Touched by an Alien

time.
    “I see we’re moving in,” Mom said to Gower.
    “What, no birds?” Martini asked me. I tried to answer, but Duchess was trying to lick me, and I didn’t want to kiss my dog in the same way I’d kissed Martini.
    “They said I had to bring the pets,” Dad said by way of hello to Mom.
    “Yes, Sol, good plan.” Mom sighed. “Could you put the cats down?”
    “They’re scared, and with good reason,” Dad huffed.
    “I’d like to get a hug,” Mom said wryly. Gower relieved Dad of the cat carrier, and Mom was finally able to give Dad a squeeze.
    “Kitten, are you okay?” Dad asked, free arm still around Mom, while he gave Martini his standard look for any man near me—the Father Glare.
    “Just fine, Dad. Covered in slobber now, but fine otherwise.” I’d finally gotten the dogs off me by shoving them at Martini, who was now trying to pet four dogs with two hands. That he was doing pretty well impressed me and, as I looked at my father’s face, told Dad that Martini was evil and to be kept far away from me.
    “Who’s the octopus?” Dad asked, confirming my intuitive guess about his reactions, based on my entire life’s history.
    “This is Jeff Martini,” Mom said. “He’s been instrumental in keeping me and Kitty alive. Paul Gower,” she went on. “Also one of our protectors.”
    Protectors? I thought Mom and I had been doing a good portion of that work, but I decided to shut up. I had no idea how much Dad really knew about Mom’s exciting secret life, after all.
    “Pleased to meet you,” Dad said with a smile for Gower. He grunted at Martini.
    “I see I’m doing well with your entire family,” Martini said to me, as Dudley grabbed his arm with his jaws.
    “Just swat his nose. He’s playing, and that’s how we tell him to stop.”
    “I miss your fish.” Martini got out of Dudley’s clutches only to have Duchess decide she liked him a lot. Pit bulls can really lick, and she was going at it full steam.
    “Nice menagerie.” Christopher’s voice came from behind me.
    I managed to keep my fists from clenching. “You said all our pets were in danger,” I reminded him as I turned around.
    “Normally they go into the kennels.”
    I was going to protest, but Dad beat me to it. “There is no way I am putting my animals into some jail! They are part of our family, and they are staying with us.” Dad was glaring at Christopher in the same way he had glared at Martini.
    “Yes, they’re staying with you,” Christopher said, sounding amused. “Angela, we have you in a large suite. Your luggage is already in there.” Angela? He was on a first-name basis with my mother, too? I wanted to scream.
    Mom gave Christopher a beaming smile. “Thanks, you’re a doll. I’d like to get in there and try to relax. As hard as that’s going to be.”
    She and Christopher shared a chuckle. I tried not to gag.
    “Chop, chop,” Dad said to the four agents who I assumed he now thought were his personal porters. “Stop yanking at the dogs’ leashes this time. They respond just fine to a gentle hand and a firm tone.”
    Yes, from one of the three of us. Our dogs were well-trained, but they also knew they could get away with murder if my father wasn’t in the mood to discipline them. And Dad was almost never in that mood.
    The agents dragged the dogs off, Dad and Mom followed, Dad still pulling his huge suitcase. Christopher took the cat carrier from Gower. “I’ll take them to their room.” He looked over at me. “Want to say hello to the felines before they go off to rip the room to shreds?”
    “They’re scared,” I said, as I went over to the carrier.
    “That’s because they’re smart,” he said quietly.
    I looked up at him. He didn’t look as though he was mocking me. “Yes, they are.”
    “How’re you doing?” Christopher asked in the same soft tone.
    I resisted the urge to be nasty, hard as it was. “Really tired. Fairly overwhelmed.”
    “Cuddle one of your cats. You’ll feel better.”
    I wanted to pet them, and though they seemed to be quieting down, they were still so worked up I knew it wasn’t safe to try through the carrier’s slots—at least, not if I wanted to stay unshredded myself. And opening the carrier in a room this large with this many hiding places was beyond a stupid idea. “I’ll visit them once they’ve settled down.”
    “Fine with me.” He pulled the carrier away like I’d insulted him. So much for my bothering to be pleasant.