Page 146 of Every Almost

"Yeah, that."

Reyna continued laughing. "Duly noted, Earthling."

"You're not making me feel very apologetic for calling you a 'caravan,'" Charlie chided, but her smile grew watching Reyna laugh, easy and light. "Hey, can I ask you something? Maybe you can shed some light on something for me."

Reyna's smile disappeared and her eyebrows pinched together. "Do you need to borrow my flashlight?" She asked with confusion.

"What? I... no!" Charlie blew out a breath that ruffled her bangs. "Sorry, that one's on me. I'm saying, do you mind if I ask you a question to help me clarify something I don't understand."

"Oh.Oh. I get it, now," Reyna said with a smirk. "'Shed a light on it' so that it becomes clear. Wow, humans aresoclever," she remarked, the note of sarcasm no more evident to Charlie if it had bitten her.

"Ha ha ha, very funny, 'Caravan?—'"

"Kaelari."

"Right," Charlie said flatly. "I reallydohave a question."

Reyna laughed softly as she nodded for Charlie to continue.

"Borran pointed at me earlier and said some words directly at me? But the words didn't make sense. I mean, I know the words, the translator worked fine. But they were just... random?"

Reyna's eyebrows rose. She looked at Borran, then back at Charlie. "Did he now?"

"Is that surprising?"

"To be honest, a little. Usually, people have to be around quite a while before you get given a nickname by our resident nomenclator here."

Charlie looked over at Borran.A nickname.A grin spread across her face, slow and wide and completely involuntary. She'd been given a lot of names in her life. Charlotte, by parents who wanted a daughter she wasn't. Charlie, by everyone who knew her. Wickett, by colleagues. ButSpark Plug,given by a seven-foot alien who communicated primarily through baked goods and monosyllables, might have been her favorite one yet.

"I love it," she said.

Another grunt from Borran. This one meantgood, because it wasn't a request.

"So...?" Reyna asked slowly, looking at Charlie expectantly.

"So..." Charlie mimicked, slightly confused.

"What's the name?" Reyna taunted.

"Oh," Charlie said with a small laugh. "Spark Plug," Charlie said, unable to keep the pride out of her voice. "He named me 'Spark Plug.'"

Something softened in Reyna's expression. "That suits you."

"Thank you," Charlie said, sitting up a little straighter and sending a genuine smile to Reyna. She tore off another piece of flatbread before leaning back on her stool. "So, does the Captain have a Borran nickname too?"

The reaction was immediate and absolutely magnificent. Reyna's eyes widened, and then she turned sharply toward Borran, who had gone suspiciously still at the counter.

"Don't," Reyna said, raising a finger at Borran as if to prematurely scold him.

Borran didn't turn around. But Charlie could see his shoulders shift.Barely.

"Don't youdare, Borran."

Charlie looked between them, delighted. "So youdohave one. Youabsolutelyhave one!" She leaned forward on the counter, the stool falling back into place with a thunk. She directed her full attention at Borran's back. "Borran... buddy... chef of mydreams," Charlie coaxed, sugar-coating every single syllable that escaped her lips. "Come on. Please? Tell me what the Captain's nickname is?"

Borran turned around slowly and Charlie batted her eyelashes at him, going for "cute puppy you just can't say no to." She suddenly wondered if an expression like that works on an alien? An alien bear for that matter?

Charlie watched as Borran looked at Reyna, whose expression had arranged itself into something that was attempting authority but was losing badly to the flush creeping up her neck.Pink goes good with green.Then he looked at Charlie, and Charlie, again, gave him the puppy dog look.