The rich, savory aroma of slow-cooked pot roast and fresh-baked rosemary bread was a perfume no five-star hotel in the world could ever bottle. It was the scent of home, of my home, and after a week in the polished, air-conditioned perfection of Hollywood, it was the most welcome smell I could imagine and very much comfortable with.
I let my fork clink softly against my plate, savoring the last bite of Cathy legendary mashed potatoes—creamy, buttery, with just the right amount of garlic.
"God, I missed this," I sighed, the contentment so deep it felt like a physical weight pulling my shoulders into a relaxed slump.
Across the table, Cathy, beamed, her eyes crinkling at the corners. "Hotel food not cutting it for my big-shot CEO son anymore?"
"Please," I said, waving a hand dismissively.
"It's all tiny portions on giant plates with drizzles of something reduced or something... Sure some of it, tastes impressive, but it doesn't fill you at all… Not like this." I patted my stomach for emphasis.
"This sticks to your ribs…. This is real, and hands down, you're cooking is the best mom,".
Vera, leaned forward, her elbows on the table. She had Mom's same kind eyes, but with a sharper, more mischievous glint. "Alright, Sael…. Enough stalling with compliments to the chef, though they are appreciated…. We want the story. The whole story. No skimming… tell us, what you did in Hollywood,"
"Mom and I have decided," Cathy added, nodding in solidarity with her sister.
"You will not leave a single detail behind…. We sat through all those nervous news reports about your flight, we deserve the good stuff… right?"
"Hah! Alright," I chuckled, taking a long sip of my drink. The condensation from the glass felt cool and real against my palm.
This was the part I didn't mind. Bragging to strangers or industry sycophants was exhausting. But bragging to your family? Seeing their faces light up? That was a reward all its own.
"Okay, okay," I said, setting the glass down. "Where do you want me to start? The studio lot? The first meeting?"
Bella, who was currently trying—and failing—to look disinterested as she traced patterns on the tablecloth, suddenly piped up.
"Is it true? Did you really go to Wayne West's mansion? And, like, Heminem's house?"
Next to her, Emily's eyes went as wide as saucers. "Yeah! To actually make music with them? For real?"
I could feel the focused attention from Mom, Vera, and Nadia, who was watching me with a quiet, knowing smile over the rim of her teacup. The generational divide in musical taste was a chasm in this room, but their curiosity was unified.
I gave a casual shrug, aiming for nonchalant but probably landing somewhere between pleased and proud.
"Well, it wasn't so much me going to them, begging for an audience. It was… the other way around, actually."
Mom's eyebrows shot up. "They came to you? How does that work?"
"It's how it works when you have the hottest new talent in the industry, Mom," I said, the words sounding strangely cocky even to my own ears, but it was just a fact.
"They both asked for a song for their new albums…. So, I helped. Wrote the lyrics, composed the track, arranged the whole thing for both of them…. It was a couple of long hours in their personal studios, but… yeah. We made it happen."
"Oh wow," The reaction was instant. Bella let out a sound that was half-gasp, half-squeal, and Emily practically vibrated in her seat, looking at me like I'd just told her I'd fought a dragon and won.
"Shut up! You really wrote a song for Heminem?" Bella exclaimed, her cool facade completely shattered. "The real Heminem?"
"The one and only," I confirmed, unable to suppress a grin.
Vera, ever the pragmatic one, looked between her daughter and me, a bemused smile on her face. "Okay, enlighten the old folks, you both…. Is that… a big deal?"
"Is it a big deal?" Bella parroted, her voice jumping an octave. "Mom! They are, like, the top. The kings…. Everyone listens to them. For, like, decades!"
Emily, ever the digital native, jumped in to provide evidence.
"They both posted about it! On all their socials! There are pictures of them with Sael in the studio. It was trending for, like, days! #Sael_VT was everywhere!"
"Ugh~ the hashtags…" I cringed internally at the hashtag. The internet was a bizarre and terrifying place.
Mom, whose musical world began and ended with twangy guitars and stories of heartbreak, nodded slowly, processing. Nadia, whose tastes leaned more toward sweeping orchestral movements than pounding beats, simply smiled.
"It sounds very important, dear. And we are very proud of you."
Vera reached over and squeezed my hand.
"See? We might not know the music, but we know our boy. If they're coming to you, that means you're the real thing."
The warmth that spread through my chest then had nothing to do with the food. This was it. This was the payoff. The platinum records and the box office numbers were just metrics.
