There wasn't much else for him to do at the moment, until the kettle was ready and he'd been sitting for long enough already, so Alvin settled a hip against the counter near the stove and crossed his arms over his chest comfortably. He could wait a minute to indulge in the plate of snacks she was currently arranging. Alvin still hadn't managed to outgrow his eating habits of his teenage years, at least according to his mother.

"Please," sugar or honey were fine as long as he could sweeten it up somehow. "Let's reason it out, what's the main problem and what are some solutions we haven't tried?" Problem-solving wasn't one of Alvin's strengths, but he could do it when pressured; and with help. Penny was far cleverer than he was, so he assumed she would figure out eventually. Hopefully she didn't drive herself to drink in the process. He didn't want or need her to get burned out on this. Burnout led to bad decisions and bad decisions could lead to lifelong changes. Subconsciously he flexed his fingers again, attempting to crack his knuckles without showing just how much it hurt.