A Typical Dinner

Scarlett

" W here are Aaron and Liam?" I ask Mama and Dad instead, turning my attention inside the kitchen.

"Oh, they refused to stay, saying they spent the afternoon with him and we should enjoy dinner as a family," Mama replies, smiling. "I did cook plenty."

"Shame, it would have been nice to have some nice people at the table," I remark, giving Indigo a pointed look.

Dad smiles. "That was their choice. I did tell them to stay. Come dear, how do you feel?"

I nod, unable to say anything as I walk over to the sink, grab a glass and fill it with water before gulping it down, just as I hear Elijah enter the kitchen. I don't know how I'm going to do it, how am I going to spend every single day with him.

"Scarlett, what are you doing? Can you come sit down? The food is getting cold," Mama says impatiently.

"If we wait for Red, we'll be dining next year," Elijah remarks.

"Go a little easy on her, Elijah," Dad scolds him.

"I don't really do easy," Elijah replies as I walk over to the table where he's sitting beside Indigo. I go around and take a seat beside Dad. He's my favourite person in this damn family.

There are a few more dishes made that I didn't catch the smells of earlier. She really did go all out. Well, if I can enjoy a nice meal, I'll put up with this lot.

"Make sure you leave some for us," Elijah says, grabbing the chicken drumstick I was about to pick up, his hand knocking mine out of the way. "I need the energy way more." His smirk makes me scowl.

Oh yeah, you got a fuck session tonight, right?

I can practically smell the jealousy off you. What's the matter, Red? Feeling a little dry?

Have I mentioned just how much he annoys me?

He gives me a triumphant smirk as if he just won something.

I refuse to entertain you. I glare back at him.

You mean to say you don't have a comeback? he counters arrogantly.

"So, Elijah, now that you're going to become Alpha, are you going to knuckle down on banishing witches and hags?" Indy asks, grinning as she glances at me.

And here we go again.

"Yeah, start with Indigo, the Wicked Witch of the West," I counter before Elijah can even reply.

"Sorry, Red, I think you're the only one casting a spell around here." He smirks, downing his iced juice.

"How about you two leave your sister alone? She's already been through a lot today," Dad scolds.

"Thanks, Dad. Although Elijah's been gone for a few years, I don't think he's grown up at all," I say sweetly.

"Oh, I've grown," he smirks cockily. "Looks to me like you're the one who stopped growing."

I know exactly what he was insinuating about himself. Cocky much?

"Really?" I glower.

"Really." He raises an eyebrow before he smirks at me. In the height department, anyway.

Mama laughs and I resist rolling my eyes, it does sting a little when she always seems to be on Indigo and Elijah's side, but at least I have Dad.

"So how come Grandma Amy isn't here? She's family too," I ask, looking at Mama questioningly.

"I did invite her…" Mama glances at Dad, who chuckles as he wipes his mouth, placing his napkin down.

"She said, and I quote, ‘I think I'll see him at the pack party. I think I'm alright not seeing that face for a few days longer!'"

I start laughing as Elijah smirks.

"And that is why I love Grandma Amy."

"Scarlett!" Mom frowns.

I shake my head before I get lost in thought. That isn't like Grandma Amy though… unless there's more to it. Maybe I'll stop by her cottage tonight, just see if she's alright.

"Sooo, Dad, tell him!" Indigo says, making me look up.

"Tell him what?"

"Not talking to you, Scar."

I roll my eyes as Dad smiles at us both, "Well, I've booked us a little camping trip up north for a few days. I thought it'd be nice for us to get a few nights away as a family."

"Really? Can I skip?" I ask.

"And that is why we didn't tell you," Dad chuckles.

"No one's skipping. It'll be fun," Mama intervenes as Indigo turns to Elijah.

"Fun right?" she says.

"Yeah, that'll be cool," he replies, ruffling her hair and making her swat his hand away as she grins.

"It will be…" Her grin changes into a sinister, devious smile as she looks at me and I know she's already planning ways to make my life hell.

"Will Grandma Amy be coming?" I ask.

Dad's smile falters a little. "No, I don't think she'll be up for all the walking it will entail."

"She's resilient." It would be nice to have her there, but it sucks that she and Dad clash so much.

"Your father knows best, Scarlett," Mama adds with a small smile.

I just nod, I know for a fact she would have tried to get Dad to invite her.

After having dessert , which consisted of scrumptious chocolate cake, which made the annoying company bearable, dinner is finally over. Although Indigo and Elijah teased me at every opportunity.

"You're on washing-up duty since you've been resting all afternoon," Mama tells me, running her fingers through her shoulder-length black hair.

