Once Alonso parked near her apartment building, Natalie felt the need to prepare him for a potential encounter with a possibly intoxicated uncle rather than the version he had in mind. While he sounded okay on the phone, Jack might have started drinking before or after their conversation; it was impossible to tell.
Alonso looked at her with his trademark smile as if he was waiting for her to explain the prolonged silence between them.
"...I just need to give you a heads up about something, and I won't go around in circles about it because it's pointless."
His smile held steady, but his eyebrows furrowed. "I'm listening."
Here we go. "…My uncle might not be sober," she said in a small voice.
"Does he have a drinking problem?"
"Yes, he does."
"I'm sorry to hear that."
