Page 72 of I Don't Want You Back

Chapter 22

“Y’all like it?” Faryn asked as she watched Lennox and Lance sample the gravy steaks that she was preparing for dinner. She had loaded baked potatoes and broccoli with cheese to go along with it.

“Yes, it’s good,” Lennox said with a smile.

“I can’t wait to eat,” Lance said, rubbing his stomach.

“What’s for dessert?” Lennox asked.

“Your father went to the bakery to get a German chocolate cake,” Faryn replied.

“Yes,” Lance said excitedly.

“My GG said you’re gonna make all of us fat,” Lennox laughed.

“Yeah and my auntie Makena said that we put her food down for yours,” Lance chimed in.

“I can’t wait to see those heifers. They been talking behind my back, I see,” Faryn joked.

“My GG likes you. She said God answered her prayers,” Lance replied.

“Yep and my auntie said she likes you too. She’s happy that you cook for us and stuff,” Lennox spoke up.

“Aww, I like your GG and your auntie too.” Faryn smiled.

“Nobody likes my auntie Ava. My grandma said she’s a spoiled… you know, the b word,” Lennox chuckled as he repeated what Ms. Ella had said.

Faryn didn’t reply, but Ella had her daughter right. Ava was a piece of work, and Faryn wasn’t too fond of her either. When they first met, Ava turned her nose up at Faryn like she was beneath her. She asked her a bunch of questions, until Makena intervened and told her to mind her damn business. Faryn had never met her husband, Kane, but she could tell that he wasn’t a favorite either. Aiden couldn’t stand him, but he and Landon were cool. Raheem seemed to be neutral in everything and was the more laidback one of the crew. Faryn had even seen Landon and Makena’s mother a few times when she was over there. It baffled her how Robin waved at her kids and grandkids as if they were neighbors and not her blood. She was a very attractive woman, and Faryn saw where Landon and Makena got their looks from.

“My dad is back,” Lennox said when he heard the front door open and close.

Landon walked into the kitchen carrying a cake box in one hand and another plastic bag in the other. He sat the cake down on the island and dared his sons to touch it. He went upstairs for a few minutes and came back down wearing basketball shorts and no shirt. Just like always, he grabbed and washed a spoon before he dipped it into the pot that was on the stove to taste the food.

“It needs a little more salt,” Landon said as he dropped the spoon in the sink.

“What?” Faryn questioned angrily.

“Salt, add just a little more salt to it,” Landon repeated.

“Fuck this! If you don’t like the way I cook, then maybe you should do it yourself. Since you always wanna complain, you can finish the meal,” Faryn snapped as she dropped the cooking spoon on the counter and stormed upstairs.

“What the hell just happened?” Landon asked himself out loud.

“Why did you have to say that? Nothing was wrong with it,” Lennox said as he got up and walked away.

“It doesn’t need salt. We tasted it and it was good,” Lance said as he too got up and left his father in the kitchen alone.

“The fuck did I do?” Landon questioned as he stood there in shock.

From the first day that Faryn ever cooked for him, she always asked him to sample the food and give his opinion. Her food was always on point, but she just needed to tweak a little something occasionally to make it better. Landon never complained about her cooking because he didn’t have a reason to. Faryn was a great cook and he always told her so. After standing there in shock for a few minutes, Landon headed up the stairs and into their bedroom. He found Faryn lying across the bed wiping her teary eyes.

“I’m sorry baby. You know I wasn’t complaining. I love your cooking,” Landon said as he laid down next to her and pulled her close.

“Yeah, well that’s not what it sounded like to me,” Faryn replied as tears continued to fall.

“What’s really going on Faryn? I’ve been your taste tester in the kitchen for months. Why are you making a big deal out of it now?” Landon questioned.

“You basically said my food tasted like shit, that’s why,” she said as she cried harder.

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