Sunday dinner at Sally and Joe Lassiter’s house was always an entire family affair. Everyone who was in the area usually showed up to spend a few hours. Today was no different, especially since all the newly engaged couples were in town for dinner to discuss wedding plans. Joining Luke and Sasha were his sister Jade Lassiter and her fiancé Hollywood heart-throb, Blake Thornton, the mayor of Richmond, LT Palmer and his fiancée, Sapphire, and his brother Matthew with his fiancée Leah Saxton. They all had an appointment with Cynthia Thornton-Lassiter, owner of TNT Event planning, sister to Blake, and sister-in-law to Luke, Jade, Matthew and Sapphire. They all were anxious to get on her calendar for their upcoming weddings.
“The next extension to the house will have to be the kitchen,” Ruby Lassiter-Upton, the oldest daughter declared as she maneuvered around the room.
“We already extended it into the dining room with this opening over here and the family room with the opening over there,” Sally Lassiter, the mother to the clan pointed out.
“True, but that made more space for people.” Diamond Lassiter-Davenport, daughter number three, added as she put the macaroni and cheese in the oven. “Another oven and a larger refrigerator wouldn’t hurt.”
“Grandma,” Samantha Lassiter, the oldest child to Samuel and Cynthia, walked in from the dining room, “How many place settings do we need today?”
Sally glanced at the child. “Well, we are going to need the regular twenty-six at the long table and ten at the children’s table.”
“I’m a preteen, Grandma, I should be at the grownup table now,” Samantha sighed. “Besides, I need to be close to my daddy after being kidnapped,” she pouted.
“Oh, use that crap on somebody who don’t know better.” The youngest of the Lassiter children, Phire walked by Samantha into the kitchen to get more silverware. “She was just bragging to the kids on how she got away.”
“Samantha,” Sally put her hands on her hips. “You know the rules in this house. You get to sit at the grownup table at sixteen and not a day before.”
Samantha huffed. “I’m going to tell my daddy.”
“You can tell your daddy anything you want. I tapped his behind and will have no problem tapping yours,” Sally replied. “Go tell him that.”
Sally watched as Samantha hissed then walked out of the kitchen.
“We have a little diva on our hands,” Sasha whispered to Opal Lassiter-Hutchinson, daughter number four in the family, and Denise Lassiter, wife to their brother Timothy. They laughed while sitting at the table, watching the other women working in the kitchen.
“Cynthia wants to know what you said to Samantha,” Jade asked as she walked in to fill a vase of flowers with water.
“I put her in a child’s place, where she needs to be,” Sally huffed as Matthew and Leah walked in the back door, both with trays of food in their hands.
“The ribs are here,” Leah announced.
“Perfect timing,” Ruby reached out to take the tray from Leah. “I just took the corn pudding from the oven. They can warm up in there.”
“No need,” Matthew set the other pan of ribs on the top of the stove. “Leah just pulled them from the oven. They are still hot.”
Sally pulled the top off. “Hmm, they smell like heaven.”
“I made a special sauce for them,” Leah said as Matt took her coat. “I hope it’s enough. If not, I have another pan at the house.”
“Oh, this is plenty,” Jade stated as she looked over Sally’s shoulder.
“I think so, too,” Sally nodded. “It’s good to have another cook in the family.”
“I agree,” pregnant, Dr. Amber Nicolas-Lassiter, wife of the baby-boy, Adam, nodded then asked, “Are the greens and potato salad ready yet?”
Ruby laughed. “Yep, she is in that craving phase.”
“Ugh, it was peanut butter and pickles for me,” Diamond laughed.
“Everything for me,” Rochelle Delany-Lassiter who they all called Roc, and the wife to Joshua, added. “If it was edible, it went in my mouth.”
“Potato salad and rolls,” Cynthia called out from the dining room. “I could not get enough.”
“I know,” Ruby laughed. “You were calling me day and night to cook both.”
Denise exhaled. “One day I’m going to be able to contribute to this conversation.”
“Don’t rush it,” Phire said. “With the cravings comes the extra weight, crying babies, and the loss of your sexual appeal.”
All the women in the kitchen stopped to glare at her.
“Excuse you?” Ruby raised an eyebrow.
Phire glanced around the room at everyone, then shrugged. “I’m just saying.”
“You keep that saying to yourself.” Sally huffed. “Twelve babies and my Joe still wants me every chance he gets.” She gave a bowl to Phire. “Start putting the food on the table and stop talking things you know nothing of. I’m just saying.” She mocked Phire and the women in the room fell out laughing.
“Thank you, Sally,” Sasha laughed. “I was a little worried there for a minute.”
“Me too,” Denise laughed. “I enjoy my sexcapades with Timothy.”
“And I love my Luke-A-Thons,” Sasha laughed.
“No worries, ladies. I’m here to tell you the sexual urges do not change,” Amber stated. “If anything it increases. Adam is enjoying his life right now.”
“Listen,” Sally added. “Some of the best sex I’ve ever had was during my pregnancies.”
“I cannot imagine it getting any better,” Denise laughed. “If I could spend my days loving on my husband, I would.”
“Denise, you are a wealthy woman,” Opal stated. “You can spend your days loving on him.”
“But he likes to work,” she replied. “And I like writing.”
“You’re a writer?” Sasha asked.
“Yes, so is my stepmother.”
“What do you write?” Sasha asked.
“I haven’t been published yet, but I write romance. Now, my stepmother is a well-known author with about a hundred or more books published.” Denise replied.
“Is it that many?” Ruby asked. “I’m still on her third series.”
“What’s her name?”
“Isadore Simmons,” Denise answered.
“Oh,” Sasha gasped. “I have some of her books. When I’m not working, I read for relaxation, and I love her work.”
“Me, too,” Jade smiled. “I find it hard to look at Ms. Izzy and know she wrote some of those scenes I be trying with Blake.”
“I don’t have any problems,” Ruby laughed. “I just straight up ask her for some of her techniques she be putting in those books.”
“Same here,” Phire added. “And I put every one she shares to good use with LT.”
Sally stopped her progress to the table with the ribs to stare at her baby girl. “All these women up in this kitchen can tell you all you need to know. You don’t need to be reading no books about sex-a-thons or anything else. All this wisdom up in here can carry you for years to come.”
“And if that’s not enough, ask Cynthia,” Opal laughed. “She can really teach you a few things.”
“I heard that,” Cynthia called out from the dining room.
“Alright, food is on the table,” Sally called out. “Wash your hands and let’s gather for grace.”
The men started filing into the dining room one by one, joining their wives. The children filled the smaller table, while the adults sat at the long one.
They all joined hands and bowed their heads as the feeling of togetherness filled the room.