HOUSE OF PANCAKES: WILLOW CREEK
Chapter 13
It’s a week later and it’s time for Bob to prep the food for the dinner party. He was not looking forward to this dinner gathering of six other people in his home. But because it was only one evening and it also would keep Eliza in a good mood, he would do this one thing.
Bob worked hard in the kitchen the night before the dinner. Eliza wanted more classy foods. Not basic stuff he made for them when they first started building the restaurant. She would watch him make some of his finer dishes. He would even do some of his fancy tricks like he would when they were dating.
The night of the party had arrived. Again, Eliza picked out the outfit for Bob. He knew how to dress himself, but she did have good taste in clothes when it came to finding him something to wear when they went out.
“How do I look?” Bob asked.
“Dashing!” Eliza replied.
Bob was nervous. He hadn’t met the crew that worked on the restaurant he now owned, besides the foreman. And he wasn’t coming to the party.
The first to arrive were the twins, Casey and Brandy. Eliza greeted them at the door. Bob said his hello’s afterwards.
“You have a nice home.” Brandy says to Bob.
Bob quietly responds, “Thank you.”
Then there was an awkward of silence, so Eliza showed them more of the house. Casey would stare mostly out the windows at the yard.
Marco was the next to arrive. Same routine. Eliza greeted at the door. Marco looked around like he was in heaven. He stared at the furniture. Then the paintings on the walls. He pretty much forgot he was a guest in someone else’s home. Eliza brought him back to reality and asked if he wanted a tour.
“Can I show you around?” Eliza asked Marco.
“Please.” He replied.
Eliza was also excited because she too was interested in knowing his opinion on their house. She knew right off the bat from his expressions that he must have good taste.
Greyson was the third to arrive. Just like at the construction site, he was on his phone. He put it away when she greeted him.
“What’s up?” Greyson said to Bob when Eliza introduced the two.
“Uh…” Bob hesitated. “Not much.”
Greyson saw that some of the other folks had arrived and went over to mingle with them. Bob felt a sigh of relief.
The last to arrive was Emilio and Maggie. They arrived together, arms interlocked. Maggie punched Emilio in the arm.
“I told you we should have left earlier.” Maggie said to Emilio.
“Tell that to your over-protective brothers. All five of them.” Emilio replied back while shaking his hips in a pestering manner. Maggie gives Emilio a dirty look.
All of the construction crew is gathered in the living room catching up on how their lives are as Bob and Eliza head into the kitchen.
“Are you two an item now?” Brandy asks Emilio and Maggie.
“We’ve been talking and chatting on the phone since the project ended.” Maggie replied.
“Yeah. This is our first official date. I asked Mags if she’d like to come here with me. Maybe see a movie or something afterwards.” Emilio jumped in.
“Not off to a get good start if you ask me.” Maggie responds back.
“You know you love me.” Emilio leaned in on her.
“Anyway, how about the rest of you?” Maggie said.
“I’m still playing my guitar on the streets for tips” Casey said. “It’s fun, but I am hoping to get a better gig somewhere.
“Have you tried playing at a club instead?” Emilio asked.
“No, I haven’t.” Casey responded raising an eyebrow.
“See. You got a tip without even playing your instrument.” Brandy winks at him.
“How about you, Marco?” Maggie asks.
Marco was too busy admiring his surroundings.
“Marco?” Maggie says a little louder.
“Polo!” Emilio chimes in.
“Stop it!” Maggie tells Emilio even though that got a laugh out of her and everyone else, except Marco who was still in his own world.
Eliza called them all to eat.
Eliza, Emilio, Marco, Greyson, and the twins sat at the dining table. But Bob was nowhere to be seen. Maggie noticed he was eating by himself in the living room, so she took her meal there.
“Why are you eating here by yourself?” Maggie asked.
“Not into crowds. I’m sorry if I seem like a bad host.” Bob replied.
“It’s okay. I understand. And you’re not a bad host. I’m glad you had us all over dinner. May I join you?”
“Sure. As long as everyone else doesn’t follow.” Bob said with a smile which got Maggie to smile too.
Bob thought Maggie must have been starving the way she ate. But he didn’t mind because it was less talking he would have to do.
By the end of the evening, everyone had a good time. As it was getting late, Emilio and Maggie were the first to leave. Each guest followed suit until it was just Bob and Eliza. The two cleaned up afterwards talking about how the evening went and that they were happy to have made some new friends. Bob was more enthused that there wasn’t a crowd in his house anymore.
Note from the Author: A little reason behind the dinner party. Part of Bob’s current Aspiration Goals is to host a dinner party. Loner Bob suppose to hold a dinner party? Good grief. There’s a challenge within the challenge. That’s when it dawned on me that I could create attendees to some kind of party ahead of time. That’s partial of where the idea of a construction crew comes into play. But I also wanted to be able to show off the construction crew in their party outfits either put together by the creators (see end notes of Chapter 10) or what the game gave them to wear. Plus we had some unfinished side-stories with this fine group. One final thank you to all the creators who put together the construction crew team!