HANNAH

When my grandniece Hannah visits, she always stays in what used to be my mother's room. Always polite, she will say, "Aunt Sue, I'll go ahead and take my bag to my room." Once, when she was very young, we were together in the room and she admired a cardinal music box on the dresser. I said, "Hannah, your Grandma Betty made that," and I picked it up to show her Betty's signature on the bottom of the piece. She looked surprised and asked, "Did you know my Grandma Betty?" I answered, "Of course I knew your Grandma Betty; she was my sister-in-law." Hannah still looked surprised. I continued, "Grandpa Kenny is my brother." Hannah asked, "You mean like John is my brother?" I laughed and said, "Yes, we were kids once just like you and John!" She said, "Well, I knew you were my Aunt Sue because that's what I call you, but I never did know how that works." I said, "It's SO confusing!" and went on to give her a boring list of who, what, when and where about the relatives. She looked wistful and said, "My Grandma Betty loved me very much." I said, "I know; you were the apple of her eye." Hannah said, "Aunt Sue, you talk so funny!"