Old Aunt Sheila
by Brianna Deal

She
Walks in the house like she is a queen
Brightly lit stretch pants and tight shirt
rolls of flesh spilling out the sides
Purples, pinks, yellows, reds, greens
only black is the zebra stripes
on her back.

No kids
Man, you could have guessed that

Old Aunt Sheila
grabs your arm to a bony embrace
Her pickle breath fill your lungs
makes you pull back but
like a wall
she doesn’t move an inch

Sweep, sweep
Dancing dizzy steps
Not watching her way

Boom

Kicks the baby
He’s okay although
He now  fears pointy shoes

She never said sorry
or even asked if he’s okay

That night even my grandma
wanted to punch her face

Yet
she’s gone to the Aruba Sea

We don’t talk but
She friend requested me

Will I say yes?

When hell
freezes over
We’ll see.