Craving Desire

Chapter 10

Somehow Mrs.Hastings got everyone at the kitchen table quietly waiting for Mr.Hastings. As we sat silently no one dared to utter a word besides Mrs.Hastings who was going on about the time she went to France with Mr.Hastings. "I bet $20,000 he doesn't show." Christian says.

"I'd be a fool if I took you up on that offer." Andrew says.

"Hush up, he made a promise to me that he'd show." Mrs.Hastings says.

"Yes, our father's sacred promises." Jared says. From my viewpoint he was the most positive of the Hastings' siblings, but I guess even he doubts his father. "Madam, the phone." A worker says.

"I bet that's him canceling."

"I was about to call that." Serena wines. Dana and I sit quietly while Mrs.Hastings exits the room to retrieve the phone. "If he's canceling then I'm leaving." Christian says.

"Chris." Jared says.

"Don't Chris me Jared, I didn't even want to be here tonight, but I'm here and he doesn't have the decency to show." Christan says.

"Maybe he's just running late." I suggest. Everyone even Dana stares at me as if I had lost my mind. "It's nice that your optimistic and all, but Conrad Hastings was and will never be reliable." Andrew says.

"Why so little faith in your father?" I ask.

"Conrad Hastings is no father of mine." Christian says, his jaw clenched and his grey eyes storming with rage. I place a hand over his own and he looks at me. "I won't say give him the benefit of the doubt, but your mother worked hard for this dinner. You, we should stay for her." I say. I remove my hand from his and everyone at the table is staring at me all wide eyed. I shrink into my seat when I see Mrs.Hastings smiling at me. "I did work hard for this dinner. I did the shopping and the cooking, I had too when I discovered both you and Christian were coming, plus Jared and Dana graced us with their appearance." She says.

"It's the least we could do." I say.

"Call me Clarine from now on. I've taking a fortunate liking to you Miss Maxfield." Mrs. Hastings, Clarine says.

"If I remember correctly wasn't Lancelot's mother named Clarine."

"Indeed it was, you're a smart one aren't you."

"I did a paper on it in high school, I'm actually surprised I remembered that."

"It's common to remember events from past experiences." Dana spoke.

"Long live the hot dork." Andrew jokes.

"Dork jokes are 50% aimed at the person saying it than the actual person it's directed to."

"That's my smart girlfriend, talk nerdy to me." Jared jokes and everyone laughs. The Hastings were no different from an ordinary family, drama is always a pleaser, but everyone was just at peace with one another. "So when are two getting married?" Clarine asks. I nearly choked on my baked salmon. "Christian and I hardly just met, I mean we're not even together together." I try to explain.

"Relax dear, I know you two aren't getting married yet, I mean when is Dana and Jared getting married."

"Oh, that makes more sense."

"Dana and Jared have been together forever." Christian explains.

"How romantic, how did you meet?"

"I was tending to her sister." Jared says.

"Let's just say my father didn't make smart choices when given power." Dana says.

"Father, who is your father?" I ask never realizing that I knew nothing of her family. "Kensington."