Alien in the Family

closed. “You know he had the jealousy talk with James, too. And Kevin. And Paul.”
    I was still holding on to Reader, but I opened my eyes and looked over my shoulder. “James and Kevin I sort of get. But Paul ?”
    Martini shrugged and didn’t look all that embarrassed.
    “I think I should be offended, somehow,” Gower said with a laugh. “You thought I was hot when we first met.”
    “Paul, I still think you’re hot. I am never joking when I say that if you and James want to go bi and expand the marriage to include me, I’m in. Barring that, however, Jeff sort of has the edge.”
    “Which everyone other than some of your family seems to understand,” Chuckie said. “Martini, two things. One, you owe me for spending the last two hours with your brothers-in-law. Two, God, man, you have my sympathies. I’ve never met men more jealous of someone else’s success in my life, and that’s saying a lot.”
    “Thanks, and consider us somewhat even. I just got to hear about how great you are from just about every one of Kitty’s relatives. They think you walk on water even more than she does.”
    “Jamie? Kitty? Can you two stop making everyone, including me and Jeff, think you’re coming out about your illicit affair and sort of separate?” Gower sounded like he was only kind of kidding.
    “She’s hiding.” Reader laughed. “Babe, there are no relatives around other than your father. I think the coast is clear.”
    “Okay, hope you’re not wrong.” He let me out of his arms. “Thanks for defusing Aunt Carla.”
    He grinned as Martini pulled me next to him. “Spent enough time around people like her, it was easy to spot. If they lead with the money, that’s what they care about.” He rubbed his hand over his head. “I need a freaking hat.”
    “You carry bald off well.”
    “It’s gay.”
    “You are gay. And so’s Paul. And he’s bald, and he looks hot, and you’ve never minded bald on him.” I knew why he didn’t like it, of course, but I wanted to hear him say it.
    “Two baldies is totally gay, okay?” Reader looked disgusted, and more so when we all started laughing. “You mentioned this to them?” he asked Gower.
    “Maybe once.” Gower put his arm around Reader’s shoulders and pulled him close. “Bald over dead? Bald is great, Jamie.”
    “Yeah. So, how’s the party been?” Reader was looking around, and I noted his eyes were lighting on everyone from Alpha and Airborne. I shot a glance at Kevin. Same thing. Well, he was our other rook, after all.
    Looked to Chuckie. “You want to tell us what’s going on, now that all our side of the board is here?”
    He smiled at me. “No. We have time. Let’s eat. We’ll need the fuel.”
    “You know, mystery statements like that make it hard for me to get excited about food.”
    Martini stroked the back of my neck. “You sure we have the time?”
    “Yes,” Kevin said. “Though none of our team should be drinking. I’ve already passed the word to the humans on Alpha and Airborne. Oh, and Serene’s briefed, too.”
    “Serene’s coming along on whatever we’re doing that none of you will tell me about?”
    “Yeah. And Tito. Geez, I’m down and you replace me with the maintenance guy? I’m touched.” Reader grinned at me. “He’s great, Kitty. Good choice.”
    Dad sighed. “Kitten, really, enjoy this party. As much as you can.”
    “The doom and innuendos are really causing the word ‘enjoy’ to leave my vocabulary.”
    Kevin sighed. “Look, Reynolds, just tell her. She’ll handle the news just fine, and maybe be able to relax.”
    “Go ahead,” Chuckie said. Ah, this was a protocol issue, and Kevin was still reporting in to Chuckie like the rest of us.
    Kevin looked at me. “Our NASA team picked up radio transmissions. We’ve translated them, accurately, and confirmed against molecular disturbance. We expect a spaceship of significant size to arrive from the Alpha Centauri system within the next twenty-four to forty-eight hours.”

CHAPTER 46

    “OKAY, YEAH, LET’S EAT.”
    It was worth it to see every one of their jaws drop. “Uh, great.” Chuckie looked sort of dazed.
    “Wow, dudes, you crack me up. First you’re all Mission: Impossible and then you’re shocked when I take the news the way you said I’d take the news.”
    “We don’t believe you,” Reader said.
    “Well, I could start screaming, but I don’t think it’d do us any good. Besides, I think better on a full