Alien in the Family

I should relax or not.
    The choruses of hellos and hugs took a while. When they were done, Mom went on without missing a beat. “We’re not talking about it, but Jeff’s family is quite politically connected. Religious issues meant they had to move the wedding up to ensure the head of Jeff’s religion could officiate. And Kitty didn’t have a lot of choice in her wedding party, either. She was hoping to have the five of you in, but we had to choose the wedding party based more on political expediency than the bonds of friendship.”
    Mom sounded totally believable, and she looked it, too. Amazingly enough, Lorraine and Claudia didn’t give away that at least the latter half of this explanation was something of a whopper.
    But it worked. My sorority sisters went from upset to commiserating instantly. It dawned on me that they were hurt they hadn’t been asked to be in my wedding party, which should have dawned on me much sooner. Of course, I’d been distracted with that whole saving the world thing. Not that it would get me a free pass, because it never did.
    “Jeff’s a prince,” Claudia said conspiratorially to Christie.
    “Chuck said he was a great guy,” Jeannine agreed.
    “No, a real prince,” Lorraine said. My sorority sisters looked impressed.
    “Does that make you two princesses?” Kay asked.
    “No,” Claudia said with a laugh. “We’re too far away from the main bloodline.”
    “Will that mean Kit-Kat’s a princess, sort of like Grace Kelly?” Tamara asked, perking up. Apparently if I was marrying royalty, all was going to be forgiven.
    “Um . . .” However, I had no idea and no answer. I also didn’t think Mom wanted these details discussed, and I sure didn’t. But I was saved from any further journey down the Excuses Rabbit Hole by what had been saving me from day one with Centaurion Division—rock ‘n’ roll.

CHAPTER 64

    WE ALL HEARD A GUITAR BEING TUNED and wild shrieking from the little kids. “Gotta get our girl into her seat,” Lorraine called to my mother and sorority sisters. Then she and Claudia zoomed us into the theater, and there I was, front row center. I stopped worrying about anything other than figuring out who the band was going to end up being.
    Kimmie, one of Martini’s many nieces, came running to me. “Kitty! Kitty! The band’s going to start soon!”
    I pulled her onto my lap. “Yeah, and I don’t know who it is.”
    She grinned, and I saw the resemblance to Alfred and Martini. “Uncle Christopher said we couldn’t tell you. And Uncle Jeff said he wanted me to make sure to watch your face. He said it should be funny.”
    “Your Uncle Jeff is going to get it when I see him again.”
    “He said you’d say that. I can’t wait to see them—Uncle Jeff gave us all their CDs for Arrival Day.”
    “He did? Why?”
    “He said they helped keep you and him and Uncle Christopher alive. My mommy loves them too. Grandma does, too. Everyone likes them.” She looked very pleased. “I get to be your flower girl.”
    I hugged her. “I know!” I could lie better than anyone when I had to. “And I’m so glad, too!” I was. If anyone had asked me, or, more importantly, it had dawned on me to think of it, Kimmie was who I’d have wanted. I reminded myself that Reader was the best friend in the world. He was also on the stage. “Why is James on the stage?”
    Lorraine laughed. “He’s the emcee, silly.”
    “Is there anything he can’t do?”
    Claudia leaned over and whispered in my ear. “Turn straight. Otherwise, nothing.”
    “True . . . true.” I looked around—the place was filled, at least the lower level. Looked up. Wow, we had Dazzlers up there, too. The entire A-C female population was in here. My sorority sisters were surrounded by Dazzlers. They seemed to be fitting in with no issues, and apparently they knew who the band was, because they looked as excited as everyone else.
    I spotted Mom and the other mothers and grandmothers behind us a few rows. Chuckie’s mother was there, too, and waved to me. I waved back, relieved she didn’t look disappointed in my romantic decision. Mom didn’t wave—she was scanning the crowd, and I had a feeling she was doing a lastminute security check. She caught my eye and gave me a smile and a nod. Okay, we were secure. “So, you and Lorraine excited about the band?”
    “Can’t wait, we love them.” Claudia started to bounce in her seat. Lorraine already was.
    Reader flashed the cover-boy