that I am grown up and thirty plans', I didn't now. Just meeting his family made me want to be a better, stronger person who gives back and works hard. Ok. Some. Having fun with Mason was top on my list, but I now knew that I could easily squeeze in a bit of college courses and volunteer community time, hopefully with Mason at my side when he had time.
By the time we made it back into the kitchen, the girls were buzzing and Mason was nowhere to be found. Maria spoke up quickly. "My dad stole Mason to discuss work things. Mind helping me frost the cake for dessert?"
Did I mind frosting a cake? Heck no. Before I could think, I reacted with a bubbly remark. "Only if I can lick the knife when I am done." I chuckled. The room was quiet for a second then Sofia spoke up.
"Oh dear, you will fit in perfect with us." She said it with a true note of happiness in her voice, and I was starting to feel it. Except for the fact that the two older sisters had whispered something back and forth to each other, and I worried it was about me, my fair wage job, lack of college and compared to their high-end labeled clothes; I was wearing a discount rack dress. However, my shoes were four hundred bought used for fifty off eBay, so I guess I was a little in their league.
By the time we were taking food out in a uniformed line to the outdoor patio table, which was nicer than any dining room table I had ever seen, well except Marion and Carl's, Mason was finally out of his dad's office and walking with the cake I just frosted with a cover on top, out to the patio. The look on his face was one of a beaten man. His happy go lucky in love look was gone. Something had to of been said between the two men and for Mason's sake, I worried. I instantly felt his sadness and wanted to take him in my arms and kiss him. Instead, I grabbed the cake out of his hands and gave him a quick peck on the cheek, which seemed to cheer him up.
"Hey. I frosted that cake." I practically bubbled out.
"You did?" He let a smile grow back on his face, and his eyes lit up as I turned and looked back over my shoulder at him with a wink.
Once we all sat down, we held hands and said grace. Ok. Not strange to me. My mother still insists on it, but it made me think about how uncatholic I have been lately. Rarely saying prayers or grace. Sleeping with a man before marriage, yet alone commitment. Although, Mason and I had verbally agreed, we were committed. So that's something? Right? However, I sensed it wasn't in his father's eyes, and perhaps I was the start of the angst between them. Perhaps, Mark Anthony found out what kind of crazy, free and easy, gal I was. I gulped hard as the last few words of grace were spoken by Mason's father.
We all took turns passing food around and putting it on our plates. Sitting at the table now was the two older sister's husbands. Joseph and Mark. They did not say much but they sure looked like they were ready to eat. Adoncia was holding a two-year-old boy in her lap trying to get him to eat, while a small playpen off to the side of the table held a sleeping baby girl not much more than a few months old. It was a picture of a growing happy family, and I really wanted a part of it, so perhaps that was why I was trying so hard to be perfect.
I jumped in on a conversation the two sisters were having about baby rearing as I mentioned my best friend Marion was pregnant with twins. It got a few comments, but then they seem to go back to their own conversation. Therefore, I turned to Sophia and commented on how wonderful her roast was. She thanked me and winked but did not say much more because she had this worried look of concern glaring at the other end of the table at Mark Anthony. I turned to Maria and told her how much I appreciated her help with my birthday gift from Mason. Before Maria could comment, Mark Anthony spoke up.
"You have got