Tonight

This was all Aisha’s idea. Lewis gave her an odd look.

“What?!” she asked. The leader shrugged at her.

“I mean, it couldn’t hurt, right?” she asked. Lewis made a face at her.

“And you think that a dinner will bring them all together?” she asked. “Are you out of your mind?!”

“Food can bring people together,” Aisha said. Lewis looked at their friends. Muriel and Clyde looked away, whistling. The farmer stuck up her hands in a shrug.

“Really, guys?” she asked. “Help you are!” Lewis turned back to a smiling Aisha. Their leader wasn’t going to back down, was she? Aisha clapped her hands together.

“Right! It’s settled then!” she said. “We’re having a dinner party here tonight!” The old biddies looked up. The other three old biddies looked up.

“What?!” Lewis asked. “I didn’t agree to such a thing! What the hell are you doing?!”

“We can’t have it tonight,” Muriel said. Aisha raised her eyebrow.

“And why not?” she asked. The other old biddy blinked.

“Um… uh…” she said. She looked around for help. Lewis turned away, whistling. Clyde shrugged her shoulders. Muriel put up her hands and slowly shook her head. Aisha stood back and smiled. Well okay, they had their answer.

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“Remind me again, why are we going to this dinner party?” Tucker asked. Annie straightened his tie.

“I don’t know,” she said. “Aisha insisted.” Tucker gave her a strange look.

“Couldn’t we call in sick?” he asked.

“That would just be rude,” Annie said. She didn’t sound convincing. Her husband sighed.

“Keep still,” she said.

“Yeah, yeah,” Tucker said. Annie got the tie nice and straight.

“There,” she said. The woman took a step back.

“How’s my hair?” she asked. Tucker forced himself to smile.

“Great!” he said. “You look great.” Annie narrowed her eyes.

“You better not be lying,” she said. Tucker threw up his hands.

“I’m not!” he said. His wife frowned at first before she calmed down.

“Fine,” she said. She turned and walked out of the Sunny Plum. Tucker sighed and shook his head.

“There’s no pleasing that woman,” he said to himself. The man followed after his wife and flipped the sign closed.

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Dinner was going to begin at six. William and his nieces stood outside Lewis’ front door. Liz turned to the old man.

“Why are we here?” she asked. William shrugged and shook his head.

“We were just invited here,” he said. “By Aisha.”

“Oh,” his older niece said. Clover reached forward and rang the bell. She drew back her hand as the door opened. Lewis stood in the doorway looking awkward.

“Oh, hi Bill,” she said. “Clover, Liz.”

“Hello,” the girls said. William pressed his lips together and waved. The farmer said nothing as she moved aside. The old man and his nieces walked inside.

Aisha looked up from setting the table when she heard the footsteps. William and his nieces stood in the doorway, looking in.

“Oh good! You’re here!” she said. William wrinkled his nose.

“Why exactly are we here?” he asked. Aisha grinned as she walked over to him.

“We’re here for Kat and her boyfriend,” she said. The old man looked puzzled.

“What? They’re back together?” he asked. “Which guy was this?” Aisha turned to Lewis. The farmer sat down and shrugged.

“Who cares anymore?” she asked.

“My name is Rich,” the young man said as he sat next to Kat at the table. Kat herself said nothing.

“Whatever,” Lewis muttered. She leaned back in her chair and groaned. Muriel and Clyde didn’t say a word. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

“I’ll get it!” Aisha said. She dashed over to the door. William turned back to his friends. Clearly, no one wanted to be here. But why didn’t anyone try to leave? Clyde waved her arm up in the air.

“’Ow ya doin’?” she asked. William shrugged.

“Fine, I guess,” he said. He walked over and took a seat. Liz and Clover sat on either side of him. Everyone looked up when Aisha came back with Tucker and Annie. Lewis wrinkled her nose as she looked confused.

“Annie? Tuck? What are you doing here?” she asked.

“I invited them over,” Aisha said. Everyone had confused looks on their faces. Okay, this just kept getting weird. Lewis threw up her hands and leaned back in her chair. She just didn’t care anymore.

“Let’s just get this over with,” she mumbled to herself. Aisha turned for a look.

“What did you say?” she asked. The farmer frowned and shook her head. This wasn’t her choice anymore anyway.

End

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