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I check my phone to see that it’s almost three PM. Rellick and Luc are having their own conversation, ignoring the souls in the middle of the room. “Will you be done by seven?”
“Why?” Purple eyes stare into mine. They really are the nicest shade, a ring of gold surrounding the outside. Reminds me of LSU, my grandfather’s favorite college football team.
I shake my head to clear it. I will not be distracted by pretty purple eyes. And this dinner will fucking happen! “I’m making dinner, and we will eat all together by seven-thirty at the latest.”
Lucifer gives a soft chuckle, like I’m joking. “Darling, I am very busy-”
“I’m making dinner,” I cut him off. “We will eat all together by seven-thirty.” Without giving him the chance to respond, I walk up to him, grabbing Rellick off his lap before leaving the room.
Once the doors close behind us, I ask Mammon to show me the kitchen. It’s a state-of-the-art, chef’s kitchen. I’ve never cooked in one of these before, but I’ll figure it out. It can’t be that hard.
It’s fucking hard.
The kitchen in my apartment is miniscule whereas this kitchen was meant for a restaurant. There’re four stoves! I’m able to do what I need to do but I am just so stressed! I told the few punished souls who work the kitchen that I didn’t need help. They kept giving opinions on recipes they had no business in. I don’t need that kind of negativity.
Then I had to kick Beelzebub out! He came in to say that Mammon told him about the dinner, and he was excited to help any way he can. He then proceeded to take bites of everything. They weren’t small bites either! He had to leave.
Mammon ended up taking Rellick who knows where because, while he normally cooks with me, he was driving me insane. I put too much stress on myself for this dinner.
With meeting Maw’s reincarnation and just talking about and remembering her most of the day, I wanted to celebrate her and our family tradition. The dinner hasn’t even started yet!
I check the time on my phone again. It’s almost seven pm. The mac & cheese just has to broil for a few more minutes and everything will be done. I’ve made chicken and sausage gravy, loaded mashed potatoes, baked mac & cheese, garlic bread, steamed vegetables, and rice to go under the gravy.
Once the mac is done, I plate everything, making sure none of Rellick’s food touches and giving Sweetie extra helpings of everything. I move to the dining room that Mammon showed me to see him, Beelzebub, and Belphegor sitting at a long thin table already. Rellick is sitting in Beelzebub’s lap.
Well, that just won’t do. I won’t be able to see everyone. “Sweets?” My voice is on the verge of cracking, because of how stressed and overwhelmed I am.
He immediately stops talking to his brothers and focuses all his attention on me. I love that. “Yes, Honey?”
“Do you have a round table?” His insect head turns to the side. I can’t tell his facial expressions because of his demon form. “Everyone needs to be able to see each other. A round table works best and would feel more intimate.” Lust chuckles as he enters the room, and my nerves must be so bad that it doesn’t affect me. “I just mean, that I want to feel close.”
“Like a family,” Mammon says, his voice low. I nod my head in response. My golden statue stands, motioning for the others to do the same. He snaps his fingers, and the room clears of all the tables, leaving on a large round one behind with multiple chairs. “How’s that Treasure?”
I beam at him, a weight taken off my shoulders. “This is perfect!” I run back into the kitchen, grab a cart from against the wall, and begin placing the plates on it, making sure to differentiate Rellick and Gluttony. I push it into the dining room where more Sins have joined. The only sin missing is now Lucifer.
“You know we have souls to do this, right?” Satan’s voice is deep and gravelly, but right now it’s just pissing me off. “They’re being punished for a reason, and you gave them the night off.”
“Well, I needed this dinner to go a specific way and they were aggravating me. Make them clean the kitchen or something.” I start putting plates in front of demons, placing my own plate in the empty spot between Rellick and Mammon. Beelzebub is on Rellick’s other side.
As I move to sit, I realize I forgot silverware and I have to take a deep breath to calm myself down. I took on too much today trying to be the Great Anna Boudreaux. “You did amazing, Treasure,” Mammon whispers against my hair. He blinks and the table looks the way I wanted it to, with a pretty tablecloth, silverware, and napkins. How did he know? Greed pulls out my chair for me and the Sins who were standing follow me. We’re all sitting at the table, food ready in front of us, waiting for Lucifer.
Beelzebub moves to take a bite of his food, but I stop him. “We can’t eat until everyone is at the table.” I check the time on my phone again, seeing it’s seven-twenty-eight. Angel’s got two minutes.
25. Satan
Brianna’s pissed. She keeps checking her phone as we wait for Lucifer. Every second he doesn’t show, her ire grows. I should be thriving on the emotion, but instead I’m furious along with her. She wanted all of us together. Was that so much to ask that Lucifer share a meal with his brothers?
After the seventh check of her phone, I stood from the table. “Where are you-” Her voice is cut out as I leave the room.
I head straight for the throne room, where Lucifer is sitting on his throne with a line of souls before him. “You’re spared another day without a punishment. Use it wisely,” I tell the souls. “Don’t think you can hide, though. You won’t like it if I have to find you.”
The souls disperse before Lucifer can stop them. “What the fuck, Wrath?”
“You have an obligation.” I stand firm, in the position I expect of my demon soldiers.
“Yeah! I know! And you just told them all to leave.” Lucifer rubs his eyes and sighs deeply. Poor thing. Not.
I stay quiet, giving him time to think. It takes too long. “Are you hungry?” I ask.
