The Parrot Who Couldn't Keep a Secret

Selma had been cooking since nine. It was Father's Day, and the June sun was pouring through the dining room window. She wanted everything to be perfect for her husband, Gordon: roast chicken, potato salad and a lemon cake that had taken her two attempts. Aunt Margot had even driven three hours to join them. The only guest nobody had invited was Admiral, the family's old gray parrot, who watched the table from his cage in the corner.

In twelve years, Admiral had learned only a handful of phrases, and only the ones he heard again and again. Last week, while the family was away at the beach, he had stayed with Aunt Margot. So when Gordon stood up and raised his glass to make a little speech, nobody expected the parrot to interrupt.

"Just one more cookie," Admiral said, in Gordon's exact voice. "Nobody's counting!"

There was a short silence. Selma put down her fork. In January, Gordon had told the whole family that he had given up sugar for good. Gordon suddenly became very interested in his napkin. Their daughter, Bianca, burst out laughing, and that was a mistake, because Admiral turned his head toward her and called out, "Bianca, are you studying?" Then, in Bianca's voice: "Yes, Mom!" Then he made the cheerful little tune of the game on her phone, perfectly, three times.

"You told me you'd finished studying for your exams," Selma said. Bianca opened her mouth, but before she could answer, Admiral spoke again, this time in the low voice Selma used every evening on the phone with her sister. "Don't tell Gordon what they cost. He thinks they're the old ones." Everyone looked down at Selma's new red shoes.

Gordon put his glass down. "Well," he said slowly, "it seems we've all been keeping a few secrets." They were all still arguing about who was the worst when Aunt Margot reached for the lemon cake and remarked that it was a lovely, peaceful lunch.

Admiral cleared his throat. Then, in a soft, sweet voice that none of them had ever heard Aunt Margot use, he said, "Goodnight, Leonard. I love you too." Every other face at the table turned toward Aunt Margot, who had told them for twenty years that she was far too old for romance. She cut herself a large slice of cake, took her time over the first bite and said, "Well, I suppose you'll all want to meet him."