"Uncle Napoleon, I don't think I like Mr. Kuryakin."
Napoleon's hotdog stopped halfway to his mouth. He and his nephew Tony were sitting on his penthouse's terrace. It was Labor Day late afternoon and Illya, April and Mark had just left fifteen minutes earlier. When Tony had called late morning to say his plans with his friends had fallen through and he was in New York and asked if he could stop by, Napoleon had said yes happily.
He had hung up and first called his brother to say Tony would be at his house. Afterwards, he called his partner and invited him, April and Mark over for an impromptu cookout. Luckily, he had franks and burgers in the freezer he could thaw quickly and all the things he needed to make potato salad, baked beans and deviled eggs. When his fellow agents arrived with wine and beer, they were set.
"Why would you say something like that? He went out of his way to be friendly toward you."
Truth be told, Napoleon had been pleasantly surprised to see his normally shy around strangers partner sit next to twenty year old Tony after Napoleon had mentioned during introductions that Tony was a junior at MIT. They spoke for twenty minutes about chemical engineering and the sciences until Napoleon thought his eyes would cross. He was so happy he was busy over the grill and thrilled when the doorman called to say April and Mark were on their way. When they entered, there were more introductions and she sat next to Illya while Mark assisted Napoleon with the food and the conversation turned to "normal" cookout subjects like sports so that everyone could participate.
"Well, when we were talking about school, he mentioned that he went to Oxford and the Sorbonne. I had wanted to go to Oxford, but didn't make the cut. And then when his girlfriend came in, oh man! That is one good-looking chick!"
The older man started grinning. Oh, so that's what he meant, he thought. "Anything else you don't like about Illya?"
Tony shrugged. "From what my Dad tells me, you two work and travel together a lot. I used to love hanging out with you when I was a kid and now, I'm lucky if I see you twice a year. I took a chance calling you this morning to see if you were around. I'm glad my friends bailed on me."
"I have some vacation time I want to take before year's end. How about I try to get together with you and your parents for Thanksgiving?"
"That would be so cool, Uncle Napoleon! Mom and Dad would like it, too."
"Good. I'll see what I can do."
He rode with Tony in a cab that evening to Grand Central Terminal, saw him onto his train and returned home to clean up his kitchen and terrace. He poured himself three fingers of single malt scotch over ice and settled onto his couch. He took a sip, sighed in appreciation and reached for his phone. He dialed a number and waited. It was answered after seven rings.
"What is it, Napoleon?" growled his surly Russian partner.
"How did you know it was me? I might have been April!"
"I knew you were not April."
A chuckle escaped his lips. "You knew it had to be me because she's there with you!" he crowed delightedly, "That's why my nephew is green with envy!"
"Excuse me?"
"That's why I called you, to tell you that Tony is jealous of you. You went to the school he wanted to go to, you seem to have his type of woman and you get to spend quality time with me. His words, not mine," he added quickly.
"I've never thought of the time I spend with you as enviable, but be that as it may, I suggest you stay in contact with him more often. And, I also suggest that you say goodbye to me now, so I can return to…my company."
"Goodbye, Tovarisch. See you tomorrow."