Polar Opposites

Vanessa

Chapter Nine I

"You're quiet, Nessa. Something on your mind?"Mama asks me.

We were in the kitchen, mashing potatoes for tonight's dinner. Sel was seasoning the chicken breasts and Carter was out with the guys putting the corn on the grill.

Daniel asked me out today, which I was super excited for, but there was this huge problem.

The men in my life thought he was engaged.

How the hell was I suppose to tell them I was going out with a guy this upcoming Friday who was married?--Oh wait. He's not married, he just said that to get you off his back.

At least he was coming to Dinner to help me break the news.

I look at Mama and I knew she could see my worry. "What happened?"Mama asks immediately.

So, I spill and tell her everything about Danny, including that I invinted him and his sister over for dinner and that I may have let Daddy and Jon believe a lie. When I'm done, I sigh in relief.

"Better?"Mama asks.

"Absolutely."

"Good. Now, you will be fine. Your brother and Daddy might not be too happy, but they'll get over it. From what I heard, he sounds like a fine guy and I'm sure Daniel can get a blessing even if he did lie. Okay?"

I nod. "Okay. Thanks Mama."

"No problem. Are you done with those Mashed Potatoes?"

I hand her the bowl and grab another bowl to start on the Cake batter. Cherry Cheesecake sounded good for Dessert tonight.

"Sel, what did you have to talk to Rose about?"

"Talk to Rose? About what? Why? What'd she say?"Sel rambles.

I look at her amused. "I don't know. You're the one who said you had to talk to Rose and left me without a ride."I point out.

"Oh! Yeah, Rose had some extra notes I didn't write down in Economics and I just went to ask her to let me copy them."Sel tells me.

"Oh okay."

There was more to that story, I was sure of it. Sel was jittery and judging by the shared look of Mama and I, she saw right through Sel's answer, too. Mentally, I make a note to question Sel later. Now wasn't the time and the dinner was more important than Sel's lie.

"Nessa, do you want Cupcakes or Cake at your Dinner?"Mama asks me.

"Both."I answer.

"Both wasn't a option."

"It is now."

Mama playfully glares at me and I give her a smile. In silence, Sel finishes up and hands over the chicken to Carter for the grill and helps me with the Cheesecake.

"I'm bored, anyone else bored?"I ask.

"Yeah."

"Totally."

Mama and Sel agree with me quickly and we share a laugh together.

"This isn't us at all. Cooking in silence. Cooking, really! Why didn't we just order in again?"Sel questions.

"Because somebody blew up my phone asking for a homemade meal."Mama answers.

They fix me with a pointed look and I give them an innocent smile. Of course I asked for a homecooked meal, Daniel mentioned how much he missed a mother's cooking. Though it was really the Boys doing everything, and we were just helping out here and there.