"Thank you. Good night." I told the security who handed our groceries to me. We had them carry it, or rather, Jesse had them carry it because we couldn't hold them on the motorcycle. But he didn't respond, the security I mean.
"Rude," I commented to Jesse.
He smirked and replied, "They're not allowed to respond." Then he continued "If they did, they'd say a lot. Say good night Ronnie." He ordered the security.
"Good night ma'am." He bowed before walking away from the house. I turned and gave Jesse, the WTAF look. He only smiled and took the bags from me. I took my seat, perched on the chair in the dining.
"What are you making?" I asked as I watched him unpack the bags. We had gone a little overboard buying things that weren't necessary, like a flower vase and a big teddy bear.
"Spaghetti. The Italian way." We prepped the vegetables, chopped them and he got cooking. The turkey was marinated first and then set aside while we made the sauce and when we were done, we stuffed the turkey with some sauce, and off it went into the oven.
I didn't understand the other things he did, all I knew was that not long after we were sitting in the dining with our food served alongside some freshly squeezed orange juice.
I had one taste of it and it was better than it smelt. Hot and spicy just like him. "It's really good," I commented. He didn't reply, only raised his head from his food and gave me an accepting smile.
He ate with so much manners, never said anything at any point, didn't slurp and his plates never made sounds. I felt as though I was being tested. I only knew how to use one cutlery to eat, I talked while eating and I used my phone. But with him, I felt so... timid.
By the time we were done, which took me longer because I didn't want to look like a glutton since my guest had not finished, we sat on the couch for some time, just staring at the Television and not saying anything.
I cleared my throat and began cause it was getting awkward "So, when did you learn how to cook so well?"
He sat up "high school, I believe. I was home-schooled so I can't tell." He played with my hair while he spoke. "I was always alone at home. And what do you do when you're alone?"
"Watch porn and masturbate?" I replied and he turned to me with a mischievous look on his face.
"Nahhh. I learned how to cook. I didn't take it so seriously cause I felt I had people to cook for me, but after my mum died of poisoning, I had to." For the first time, I saw the humane part of him. For a person who had to live in fear from birth, it must have been hard.
"I'm sorry. I didn't know." I said and placed my hand on his.
"Yeah. That's because everyone was told she died of natural causes. At 39?" He sighed. "Dad wasn't and isn't one to lose to his enemies so he had to make up something to make it seem like their plans failed."
"Was that when you got the security as well?"
He looked up at me "No. I've always had them since I can remember. Mum had them while she was pregnant and so did dad's mistresses."
"Dad traveled a lot. And mum hated traveling, so they didn't spend much time together. So, Dad made more families as he traveled." He counted with his fingers. "There are so many of them but I only know seven and you'd get to meet them on Christmas."
I rolled my eyes "Why would I want to meet your family?"
He chuckled. "Because as annoying as we are, we're really funny to watch. When all the mistresses gather with their sons, Jacob, Joe, Jayden, James, John, Jake, and Chris, it's usually a rollercoaster of emotions."
"They're that much? And what's with the JJJ...C thing?" I didn't know he had such an extended family probably cause they were never mentioned.
"Yeah, and there's more. Don't know them though. Dad was trying to be poetic I guess with the J stuff. Christopher was unplanned, so when he came along, Dad just threw the name at him." I grabbed the Pringles we got earlier cause I wanted to hear more and he was ready to tell.
"Jacob and Jayden are the same age as me, I'm three years older than Joe, James, and Jake and I don't remember the rest but Christopher is the last."
"Is this you being a big brother?" I teased.
"Nope. I just got tired of hearing 'How do you not remember us?' they asked a lot."
We spent the rest of the evening talking about his family and their vacations. Ronnie brought him some clothes to change into and finally, we went to bed.
"What's your family like?" He asked as he stroked my face while we lay in my room. "I tried to find something on them but aside from your mum, I couldn't get any."
"That's because she was the only family I had. I never knew my dad, mum said he left after she fell pregnant and she never remarried so no siblings." I didn't know I'd miss her so much when I chose to put everything before her. Didn't know it'd be the last time I heard from her.
Jesse drew me closer as my eyes got teary "It was not your fault. You don't have to blame yourself." When I looked up at him to understand how he knew, he simply whispered "There's a lot you don't know about me. Let's go to bed."
I snuggled under his arms, I loved the way he smelt. "Good night pumpkin." He whispered. As he slept soundly, I just prayed, I wasn't falling for this stalker of mine.