"Ha! Louie, a F.O.W.L. agent? That's preposterous!" Huey snapped his mouth shut as soon as his affinity for long vocabulary showed. His mouth went dry as he realized just how comfortable he was becoming around her.Great. Not only is my vocabulary back to full-on formal English, but I've officially crossed into Huey-theorist territory, with zero social filter.He watched as Gosalyn pulled a notepad out of her backpack and started jotting things down.There's no way she's into it. She's way too cool — and beautiful — to be attracted to a guy nerding out about quantum mechanics.
But then she adjusted her glasses, turning to him with an excited yet speculative look. "Think about it. How many other things has Louie kept from you?"
Maybe he was wrong; here she was, geeking out right along with him about both the solego circuit and F.O.W.L. Time and time again, she was shattering every assumption he'd ever had about girls, or at least everything highschool had taught him about girls.
He leaned his elbow on the counter. "A lot of things," he grunted, turning his mind back to the matter at hand… his compulsive liar of a little brother. "But there's no way he's with F.O.W.L. He may be a con artist but he does have somewhat of a moral compass when it comes to our family."
"Yeah, that was a crazy idea anyway. Besides, he was just as shocked aboutyour dadbeing a part ofF.O.W.L.as you and Dewey were." She leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table and propping her chin in her hands, her big, curious green eyes fixed on him.
"Very subtle." He rolled his eyes with a smirk.Ugh, how can I be annoyed when she's so adorable?
She grinned. "I was wondering when you'd finally catch on. Can you really blame me? I mean, come on! We're talking about F.O.W.L., and you haven't spilled a single word about theobviousmystery surrounding your dad—the ex-F.O.W.L. agent himself. What's he like? Did you find out how he was connected to the evil organization?"
"You've apparently been texting with Webby. You seriously expect me to believe that she hasn't spilled the beans?" Huey reached for his water, gripping the straw between his lips to buy himself some time.Please tell me she has.
Gosalyn shook her head. "Not a word. She seemed to think that was your story to tell."
How thoughtful.Huey gulped at his water until he was sucking air through the straw.
She took his cup from his hand and set it aside. "I know you've been through a lot lately… but I'm on your team. You don't have to be invincible, you know."
Her words sliced through him like a knife and sat on his heart.You don't have to be invincible.He took a steadying breath.Why are you holding back, Hue? You finally have someone who will listen and she likes you, even the nerdy you. Stop bouncing back and forth between the real you and the act.
"I don't think you realize how nice it is to hear that." He turned to face the counter, fiddling with the now-empty styrofoam cup. "His name is Cosmo and he was an astronaut when he met mom." He painstakingly explained how his mom got lost in space, how Cosmo left, what little he knew about his involvement with F.O.W.L., and Philbert the clone. His hands formed fists against the cold Hamburger Hippo countertop. "I'm angry. Angry that he left, angry that he tried to justify the fact that he's a coward… angry that he replaced us with a clone just to make himself feel better."
Gosalyn stayed silent, watching him with a gentle expression. She didn't interrupt, didn't try to rationalize his feelings—she just let him say what he needed to say.
He shrugged, resting his chin on his arm. "Dewey and Webby keep telling me to give him a chance, but I don't think I'll ever trust him." For once in 24 hours, he felt all the built up tension in his body release.
After a pause of silence that felt almost restful, Gosalyn's softened voice spoke up. "Keen gear, Hue. When I said you'd been through a lot… I had no idea justhow muchyou'd been through lately."
He closed his eyes, a familiar pang of self-consciousness creeping in.I overshared again, didn't I? Why do I always-Flinching, he felt her soft, warm hand rest on his shoulder.
"It's not fair for them to ask you to trust him," she said gently, "when you and your uncle have been taking on his responsibilities since you were old enough to see the gap he left behind."
He looked up at her, his eyes widening.
As if reading his thoughts, she smiled. "It doesn't take a detective to see how much your brothers look up to you or how you go out of your way to protect them. I'm sure a lot of your anger toward Cosmo comes from that protective instinct for them. That's totally natural."
Huey leaned into her touch, letting out a shaky breath. "Thank you," he whispered, his voice catching. He quickly cleared his throat, sitting up straighter. "It's just… it feels so good to actually talk about it—and have someone agree with me for once. Someone who actually sees how messed up this whole situation really is."
Gosylan elbowed him and laughed a little, lightening the mood with her playful smile. "No doubt about it. Your family is completely screwed up. But there's one thing I've always admired about you guys."
Huey's lips curved into a smirk. "Me, right? I knew you always had a thing for me."