This pride, this unconditional support from the people who knew me before any of it happened… this was the currency that actually mattered.
"It was pretty wild," I admitted, leaning back in my chair.
"Wayne's place is like a spaceship—all white and chrome… and gold, with a view of the city that doesn't even look real. And Heminem's? The complete opposite. Dark wood, books everywhere, feels more like a library that happens to have a platinum plaque on every wall."
"Wait, you have to tell us what the songs are called!" Emily insisted.
"Ah, ah," I said, wagging a finger.
"That's top secret until they drop the albums. But I will say… they're bangers… Absolute bangers."
I regaled them with the sanitized, family-friendly version of the trip. The bizarre, hyper-sexualized VR ads that plastered every billboard in LA, worse even than back home.
The surreal experience of having a legendary rapper nod along to a beat I'd composed in my bedroom. The weirdly specific catering requests on set.
I left out the corporate espionage anxieties, the tense negotiations, and certainly the more… adult… distractions that a willing Hollywood offered a successful young producer. Those stories were for another time, and a very different audience.
"Bummer~…. So, big shot," Emily started, flicking a stray strand of blonde hair off her shoulder. She was seated across from me, looking impossibly chic even in casualwear.
"When is that music you gave Heminem and West actually going to drop? I've seen the pic, but all this anticipation is killing the feeds."
I shrugged, swirling the ruby liquid in my glass. "That's entirely up to them, Em…. I'm just the help in that deal. It's their album cycle, their marketing budget, their decision on the release schedule."
"Oh, come on," Bella chimed in, leaning forward with that familiar, intense curiosity that always focused directly on me. Her eyes sparkled under the light.
"You must have some inside track…. That music is going to rule the sonic waves for the next decade. Everyone is talking about it."
"I do have a bit of faith in my own product, yes," I admitted, a slight smirk pulling at the corner of my mouth. I paused for dramatic effect, letting the silence hang just long enough for them to focus entirely.
"All I know for sure is that when it does drop, my bank account is going to have a very good day."
"Well, you'd expect that," Vera commented, wiping her lips neatly with a napkin. "You wrote the whole damn thing, didn't you? That's more than just a collaboration I suppose…."
"Exactly. And because of that," I said, leaning closer and dropping my voice conspiratorially, though there was no one else in the room to hear us, "I got a rather favorable rate. Eighty percent."
"Huh?!" The effect was instantaneous and highly satisfying.
Emily choked on a mouthful of her dessert wine. Cathy just raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow. Bella, however, was visibly stunned. She actually pushed her untouched dessert plate away from her as if the reality of the number had physically repelled her.
"Eighty percent?" Bella practically squeaked.
"Are you serious, Sael? Heminem and West? They are absolute Titans in the global music scene. You're telling me they agreed to give away eighty percent of the record's royalties to the background composer?"
I settled back, enjoying the disbelief. In this hyper-capitalized, cutthroat world, these kinds of deals were unheard of—unless you were holding all the cards.
"Of course they did," I replied, my tone casual, almost bored. I finished off my coke and set the glass down with a soft clink.
"Look, I didn't just hand them a few good samples or a catchy hook. I handed them completed, polished, genre-defining tracks. The minute they heard them, they knew they were looking at triple-platinum numbers right out of the gate."
I tapped my finger lightly on the table, counting the points off.
"All they had to do was show up, put their recognizable voices on the tracks, and call the studio time done…. It was plug-and-play genius, courtesy of me... They saved months of writing, production, mixing, and agonizing over the sound. That kind of efficiency and guaranteed success? Eighty percent is a bargain, trust me."
Nadia, who usually kept her comments pointed and strategic, just let out a slow sigh of contentment. "So, My grandson, is basically the kingmaker."
Cathy picked up the conversational thread, her focus shifting from finances to something slightly more... personal, and therefore, more dangerous. I saw the glint in her eyes—the maternal curiosity mixed with the ingrained Hollywood gossip she'd picked up from her friendships.
"Speaking of Hollywood connections and big deals," Mom began, her voice smooth and leading. "I heard some interesting chatter recently."
I braced myself.
"Oh?" I prompted, taking a deep breath. I knew exactly where this was going. Kate, my girlfriend—and also Mom and Vera's friend—was a notorious gossip when she had a few drinks in her.
"Yes, chatter," Cathy continued, leaning forward with her elbows on the table.
