GEORGIA

"Auntie G! What are you doing here?" Harvey stood in the threshold of his house, staring delightedly at the woman before him. He smiled. His Aunt Georgia was the one person in his family who, apart from his sister Danielle, he never tired of seeing.

Georgia hugged Harvey affectionately. "Can't I visit my favourite nephew without being interrogated?"

"Aw, don't give me that…favourite nephew indeed. Do I look stupid to you?"

"Not a bit." Georgia threw back her head and laughed. Georgia Suthaby embraced life. In his youth Harvey had developed an appreciation for more 'decadent' pursuits because of his aunt. She never worried what other people thought of her. Harvey wished sometimes that his mother Virginia were a bit more like her twin sister Georgia. They looked identical, but that's where the similarities ended.

"Where are my manners? Come in." Harvey backed up out of the doorway and motioned her inside.

Georgia shook her head in obvious disapproval. She wagged her finger in Harvey's face. "You've seen my sister recently, haven't you?"

Harvey grinned sheepishly. "Is it that obvious?"

"No. I just know you very well, my boy." Georgia kissed her nephew's cheek. Looking around expectantly, she moved inside. "Now, where's that beautiful grand-nephew of mine?"

Harvey closed the door and followed his Aunt Georgia into the living room. "Jerry's with Anna. I won't have him again until Thursday after work."

"Pity." Georgia clasped her hands together and spun around in the center of the room. "Hey, let's go over there. Maybe that mother of his needs a break. There's a reason why they call it the Terrible Two's."

Harvey shook his finger at his aunt. "Now don't go making trouble already. You just got here."

"Oh, pish tosh. I do NOT cause trouble. You must be delusional." Georgia pulled out a chair. "Here, sit down before you fall over."

Harvey crossed his arms over his chest and looked affectionately at her. "You are unbelievable."

"Yes…I am, aren't I?" Virginia spun around once more and took a seat in the chair she'd just been offering to Harvey. "Do you have anything to drink?"

Smiling, Harvey headed for the kitchen. "Will wine be ok Auntie G, or do we have to take a trip to one of your old haunts?"

"None of your smart lip boy. Wine will be just fine. Red if you have it."

"For you…anything." Harvey pulled two wineglasses off the top shelf. As he busied himself with the wine and snacks he could hear his Aunt Georgia crashing around in the living room. "Everything ok in there?"

"Fine!" Georgia called out. Her voice was somewhat muffled. "I'm just making myself at home. You don't mind if I stay with you for a few days, do you Harvey?

Harvey left the kitchen carrying a tray with the glasses and wine, plus a brick of mild cheddar cheese and some crackers. Putting the tray down on the piano bench, Harvey took in the pile of luggage that had magically appeared in his living room. "A few days! It looks like you've got enough stuff here for a whole month."

"Nonsense. These are the barest essentials." Georgia never traveled light. It was a part of her upbringing. When she and Virginia Thompkins were children life was more complicated. Or depending on how you looked at it, a lot less complicated. Georgia gave Harvey a withering look. "I never go anywhere without my things, you know that."

"Yes Auntie G." Harvey motioned around the room. "I know that. And yet it always surprises me you can get anywhere on time. You're always packing or unpacking."

Georgia ignored her nephew's cheeky remarks. Opening the wine, she poured herself a generous helping. Before Georgia spoke again her glass was half-empty. "So, can I stay with you? Or do I have to get some poor taxi driver to lug this to the nearest hotel?"

Harvey threw up his hands in mock horror. "God forbid! You'd give the guy a coronary."

"I'll take that as a yes then. Where can I freshen up?" Georgia grabbed two of the smaller bags and looked up at Harvey expectantly.

"Upstairs, second door on the left. Do you need some help?"

Georgia tilted her head up and snorted. "Certainly not. I may be old, but I'm not an invalid."

Harvey watched as his aunt traipsed up the narrow steps to the second floor. Her flowing bell-bottoms and maroon caftan billowed around her. Looking up at Georgia, Harvey was reminded of a teenager fleeing from domineering parents. She always did things one hundred and fifteen percent. Just climbing up a flight of stairs was something to be tackled, and conquered.

Harvey walked to the back door and let King inside. It was time to give the Great Dane his dinner. King almost knocked him over. "Easy boy!" After spilling half the dog food on the floor while topping up his bowl, Harvey grabbed the smaller dish and refilled it with fresh water. He tidied the kitchen before finally returning to the living room.

Sighing with contentment, Harvey helped himself to a glass of wine and waited for his Aunt Georgia to come downstairs. He shook his head as he surveyed his living room. His aunt was worse than Jerry. She had left her coat on the table just inside the front door. Hat and umbrella were tossed haphazardly on the sofa. The mountain of bags, hat boxes and travelling cases she had brought with her were strewn everywhere. He nearly choked on his wine when he noticed her handbag sitting on top of his fish tank. Chuckling to himself, Harvey propped his feet on the coffee table. Hurricane Georgia had just hit town.

The remainder of the story should be finished soon. What adventures await Harvey and his favourite Aunt Georgia?!