The Undeniable Bond

Chapter 4 - Let the Planning Begin

After the appointment, Angela and I went to the mall and went shopping. We ended up at the maternity store so that I could get clothes that actually fit and looked super cute on me.

The shopping spree worked up my appetite, and my cravings for tacos have been intensifying all day. Angela knows just the place, a cozy Mexican restaurant known for its delicious and authentic dishes. When we got there, we sat down at a corner table, the vibrant atmosphere and enticing aromas lifting my mood even further.

“I’ve been craving tacos all day. This is perfect.”

“I know. You’ve mentioned tacos at least a dozen times today. Let’s satisfy that craving.”

When the tacos arrive, I dig in with this intense hunger, savoring each bite. The warm tortillas, seasoned meat, fresh toppings, and tangy salsa hit the spot. Angela orders a burrito and we chat about the day's events, sharing laughter and enjoying the moment.

Later, as we pull into the driveway, the sun is setting, casting a warm glow over the forest and cabins that make up the Coven's territory. I started to feel a mix of exhaustion and contentment, looking forward to sharing the news with the family.

"Hello everyone, we're back," Angela announced to everyone as we made our way through the front door.

"We're in the living room," Grandmother replied.

My brother Adonis, and our grandparents were waiting in the living room when we walk in. The cozy room, filled with familiar furniture and the comforting scent of home, instantly makes me feel at ease.

"So how did everything go? Is the baby OK?" Adonis said with a bit of concern in his voice, being the overprotective big brother that he is, can be funny sometimes, but nonetheless, I love him for it. But before I could even get a word out of my mouth, Angela spilled the beans, from beginning to end.

"First and foremost, the doctor said she needs to lay off certain foods because of her high blood pressure, which means you, Poppa, no more late-night rendezvous to the kitchen eating junk food and snacks with her." Grandmother turned in his direction with her arms crossed, and if looks could kill, he would be a goner.

Angela then proceeded to give Granny the folder that the doctor gave me to follow for my new diet. "Here are the instructions for the diet regimen that they want her on. She is to follow it and report back to the doctor on her upcoming appointment." Granny pulled out her reading glasses and proceeded to comb through the pages in the folder. She looked up and turned her attention back to pop-pop, " Sir we have had this little talk about your blood pressure as well, and with you sneaking into the kitchen at night, and now, your granddaughter is having the same issues you are having."

"I hear you my dear, I will be more mindful of my choices of food consumption. Now what we can do is try other substitutions for the late-night snacks," Grandpop stated in his subdued tone.

"Oh I know you will, because now you have no choice but to be 'mindful'. At this point, you BOTH are going to follow a menu that the chef and I will put together. We’ll take care of this, Amelia. We need to make sure you and the baby are healthy.” The look that granny gave Grandpop was scary, to say the least, all the old man could do was nod in an understanding gesture.

He then 'cleared' his throat, "Well now, on to the next topic at hand, what blessing has the goddess bestowed upon this family?"

I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath, "IT'S GIRL!!!"

Everyone erupted with glee and excitement. I could see the tears of joy streaming down my grandmother's cheeks. She jumped up from the Loveset and hugged me tightly. "Oh my Goddess, I knew that she would bless us with a girl, oh how wonderful. She is going to be a stunning beauty, you know good looks runs in the family." Everyone burst out in laughter.

"No lies told there," said Adonis

After we all calmed down, Granny then proceeded to ask, "So when are we having the baby shower?"

"Now that is something that I am going to leave you lovely ladies to powwow about, Adonis, let us go into my office. I need to discuss something with you regarding the coven businesses. My love, I will see you at dinner." He reaches down to kiss Granny on her forehead.

"Yeah, OK, you're still on my s**t list sir. The conversation will resume later."

"Yes, my dear, I understand," Grandpop said with a smile.

After they left, the three of us headed to the kitchen. Granny then proceeded to give the coven chef my nutrition folder and they both began to brainstorm a new diet menu for me and Grandpop. Deloris is so nice and one of the best cooks I have ever known. She promised me that she can make dishes that are healthy and don't necessarily have to taste like a cardboard box like most foods when you are on a diet.

Granny lays down the law as usual. She’s aware of my cravings and the family's tendency for late-night snacking, especially with Grandpop. They collaborate to create a nutritious and delicious menu. It includes plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains. Snacks are replaced with healthier options like nuts, yogurt, and fruit.

"I'll be right back, I need to get some things," Angela said before getting up from the table and dashing down the hallway.

I guess Deloris was reading my mind because I got hungry all over again, she placed a bowl in front of me, "Here I'm about to start dinner but in the meantime, you can have this mixed fruit bowl with drizzled honey and nuts. Tonight I’m making a healthy chicken pasta with vegetables. It’s nutritious, delicious, and perfect for you, Amelia.”

Angela came back into the kitchen and placed this baby book on the table. It was big and tan with gold lettering on it, "Ok, we are a bit behind, but between the four of us, we can conjure up a grand baby shower. We need a theme that’s as beautiful as this baby is going to be.”

“How about something celestial? Like moon and stars?” I have been thinking about what I wanted regarding a theme since Angela brought it to my attention. And by the looks on both of their faces, I could tell that they approved.

“I love that! It’s perfect. A moon and stars theme.”

