The sound of his deep voice comforts me in ways that I didn’t know I needed, as I pace my hotel room.
“I’m glad we finally got ahold of you. How’re you doing?”
My lips spread into a small smile. We’ve been playing phone tag for the past couple of weeks between the move and everything else.
Uncle Theo is my mother’s older brother. After my parents and grandmother died, he retired from a twenty-five-year career in the Army.
“I’m well … How’s Uncle Owen, first? Are you two still enjoying your life at sea?”
There’s some crackling on the line. I pull my cell from my ear.
“Uncle Theo? Can you hear me?”
“Yeah, yeah. I’m still here, baby girl. We’re docking today in Cozúmel.”
“You two love Mexico.”
Uncle Theo and his husband, Uncle Owen, both retired from the military and married not long after they took me in. A yearand a half ago they both made the decision to rent out their home and spend most of the year living on cruise ships.
“How’s New York treating my favorite niece?”
“Is that Alyssia?” I hear Uncle Owen’s voice in the background. “You didn’t tell me you were calling her. Give me the phone.”
“She called us,” Uncle Theo says before I hear wrestling on the other end.
“Alyssia? Is that you?”
“Hey, Uncle Owen. Are you enjoying your cruise?”
“Ha! I can tell you bootcamp was less demanding than living in tight quarters with this man.”
“Only because you loved living in such close proximity to all of those men,” Uncle Theo yells back.
“He’s such a pervert,” Uncle Owen says to me.
“But you’re the one who married him,” I remind him.
He sighs heavily. “Because he’s so handsome.”
I take a seat on the bed, grinning. “I told you good-looking guys aren’t worth the trouble.”
“Tell me about it,” Uncle Owen mumbles.
For absolutely no reason at all, images of Travis come to mind.
“So much trouble.”
“Is there something you want to tell us, baby girl?”
Uncle Theo’s voice pulls me back to the present moment. I realize I’d spoken what should’ve remained my internal thoughts out loud.
But I can’t keep this secret from my uncles for much longer. It’s not fair to them.
“There is, actually,” I reply.
“Am I going to need to sit down for this?” he asks.
“Yes, both of you.”
