Episode 123: Family Portrait

There was the Christmas meal spread out over an endless table, actually three tables pushed together disguised by a cloth marked by tiny elves. Directly to Justine’s left was the kiddie table, boisterous and brimming. A tape recording of Drew Bledsoe reading Peter and the Wolf was playing on the makeshift stereo system. Once one of the maids or maybe it was an assistant had read A Child’s Christmas in Wales to her.

"Aunty Justine-" A dark haired little thing in pigtails approached her, Justine wasn’t certain if she was one of Tal’s litter or another of the fifty others. That was a slight exaggeration but this family aside from herself and Quent seemed to multiply like bunnies. She hadn’t seen this many people since the last time she helped her mother with The Ballet Benefit.

"Aunty Justine, can I sit with you for dinner, there’s too many boys over there," The little girl in a red sweater with a pattern of trees across the front was whispering in quite the serious tone. "I’ll be really quiet I promise."

Justine didn’t know what else to do other than scoop up the child and place her in her lap. She’d gotten over the idea of wearing anything truly elaborate to these get-togethers. It’s like every time you wear the same black pants and blouse, expecting the dog and cat chase that happened at that Brady Bunch wedding.

"Oh, ladies, look at that, isn’t that cute- for about ten seconds it will be anyway," Quent’s sister laughed while buttering a biscuit. "How can you tell that Justine hasn’t visited the horrors of motherhood yet? Trust me honey, we could all make wagers on how long it will take you to even get one bite to eat,"

Quentin watched as the color slowly drained out of his wife’s face. "Just, have you told them how you’re taking over that grocery store? She has amazing plans for the place."

"Have you ever even been grocery shopping?"

Episode 124: Save A Prayer