Alas.
The bickering between Al and his parents didn’t seem to be subsiding. On the contrary, the three of them were escalating, each one trying to be heard over the other, until they were all shouting at the same time in that weird language, and suddenly that sense of protection Jude had over his eggs expanded to include Al, because it was becoming increasingly clear that Al’s actions were at the center of this argument.
And that simply wasn’t fair, was it?
Despite light years having separated them for most of their lives, Jude and Al were still kindred spirits. Jude recognized himself in Al. Obviously not in the weird things Al did, like trying to use hand sanitizer as a condiment, or arguing that he should be allowed to wear high heels with basketball shorts and a muscle t-shirt because “not only females feel desire for footwear that makes them tall,” but in the little things that were intrinsic to Al’s personality. Things like how he’d mourned the loss of his spaceship even though it was a piece of junk, because he’d been happy to have something of his very own that he could use to just get away when life got too overwhelming. Or how he saw himself as unknowable, and struggled to fit in with his family and the world around him at large.
But perhaps what Jude identified with most of all was how the thing Al craved above all else was to be loved unconditionally, and without judgment.
Al was a hot mess, and Jude could say it with certainty, because it took one to know one… but Jude was also sure that Al, for all his fumbles and mistakes, was trying his best. He wasalwaystrying his best, and his parents—like all parents, in Jude’s experience—didn’t think his best was good enough.
And that was bullshit.
Al was so much more than good enough.
Al, with his bizarre idiosyncrasies and limitless kindness, waseverything.
Jude cradled his eggs—theireggs—even closer.
His opinion of Al’s parents dipped even lower as the fight went on.
“… first contact without paperwork,” Jude heard Al’s mother snap in broken English smushed between her native tongue, and Jude realized he was beginning to understand bits and pieces of the argument as the two new aliens in the room picked up English the way Al had the day they first met.
“Something somethingmuch trouble,” Al’s father berated, his broad shoulders even more daunting as he held himself at full height.
“Something somethingdelusional,” said his mother, rolling her eyes. “Something somethinghopeless romantic.”
“I am not,” Al interjected, and in contrast, his words were perfectly clear and spoken without his usual accent, which was strange. Come to think of it, none of them were speaking English with an accent. “I’m telling you the truth.”
“Something somethingastronomical odds,something somethingbe a fool,” his mother countered sternly, three hands on her hips and one extended, wagging a finger at her son.
“I know it’s unlikely, but it’s the only explanation. I wasn’t just being reckless. He’s my True Mate.”
Jude flushed. He knew he was kind of conspicuous, sitting there in bed with a clutch of eggs, but it was still a bit mortifying to know that the subject of their conflict washim.
“Ridiculous,” his mother scoffed.
“I’m serious,” Al said.
“Ξ.A.kr’ξ??’p,” Al’s father said in a calculated tone. “Do not take this the wrong way, but out of everyone who could find their True Mate, why would it be you?”
The way Al deflated broke Jude’s heart. Al’s shoulders slumped like all the fight was leaking out of him and being replaced with defeat, and Jude knew exactly how he felt. He’d been in that exact position a million times before whenever his mother and father decided to berate him for, well, anything they felt like berating him for that particular day.
And the last time that had happened, hadn’t Al come to his rescue? Hadn’t he stood up from his seat and harangued Jude’s parents to defend his honor, the way no one had ever done for him in his entire life?
Jude wondered if anyone had ever come to Al’s defense before. He wondered, and then came to the conclusion that he already knew the answer. They were kindred spirits, after all. No one had ever stood up for Al, and that simply wouldn’t do.
“Stop it!” Jude heard himself shouting before he’d given himself time to think it through. Everyone in the room turned to look at him, Ezra—still loitering in the doorway—included.
“What—” Al’s mom began, but Jude didn’t let her finish.
He continued on, saying, “Stop talking to Al like he’s not worthy of your love. Do you evencarethat your son could havedied? He crashed his spaceship, for fuck’s sake! You should be elated to know that he’s safe. But no, you’re too busy berating him for all the things he’s done wrong. You’re acting like he has to be perfect, as if you two are flawless. Have you really never made a mistake before? Nothing Al did was done with the intention to upset you, so why don’t you get your heads out of your asses andcomfortyour son instead of treating him like you think he’s worthless?”
The hand Al’s mom had been using to point at Al dropped to her side.
Beside her, Al’s dad just stared.
“He’s not worthless, for the record,” Jude went on to say. “He’s brilliant. He’s smarter than anyone I’ve ever met, and he’s hilarious—sometimes when he’s not trying to be. And he’s kind.Sokind. No one’s ever treated me better than your son. And yeah, we may have gotten ourselves into a little”—Jude glanced down at the eggs still in his protective embrace—“situation here, but even that happened because your son loves so hard. And you know what? He’s going to be a fantastic father, because he’s not going to treat our kids the way you treat him. He’s going to raise them withlove, not disappointment.”