"I heard that you, Sael, have been keeping some... side women in Hollywood now that you're setting up shop there."
The whole table leaned forward.
Vera immediately cut in, her eyes wide with a mixture of shock and vicarious approval. "Who? Tell us who, Sael! You can't just allude to it like that."
Emily and Bella, of course, were already primed.
"Kate told us some story earlier this week," Emily announced, sounding both scandalized and excited.
"Something about a girl who came with the West deal? Was she like a bonus package?"
Bella nodded vigorously. "Is she famous? Does she have a big butt? Spill it!"
I laughed, a warm, genuine sound. I found their excitement endearing. Honestly, there was no need for complex spin or lies. Lying just messes up the paperwork later, and I was far too relaxed to bother with maneuvering tonight.
"Alright, alright, simmer down," I said, raising both hands in mock surrender.
"Yes, that's Riana. And yes, she's part of the package."
I explained it simply, taking another drink of water to wash down the lingering taste of the cold drinks.
"The deal with West—the main architect of the collaboration, not Heminem—was complex… He promised me a lot of things: access, influence, and yes, Riana. She was basically the cherry on top of the contract. Riana is a good girl, well-mannered, quiet, and discreet. And also, she got talent… a real talent to become a certified pop-star, and She is also exceptionally talented at making sure I'm relaxed after a hard day of running all over the place…"
Emily looked bewildered. "But... why a woman? Why not just a new synth-car or a jet? Did she have some kind of special skill?"
"She did," I confirmed.
"She came highly recommended by West…. Let's just say she had a reputation for excellent service. Plus, she was already part of his entourage. It was easier to transfer her to my payroll than to go looking for someone new."
Bella's eyes went wide again. "Wait. She was West's woman? Is she one of his groupies? Like, someone waiting in the wings?"
I nodded slowly, letting the truth hang in the air. "Yes. That's probably the best—and most honest—description…. She's a groupie who got promoted to a permanent, subsidized position when she comes to me…. She's happy, I'm happy. It's a very pragmatic arrangement."
The conversation momentarily stalled as the women processed this casual confirmation of my newfound power—the power to simply inherit women as part of a business transaction.
"Well," Cathy finally sighed, shaking her head but smiling slightly.
"As long as she knows the boundaries and respects the main women in your life, I suppose that's fine. This is New San Antonio, after all. Discretion and quality are key virtues these days."
"Riana huh...," Vera commented, still trying to wrap her head around the concept of a human being traded like a stock option.
"She is," I agreed. "Though compared to the next lady, Riana is practically invisible."
I leaned back again, stretching slightly. This next story was genuinely funny, and I could already feel the smirk growing wider on my face.
"So, I was in a music store in West Hollywood last week," I began, setting the scene.
"Just picking up some high-end audio interfaces and new synth-pads for myself…. Nothing major, just standard studio supply. I was browsing the rack of vintage analog gear—you know, the stuff that only old-timers like me appreciate—when this girl just blasts through the aisle."
I mimicked the motion, throwing my hand out.
"She was loud tho…. Like… Very loud. And wearing a truly atrocious outfit, though she definitely had the figure to pull it off. Big personality. She walks right up to me, plants her hands on her hips, and practically shouts over the store's ambient music."
I cleared my throat, mimicking the brash, thick accent I remembered.
"'Yo, you that rich kid, Sael VT? The one who owns Meteor Studio and is making all the bangin' music for everyone?'"
The family was hanging on every word.
"I told her yes, I was. And she didn't even pause for breath. She just leveled her gaze at me and delivered the single most brazen demand I've ever heard in my life."
I started chuckling, remembering the moment.
"She said, 'Listen up, handsome. I'm Cardi Bee. I got talent, I got ass, and I need a major label deal. I heard you like to give out opportunities and you like women who aren't shy. I wanna be your baby momma. Now what's the move, rich boy?'"
"The fuck?! "The dining room went completely silent.
Nadia, my usually unflappable, looked genuinely stupefied. She slowly put her hand to her chest.
"She… she shouted that? In public?"
Vera's jaw was practically slack. "A baby momma? She didn't even ask to date you first?"
"Nope," I confirmed, shaking my head.
"No pretense…. Pure, unadulterated ambition and honesty, like she was gunning for it straight…. And personally, I loved it."
Cathy slowly regained her composure. "Sael, please tell me you didn't actually take her up on that ridiculous, vulgar proposition."
