”Hi Uncle Henry,” Abby greeted when her uncle picked up the phone. She was happy it was him and not Aunt Teresa. Her aunt hadn't been happy when she had told them she wanted to stay for the summer.

”Abbigail! How are you today? Borrow one of your friend's phones?”

”I'm good. And not quite.” How was she supposed to explain that she was given a cell phone by someone who was almost a complete stranger? Better not to mention that last part probably. ”One of my friends got tired of not being able to get a hold of me, so he got me a phone. He said his dad was happy to so that we could talk.” And it wasn't like Panu was a stranger anymore.

”Well that's nice of them. Excited for school to start back up?”

Her uncle was so much easier to talk to than her aunt. Especially after she had taken Cafas' advice and told her aunt how she really felt. That was probably why Uncle Henry had picked up the phone. ”Yeah! I've been studying what we should be learning so that I know a bit about it all. My teachers have been really nice about helping me find material. I've even started some self-defense classes.” Or rather she had taken lessons from Serena. Still. She'd probably sign up for a class once school got back in session.

”That's good. I can worry a bit less now. Guess you've probably heard about this whole Utopia thing, yeah?”

”Yeah. They had the news on when Ambrose Jaager made the announcement...”

The thirteen year old ended up talking with her uncle for a long time. Mostly about Utopia and the things she looked up about different attempts. Her uncle was a lot easier to talk to than Aunt Teresa. They liked the same things. Uncle Henry even gave her some things to think about (and text Panu about later). They talked about other things too. Uncle Henry's job, Abby's recent growth spurt, some of her friends, and a bit about her experiences in New York with all the tension.

Uncle Henry was easy enough to talk to that she told him about sleeping over at Panu's and meeting Kirsi and Kaz and Hades and all sorts of things she wouldn't have told Aunt Teresa. Aunt Teresa would have panicked and told Abby she was leaving the Mansion. Uncle Henry listened to the whole story before making a decision like that. He also took what Abby herself wanted. She made sure to mention taking a defense class this coming year.

By the end of the conversation she felt better. Uncle Henry would probably only tell Aunt Teresa a third of what they talked about. That was one of the reasons she loved her uncle. He filtered what Abby said in a way that didn't freak her aunt out.

”It's gettin' late, Chickadee. Now that I have your new number we can talk more. Alright?”

”Alright, Uncle Henry. Talk to you soon.”

How's life?

Abby laughed at the text from her uncle. Now that he knew about her phone, he was texting her. It was nice to have immediate access to him.

Good. Planning on going shopping soon. I grew an inch!

Woo! An inch! Tall girl!

Ha ha. Very funny

You get it from your grandma. She short too

That was new. They didn't talk about her grandparents often. From what she understood, neither of them wanted anything to do with their mutant granddaughter. Abby was pretty sure that was why her uncle didn't want to have kids. Science said mutation was passed via the male genome.

Did it skip a gen? Why don't you have to suffer with me?

It's only you women folk

I'm going to chop off your legs off at the knees

Good thing you're so far away then

Not even a state away. I can get a taxi

You don't have the money for a taxi

Guess I'm not coming there for Christmas

Guess I'll have to break the news to Teresa. Wish me luck.

All the luck sent your way!