"What? No. Honestly, I used to think you were full of yourself." She paused, a spark of amusement in her eyes. "Ironic… but that's besides the point." Then she continued, her tone more sincere. "No, what I've always admired is how, no matter your differences, no matter what you're up against, you all come back together… stronger. I don't have a big family, but if I did, I always imagined it'd be like yours."
He gazed into her eyes, his heart beat evening out and all the anxiety in his body dissipating. Cosmo could have walked in right then and there and he wouldn't have cared. He brushed one of her red curls out of her face. "You're practically part of our family, you know that right? You're one of us—especially now that you've told my mom we're talking." He raised an eyebrow, a roguish grin spreading across his face. "You sure you don't want to run?"
She rolled her eyes and winked at him. "And miss out on your family circus? Not a chance. It's got a little bit of everything—family drama, evil twins, clones, a world-dominating secret organization, and, of course, you."
His stomach fluttered. "I'm not sure whether that's a compliment or something to be concerned about, considering I'm your new headcase."
"You're not my headcase, okay? And I'm not your shrink, agreed?"
Huey chuckled, shaking his head in disbelief. "I don't know, Gos; you really have a gift for psychology, and you definitely enjoy making me talk about my issues." He raised an eyebrow at her. "Honestly, half the time, I can't tell if you want me to be your experiment or your boyfriend."
Gosalyn smirked, crossing her arms. "Just because I encourage people to express their feelings doesn't mean I'm a psychologist. I do it because I care, okay, brainiac?" She poked him in the side until he squirmed. "Grandpa Waddlemeyer always urged me to talk about my emotions and stand up against injustice. We never let a problem simmer. He taught me that facing things head-on is the best way to handle them." Her face grew sullen as she talked about him. She pulled her arms back around herself.
"He sounds like a brilliant guy." The gears in his brain began to turn.Her grandpa who was lost because of the solego circuit… the very thing we're investigating now. This has to be hard for her too… to have that hope that he might still be alive.
She smiled a little. "He was… is… I don't know."
"Tell me about him."
She shot him a slight glare. "I know what you're doing."
With a playful wink, he shrugged. "Hey, I'm doing it because I care."
"You're insufferable."
She struggled to find the right words to describe her grandpa.That's a psychology lesson in itself.After all, she couldn't exactly tell her potential boyfriend, "My grandpa? Oh, he was just like you."Nope, that would be weird. Can't say that.
"He was the smartest, kindest, most wonderful grandpa anyone could ask for," she finally said, a smile spreading across her face.There, that's safe.
Gosalyn swallowed, noticing his eyes watching her more intently.Is that I like how similar he is to my grandpa? It's not like he's actually my grandpa; they just happen to share some of my favorite qualities.Without realizing it, she found herself listing a few more. "He always knows just what to say. He has a way of making people feel safe no matter how crazy the circumstance. He's incredibly intelligent and isn't afraid to stand up for what he believes in. He always paid attention to how others felt and made sure they knew they were valued."
She paused, a shy smile forming.Give and take, girl. He poured out his heart about his dad; now it's your turn.She rolled her eyes and muttered her next sentence. "And he was the kind of man who wouldn't let me be self conscious about wearing a stupid pair of glasses."
Huey's face lit up, and his eyebrows bounced in amusement. "Wait… are you saying…?"
"YES! You're a lot like my grandpa, or my grandpa was a lot like you, okay? There, I said it!" She crossed her arms over her chest and huffed, feeling a mix of embarrassment and determination. Saying it out loud only made it sound weirder, but she couldn't take it back now.
Huey raised an eyebrow, a playful smirk on his face. "Let me get this straight. You like me because I'm like your grandpa? And we're talking? Dating? I'm confused."
"Ugh, don't make this weirder than it already is, Hue," she replied, rolling her eyes. "I just… I think it's nice that you share similar qualities. I miss those things about him, and… being around you feels familiar and safe." She lowered her voice, trying her hardest to be honest without sounding too vulnerable. "It's just comforting, okay? Let's just forget the whole thing. It's awkward to talk about."
He chuckled, gently tipping her chin up to meet his gaze. "It's called teasing, Waddlemeyer. I'm actually honored that you think I'm like him. He's special to you, and if I can be even a semblance of the kind of man he was, I'll take pride in that."
She smirked, rolling her eyes again as she looked away, trying to quell the rising heat in her stomach before it reached her chest and inevitably her cheeks. "You're still your own brand of insufferable."
"I'll take pride in that too. Word has it you have to be at least a little insufferable to keep up with Gosalyn Waddlemeyer Mallard."