"Well…" I met my mother's gaze, a small, knowing smile on my face. "Actually, yes, Mom. I did."
The chorus of disbelief was immediate.
"What?!" Bella and Emily shouted in unison.
"Why, Sael? Why would you go for someone so—so aggressive?" Bella demanded. "Is she famous?"
"No, not yet," I replied.
"But she will be. I took her in for three very good reasons, in this order."
I held up my fingers, starting with the thumb.
"One: Talent. She actually does have serious raw talent. She has a voice, a unique style, and the energy to become a top-tier rapper artist. I signed her to Meteor immediately. That's good business."
I moved to the index finger.
"Two: She was a good lay…. Seriously good. That kind of uninhibited confidence translates directly to the bedroom, and she knows how to work for what she wants…. She's wild, intense, and demanding in the best ways. It's a marvelous physical release for both of us."
I saw the looks. Vera was blushing delightfully. Nadia was pretending to look away but listening intently. Emily and Bella were thoroughly engrossed.
I moved to the last finger, letting the casual, relaxed nature of my analysis drop away slightly, replacing it with something more genuine.
"And three," I concluded softly, leaning back.
"She was hungry…. Not just for fame, but she was genuinely struggling and needed help getting out of the gutter and getting a shot. She put her entire self out there, no shame, demanding a better life. I'm in a position now where I can offer life-changing help, stability, and a career path to people who deserve it. If they're willing to work for it, and if they're also good company and good sex, why shouldn't I be the one to lend that helping hand?"
I spread my hands in a gesture of simple logic.
"I have the resources. She has the need…. It's a clean trade. It costs me nothing substantial to elevate her, but for her, it's everything. Plus, she makes me laugh."
The room settled into a contemplative silence. The initial shock had been replaced by something softer, a recognition of the underlying kindness that often motivated my most pragmatic (and perverted) decisions.
Cathy sighed, and this time, it was laced with genuine warmth.
"Oh, Sael. You're impossible. You're going to collect every ambitious, talented, slightly broken woman in the world, aren't you?"
"Only the ones with good prospects and great stamina, Mom," I quipped cheerfully.
Emily looked at me with new appreciation. "So, you're a philanthropist who gets laid a lot…. That's quite the business model, Bro."
"He has a heart of gold, under all that ambition and filth," Nadia murmured, shaking her head but smiling warmly at me.
Bella was staring at me, her cheeks flushed. She wasn't just attracted to me as a cousin anymore; she was utterly captivated by the simple, undeniable power of my lifestyle. I was a force of nature—a pragmatic genius who was just as likely to sign a multi-million-credit deal as I was to take in a brazen street rapper shouting about being a baby momma, all because she needed a chance.
"It's truly a blessed life," I agreed, picking up a shard of synth-chocolate from the dessert tray.
"Good music, good business, good family, and quality companionship. What more could a guy ask for?"
"So, you're telling us, Sael," Mom, leaned forward, her elegant fingers drumming lightly on the tabletop,
"That you're not bringing Riana and Cardi Bee back here just because the… heat of the moment got to you?" Her tone was careful, a mix of maternal concern and a slight, knowing skepticism. Her eyes, usually so sharp and appraising in her corporate deals, softened to a worried gaze when it came to her son.
I took a slow sip of my water, letting the cool liquid slide down my throat. The ice cubes clinked gently against the glass, a small punctuation mark in the quiet tension that had gathered.
"That's right, Mom," I confirmed, a small, reassuring smile playing on my lips.
"While I appreciate a good 'heat of the moment' as much as the next man, or perhaps even more than the next man," I added with a wink, earning a soft snort from Vera,
"My decisions for Meteor Entertainment are always… well, a little more calculated than that."
"Then that is good enough," A collective sigh of relief seemed to ripple around the table. Mom's shoulders visibly relaxed, her hand falling from the table to rest on her lap.
Aunt Vera, always the more expressive one, let out a huff of air, a genuine smile replacing the tight line of her mouth. Even Grandma Nadia, usually stoic and observant, offered a faint, approving nod from her end of the table.
"Oh, thank the stars," Vera muttered, taking a hefty gulp of her wine.
"For a second there, I thought you were just going to turn into one of those poor sap CEOs who let their dick do all the thinking. Happens all the time, you know. They get a pretty face batted at them, a little late-night action, and suddenly they're signing away their company's future to some gold-digging hussy."
Mom nodded in agreement, a more serious look returning to her face.
