Page 123 of The Alpha

39

Pari heard Uncle Leo say something but couldn’t make it out before Uncle Al started talking. “Use the big pot, Pariwink,” he suggested. “They look like they can put the popcorn away, if ya know what I mean.”

Pari smiled. “They’re not that bad.”

“Oh yeah? You did notice there were no leftovers, didn’t you? That Kwaku has a healthy appetite.” He eyed her and grabbed the butter out of the fridge. “So, you and this Melvale, huh?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know.”

“What do you mean, you don’t know? I thought he was your boyfriend?”

“I never really said…”

“I distinctly heard the word, boyfriend,” he put in. He set the butter on the counter. “Well, is he?”

“Melvale… asked me out.” She let go a breath. Had she been holding it? “We’re not officially dating yet.” She gave him a sheepish look. “So how could he be my boyfriend?”

“Maybe someone should explain to him how this works. Judging from the way he looks at you, he’s halfway to proposing.”

“Oh, Uncle Al,” she said with a dismissive wave. She poured a little vegetable oil into a pot and got the burner going.

“What do you think of him?”

Her cheeks heated. “Well, he’s… different.”

“You can say that again.” He put some butter into a tiny microwaveable bowl. “Okay, this is ready to melt when you need it.” He turned and leaned against the kitchen counter. “So, you two met when you were abducted?”

Pari tried not to gape. She couldn’t very well say they were held prisoner by a mad doctor or that Melvale was an alien. For one, she wasn’t sure how much he already knew. “He... that is we…”

Uncle Al put a hand on her shoulder. “When you’re ready to tell us what happened, you will. Leo and I won’t judge you, Pariwink. Just… be honest with us, that’s all we ask.”

Pari blew out a breath. She couldn’t believe she was getting off this easy. “I believe that coming from you. But Uncle Leo? To him I’m perpetually sixteen years old and can’t do anything right.”

“Nah, that ain’t true. Leo, he’s protective, just in a different way. I know he nags but…”

“It’s more than nagging, Uncle Al. He thinks if he complains enough about something, I’ll stop whatever it is, or things will change. It makes me not want to be around him.”

He heaved a sigh. “I know, I’ve spoken to him. He’ll try to be better.” Uncle Al glanced at the pot on the stove. “Your oil is probably hot.”

She tossed in a few test kernels and waited for them to pop. As soon as they did, she poured in her measured amount, covered the top of the pot with foil, and then grabbed some hot pads. Thankfully the loud popping kept Uncle Al from asking her any more questions. There was a lot her uncles didn’t know, and she hadn’t had a chance to ask Kwaku and Zara, or Hal andRaina what they’d been told. Did they know Melvale and Zara were aliens? So much had happened over the last few days, she didn’t know which way was up.

When the popcorn was done, she melted the butter while Uncle Al put the popcorn into a big bowl. After pouring the butter over the top, she realized she was looking forward to continuing the game, and that she was having a good time. Pari just wished her uncles would stop reading so much into the situation. She liked Melvale but didn’t dare get too attached to him. A broken heart was the last thing she needed, and she had to face it. He didn’t know her well. Once he did, he’d change his tune, turn tail and run the other way.

Pari was, by her own admission, an odd duck. She always had been. She never fit in anywhere, and that had always been part of her problem. It was hard for her to make friends because eventually they wouldn’t want to hang out with her. She asked deep questions of people, and after a while, none were inclined to answer. Could she help it if she got philosophical at times?

Hmm, could she ask Melvale things? But… hadn’t she started to right before she dozed off? Wow, what did he think of that? Did she fall asleep in the middle of their conversation? How humiliating! And if she did, why hadn’t he said anything? Was he just being polite?

They carried the popcorn into the dining room, and everyone helped themselves. The game continued, and as soon as Kwaku took another turn, he landed in jail again. Uncle Leo and Uncle Al laughed their heads off, and Pari began to worry when he glowered at them.

“Don’t fret, Kitten,” Melvale whispered beside her. “He won’t hurt them.”

“Good to know,” she whispered back.

Kwaku grinned when Uncle Al landed on Park Place. He did manage to buy a few more houses to put on it before he took his last turn.

“Ah shucks!” Uncle Al said.

Kwaku gave him an evil smile. “Pay up.”

---