I waved back. Soon Jagger was at my side. He grabbed my hand and we walked up the steps to the door.
Jagger let go of my hand to scoop the freckled face little doll into his arms.
“Mandy, this is my girlfriend Katrina.”
“Please to meet you, Katrina.” The little girl stuck out her hand for me to shake.
I took her hand. “I’m very pleased to meet you, Mandy.” She blushed red and buried her head in Jagger’s shoulder.
My stomach fluttered. I had the fever. I wanted a baby with this man.
“Where’s aunt Linda?”
Mandy pointed somewhere inside the house and we all entered. Jagger closed the door. He walked inside with Mandy in his arms. She put her head on his shoulder and watched me as I followed them. Was fiery red hair a thing in this family? I quickly remembered Mandy was adopted. I’d never seen a picture of Jagger’s mother and father. I wondered what they looked like.
I laid eyes on Linda. She had mid-length dishwater blonde hair. Her thin nose was a dominant feature on her round face. Blue eyes softened her look. Her clothing was comfortable and cozy for her thick build. She looked like a cool aunt— the aunt that smoked cigarettes and had been married five times. She didn’t resemble Jagger at all. I didn’t see it.
“Katrina Sweet, this is my aunt, Linda Neilson.”
“Oh hello. Come in. Oh, Jagger.” She gushed.
Aunt planted a kiss on both of my cheeks just like British people did in movies. She ended her greeting with a hug. She clasped her hands together and waited for Jagger to place Mandy on her feet. She wrapped him in a tender bear hug.
“Please take a seat.” I sat on the couch in a room that didn’t have a TV.
“Joann isn’t here. She’s at work. She’s a chief inspector.”
I looked to Jagger for guidance. “A cop supervisor.” He sat beside me.
Aunt Linda sat in one of the two plush chairs in the room.
“I’m so happy you’re here. You’re staying over?”
“Yea, just for the night. I have to get back to work.” Jagger glanced over at me.
“Katrina, how do you like the English countryside?”
“It’s beautiful, your place is really nice.”
“Thank you. It’s nice and peaceful out here.”
“Thanks for letting me stay the night at your place.” I added.
“Of course dear. Jagger has never brought a girl home.” I was far from a girl and sure we were probably close in age but I was going to take it.
“Am I the first?” I smiled warmly.
“Yes, and I’m so excited and you’re an American. Fancy.” She grinned.
“She’s definitely an American.”
Mandy slipped into the small space in the chair next to her mother. Linda supplied me with a few childhood stories about Jagger. There was the time when he was three, he stripped nude and he peed on a tree like a doggie. She also showed me a few pictures of Jagger as a child.
She gushed over him. “He was such a handsome lad.” She was right. He was the cutest little boy with his sleepy eyes and pouty lips. He had grown up to be a very handsome man. There weren’t any pictures of him in an awkward stage. He started his acting and singing career on Kiddie Kingdom and she even had a few candid pictures from the show. There were family pictures and Linda traded spots with Jagger to fill me in on the history of the pictures in the photo album.
Aunt Linda supplied the wine. It was clear she wasn’t aware of Jagger’s addiction problem. He didn’t drink wine only water. He came up with some Hollywood reason.
“No thanks, I’m detoxing for the tour.” He told her and she believed him.
She made a joke about famous people being all vegan and healthy. I assured her that I wasn’t one of those people and let her fill my glass with wine.
Linda gave me a tour of the property. We used a go-cart to get around. There was a fishing pond on the property and acres upon acres of land. She pointed me all the security cameras on the property. She also made mention that although Jagger purchased the home it was in her partner’s name. It was a precaution so that his fans couldn’t find her, his only living relative.
After she parked the cart we walked up the trail back toward the house.
“Katrina, I’m happy he’s found someone he cares about. I really worry about him. Can I have your opinion on his welfare?”
“He’s doing very well.”
“He looks good, healthy. He’s had so much tragedy in his life and he’s never had any professional help as far as I can tell.”
I didn’t bother to mention Dr. David Glass. It wasn’t my place.
“My nephew is a bit of a workaholic, very ambitious and very focused.”
“Yes, he is,” I added.
“But he’s fragile. He holds a lot inside and he’s never had any real outbursts. It’s sort of unnatural given the circumstances. I’m not trying to panic you off or anything. It’s just the past is so bad and I never know how he deals with it on the inside. Do you think he’s really okay?”
“I do.”
“Does he talk about my sister, his mum? When he rings round here I can
