then looking to Star. “Baby, go get Rashaad out of his room and everyone else, too. Dinner is served.”
Mercedes made conversation after Mason blessed the table. “Colette is really getting a lot of attention from the retailers and talent bookers for runway assignments. Did she tell you, Torino?”
“Yes she did, actually. I’ve noticed that she’s been working a lot more lately.”
“Congratulations, Colette,” Venus said, holding a dinner roll in her left hand and fork in her right.
Colette cut her chicken in half and immediately posed a question to Claude. “So, Claude, how’s business going for you?”
“It’s great right now. Interest rates are low and home buying is up. We’re getting a lot of listings from sellers right now, too.”
“That’s great,” Colette replied as she picked up her water glass.
Claude continued talking. “My wife congratulated you, Colette. You must not have heard her.”
“Oh, that’s okay, baby,” Venus assured him.
“No, it’s not okay. Torino, you really need to make sure your woman has better manners. Especially here at the table with our mother. Mom taught us better than that.”
Torino spoke up. “Chill out, Claude. I thought Colette smiled at her after she said it.”
Claude gave her the eye. “She needs to open her mouth.”
Colette spoke while still looking down at her plate. “Thanks, Venus.”
“No problem,” Venus replied.
Torino swallowed a sip of lemonade and asked, “Anyway, Claude, what’s got you going today?”
“Not a thing. I had a great day.”
“Seems you’re always a little cranky when you’re in this house” Torino added.
“What are you trying to say?” Claude inquired.
“Just that it seems like you’re never in a good mood at dinner.” Torino put a forkful of pasta in his mouth.
Mason spoke up. “Okay now gentlemen, would you mind cutting the arrow throwing in my house. All of this because Colette didn’t respond to a compliment?”
“Really,” said Torino while chewing.
Venus tried to detour the conversation. “Mercedes, this meal is really good. I’ve never tried chicken made this way.”
“I’m glad you like it,” said Mercedes, until she noticed Claude beginning to speak again.
“Dad taught us to respect and support our women.”
Torino was calm. “You support yours, and I’ll support mine.”
Mercedes interposed, “Anyway, people, we do have teenagers at the table. Show them how we can all get along.”
“Teenagers pick up on that nonsense, too. That’s just why Colette’s not welcomed in my house with that crap,” Claude stated.
“No problem,” Torino replied. “You can rest assured of that.”
Mattie could not hold her comment any longer. “I’m about to take the two of you over my knee and tan your hides. Acting like you’re still six years old. Wait until your daddy gets home.”
Rashaad and Star laughed, obviously getting a kick out of the goings on. Mercedes gave them a look.
“What’s all this I hear about your big event at the club on Saturday night, Mason?” Venus asked, feeling a bit of sweat building up over her lip. She dabbed her mouth with her lap napkin.
Mason explained, “It’s a tribute from a role models’ organization, and I’m also giving a few performers a chance to showcase their music. I’ve invited a couple of producers so hopefully they can get lucky and work out a deal if they’re good enough.”
Venus told him, “That sounds like fun.”
“You will be there, right?” Mason asked Venus.
“Count us in,” said Venus. “Right, baby?” she asked Claude.
“Right,” he replied with reserve.
“And you, Colette?” asked Mason.
“I wouldn’t miss it,” Colette said smiling.
“Well, it sounds like it’s going to be a nice evening out,” Venus interjected.
“Can we go, Mom?” asked Rashaad.
Mercedes shook her head no. “That club is twenty-one and over.”
“Even if Uncle Torino lets us in?” asked Star.
“Did you
Mercedes made conversation after Mason blessed the table. “Colette is really getting a lot of attention from the retailers and talent bookers for runway assignments. Did she tell you, Torino?”
“Yes she did, actually. I’ve noticed that she’s been working a lot more lately.”
“Congratulations, Colette,” Venus said, holding a dinner roll in her left hand and fork in her right.
Colette cut her chicken in half and immediately posed a question to Claude. “So, Claude, how’s business going for you?”
“It’s great right now. Interest rates are low and home buying is up. We’re getting a lot of listings from sellers right now, too.”
“That’s great,” Colette replied as she picked up her water glass.
Claude continued talking. “My wife congratulated you, Colette. You must not have heard her.”
“Oh, that’s okay, baby,” Venus assured him.
“No, it’s not okay. Torino, you really need to make sure your woman has better manners. Especially here at the table with our mother. Mom taught us better than that.”
Torino spoke up. “Chill out, Claude. I thought Colette smiled at her after she said it.”
Claude gave her the eye. “She needs to open her mouth.”
Colette spoke while still looking down at her plate. “Thanks, Venus.”
“No problem,” Venus replied.
Torino swallowed a sip of lemonade and asked, “Anyway, Claude, what’s got you going today?”
“Not a thing. I had a great day.”
“Seems you’re always a little cranky when you’re in this house” Torino added.
“What are you trying to say?” Claude inquired.
“Just that it seems like you’re never in a good mood at dinner.” Torino put a forkful of pasta in his mouth.
Mason spoke up. “Okay now gentlemen, would you mind cutting the arrow throwing in my house. All of this because Colette didn’t respond to a compliment?”
“Really,” said Torino while chewing.
Venus tried to detour the conversation. “Mercedes, this meal is really good. I’ve never tried chicken made this way.”
“I’m glad you like it,” said Mercedes, until she noticed Claude beginning to speak again.
“Dad taught us to respect and support our women.”
Torino was calm. “You support yours, and I’ll support mine.”
Mercedes interposed, “Anyway, people, we do have teenagers at the table. Show them how we can all get along.”
“Teenagers pick up on that nonsense, too. That’s just why Colette’s not welcomed in my house with that crap,” Claude stated.
“No problem,” Torino replied. “You can rest assured of that.”
Mattie could not hold her comment any longer. “I’m about to take the two of you over my knee and tan your hides. Acting like you’re still six years old. Wait until your daddy gets home.”
Rashaad and Star laughed, obviously getting a kick out of the goings on. Mercedes gave them a look.
“What’s all this I hear about your big event at the club on Saturday night, Mason?” Venus asked, feeling a bit of sweat building up over her lip. She dabbed her mouth with her lap napkin.
Mason explained, “It’s a tribute from a role models’ organization, and I’m also giving a few performers a chance to showcase their music. I’ve invited a couple of producers so hopefully they can get lucky and work out a deal if they’re good enough.”
Venus told him, “That sounds like fun.”
“You will be there, right?” Mason asked Venus.
“Count us in,” said Venus. “Right, baby?” she asked Claude.
“Right,” he replied with reserve.
“And you, Colette?” asked Mason.
“I wouldn’t miss it,” Colette said smiling.
“Well, it sounds like it’s going to be a nice evening out,” Venus interjected.
“Can we go, Mom?” asked Rashaad.
Mercedes shook her head no. “That club is twenty-one and over.”
“Even if Uncle Torino lets us in?” asked Star.
“Did you
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