TO LAST A LIFETIME

Cheers!

Wesley

The whole family was waiting at the long dinner table, it gladdened my heart to see my family get together again after a while.

I led Gennie to the dinner table pulling out a seat for her. She mouthed a thank you as she sat.

"Welcome to our home, Gennie! I'm Beatrice." Beatrice introduced herself, she was beaming with joy when she noticed Gennie wasn't any older than her.

"Thanks, Beatrice!" She smiled.

She looked at ease, the way her lips twitched when she smiled was tempting. I was so tempted to nail her to the dinner table and kiss her until she was out of breath. There were things I just couldn't ignore about her, the things that kept triggering those wild thoughts. The things that made me want her in my life forever.

Ouch! I groaned inwardly as Beatrice stomped on my left foot, hurling me out of my thoughts, I low key scowled at her.

"Dad's talking to you!" She snickered.

I looked over her to dad, he sat on his propped chair in his vibrant red shirt and glasses. Mom and Betty had started serving dinner.

"You say what?" I asked him.

"No not you, I was asking Gennie how she feels here in the Lone Star State," Dad said croakily.

"Oh!" I glared at Beatrice, she stuck out her tongue.

"It feels great, it's totally different, the weather's very great not like in December I froze in New York City! Great views by the way." She answered quietly.

"That's it? in New York where Wesley saved your ass, it was just the perfect meet-cute!" Beatrice giggled. I saw Gennie raised a questioning brow.

"Wesley saved my ass?" Gennie repeated, just for clarity.

Just as Beatrice was about picking up the conversation and clearing every confusion in Gennie I came in.

"She doesn't know what she's talking about.." I cleared my throat.

She intercepted. "Of course, in one of those conversations, he said you were.."

"Beatrice, how're your studies?" I immediately disrupted her, knowing where the conversation was heading to.

I had kept saving Gennie that night at the alley from her for sometimes now, I didn't know how to tell her, bragging about being the hero wasn't my thing. And if anyone was to tell her, it wouldn't be Beatrice she was the exaggeration queen.

"Fine, I just can't wait to finish! There's a whole lot of life outside studies, I can't wait to live that life!" She smiled.

"What's your major?" Gennie asked her.

Thank God the subject had completely dropped from the angle Beatrice had stirred it to.

Mother had started serving, dad smiled at her as she filled his plate with some chicken fried steak, one thing I love about hers was that the gravy was just right, though, not too lumpy, not too runny.

"What I love, Fine art!" She replied, getting the serving dish mother handed her.

My gaze dropped on Betty and Collins who were engrossed in some conversations.

It felt so great to have dinner with the entire family. It warmed my heart just to think of how large the family had grown in these years.

As we ate dinner, we talked about various things from our life experiences as individuals to our experiences as a family.