Chapter Eighteen

We pulled into my garage, got out and closed the door. Diana came over to us, smiling.
"Love? I was wondering if you'd like to babysit again. Tomorrow. It'd be Mackie. The girls will be with Walker and I at the doctors, getting check-ups. The boys can do whatever. Is that okay?"
"Yeah. Fine. I can't wait. What time should I come over?"
"Two in the afternoon."
"Kay."
"Tay. Tell mom about Tuesday." Isaac nudged his brother.
"What about Tuesday, Tay?"
"Well, Love's parents are going to a formal dinner party for their work, and I said I'd be Love's escort." Diana smiled.
"It's a charity dinner on Tuesday. It starts at six. It's being held for raising money for the homeless and hungry. It's very formal. And if I didn't have an escort set by tomorrow for me, I would have been stuck with the bosses' son." I made a funny disgusted face. Tay and Isaac laughed at the the discription I so politely left out.
"That sounds okay to me. Why don't you tell your parents that you've found an escort, then tell them to come over for dinner at our house."
"Oh yeah!" Isaac and Tay cheered.
"Okay. I'll be back with my parents. Five minutes." I turned and ran into the house. "Mom! Dad!" I yelled.
"In our office Love!" My mom answered. I ran to the opposite end of the house and burst through the office door.
"IfoundanescorttothepartyandDianainvitedusoverfordinner! Rightnow!" I rushed.
"What?! Say it over, slowly." My dad told me. I took a deep breath and repeated myself slowly.
"I found an escort to the party and Diana invited us over for dinner. Right now!"
"Lets go over there, and on our way you can tell us the details." My mom said. They put their stuff down and walked with me next door.
"So, who is your escort? Not the bosses' son, is it?" She asked.
"No mom, it's not him. It's Tay. Today at the mall, I was looking for a dress. They asked why and I told them about the charity party. Isaac volunteered Tay, but Tay said he'd go with me."
"How do we know he's okay? Who is this Tay anyway?" My dad asked.
"Oh- that's right. He wasn't there when Diana introduced her kids to you. Just wait a minute." We got to the door step and the door flew open. Tay stuck his head out.
"Hi Love!" His expression lightened.
"Hi Tay. You haven't met my parents yet. Tay, this is my dad Ian. Dad, this is Tay."
"Hi Tay. Is that short for something? Tay."
"It's short for Taylor. My first name is Jordan. But everybody calls and knows me by Tay."
"And this is my mom-"
"We've already met." My mom inturrupted.
"Hi Rachel."
"Hi Tay."
"Huh? When?"
"Befor you left for the mall this afternoon."
"Oh. Alright then." I shook my head.
"Um, come on in." He stepped aside and let us in.
"Hi guys. Dad, mom, meet Diana's husband Walker.
"Hello." They shook hands.
"And Tay's other brothers that you haven't met yet, Zachary and Isaac."
"Hey." They said.
"Make yourselves comfortable." Diana told us.
"Thanks." My dad replied. Mr. Manners. I claimed a spot on the couch, my dad in the rocker, and my mom on the floor, holding my dad's hand. Tay came over and stood in front of me, and looked down at me.
"Can I talk to you outside for a minute?"
"Sure." I got up and followed him out the back door, through the back yard and up in a tree house. Three lawn chairs and a table were set up in there. We each sat down.
"What's up Tay?"
"About this charity party thing. Are we gonna haveta, like, ah, kiss or something? In front of how many people?" He asked nervously.
"I don't think so. Last year my date and I had to. I don't know. Last time the bosses' boy-" I made a face "had to kiss his date, and boy, do I feel sorry for her, and so did the daughter and her date of the man that was in the position under the boss. But he left the company, and they raised my dad to that position- which is why we're here. It's a possibility. If you want to back down, that's okay." I said casually and brushed it off with a wave of my hand.
"No, I'll stay. When and how will we know if we have to, ah, kiss?"
"It's kind of like a wedding. It could happen at any time. What happened last time was that when we're all there, people will start tapping their glasses with their silverware or something, then the people will shout out either 'employee or employee's kid' And then whoever was picked has to kiss. And after they've seen everybody that they want to see kiss, whoever put on the best show sill get an award. There's also an award for best dressed and cutest couple. I got second for cutest and best dressed couple once. So, to answer your question, we may or may not have to kiss. Are you still in?"

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