"Vera's right, Sael. Many women out there cannot be trusted. Especially not now, with how things are…. You have to be careful." She leaned in conspiratorially.
"There are so many cases, even in the news, of women just wanting babies for the government stipend. It's a sad reality, but it's real. They'll target a rich man, get pregnant, and then disappear, living off your name and the state's handouts while you're left with nothing but a child support bill and a headache." Her voice dropped to a low, warning tone.
"It's a scam, a system that's ripe for exploitation."
"It's absolutely true," Vera jumped in, her voice brimming with indignation. She slammed her palm lightly on the table, making the glasses jump.
"And don't get me started on the skank bitches who think they can just ride a man's coattails for fame and fortune! They're everywhere, Sael, like digital roaches. They'll smile in your face, spread their legs for a photo op, and then twist your words until you're the villain."
From across the table, my younger sister Emily and Bella, ever glued to their phone, chimed in.
"Totally!" Emily exclaimed, her dark hair bouncing as she nodded vigorously. She held up her sleek, translucent phone, its screen displaying a flurry of news headlines.
Bella, always a step ahead, had hers up too, already scrolling through a gallery of articles.
"Look, Sael," she said, her voice tinged with a mix of concern and the kind of youthful outrage only social media could cultivate.
"It's all over the Internet and Stargram. 'Entitlement Scams on the Rise,' 'Are You Dating a Stipend Seeker?' and this one: 'Corporate Mogul Bankrupted by Baby Trap.' It's a jungle out there for you guys." She gestured with her free hand, her eyes wide.
"They're absolute skank bitches, really. They have no shame."
I smiled, a genuine warmth spreading through me at their collective concern. It was a good feeling, knowing that even in this hyper-sexualized, cutthroat world, my family still looked out for me, for the naive 17-year-old they still saw, despite the old soul rattling around in my head.
"You guys are the best," I said, leaning back in my chair, the soft leather creaking faintly beneath me.
"And I really do appreciate the loving concerns, truly." I paused, letting my gaze drift around the table, meeting each of their eyes.
"But you all know me. I'm not some kind of pushover without a rational mind." I winked mischievously.
"Besides, I've learned by now not to think with my cock most of the time."
"Hahahaha!!" The table erupted in a wave of laughter. Vera let out a hearty guffaw, nearly spilling her wine, while Mom chuckled, shaking her head with an amused smile.
Emily and Bella giggled into their palms, their earlier seriousness melting away like snow under a laser drill. Even Nadia allowed a small, almost imperceptible smile to grace her lips.
"Oh, Sael," Mom sighed, still smiling. "Only you could put it so… eloquently."
"Well, when the opportunity presents itself, thinking with the cock does wonders for stress relief and general morale," I retorted, prompting another round of chuckles, this time stronger.
"But seriously, ladies," I continued, a more earnest, though still relaxed, tone entering my voice.
"No matter what, when I decide to bring someone into my circle, especially within Meteor Entertainment, it's always based on merits and positivity. It's never just a whim, or a drunken mistake, or even just a particularly appealing set of… assets." I let that hang in the air for a moment, enjoying their knowing glances.
"The women I take in, whether personally or professionally, always have to bring something substantial to the table. Something that adds value, not just drains it. And Riana and Cardi Bee? They absolutely have that value. Their talent, their charisma, their raw, untapped potential…" I leaned forward, my voice gaining a hint of the passion I usually reserved for boardroom discussions.
"Turning them into world-class artists, shaping their careers, introducing them to the global stage under the Meteor Entertainment banner? That's not just about me having a good time. It's about building an empire and bringing Meteor Entertainment immense profits, expanding our reach, and diversifying our portfolio."
I saw the understanding dawn in their eyes. The relief morphed into a different kind of respect. Mom nodded slowly, a proud glint in her gaze.
Vera tapped her fingers on the table approvingly. "See, that's my boy," she announced, a triumphant smirk on her face.
"Always thinking five steps ahead…. Combining business with pleasure, but in a way that actually makes sense."
Nadia's nod was firmer this time, a silent testament to her approval. Emily and Bella, no longer scrolling through cautionary tales, looked at me with a newfound admiration, their expressions suggesting I was less a potential victim and more a master manipulator of the societal landscape.
The comfortable hum of conversation had just started to pick up again, Mom asking about the specifics of the new artists' contracts, when Bella's voice, sharp with surprise, cut through the air once more.
