Some Feeble Excuse

Emma tried to keep her cool and just started talking. With some luck, she hoped to think up the lie as she said it. "Oh, I was actually, just you know." She began, having no luck yet. She swallowed and tried again. "I was actually trying to find pictures," she said as the faces on the wall stared at her, "Of family and stuff. Since I never met grandpa or grandma, and now with mom gone." Emma left it at that and waited to see Ed's reaction.

He waved her in to the room, to her relief. She entered and took a seat on the bed by him. Ed gently took a frame from the wall and handed it to Emma. The black-and-white photograph was of an older looking gentleman. His face looked rough, like he had been a farmer that worked in the sun most of his life. His face wore a frown, and his eyes were cold and dark.

"That would be Augustus, your great-grandfather, Maude's grandpa." Her Uncle said. "He was an angry cuss. I believe he liked liquor, and that was it. Don't mention that I told you so, but he hanged himself from that dead tree out back."

Emma stared at Ed as he quietly mumbled, "Maude won't let me cut the damned tree down. Been dead for years. Just waiting for a good enough storm to blow it through the house so I can say I told you so."

Emma handed the picture back to her uncle as he held out a hand. Ed replaced the picture on the wall and took down another.

"And that, Emma, is your grandfather Earl. Maude's father. Also died in this house, but by more natural means." Ed told her.

Emma studied this portrait. She could see the resemblance of the men. Earl had fairer and smoother skin, but shared the frown and dark eyes. Earl's hair was much darker though, seeming jet black in the photo. It was easy to see who Aunt Maude had inherited her facial expressions from.

"A lot of history in this old house, Emma. Not much of it good." He took the picture back and hung it back on the wall. "No pictures of your grandmother around. I don't think her and Maude got along too well. But that's not a story I know much about. Now, if you no other questions, I should get to tinkering with that truck."

Emma thanked the large man for humoring her, then let him change his shirt and go do his chores. Emma wandered down the hall towards the stairs. It hadn't been the kind of things she was searching for, but she was glad she got to hear a little about her family.