Cruze pov
"You guys suck"
D was focused on explaining his sketches and what materials would look best I glance to the glass wall where we can see the employees working station I watched Michael escorting three gorilla's dressed up with balloons bopping up and down heading our way it had marcia written all over it.
Pa couldn't stop laughing I held a grin trying to keep myself respect this a meeting worth millions on the line after watching the shit show we should be upset but that little act got us a signed contract they saw how much we are loved as a family when I told them it was our little sisters gift to D.
"Son we got the contract you and your brother had been working hard to get for months thank your sister for that little act of love"
"act of love?" he scoffs "more like a train wreck a catastrophic plane crash who enjoys popping balloons papa who?"
D was heaving from panicking he hates clowns and balloons in general we don't know how she knew but she got the prank war crown this time for that.
"D we got a good laugh out of it"
"yeah at my expense"
Papa chuckles under his breath as we stepped out of the lift.
"SURPRISE"
D jumps behind me as he shriek in the foyer glaring at Marcia.
"Oh your dead women just you wait"
He steps around me pointing a knowing finger and look. Papa puts his fist to his mouth biting down trying to not laugh I bite the inside of my cheek.
"Oh cmon atleast pops and cross thought it was funny"
She grins glancing between us. She pecks pa on the cheek.
"Why ain't you working today?"
Pa ask I look at her and notice she aint in her uniform but her motorbike clothing.
"Oh about that umm"
"we were going out for lunch join us ma is already waiting for us"
"okay"
She walks besides D hooks her hand around the crook of his elbow flutters her lashes looking up nudging him to look down at her.
"you know you love me" she says with a tease.
"not today I don't" he mutters but still holds her close.
These two are going to give me grey hairs before I'm forty. We arrived at the restaurant eyes land on marcia because she sticks out blond hair dark shades on holding a helmet in soft caramel leather jacket with jet black pants with her timberland boots.
Sitting next to ma is Jo, Jay and their sons. Marcia doesn't see them as she is talking to D, pa bends down to kiss ma she spots whose here.
Ma and Jo stand up quickly usher over to hug and kiss Marcia and ask why she's here.
She says hi to everyone as she sit between D and I.
"mischief why you not working?"
Whats with that stupid nickname Jo and levi call her. All eyes on marcia.
"I'm pregnant"
D, levi and his brothers spat out their drinks over their plates causing alot of people to look at us.
Ma and Jo yell 'WHAT' causing people to glare at us for disturbing their meals She stares down at her fingers I look at D he blinks wide eye wiping his mouth with a napkin we stare at her to look at us.
She looks up with a wide grin.
"Just kidding" the relief on ma and pa's face surprised me.
"Your a jerk I spat on my good shirt" leni complains.
She raises her left fist pretend to wind her middle finger up with her right hand.
"Marcia stop that" Ma says with a hint of anger.
"cmon mama he deserves it he's always a grub anyways but to answer your question jojo I was given time off"
I furrow my brow wondering is it because of levi? It has to be she has never taken time off.
"were you advice too or you chose too? " D asked.
"commander advice me to use some of my annual leave and then when I bargain with him to give a newbie a chance" she slaps her hands together to emphases "he slaps me with two months like what the -"
"not here marcia we have already disrupted everyone's lunch"
Ma whispers to marcia.
"ma we all pay to eat here I know half of these people and where they work so don't worry we won't get the boot okay"
Ma frowns at her daughter, jojo shakes her head smiling, Jay covers his mouth pretending to drink his wine, lex and leni are on their phones but levi looks exhausted as if he hasn't had any sleep.
We order our food and D tells them what marcia did everyone laughs and Jay tells us stories of when marcia was little she would prank the boys.
"she planted grass in lex keyboard we thought it was his new one but she had found a old one and dug my back yard up to plant the grass in between the keys" everyone laugh I just sipped and paid attention to marcia.
"Oh remember she put a air horn in the boys bathroom and knew leni goes to the toilet late at night" the laughed harder but leni grumbled, Jo couldn't finish her sentence laughing harder under her hand.
"when he opened the door it would hit the air horn she taped to the wall it woke us all up" Jay said through his laughter.
The smile on her face was genuine and beautiful.
"remember when she made levi's tenth birthday cake" lex reminds his parents marcia's eyes widen and glances at D causing me to furrow my brows.
"oh gosh levi loved it till he popped it with the knife the cream burst everywhere and on us" they were turning red from laughing so much it was good to see her smile and hear her laugh.
They calm down while ma explain they all chuckle at her antics.
"is that why they call you mischief?" D asked marcia she nods looking at them her eyes linger on levi the longest.
We ate and talked some more jo and ma talked about the wedding us guys talked about business, sports while marcia was typing on her phone.
"you goods?" I lean over and ask seeing her email her work colleague.
"yep just gota send this email to clive and Im free for 59 or 60 days but after this I do have to go shopping a made a promise and gota keep it"
"anything I can help you with?"
She looks up at me with a gentle smiles.
"thanks" she shoulders me "he'll"
"he who?" I questioned.
"just a guy" she prolongs her words with a hint of playfulness a side I havent seen before towards me.
"your such a el mocoso"
She giggles shaking her head side to side.
"its a work colleague who fosters troubled kids she has a boy that loves outdoor sports with wheels so I'm gona hit the mall and go shopping"
"thats very nice of you hope hes grateful for your generosity"
"he was when I gave him a new skateboard"
Something has changed I dont know if it was when we took her to our island actually I dont care she looks happy and thats what ma and pa can see too.
"well ladies and gents I have a date and need to go shopping" marcia speaks over everyone as she stands up and drops her card on the cheque book.
"lunch is on me cross dont leave my card to D he'll use it for his porn collection"
Ma gasp horrified D shook his head but the rest blanch out laughing she waves goodbye and leaves I grab her card tuck it in my jacket pocket replacing her card with mine.
I discreetly been watching levi he seems happier then a hour ago but as marcia walks away the light in his eyes left with Marcia his shoulders slump he nods to whoever to just get through the evening.