"She was hurt, babe," Jackson reminds Mama, raking his eyes over her. Mama tilts her head, a smile playing on her lips.

"But she's perfectly healed now, so she can do the dishes. Ok, Scarlett?"

"Yeah, sure, but at least you could kinda pretend to have some sympathy," I grumble with a pout as I stand up and begin collecting up the used dishes.

"Need help, Red?" Elijah asks.

I look up, surprised at his words. Does he really want to help me, or does he have some ulterior motive?

"Awe, how sweet of you to offer, but we both know you won't be helping," I counter suspiciously.

He smirks in response as he stands up. "Depends on what you mean by helping. There's a lot I could help you with." His voice drops an octave, making my heart thump.

I'm about to reply when Indigo looks up from her mobile phone.

"Well, I'm afraid I'm off. Daniel's outside and might spend the night over," she announces.

Mama simply nods. No one minds since Daniel is her best friend, and he's gay, or I know for a fact both Dad and Elijah wouldn't stand to have him over.

"Well, make sure you take him some leftovers," she says.

"And have fun," Dad adds, smiling at her as he finishes off his tea.

"So, I'm assuming he's finally out of the closet, then?" Elijah asks, raising an eyebrow.

I look up sharply, so he knew about Daniel prior to him coming out? I don't know why I'm surprised, he and Indy are close.

Indigo nods, her black hair bouncing. "He is, and so much happier. Life has never been better for him," she answers proudly.

"I'm glad, he deserves it," Elijah says, giving her a one-arm hug before Indigo skips out of the room. I feel a sting of jealousy watching them two. They've always been close; sharing everything.

I've always been the one who's been alone, the one who can't share her darkest secrets with anyone… I turn my back on them, taking the next stack of dishes to the sink, and placing them down harder than I meant to.

"If any of my dishes break, by the Goddess, I swear I will wring that neck of yours!" Mama growls, making me wince. She can be pretty scary when she's angry.

Elijah snickers.

"Sorry, Mama," I apologise as Dad strokes Mama's hair soothingly.

"Come on, babe, let's leave her to it. You have had a long day. I know a few ways to make you feel a little more relaxed," he whispers as he stands and picks her up, throwing her over his shoulder as he delivers a sharp slap to her ass, making Mama giggle and blush.

"Gross! Get a room!" I shiver with disgust, cringing at the display of whatever that was!

"That's the plan, dear," Dad says with a chuckle, his blue eyes sparkling with amusement.

"And don't be too loud. We want to get some sleep tonight," Elijah adds.

I shudder at the thought of hearing anything of the sort before I turn back to the sink and push up my sleeves, putting on some rubber washing-up gloves.

"Elijah, make sure you help your sister."

"Whatever," he responds as the couple leaves the kitchen.

If he doesn't want to help, then why did he stay behind? Ignoring him, I begin washing, only to groan when I hear another giggle from Mama as I hear Dad's heavy footsteps as he takes her upstairs.

"It's annoying how Dad makes Mama go from vicious she-wolf to giggling high schooler," I mutter.

He chuckles huskily, "Well, it's good they're still into one another. I'm not sure how anyone can stick to one person for their entire lives."

Did his laugh always sound like that?

"Well, not everyone is a horny dog like you," I counter.

Elijah's phone rings before he can reply, and I pause, unable to stop myself from wondering who it is.

"Yeah?"

"Elijah, I did what you wanted me to do. Everything is sorted, and the local police aren't involved." Hank's voice comes through the line. My stomach twists and I swallow hard, trying to control my breathing.

"Excellent, thanks man. A job well done," Elijah praises him.

I look down at the plate I'm holding, imagining Hank as Delta beside Elijah. A man like him in a position of power… Just the thought sends chills down my spine. Men with power can get away with a lot because their position grants them that.

"No problem, that's what I'm here for, right? Have a good evening, I'll see you at the party once you're back from your getaway."

Really? So even he knew about it?

"Thanks, I will." Elijah hangs up.

"Do you think it'll be safe?" I ask quietly, turning and looking at him where he's still sitting at the table.

"You mean going on this trip, after what happened?"

I nod, and he shrugs. "Well, we'll find out since you wanted to keep it a secret." He's serious now, and that somehow makes me feel nervous. I swallow hard as silence falls and the sound of the running tap is suddenly loud, and that's when I realise that it's just me and him.

Alone.

"Yeah well, I'm not changing my mind. So um, yeah, you're here to help, so get up and help," I say, trying to clear the tension in the air. But no matter what I do I can't stop the odd flutter in my stomach from growing.