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She wrapped her arms around Eugene, and he chuckled as he hugged her back.
“It’s been ages since I’ve properly seen you. I know you’ve been avoiding me! Juliet even told me. You don’t want me to see Melanie! You don’t want to spend time with me. I invited you to our lunch the other day only for you to just cancel on me!” she said, progressively getting angrier and even pulling away to punch at his chest.
He gave her a sad smile as he held her hands in his and rubbed them softly.
Mom typically acted this way around Uncle Eugene. She would always be happy when she saw him, but she alwaysseemed to get a bit physical with him, though he wouldn’t mind it and never told her to stop. He simply held her hands and calmed her down as he listened to her rant about him always being busy or never having time for her.
“I know I’m a terrible brother—” he started, and she stopped him.
“You are a terrible brother! You made me prepare your favorite dish last weekend, and you didn’t even show up!”
“I will the next time—”
“Oh, I know you will, because if you don’t, I will tear you apart,” she seethed, whispering the last part menacingly.
My father decided it was time for him to intervene. “All right, sweetheart, why don’t we go get you something to drink and get you ready for dinner, hmm?” he suggested, pulling her away from Eugene, and she pouted childishly; I even had to control my laugh that was trying to escape.
“He didn’t come to my lunch, Killy. I even made his favorite.”
“I know, darling, I know...” he reassured her as he walked her into the kitchen.
Uncle Eugene let out a small chuckle. He muttered something about “regular hormones” making her act that way, whatever that meant, but I couldn’t make out everything he said.
“You literally never cease to amaze me for how fast you can get her upset,” I said, and he chuckled again.
“Well, for as long as I remember, she’s always wanted to beat me to a pulp.”
“And you always let her,” I responded, and he shrugged.
“That’s because I deserve it.”
I looked up at him and saw him holding a blank look on his face.
I tilted my head in thought. “I don’t think you always deserve it. Sure, you’ve done some things, but haven’t we all?” I asked, even though I only knew the basics of their past, and he sighed.
“We all have, but I’ve done much worse—and eventually... I’m going to getexactlywhat I deserve. And I need to accept that,” he muttered.
I stayed quiet, not quite knowing what to say. I loved Uncle Eugene, but he went a little too deep at times, and I didn’t always know how to respond.
“But enough about me,” he quickly said and looked over to me. “How have you been lately?”
“I’ve been stressed a bit with school and work, but all in all, I’ve been all right.” I smiled, even though the thoughts of Calvin, Archer, and Luca rested at the front of my mind.
“That’s good.” He nodded, but I could tell something was off from the look in his eyes—almost like he knew something I didn’t. But that was always the case with him.
“Ugh, what are you doing here? Reginald and Benjamin didn’t cook extras, FYI,” I heard Uncle Blaine say, and Uncle Eugene sent him a look.
“Don’t you have a wife and children at home waiting for you to come home so you can all eat your own dinner?”
“I am well aware of that, but tonight is the night we eat from the hands of Benny and Regi. So I was instructed to take home a plate of food, meaning, once again, no extras!”
Uncle Eugene rolled his eyes and looked back over to me. He gave me a quick hug, and he sighed.
He muttered something else—was that the word “sorry?” I heard—and I looked up at him to ask him about what, but he quickly said, “I gotta run. I’ll see you later, kiddo.”
I bid him goodbye, and he walked out of the room as Uncle Blaine mocked him.
I looked at him, unimpressed. “Uncle Blaine, Uncle Eugene is a person, you know? He’s also technically your family.”
