Talk About the Direct Approach...

Chapter Twenty-Five: Just my dignity

"Oh, you're just in time!" Lisa says happily, placing a large bowl on the counter. "Some of the helpers are almost here."

"Sweet," I reply, assisting her in getting out all the necessities for cooking. Cayton is in the backyard, setting up tables and stuff with Warren. I'm glad I had avoided running into him once more, but I can only imagine the tension that must be forming outside.

While I was getting ready, I tried prying out information from Cayton. More importantly, some information on the mysterious conversation between him and his father. He wouldn't tell me, all he said was "He has his own problems he needs to work through." Then he assured me that nothing his father could say would affect anything.

I had a hard time believing the last part, but for the sake of argument I didn't say anything. It already is affecting things. Not between Cayton and I necessarily, but between him and his father. I don't like the fact that in five minutes, I came between Cayton and the man he has looked up to his entire life. Not that Warren's attitude is reasonable, but I don't want to be a problem.

I took forever to curl my hair and put on makeup so I could have more time to pry, but eventually there was no more hair to curl and I refused to make my face look like an art project.

I push all that aside though; I have to worry about the three hundred other people I have to meet. I can only hope it goes better than meeting Warren.

"Sweetie, can you get the door?" Lisa asks, motioning her head to the front door. Shaking my head to clear my thoughts, I take a deep breath and march to the door. With a warm smile, I open the door.

"Hello," I sat sweetly to all the kind smiles. A woman with two small daughters, most likely both under eleven, and who I assume is her mate all stand on the doorstep.

"Hi there!" the smallest girl, with curly blonde hair pulled into pigtails, greets. "I'm Zoey."

"It's nice to meet you Zoey, I'm Macy." I look up to the rest of them and step aside, allowing them to come in.

And for the next hour, I greet just about everyone who comes through the door. Some of their reactions were a little strange. It's like they're meeting the Queen of England or something. However, the best part is that I received absolutely no disgusted looks. Unless they didn't show it.

Within the hour, everyone who is going to help make the food is here, along with a couple of others who went to the back to help out. The kids who came took free rein in the game room, except for the adorable Zoey who seems to have become my new shadow.

Despite Tami's 'condition', she convinced Trenton to let her come. It wasn't much of a secret that she was pregnant, since most of the women here have been through pregnancy. But since Trenton was oblivious to the fact, everyone agreed to keep quiet.

"No, too much butter!" Tami scolds, yanking the bowl of butter from my hands. I scowl at her. My incompetence with cooking has been known for a bit now, and most of the girls have just smiled and helped me out. But Tami is a perfectionist and will have none of it.

So far, everything is going great. I'm enjoying myself, and the women of the pack are all friendly. I've met Cassia and Marissa, who are eighteen-year-old twins that are pretty much exactly like me, along with the lack of ability in the culinary area. Heather, who is Zoey's mother, and probably one of the wisest women I have met. Darcy, who makes the best blackberry cobbler on the planet. She let me have a taste, and, well, there were six, and I ate an entire one by myself, and she let me keep another for later. Then there's Veronica, Carter and Hunter's mother. Nice lady, don't know how Carter came from her.

All the others haven't had much interaction with me. Not in the sense that they were rude. It's just most are busy, and it would be hectic if 50+ people were trying to all gain my attention.