The Importance of Being Kept

Chapter 11. Guess Who's Coming To Dinner

"Stop laughing, Kia. I'm serious," Kaylee told her closest friend in the world. She was at home Sunday making plans for her magazine company. Kia was stuck between the twins in their limo as they traveled to their parents' home.

"I'm sorry, girl, but it's just too funny. You made Brandon, my brother, take a test for STD? Girl, he must really love you cause Brandon would never do anything like that for anyone! Hell, not even himself! That's got to be hella embarrassing for him!"

"Do you think I went too far?" Kaylee asked.

"Nope, you're giving him what he deserves if you ask me. Make him work for it girl, you're doing the right thing."

"Kia, can you please continue this humiliating conversation about your brother another time? We're pulling into the driveway," Darren told her.

"Talk to you later girl," Kia told her.

"Okay, good luck," Kaylee told her knowing Kia was nervous about having dinner with the twins' family.

"Thanks I'm going to need it," Kia told her.

The twins helped her out of the limousine. She nervously patted the wrinkles out of her dress. They'd made her dress up for dinner. Apparently, it was important for them to act like they were going to church instead of a Sunday dinner. She didn't understand why they were so formal with their own parents, but she played along. Besides, seeing them in their suits even on a Sunday was pure eye candy for her.

"Stop fidgeting, baby," Bryan told her with a teasing grin. "Why are you so nervous?"

"Because you two are making a big deal out of it," Kia told him. "Besides, I haven't been to your home in ages...and your dad...scares the crap out of me...I never know what mood he's going to be in and let's not forget that your mother is my mother best friend and now I'm dating her two sons! Does she think I'm good enough to be dating you two?"

"Kia, calm down," Darren told her. "Take in a deep breath and relax. Our mother is ecstatic that we're together. She's very excited you're having dinner with us. You have nothing to worry about. Our father already knew how we felt about you, he approves also."

"Okay," Kia said and took in deep breath as he suggested. She let it out slowly as they approached the door.

Richard opened the door before they had a chance to knock. He gave them a curt nod. "On time as usual," he told the twins and then looked at Kia in that sober way of his that sent her nerves on the edge. "Miss Adair, welcome to our home. It's been far too long, don't you think?"

He gave her a hint of a warm smile which had her blushing. He was right, it had been a very long time since she'd last seen him. Whenever she used to visit them when she was a little girl, he'd gone out of his way to pamper her and stop the twins from abusing her. And now here she was, standing between them as their girlfriend. Odd, how life turned out.

Richard led the way to the dining room. Kia had forgotten how different the mansion was from her house in Sea Cliff. The twins had grown up in Pacific Heights, one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in the city compared to Sea Cliff where she was raised. Majestic houses and mansions lined the streets and surrounded a gigantic park. She used to love come here and jog at the park because it offered a beautiful view of the Golden Gate Bridge and the San Francisco Bay. Of course she could never jog in peace because the twins made it their business to stick to her like glue whenever she visited the park. How many times had she thought she was alone only to turn around and find the twins a few feet behind her? She shook her head at the memory.

Their mansion was so different from her house and she had to admit, she lived in a big, gorgeous house by the ocean, but it couldn't compare to this. The place was gigantic and it even had floors that were turned into private apartments. A person could practically live separately in the mansion without seeing another person if they wished. The twins could have stayed here if they'd wanted to and had their own lives, but she supposed it would have looked strange for them to still be living with their parents and running their own business. She almost giggled at the idea.