“She’ll come around,” Sedric said as we got on the elevator and the doors closed.
Looking over to him, I asked him seriously, “If I killed your father, how long would it take you to ‘come around?’”
He looked back at me, his dark eyes just as serious as mine. “As long as it took me to kill you.”
“I thought as much.” I put my arm around his shoulder, frowning as I leaned on him. “What do I do, Sedric? Help me? I don’t want her to kill me.”
He rolled his eyes, trying to shrug me off him. “You and I both know Helen would never kill you. That would be like Dona killing you.”
“But—”
“Uncle Wyatt!” A small high-pitched voiced screamed, and all I saw was a blur of pink as she jumped toward me as we came out of the elevator.
Letting go of Sedric quickly, I grabbed onto her and spun her around my waist, her tutu puffing up.
“Quick, Sedric, call animal control! I’m being attacked by a pink chipmunk!” I yelled out.
“I’m not a chipmunk!” She giggled while trying to escape.
Lifting her upright, I stared into her round eyes closely. She tried to be serious, but it made her white cheeks puff up. I couldn’t help but grin. “Are you sure you aren’t a chipmunk?”
“Uncle Wyatt, it’s me Saura!” she replied, as if I could really forget who she was.
“Oh, Saura?!” I gasped, and she grinned widely, showing her little white teeth. “My favorite niece, Saura?”
“Yep! I missed you, Uncle!” She hugged me tightly, and I hugged her back while I looked over her shoulder to Nari as she handed her and Saura’s coats to the maid.
“I see how it is, Saura,” Sedric said as he walked by us, crossing his arms and frowning at her. “It’s fine. I’ll just find another niece seeing as I’m not important to you.”
“Uncle Sedric, no!”
“Don’t let him trick you, Saura. The only niece is you, and anyone else wouldn’t even be half as special.” I kissed her big cheeks.
“She’ll be more special with the gifts I got her.” Sedric held his head higher, and Saura’s eyes went wide at the words “gifts.”
“You got me something, Uncle?”
“Don’t the best uncles get stuff? What did Uncle Wyatt bring you?”
I shot him a glare before grinning and saying, “You and I can go get anything you want—”
“You all are spoiling her!” Nari snapped at us.
Sedric and I replied in unison. “So?”
“Yeah, Mommy, so?” Saura questioned, and Nari gave her the mother of all looks. It even made me worry. Saura was only five, but she knew what she had to do. Slowly she wiggled until I set her back down on the ground, and quickly, and cutely, she said, “Sorry, Mommy.”
“I thought so,” Nari replied, bending down to fix Saura’s bangs and straightening her dress. “Now let’s go see grandmamma and grandpa.”
“No need, I’m already here!” Uncle Neal hollered, his voice booming as he walked out of the dining room and wrapped his arms around her.
“Grandpa!” She hugged him tightly. “I missed you the most!”
“What about me?” I gasped, my hand over my heart.
“What about you?” Uncle Neal questioned, hugging her, eyebrow raised. “I’m Saura’s favorite, right?”
“Right!” She nodded, kissing his cheek.