AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Both.” Laura’s voice was stern with an edge of anger. There was a story there, but I thought better of asking about it.
“Well, he can’t do that shit anymore.” I stuffed another mini quiche in my mouth, this time it was mushroom, spinach and cheese.
The women laughed, some louder than others. “Is this a problem? Rape, I mean?”
“You mean, within the family?” Celeste shrugged. “It happens. Probably more than it should, but… it is what it is.”
I sighed. “What else happens?”
Laura smiled. “You want our list of grievances?”
“Yes, of course.” I nodded. “If you have any. After all, you’re just as much a part of this family as the men are.”
The women looked at each other, most of them seemed timid. Too afraid to speak. Like I was testing them and if they said they were unhappy, I was going to hurt them.
“Look.” Leaning forward, I met each of their gazes. “I want you to be a part of the family in any capacity you feel comfortable. If you want to work with me and the men, then so be it. Or if you feel more comfortable taking care of your man and your home, I’m down with that, too.” I shrugged. “I asked all of you here today to meet you and to let you know that you’re a part of this family, too, and you won’t be sidelined, if you don’t want to be.”
Celeste scoffed, arching her eyebrow. “And what of the men? How will they feel about this? What if they’re totally against it?”
I shrugged. “Then fuck ‘em. Don’t get me wrong, I respect their opinions. And if they have an issue, we can talk about it. But ladies, we’re moving into the twenty-first century. I want the Kingsley Family to move into the twenty-first century, too. I want us to be integrated.”
There was a grumble of agreement.
“So, hypothetically, we can hold jobs within the family, if we want?” Laura asked, clearly intrigued.
“Of course!” I let out a deep breath. “As the Don of the Kingsley Family, I plan to recognize and use the talent we have within the family. That is, if you have the stomach for it. There are degrees to which you can be involved. But ladies, you will also be held accountable just like the men.” I let out a deep breath. “I’m looking for people I can trust, and who will be loyal to me as well as the Kingsley Family. If you’re down for it or have any particular skills that you feel are not being utilized within the family, then let’s talk.”
After that, it opened the door for honest conversation and the women seemed to open up. A few hours later, the group filtered out and only a few stayed behind. Celeste and Laura were among them.
“There’s rape. There’s abuse in the family.” Laura clenched her jaw. “Not my husband, of course, but there are some who do it. Also, feeling as if we should be seen and not heard is irritating. I mean, I have a degree in finance and yet he doesn’t want me to work outside the house.”
“I went to culinary school,” Liv chimed in. “I would love to work in a restaurant again but he’s against it.”
“Well, the club could serve food,” I said, thinking aloud. “And having someone within the family in charge of it would be ideal. Someone we already trust. You’d have to stay in the kitchen, though, unless the guests wanted a meal brought to their room.” I arched an eyebrow. “Are you down for that?”
A broad smile spread across Liv’s face. “Yes, of course!”
I nodded, giving her a small smile. “Good! Maybe we can meet within the next few days. Let me know what works best for you. I’d like to sample a little of your cuisine. And if everything goes well, then we can work out a menu. But I want to be involved with anything that’s served.”
Yes, she was definitely smiling now. “Sounds good!”
I returned her smile and glanced around at the women who stayed behind. “Anyone else?”
Laura glanced around at the other women. “Not at the moment.”
What started as brunch turned into dinner and drinks. But instead of staying outside, we ended up in the dining room. My father elected to have his dinner in his room, claiming that he wasn’t that hungry. We ended up talking, drinking, and eating until well after midnight.
The more they drank, the more they opened up about themselves and their husbands and their talents and what they wanted to contribute to the family. It was an educational dinner.
I learned so much from them and was having so much fun that I almost didn’t want them to go home. I learned Peter was okay with me running the family, even though he was a little afraid of me because of what I did to Reggie. He just wanted to make sure I could handle it. If I was the best person for the job, then being a woman didn’t mean anything. I was glad to hear it.
I learned that Anthony loved dogs and bourbon. I also learned that these men told their wives everything. There didn’t seem to be any secrets between them. And the men's main topic of conversation seemed to be me. It was almost two o'clock in the morning when the women finally went home.
Laura surprised me by pulling me in for a hug at the door when she was leaving. “We should do this again sometime! This was fun.” Then she leaned in conspiratorially. “It’s nice to have our voices heard and to be appreciated.” A sly smile lit her lips “But between us, having the eye-candy waiters didn’t hurt, either.”
I laughed, already liking her. “I was thinking about doing this every month, just so we can all see each other and check in.”
Her eyes lit up. “That’s a great idea!”
