The Apollo Brothers

The Apollo Brothers; Chapter Three

3.

                Once I had closed the front door, I made my way to the kitchen. Mum greeted me warmly and she quickly used the tomato soup to make the pasta bake before Aunty Kathy and Uncle Kyle came over. I rushed upstairs to dress appropriately.  

                The bell rang twice before I heard Mum open the door. I could hear the distinct voice of Aunt Kathy. It was an irritating high pitched voice. I skipped down the stairs to find my Uncle and Aunty. They had grown old since I last saw them. They both had grey hairs and Uncle Kyle had distinct wrinkles on his forehead. I had always loved Uncle Kyle; he was Dad’s younger brother.

                “Uncle Kyle, it’s so good to see you!” I exclaimed hugging him tightly. He smelled of cigarettes and some cologne.

                “Likewise Maddy,” he said as he gripped me tightly. He scuffed my hair before letting me go. His gentle eyes were watching me as I greeted Aunty Kathy.

                “Aunt Kathy, it’s great to see you too!” I said hugging her tightly. She smiled politely and patted my head.

                “My, you’ve grown into a big girl,” she laughed. I had no clue why Uncle Kyle married someone as vile as Kathy.

We sat ourselves at the dinner table. Mum had organized everything so beautifully. It was like a restaurant. The food in front of us smelt delicious. We said grace before we began to enjoy the appetizing food Mum had prepared.

                “So how do you like it here so far Danny?” Uncle Kyle asked Mum. She chewed down her pasta before she spoke.

                “It’s alright. It’s what the company wants I guess and I can’t really do much bout it,” she stated.

                “What is it you do again?” Kathy inquired. Her high pitched voice irritating me already.

                “I work for the government, could call me a public servant,” she joked. Kathy kept a straight face.

                “What about you Maddy? How do you like it so far?” he asked.

                “Its fine I guess.”

                “This is actually a really interesting town you know?” he was grinning now. I knew he was about to tell me some kind of story.

                “Nope. Don’t know… why what’s so interesting?”

                “This town has had its run in with UFO’s over the last probably one hundred years, if not more,” he said leaning over to grab the pasta bake bowl. He spooned about a quarter of the dish into his own plate.

                “I don’t think so. This place is the most boring place I’ve ever been to. I don’t even think it’s on the map,” I insisted.

                “No sweetheart. This place has been marked. It’s one of the top ten UFO towns’ in the world! They say that this place is crawling with aliens!” he exclaimed.  

                Uncle Kyle must have gone a bit crazy with age. We changed the subject to other, less fictional topics. We discussed university options, Uncle Kyle’s job, Aunty Kathy’s job, the places to go and see in Miles, but we didn’t once hit the topic of my Dad. Thank goodness for that.

                                                                                          ***

                “That’s a load of bull,” Mandy urged dismissing the idea. I had told her what my uncle had told me over dinner the night before. She didn’t believe a word of it.