CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-TWO - Skeletons Dancing at the Family Picnic

They reached Aunt Mildred's car, a ancient station wagon that had seen better days. Ava eyed it warily as her aunt popped the trunk. "Are you sure this is... safe?" Ava asked hesitantly. Aunt Mildred waved off her concern. "Oh, don't you worry about old Bessie here. She may not look like much, but she's got it where it counts. Hop in!" As Ava slid into the passenger seat, she noticed with alarm that the seatbelt was frayed and barely functional. Before she could voice her concern, Aunt Mildred had started the engine with a roar and peeled out of the parking lot. "Now then," Aunt Mildred said, weaving through traffic with alarming speed, "tell me all about this new job of yours. Tiffany says you're some big shot now. CSO, was it? Sounds very impressive, even if I have no idea what it means." Ava gripped the door handle tightly as Aunt Mildred took a corner at what felt like highway speed. "It's Chief Strategy Officer. I oversee the company's long-term planning and-" "That's nice,