CHAPTER 3
ALEX
I hadn’t seenmy nieces in person since I fled my hometown over eight years ago. We’d talked via video, but I was unprepared for how grown-up they were. When had Jordan gotten so tall? At twelve years old she looked a lot more like a teenager instead of the sweet toddler I used to sneak candy to. She barely glanced up from her phone as I followed Char into the cramped living room of the three-bedroom ranch. And that must be Izzy sitting next to her. How old was she now, eight or nine?
The television blared some cartoon featuring princesses, and the two little ones, Frankie and Dolly, sat on the ground, staring up at the screen.
“Girls, say hi to your uncle Alex.” Char reached out and turned off the TV.
A collective groan rose from the floor.
“Your uncle.” Char put an arm behind my back and propelled me forward a few steps.
“Hey. Dolly and Frankie, right?” I tried to reconcile the tiny faces I’d seen on my phone screen with the two little girls in front of me. They seemed so big, so real.
“Manners,” Char prompted.
The youngest, Dolly, got to her feet, tripping over the sparkly nightgown that hung to the ground. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Uncle Alex.” She held her hand out as she dipped into a low curtsy.
Char rolled her eyes. “That one thinks she’s a four-year-old princess. You’ll get used to it.”
A princess? What did I know about princesses? I took her small hand in mine and bent forward as I lifted it to my lips. “It’s nice to finally meet you in person, Dolly.”
“Ew”—she yanked her hand back—“don’t kiss it.”
Char put her hand on Dolly’s shoulder and spun her around. “Go put your real clothes on. We’re taking Uncle Alex out to dinner tonight.”
“Oh, that’s not necessary.” I tried to picture the six of us clustered around a table. What would I talk about with girls? Especially little girls? Life at the research station was unfiltered. I’d never had to watch my language or think about what I said before it flew out of my mouth. Char appeared to run a fairly tight ship. Wouldn’t do me any good to get kicked out the day I arrived. “How about I grill up some steaks or something right here?”
“I like hot dogs,” Frankie said. “With mustard and relish and no ketchup.”
“Ketchup’s the best.” Izzy—a mini version of Char—bounced across the room, her feet barely touching the ground.
“Ketchup’s gross. So’s mustard. And I won’t eat a hot dog unless it’s a tofu dog.” Jordan gave a salute from where she occupied the corner of the couch. “Hi, Uncle Alex. ’Sup?”
“She’s a vegetarian this week,” Char said.
“When did they get so big?” I couldn’t get over how much they’d grown.
“Stick around and you can help us usher in the teen years.” Char moved around the room while she talked, picking upvarious items that appeared to have been abandoned by their owners. “If you’d rather stay in and have hot dogs, that’s easier.”
“Hot dogs are fine.” I tracked her as she moved from one mess to the next. “How old are they all now? Jordan’s still only twelve, right?”
Char nodded. “Izzy turns eleven in a few weeks and Frankie’s six. That’s what happens, they grow.”
I shook my head. “I can’t believe it.”
“Mom, can I wear lip gloss if we’re going out to dinner?” Izzy asked.
“No. We’re staying home for hot dogs. Besides, you know you’re not allowed to wear makeup yet.”
I stood there, soaking it in. The majority of my interactions over the past several years had been with men. The sheer quantity of estrogen in the room made my stomach queasy. “Is there somewhere I can go to?—”
“You need to go potty?” Dolly asked.
“No.” I glanced to Char, but she’d already started down the hall.
“Follow me. I’ve got you set up in the back bedroom.”
