was seated at the head of the table Dela sat his platter in front of him.
Silence filled the air as everyone went back to eating and after only a few minutes Destiny decided it was too quiet for her.
“Anna.” She glanced at her. “Why don’t you tell your dad about your day?”
Again Destiny’s heart warmed as her boss gave his daughter his full attention as she cheerfully chatted about how awesome it was that she got to lead the line and the book she’d read without any help from her teacher and swung really high on the swings at recess. Destiny and Mr. Fates both laughed as her nose scrunched in disgust as she talked about what was served for lunch.
“Oh. And I drew a picture of my family.” Her cheerfulness dimmed a bit when she said, “But I left it in my room.” But perked back up when she continued with, “I’ll show you later.”
“Sounds good Sweetheart.” He smiled at her and then turned his attention to his son.
“So Jason. How was your cake?”
A spark of laughter escaped Destiny when she heard his question. Same with Dela. Destiny glanced over Jason’s head to see the woman laughing silently behind hand.
“It was good Dad.” Jason replied without a hint of anger. “Destiny is a worthy adversary.”
“Why thank you Jason.” She said proudly as she gave him a respectful nod.
Mr. Fates laughed as Jason returned her nod. Then his eyes veered to Ali and his brow furrowed.
“Ali, are you ok? Where’s your phone?”
Ali lifted her eyes from her food, the fork twitching her hand.
“Ask Ms. Reece.” She retorted.
“I told her I would throw it in the toilet if I saw it at the table.” Destiny explained when his attention fell on her.
“You did?” He asked in surprise and she nodded.
“Do you have any idea what my mother would do if I brought my phone to the table? She’d batter it and toss it into the deep fryer. Dinner time is family time.” She repeated the words she’d heard her mother say time and time again.
“Yes Ms. Reece.” He agreed. “That’s how I was raised too.”
That got her wondering about his parents. What were they like? Was his father as ridged as him? What about his mother? Was she ster n and demanding? Did they demand the best of him and push him to be successful?
So many questions flooded her mind and she was thinking seriously about asking a few of them but the sound of the doorbell stopped her.
“Who could that be?” Mr. Fates asked as all eyes turned to the archway.
His question was answered when Richard reappeared in the kitchen followed by Luke.
“Uncle Luke!” Anna leapt out of her chair and darted for her uncle.
“Hey midget.” He scooped her up and hugged her. “How are you tonight?”
“ Good. Daddy’s having dinner with us.” She chirped as she looked into his handsome face.
“I see that. ”
“Luke?” Dela asked. “Would you like me to prepare you a plate?”
“Thank you Dela but I’m not hungry.” He replied politely and then his eyes went to his brother. “I need to speak to you privately.”
The abrupt change in his tone from polite to serious was slightly alarming to Destiny. She watched curiously as he lowered Anna to the ground and walked out of the kitchen.
“Excuse me guys.” Mr. Fates rose from his chair and followed.
All was quiet for a few seconds and then…
“What ?!”
The bass in his voice made everyone in the kitchen jump. Suddenly he darted back into the room.
“Ms . Reece,” His voice hard. “I need to speak with you.”
Instantly her mind went to ‘What did I do? ’. As she rose out of her chair and followed him to the living room her mind played back the past day and a half. She didn’t remember doing anything that would cause him to be angry with her. Ok, so she may have made a cake that blew up in his son’s face but it didn’t harm him. If anything the little prank earned her some respect from him.
“Sir?” She asked once she was clear of the kitchen, hoping like hell
Silence filled the air as everyone went back to eating and after only a few minutes Destiny decided it was too quiet for her.
“Anna.” She glanced at her. “Why don’t you tell your dad about your day?”
Again Destiny’s heart warmed as her boss gave his daughter his full attention as she cheerfully chatted about how awesome it was that she got to lead the line and the book she’d read without any help from her teacher and swung really high on the swings at recess. Destiny and Mr. Fates both laughed as her nose scrunched in disgust as she talked about what was served for lunch.
“Oh. And I drew a picture of my family.” Her cheerfulness dimmed a bit when she said, “But I left it in my room.” But perked back up when she continued with, “I’ll show you later.”
“Sounds good Sweetheart.” He smiled at her and then turned his attention to his son.
“So Jason. How was your cake?”
A spark of laughter escaped Destiny when she heard his question. Same with Dela. Destiny glanced over Jason’s head to see the woman laughing silently behind hand.
“It was good Dad.” Jason replied without a hint of anger. “Destiny is a worthy adversary.”
“Why thank you Jason.” She said proudly as she gave him a respectful nod.
Mr. Fates laughed as Jason returned her nod. Then his eyes veered to Ali and his brow furrowed.
“Ali, are you ok? Where’s your phone?”
Ali lifted her eyes from her food, the fork twitching her hand.
“Ask Ms. Reece.” She retorted.
“I told her I would throw it in the toilet if I saw it at the table.” Destiny explained when his attention fell on her.
“You did?” He asked in surprise and she nodded.
“Do you have any idea what my mother would do if I brought my phone to the table? She’d batter it and toss it into the deep fryer. Dinner time is family time.” She repeated the words she’d heard her mother say time and time again.
“Yes Ms. Reece.” He agreed. “That’s how I was raised too.”
That got her wondering about his parents. What were they like? Was his father as ridged as him? What about his mother? Was she ster n and demanding? Did they demand the best of him and push him to be successful?
So many questions flooded her mind and she was thinking seriously about asking a few of them but the sound of the doorbell stopped her.
“Who could that be?” Mr. Fates asked as all eyes turned to the archway.
His question was answered when Richard reappeared in the kitchen followed by Luke.
“Uncle Luke!” Anna leapt out of her chair and darted for her uncle.
“Hey midget.” He scooped her up and hugged her. “How are you tonight?”
“ Good. Daddy’s having dinner with us.” She chirped as she looked into his handsome face.
“I see that. ”
“Luke?” Dela asked. “Would you like me to prepare you a plate?”
“Thank you Dela but I’m not hungry.” He replied politely and then his eyes went to his brother. “I need to speak to you privately.”
The abrupt change in his tone from polite to serious was slightly alarming to Destiny. She watched curiously as he lowered Anna to the ground and walked out of the kitchen.
“Excuse me guys.” Mr. Fates rose from his chair and followed.
All was quiet for a few seconds and then…
“What ?!”
The bass in his voice made everyone in the kitchen jump. Suddenly he darted back into the room.
“Ms . Reece,” His voice hard. “I need to speak with you.”
Instantly her mind went to ‘What did I do? ’. As she rose out of her chair and followed him to the living room her mind played back the past day and a half. She didn’t remember doing anything that would cause him to be angry with her. Ok, so she may have made a cake that blew up in his son’s face but it didn’t harm him. If anything the little prank earned her some respect from him.
“Sir?” She asked once she was clear of the kitchen, hoping like hell
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