them.
"Lee! There you are. Anda cá ." She gripped Tory's hand. "Tory? Nice to meet you, hon. My name is Kaye, I'm Paulo's wife." She pulled them inside and the apartment was swarming with bodies. Swarming might be an overstatement, the apartment was thankfully huge, and it was filled with people. She began to panic at the idea of having to remember these names.
"Dinner smells good, Kaye ." He turned to Tory. "Kaye is like a sister to me. She and Paulo have always been together even back on Flores. Any picture I have of Paulo is with Kaye not too far behind."
"Ah, indeed, I was your first babysitter."
Another woman stepped through the gathering of bodies that came to greet them. "You? I remember it was me that was changing that boy's diapers."
Troy reached out to the woman with a happy smile. "Tory, this is my oldest sister, Francie. She is like a second mother to me." The two hugged lovingly.
"I've had to paddle you like I was your Mama on several occasions, too!" She chuckled. Then she gave Tory a huge smile.
"Tory, nice to meet you. " She pulled her into a hug which surprised her, and then other people came forward to greet and hug Lee and she always received a hug right along with him. There were brothers and sisters and then their spouses and the introductions seemed to go on forever. The kids ignored them as they went running in and out of the apartment. She had a distant idea that one day she might have little caramel colored children that would be running about right along with them, getting yelled at good-naturedly when they bumped into something or slammed the door. It brought a pleased smile to her face. It was much too early to be having those thoughts, but her mind couldn't stop it.
Macey squeezed her hand drawing her attention back around. "Nice seeing you out of the restaurant."
"Thanks for inviting me."
"Inviting you? You are family. You must always come!" She grabbed her arm and led her away. Tory gave Lee a quick backward look. He was talking to a man named Rafael and he called out jokingly, "Take care of my woman, Mace!"
" Pára quieto ," t he young woman waved away his words. "Come on. I'll get you something to drink." They went into a pretty kitchen. It was big and delicious aromas were coming from it. She was suddenly starving. The room had a homey feel despite the fact that it had commercial size appliances. Yes, this would be the kitchen of a restaurant owner and a member of an extra large family. But it also had a relaxed and comfortable appearance. Pictures of family and drawings by kids decorated the refrigerator or a bulletin board. There were all kinds of canisters and jars filled with spices and pickled items. It was just the type of place that she would love to explore.
Kaye was there tending to a huge roasted meat; leg of lamb? And another wife was slicing cucumbers. It looked like she was making a salad. She gave Tory a warm smile. Macey moved to the refrigerator.
"What would you like to drink? I made a rum punch."
"That sounds good, thanks."
Kaye hefted the meat and placed it back into the oven. "I'm happy you said what you did to Roz." She dusted off her fingers and then placed her hands on her more than ample hips. She was big enough that she was more than plump, but from the expert application of her make-up, to her pretty blond hair and the way she carried herself, this woman was very pretty.
Macey placed the cold rum drink into her hand, nodding in agreement. "Don't get us wrong. Roz is family, but you are my brother's woman and that means she got trumped." Tory hid a smile.
"Yes." The third woman in the room said. "You don't make a play for a woman's man right in her face!"
"Yes, but Roz always thought that she was the boss over Lee." Kaye added. She was slicing thick crusty bread. "We love Roz and we don't spend a lot of time gossiping about family."
Macey took a sip of her own rum drink. "But we're telling you this; that maluca , was wrong."
Francie entered
"Lee! There you are. Anda cá ." She gripped Tory's hand. "Tory? Nice to meet you, hon. My name is Kaye, I'm Paulo's wife." She pulled them inside and the apartment was swarming with bodies. Swarming might be an overstatement, the apartment was thankfully huge, and it was filled with people. She began to panic at the idea of having to remember these names.
"Dinner smells good, Kaye ." He turned to Tory. "Kaye is like a sister to me. She and Paulo have always been together even back on Flores. Any picture I have of Paulo is with Kaye not too far behind."
"Ah, indeed, I was your first babysitter."
Another woman stepped through the gathering of bodies that came to greet them. "You? I remember it was me that was changing that boy's diapers."
Troy reached out to the woman with a happy smile. "Tory, this is my oldest sister, Francie. She is like a second mother to me." The two hugged lovingly.
"I've had to paddle you like I was your Mama on several occasions, too!" She chuckled. Then she gave Tory a huge smile.
"Tory, nice to meet you. " She pulled her into a hug which surprised her, and then other people came forward to greet and hug Lee and she always received a hug right along with him. There were brothers and sisters and then their spouses and the introductions seemed to go on forever. The kids ignored them as they went running in and out of the apartment. She had a distant idea that one day she might have little caramel colored children that would be running about right along with them, getting yelled at good-naturedly when they bumped into something or slammed the door. It brought a pleased smile to her face. It was much too early to be having those thoughts, but her mind couldn't stop it.
Macey squeezed her hand drawing her attention back around. "Nice seeing you out of the restaurant."
"Thanks for inviting me."
"Inviting you? You are family. You must always come!" She grabbed her arm and led her away. Tory gave Lee a quick backward look. He was talking to a man named Rafael and he called out jokingly, "Take care of my woman, Mace!"
" Pára quieto ," t he young woman waved away his words. "Come on. I'll get you something to drink." They went into a pretty kitchen. It was big and delicious aromas were coming from it. She was suddenly starving. The room had a homey feel despite the fact that it had commercial size appliances. Yes, this would be the kitchen of a restaurant owner and a member of an extra large family. But it also had a relaxed and comfortable appearance. Pictures of family and drawings by kids decorated the refrigerator or a bulletin board. There were all kinds of canisters and jars filled with spices and pickled items. It was just the type of place that she would love to explore.
Kaye was there tending to a huge roasted meat; leg of lamb? And another wife was slicing cucumbers. It looked like she was making a salad. She gave Tory a warm smile. Macey moved to the refrigerator.
"What would you like to drink? I made a rum punch."
"That sounds good, thanks."
Kaye hefted the meat and placed it back into the oven. "I'm happy you said what you did to Roz." She dusted off her fingers and then placed her hands on her more than ample hips. She was big enough that she was more than plump, but from the expert application of her make-up, to her pretty blond hair and the way she carried herself, this woman was very pretty.
Macey placed the cold rum drink into her hand, nodding in agreement. "Don't get us wrong. Roz is family, but you are my brother's woman and that means she got trumped." Tory hid a smile.
"Yes." The third woman in the room said. "You don't make a play for a woman's man right in her face!"
"Yes, but Roz always thought that she was the boss over Lee." Kaye added. She was slicing thick crusty bread. "We love Roz and we don't spend a lot of time gossiping about family."
Macey took a sip of her own rum drink. "But we're telling you this; that maluca , was wrong."
Francie entered
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