The Alien Way of Life - English Version

8. Dinner

Earth, New York, 05.11.2059

The subway had a disruption, so Mika, Lyra, and Ségouin had to walk the last few stations. To enhance their maximum happiness, it had started pouring down with dreadful sleet from the sky. The three of them had to walk the last few stations. Lyra decided that it would be fair to offer Mika to warm up at their place and found this option not entirely displeasing. On the way to Ségouin's place, she outlined what had happened (she left out the part with the pen), and Mika had shown full understanding. "...I'm glad you made it. I'm sorry that some of us are like that."

She wasn't as exhausting as Darian claimed. But probably that's the case with many siblings - she hoped Ségouin didn't think that way about her.

In the elevator, she asked, "Would you like to stay with us until the subway starts working again? We'll also have dinner soon."

Mika reshaped her wet hair in front of the mirror, "Sure, thanks."

She didn't want to exoticize Lyra, but she was very curious to experience an alien's home. Her homework would have to wait, and Darian could also independently put a pizza in the oven or Puschkin could do it when she picks up Deimos.

They entered, and the first thing Mika saw was a huge face on the wall, a video call. Through the window behind him, you could see the sun shedding its gray clouds and illuminating a tower whose shape resembled a tooth.

The man grinned as his alert eyes saw the siblings come in and waved at the camera, "GuMo kids." Even though the Atlantic Ocean separated them, Lyra and Ségouin felt like their hair was being tousled by big hands. Esary was on the phone in parallel, she noticed, and said, "Hold on, the kids are here," and put the phone aside. Mika was fascinated, seeing an adult Tarumani up close for the first time, who first hugged the kids and then turned his big eyes to her and gave her the fist bump.

"Esary, this is Mika, she's having dinner with us tonight."

"Yeah, welcome, but we need to discuss a few things here. Food is in the kitchen, please go to the back... Have fun."

The man on the video call moved his camera, "Kids, look, the birthday present from you is now hanging in my office," now you saw him in front of a canvas, showing an expressionist representation of an old lion smoking in the bathroom.

They were both very excited.

"Now hurry up before the food gets cold," he said, waving again.

In the kitchen, Mika asked, "Is that your father?"

Lyra gave everyone, including herself, an answer, "No, but something like an uncle."

She refrained from increasing the fame of the Chief Coordinator of the AWAL Intelligence Agency by another person.

As the three disappeared into the southern part of the apartment with large plates and apple juice, the man asked, "What else do we need to discuss?"

Esary replied, "Nothing, the kids have brought someone for the first time since we've been in New York, and the Big One might have something special in mind for dinner tonight."

The conversation partner grinned, "Keep me posted, I actually also have dinner and a surprise planned for my wife, but don't tell her."

Esary made a zipper gesture, and both bid farewell.

There was a click at the lock, and Harold entered the apartment, soaked.

"GuMo Maus, up for dinner?"