"Uh, Sael?" she said, her voice a little choked, a strange mingling of shock and an almost horrified fascination.
"Hm?" My eyes drifted to her, noting the way she held her phone, not scrolling anymore, but frozen on a single image, her fingers splayed wide as if she were afraid to touch it.
"Oh, Shit!" Emily, who had been leaning over Bella's shoulder, let out a small gasp beside her.
"What is it, Bella?" Mom asked, oblivious.
"This…" Bella slowly turned the phone screen towards me, her face pale.
"What… is… this?" she whispered, her gaze wide like saucers.
My eyes landed on the image. It was a Stargram post, unmistakably Mariah Kari's official account. The picture was a selfie, taken from a high angle.
Mariah was naked, her body angled to show off a significantly bloated belly, clearly pregnant. Her head was thrown back, eyes closed in what looked like either ecstasy or exhaustion, a faint, contented smile on her lips.
And then there were the hands. Large, masculine hands, with distinctly familiar rings on the fingers, possessively cupping her full breasts, thumbs brushing over already prominent nipples. The framing of the shot left no doubt who the hands belonged to.
I felt a smirk tugging at my lips, a familiar warmth of satisfaction bubbling in my gut. This was going to be fun.
"Hmmm….Wait!!!?" Emily, whose eyes had now widened to comical proportions, practically shrieked,
"Oh, my gods! Is that… is that you? Is that man… you?" Her voice cracked on the last word, a mixture of disbelief and scandalized excitement.
"Pffftt~" I leaned forward, my smirk widening.
"Well, what do you know," I drawled, my voice deceptively casual.
"It certainly looks like it, doesn't it?" I met Emily's shocked gaze, then Bella's, then let my eyes sweep across the table to Mom, Vera, and Nadia, who were now all staring at the phone with varying degrees of dawning horror.
Emily and Bella's mouths hung open so wide I thought flies might investigate.
"You… you actually… did it?" Emily stammered, her voice barely a whisper.
"You actually followed through on all that social media talk? You said you were going to… you were going to fuck Mariah Kari!"
"Haha!" I chuckled softly, a low, satisfied sound.
"Well, when a man makes a promise, he should keep it, shouldn't he?" I said, leaning back again, enjoying the show. "And yes, for the record, I did…. I fucked her silly. Absolutely silly…. That she moaned my name like a bitch,"
Mom and Vera, eyes now glued to Mariah's distinctly full belly in the picture, looked from the phone to me, then back to the phone. Vera, ever blunt, was the first to articulate the silent question in both their minds.
"Sael," she began, her voice low, a mixture of shock and a strange, almost impressed horror. "Is that… is that belly… is that full of your… your spunk?"
I met her gaze, a slow, deliberate nod.
"Yup…. Every last drop." I even gave them a little nod for emphasis.
The table went silent, save for the faint hum of the apartment's air filtering system.
"Oh my," Mom's hand flew to her mouth, her eyes wide with a profound, almost speechless shock. Vera stared, her jaw slack.
"You really fucked her silly," Emily and Bella were frozen, their faces registering a level of scandalized awe that only the internet could truly amplify.
And then I dropped the final bomb, my voice still casual, a wolfish grin spreading across my face.
"And actually," I added, glancing over at Nadia, who was observing the scene with her usual serene, almost detached composure, "I made grandma Nadia look pretty much the same last night…Pump her so full, that she looked pregnant as heck… Hehehe."
Nadia, from her place at the head of the table, met my gaze. And with a slight, almost imperceptible tilt of her head, she offered a small, knowing nod. "He did, somehow, our man become more and more manly now…"
"Well, Well, well~" The shock that ripped through the room this time was palpable, a physical wave.
"Ahem!" Mom choked on air, a small, disgusted sound escaping her lips.
"Hmm~" Vera's eyes practically bugged out of her head, her hand flying to her chest as if she'd had a sudden heart palpitation.
"You're, so fucking amazing, bro," Emily let out a piercing squeal, half-horror, half-delighted incredulity, while Bella's phone clattered onto the table, forgotten, as her hands flew up to cover her gaping mouth.
It was glorious. The sheer, unadulterated chaos I could conjure with a few well-placed words and a nonchalant attitude. My family, stunned into a tableau of utter disbelief.
This, I thought, was what living was all about, enjoying the fruits of your labor, and occasionally, just occasionally, shocking the hell out of the people you loved the most. The dinner had certainly ended with a bang.