We spent the next hour discussing decorations, food, and invitations. Ideas flow freely, and we begin to visualize a beautiful shower filled with shimmering stars, crescent moons, and magical touches that will celebrate the new life that I am bringing into the world.

“We can hang fairy lights to look like stars, and have a big crescent moon backdrop for photos.” Angela stated.

“I can make some star-shaped cookies and a moon-themed cake. And we’ll need lots of blue and silver decorations.” Granny wrote on the whiteboard.

I started to feel a wave of gratitude wash over me. Despite the challenges I was facing, I was surrounded by love and support from my family and friends. The planning session ends with a sense of excitement and anticipation for the upcoming celebration.

Deloris begins by preparing the chicken. Seasoning the boneless skinless chicken breasts with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and pepper. The smell of the spices fills the kitchen, creating a comforting and appetizing aroma.

“Healthy eating doesn’t have to be boring. We can make meals that are both good for you and full of flavor.” Deloris stated.

She heats olive oil in a large skillet, cooking the chicken until it’s golden brown and perfectly cooked through. After setting the chicken aside to rest, she starts boiling whole wheat pasta, explaining to me and the others the benefits of using whole grain options.

Granny slightly hovers over Deloris watching her every move, sometimes I wonder if she was a drill sergeant in her previous lifetime.

“Whole wheat pasta is a great alternative. It’s higher in fiber and nutrients, which is exactly what we need.”

While the pasta cooks, Deloris moves on to the vegetables. She heats more olive oil in the skillet, adding diced onion and minced garlic. The sizzling sound and the smell of garlic made my mouth water.

“Now we add the colorful veggies—red bell pepper, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, and spinach. They’re packed with vitamins and minerals.” It was like she was giving us our own private presentation for the evening. The vibrant vegetables cook in the skillet, their colors brightening as they soften. She seasons them with a pinch of red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper, enhancing their natural flavors.

Once the pasta is cooked and drained, Deloris adds it to the skillet with the vegetables. She slices the cooked chicken into thin strips and adds it to the mix, stirring everything together. “A touch of Parmesan cheese and some fresh basil will add the finishing touches.” The grated Parmesan melts into the warm pasta, and the fresh basil adds a burst of fragrant flavor. She then plates the dish, garnishing it with extra basil for a beautiful presentation.

Dinner*******************************

As planned, we all gathered in the dining area at 8 PM, I had to hand it to Deloris. She really outdid herself with this delicious meal. But before we could even let our forks touch our plates, Granny decided to give a family announcement. “Alright, listen up everyone. From now on, there will be no more late-night trips to the kitchen for snacks.”

She then proceeds to gaze in Pop Pop's direction, and the look on his face turns a bit sheepish, knowing she is really directing her statements at him.

“No excuses! We need to support Amelia. That means a healthy diet for everyone.” Granny is not one to be trifled with, and the family knows better than to argue. But before she could speak up again, Angela interjected.

"Wait, does this mean I have to follow the 'new diet' as well, I am perfectly fine, and last time I checked my health was never in question". Angela said while rolling her eyes and turning up her nose.

"Oh miss, Missy, if you haven't noticed, this is a family affair, all for one and one for all. Remember you were the one who gave me the heads-up about Amelia and her doctor's appointment. Sneaking and snooping around, being in everyone's business as usual."

Angela's eyes grew big as if she caught her hands in the cookie jar. " Really Granny! You were just as concerned about Lia as I was."

" I swear if I didn't know any better it would look like you both have been planning this little coo to gather all information regarding the arrival of this child." Adonis said while stuffing his face, I swear he was always the brains when it came down to knowing the objective between the both of them.

I giggled at the thought of memories of how the both of them 'operate' together, "You know what, come to think of it, Angie has always been Granny's little spy. Any time we would want to go off and leave her behind, she would always run back and tell her."

"Couldn't sneak out, she ratted me out about my fireworks. You know I spent good money on those fireworks." Adonis chimed in.

We busted out in laughter, cause over the years all Adonis would ever do was talk about those damn fireworks. We had a coven from the U.S. to visit us, and they came around what they call the 4th of July, which was their country's Independence Day. Adonis was thrilled; a 15-year-old, other coven teenage boys, and fireworks. Oh, he had a plan.

While Adonis was conversing with his friends, Angie overheard him discussing 'Operation Independence'. The boys put their money together. One of them was of driving age, so they took his parents' car and drove to the nearest fireworks stand, which was far. Angie begged him to let her watch the fireworks, but he said no. The real reason she was mad was because I was invited. Well, Adonis and I are closer in age, so most of his friends were my friends too, plus we had our hang-out spot in the forest, which was perfect.

Angie was pissed, she went to Granny, told her everything. Details about who was apart of 'Operation Independence', how they got to the firework stand; the boy that drove got in so much trouble for taking his parents' car. Where our hideout spot was, and where they hid the fireworks. Adonis was pissed, and still is pissed cause Granny shut it down.

"Oh well, the moral of the story when it comes to these two, make sure your business is your business." Grandpop said.

I raised my glass and said, "Here, Here."

Adonis followed suit with his glass raised.

The doorbell rings, Deloris yells out she has the front door, Adonis and Grandpop look at each other,'' Who could that be at this time of the hour," Granny said, looking at Grandpop. But before he could even answer her, in walks Roland.

"Roland, what are you doing here?" I said.

Adonis stood up from the table, took in a deep and heavy sigh, "Little sis, we may have a problem."