Maybe there can be too much love and affection

I think culture shock is supposed to mean like, going to India or Africa or someplace where everything is different.  When we moved to my nana's we were in shock, but it wasn't culture shock.  When we moved to Aunt Elaine's it was environment shock.  For about a week after we got there she'd tell us what to do. Then by the second week she was yelling at me for not knowing what to do.  After that it was kind of set how things would be there.  We said good night to each other but not her.  We kiss each other's cuts and stick paper cuts under each other's faces, but never hers.  

For the last two or three years every time we'd walk in the door Aunt Elaine would either say nothing or look over and go "Oh, you're back already."  Even if we'd been gone for 12 hours she'd say that.  She never sat and ate meals with us.  She never helped when any of us were sick.  Once I got really sick and threw up in the hallway outside the bathroom and Aunt Elaine just told me I better get it all cleaned up before it started to smell.  

Living here is weird.  Tom and Laurie eat breakfast with us every morning.  Tom knocks on the bedroom door to make sure we're awake.  They come in to say good night every night, even if they're going out with friends.  Last week Danielle screamed in frustration because she couldn't get her french braid right, and Laurie did it for her.  They ask Alex what kind of ice cream she got at camp each day.  If we eat dinner at home, they sit at the table with us. They talk to us about stuff that happened that day or stuff they read.  Last night I went to give Danielle back a skirt we share and Laurie was sitting on her bed talking to her.  I didn't interrupt and when I went back a half hour later, she was still there.  If one of us dresses up for something Tom will notice and say we look nice. If we go out to meet up with friends, they tell us we can invite them back to the house if we want.  When we come back, they ask if we had fun.  

It is overwhelming how involved they are. I have not called Aunt Elaine since we left the Bronx. About twice a week I think of it and feel guilty for not doing it, but I keep not doing it.  I was telling Laurie about it this morning.  That nobody is making sure she's taking her pills on time, that she could have fallen or something.  Laurie and I talked about how unhealthy Aunt Elaine is for a while.  When Laurie was about to walk away she stopped and asked if Aunt Elaine's called me.  She hasn't.  Laurie said, "Almost eight years, she had you out less than a week after you graduated and she hasn't called you either.  If it'll ease your conscience to call, then call her. Phone works both ways though."