The dishes were ready and brought to the table. Mindy uncorked the red wine, and Miranda was allowed to have a little. However, she ended up drinking two whole glasses! Lionel was too busy talking, and Mindy was focused on the food, so neither of them noticed – except for Paul.
“Miranda, that’s your third glass.”
Miranda froze mid-action as she was reaching for the bottle. Only then did Lionel and Mindy realize how much she had been drinking.
“You little rascal! I said you could have a little, not one glass after another!” Mindy was half-amused, half-annoyed. She enjoyed wine herself but always knew when to stop, not like this silly daughter of hers. Lionel didn’t approve either, but his focus was elsewhere.
“Paul, you really are the embodiment of a researcher – so meticulous! Such a keen observation! No wonder you’ve achieved such remarkable academic success at such a young age.” Indeed, Lionel had done his homework in researching Paul’s accomplishments in the field of physics. He had been marveling about it ever since, without a pause.
Mindy had even commented, “Your dad’s obsessed.”
Miranda hadn’t thought much of it before. After all, Paul’s academic achievements were the kind that only those in the academic world truly understood. They were truly impressive, groundbreaking, and extraordinary. But at this moment, she completely agreed with the “obsessed” statement because her dad could praise him for anything!
Miranda seriously believed her dad saw Paul through rose-colored glasses, and not just any glasses – thick ones.
“Paul, you’ve been so attentive to Mimi, noticing even the smallest details. As her father, I’m truly ashamed,” Lionel said, taking a sip of his wine. Suddenly, he put down his glass, looking serious as he said, “How about we become sworn brothers, and Mimi can start calling you ‘Uncle Paul’?”
Mindy almost spit out the wine she had just sipped. Miranda was baffled. Meanwhile, Paul was flabbergasted.
Seeing that no one responded, Lionel nodded to himself, “This is a good idea. The more I think about it, the better it sounds! Look, Mimi is all alone in Elgerson while Mindy and I are back in Lumberville. She has... You’re responsible, attentive, and capable. Whether in life or in her studies, you can look out for her here and there as her uncle."
“Of course, don’t worry, I’m not trying to pull strings for her. I just... hic... I just think it would be nice to have an elder in an unfamiliar place who can offer her some guidance from time to time.”
Every time Lionel said “uncle” or “elder,” Paul’s eyes twitched involuntarily. Seeing that Lionel was getting more enthusiastic and seemed ready to initiate a sworn brotherhood with Paul on the spot, Mindy finally stepped in.
She swiftly grabbed the wine glass from his hand, “What nonsense are you talking about? You drink a little, and suddenly you lose all your senses, spewing out anything that comes to mind!"
“Paul is much too young to be Mimi’s uncle! How could you even think that?”
Paul sat stiffly in his chair, not daring to move, let alone speak. In his mind, though, he silently gave Mindy a big thumbs up.
Miranda finally realized what was happening and quickly apologized, “I’m so sorry, Dr. Jefferson. My dad gets like this when he drinks too much. He just goes off on a tangent, and his words don’t always make sense. Please don’t take it to heart…”
Paul cleared his throat. What could he even say? What was he supposed to say to that?
“No worries. Mr. Sutton is just drunk. I won’t take it personally.”
“Who’s drunk? I’m not drunk!” Lionel glanced at his wife, then at his daughter. Finally, his eyes settled on Paul with a clarity that seemed suspiciously sober. “Paul, I genuinely see you as a brother…”
Paul was at a loss for words. “Please, no! Please don’t!” he thought.
“Enough!” Mindy’s firm voice put an end to Lionel’s ramblings, but his fondness for Paul was still apparent.
Lionel’s tone softened as he continued, “Paul, don’t be shy, eat up! Try this pan-roasted fish filet with herb butter, it’s one of my specialties.” He smiled warmly, clearly proud of his cooking.