Uncle Derik

The morning started out the same as any other, Alice opened her eyes and sat up in bed. She yawned and stretched. The smell of bacon, eggs and toast wafted into her nose.

She turned herself on the bed and slid forward to put her feet on the floor. Stretching again, she stood and walked toward the bathroom.

After her morning duties were done, she got dressed in her favorite jumper and made her way downstairs. As she approached the kitchen, the smells became more prevalent. She heard her tummy growl.

Alice’s mom and dad were sitting at the table eating. Alice slid into her chair and picked up her glass of orange juice. She took a sip.

Alice’s mom smiles. “About time sleepy head. Your eggs and bacon almost got cold.”

Alice swallowed the juice in her mouth and replied, “Well, when you are getting ready to go somewhere, daddy always says, can’t rush perfection.”

Her mom smiled lovingly at her dad. “Daddy says that to pick on me Honey.”

Her dad smiled. “Oh no my Darling, you are perfect. In fact, you are both perfect.”    

Alice began to eat her breakfast. She cut her fried egg with her fork and scooped it up, she carefully put it in her mouth. She was always careful to not take too big a bite and to always chew thoroughly.

Soon the eggs, bacon, toast, and juice were gone; and her dishes were in the sink. This had been her morning routine for as long as she could remember.

He dad smiled. “Big plans for today?”

Her mom took a sip of coffee. “No, not really. I have a video conference with a client at noon and after that I thought maybe we could go for a bike ride. What about you Dear?”

Her dad Grinned. “Oh, I have a video conference at ten and another at eleven. Other than that, my schedule is free. What about you Princess?”

Alice smiled, she loved when her dad called her Princess. “It’s Summer Daddy! I don’t have anything on my schedule. I’m so glad I get to spend time with you and Mommy, I’m just over the moon!”

Her mom smiled her dad. “Speaking of over the moon, have you heard from Derik?”

Her dad Grunted. “No, same old Derik, I haven’t heard a word since he left Mars. You’d think when he took a trip to the moon settlement to see my parents, he would have said hello but…”

Her mom giggled. “Well dear, you know your brother, always so busy.”

Alice waited for a lull in the conversation so as not to interrupt. When she had her chance, she spoke. “Are we going to go to the moon to see my grandparents this summer?”

Her parents both glanced at her. Her dad smiled. “Mom and I were talking about that very thing last night. We were thinking we could do that next week. It is so nice that both your mom’s parents and mine live in the same settlement.”

Alice smiled. “Yes, it is. I like Toledo and everything but it’s much easier to not go there and the moon.”

Her mom stood up quickly. “Speaking of Toledo, I almost forgot, I have a meeting in Toledo tomorrow morning!”

Her dad grinned. “I hope it doesn’t take too long because we are supposed to have lunch with Mister Chang in Hongkong.”

Alice smiled. “Do I get to go? I love Hongkong!”

Her dad frowned. “No Princess. I’m sorry, your going to have to go visit Aunt Martha in London. She will be expecting you at ten. She has a big day Planned for you.”

Alice put on her best pouty face. “But Aunt Martha always takes me to the same places, the British Isles are boring when you have seen all the castles a thousand times.”

Her mom gave her the patented Mom Look. “Now Alice, your only seven, you haven’t seen all the castles on the British Isles.”

Her dad grinned. “I spent a year with Aunt Martha when I was your age and I didn’t see all the castles a thousand times…” he snickered quietly. “Most of them a thousand times, but not all of them.”

Her mom turned her patented Mom Look on her dad. “You’re not helping dear.”

He belly-laughed. “You know I’m kidding. Aunt Martha is a lot of fun and she enjoys your company. Think of it as you are keeping her from being lonely.”

Alice smiled. “It won’t be as fun as going to Hongkong but if she is lonely, I would be glad to spend the day with her.”

The doorbell rang and Alice jumped up. “I’ll get it!”

Her dad stood up. “No, I’ll get it. I’m expecting a delivery.”

Alice got even more excited. “Another penguin?”

He shook his head. “Nothing that exciting, just some ice samples I requested from the lab.”

Allice sat back down in a huff. “Penguins would be more fun.”

Her dad walked to the door and had answered it by the third ring. Alice and her mom heard happily excited voices in the other room but could not hear what was being said. They looked at each other and quickly made their way to the front door.

Alice was overjoyed at seeing her Uncle Derik standing next to her dad. Sometimes it was hard for her to tell them apart but with her dad in his suit and her Uncle Derik in his flight suit they couldn’t fool her this time.

She ran toward her beloved uncle and threw herself in the air. He plucked her from her flightpath and spun her around in a big circle.

Uncle Derik shouted. “Well, hello Princess!”

He set her back down and gave her mom a hug.

Her mom dusted off the shoulder of his flight suit and said, “Well you look at you. Fleet Commander? Who did you Schmooze to get that job?”

Uncle Derik grinned. “no Schmoozing, simply hard work. I just thought I would swing by and see you guys before I took off. I’m headed back to Mars this evening. I’m leading a mission to the edge of the solar system next week and I’ll be gone a couple of months.”

Alice smiled. “Uncle Derik, one day I’m, going to explore space with you!”