I turned to Dorothea and finished with, “What’s for dinner?”
“Chicken and dressing, pureed carrots and turnips, sauteedgreen beans, mashed potatoes and rolls.Carrot cake for dessert.”
Damn.
I shouldn’t have eaten lunch.
“That sounds great,” I replied.
She stood.“I think it’s time to sauté the beans and finishsorting the table.I was going to ask my girls to help me, but would you do it,Malia?”
I stood too.“My pleasure.”
She started to the kitchen with me following, and she didn’tlook at anybody when she ordered, “Sort it out before your behinds sit at mytable.”
I turned and gave Darius awork it out!look thentransferred it to my son before I lost sight of them when I turned the cornerinto the kitchen.
That said, before I lost sight, I didn’t miss theiridentical stances (feet planted, arms crossed on chests) nor their identicalscowls.
Both of them aimed at me.
Eek!
My family and I trooped through the back door andlaundry room into the kitchen.
The ride home had been silent.
The night had been great…for Dorothea and me.
We caught up and her food was just as I remembered it, stickto your ribs, soul food delicious.
Danni and Gabby tried to make up for blowing it, but Dariusand Liam were having none of it.They were warm and respectful to Miss Dorotheaand me, but it was like their sisters/aunts weren’t in the room.
And I knew I was in trouble for defying the men in my lifeon the ride home.They made that perfectly clear the entire silent ride in theheavy atmosphere of the cab of Darius’s truck.
The instant Darius switched on the light, he turned to Liam.
“Downstairs, son,” he ordered.
“With respect, Dad, I got things to say too.”
A muscle in Darius’s jaw jumped.
Then he jerked up his chin.
I put my purse and the tin of cookies Dorothea sent homewith us on the island and rounded on them.
“You two can’t be mad at me,” I stated.
Two sets of beautiful brown eyes turned to me.
Beautifulangrybrown eyes.
Yes.
They were mad at me.
“Before we got there, we were talking about respect.Thatwas not respect.And you took it then ate dinner with it,” Darius bit off.
