Pulling into the garage of his estate; Benton saw Amanda waiting for him. Seeing her look as she could clearly see Lila in the passenger seat instead of Frieda; Benton knew this wasn’t going to end well.
“Where is our daughter Benton,” Amanda voicing her displeasure upon seeing her brother inlaw’s wife.
“Frieda decided to spend the rest of the day with Spencer,” Benton closing the car door; “if you want to stomp over to the Lawson place and drag her back kicking and screaming, then by all means do it yourself.”
“Excuse me?” Amanda looking incredulous; “what did you just say?”
“You heard what I said,” Benton responding; “and before you start with Lila, Don’t. Lance has been at the Elder Council building all day regarding Jack Crawford’s arrest; discussing with the rest of the council over what to do.”
Lila just shook her head as the two bickered; ignoring her completely as she got her phone out and dialed a number. Hearing the ring tone, Lila was hoping that he was available to take her call; sighing as the call goes through and hearing his voice.
“Lance,” Lila speaking; “are you going to be any longer?”
“I’m afraid this isn’t going to end anytime soon,” Lance answering: “I’m not going to be home any time soon for diner… wait,” Lance pausing; “what is that I’m hearing in the background. Is that the t.v on?”
“No,” Lila chuckling; “just Amanda and Benton butting heads.”
“What did you do,” Lance groaning.
“Nothing,” Lila answering; “except accept a diner invitation that Benton offered.”
“You’re not at home?” Lance responding surprised; “put me on speaker and get them stop their bickering so I can’t talk to them.”
Lila smiled as she whistled shrilly, making the two stop to look at her as she held out he phone.
“It’s on speaker and someone wants to talk to both of you,” Lila handing the phone to Benton.
“Whatever started this argument,” Lance growling on his end; “stops here and now. Lila is a guest and you better treat as such. She is also three months pregnant and I will not have your bickering stress her to the point of a possible miscarriage. Got it?”
Neither Benton nor Amanda spoke at first. Both surprised at the sound of Lance’s voice; the bombast and viciousness at how quick he was to anger.
“Now if this is a result of the were-alert that has been ongoing since last Saturday,” Lance speaking more calmly; “know that we are doing everything we can to end it as quickly and safely as possible.”
“It’s not that,” Benton speaking; “It’s because Frieda decided to stay with Spencer. Not sure what to do,” Benton continuing; “I decide to head over to your place to talk before heading home.”
“is that the crux of your bickering,” Lance sounding disgusted; “Frieda opting to spend the rest of the afternoon with a friend?”
“It’s part of it,” Benton sounding defeated; “the majority is me inviting your wife to diner and Amanda not happy about it.”
“Oh so that is the reason,” Lance snorting; “sucks to be you.”
Benton was taken aback when the call disconnected and Lila could be heard chuckling as she walk by; grabbing her phone from the surprised were-panther and making a direct bee-line to the kitchen.
“I’m going to call up our daughter,” Amanda glaring at Benton; “you keep Lila from eating diner before it’s served.”
***********
‘It’s times like this,’ Benton thinking; ‘I could use a drink’.
Looking as Amanda just glared while sitting across from Lila at the dining room table. Observing as his wife barely touched her plate of manicotti; all the while Lila was clearing her third helping and showing no signs of slowing down.
“You’d think the way you are packing it in,” Benton breaking the tension; “you are eating for more than just two.”
“The sonograms show I only have one in me,” Lila answering; “I’ve just been sick for most of the day and haven’t had a chance to eat.”
“Perhaps you should go to the hospital,” Amanda grinding her teeth as she chimed in.
“Do you know if it’s going to be a boy or a girl,” Benton ignoring his wife’s comment.
“As Lance and I told you before,” Lila finishing up her plate; “we are choosing to be surprised.”
The rest of diner passed on in silence; Benton taking a slice of his manicotti. A pasta dish typically where the large tube of pasta is filled with ricotta cheese and spinach; covered in a hearty tomato sauce and baked. Served with garlic bread; this version that the Knights were eating had Portobello mushrooms in the stuffed pasta and an extra helping of parmesan cheese on top of the ricotta already inside the pasta. The tomato sauce had a large copious amount of ground beef mixed in; making it more of a bolognaise sauce then a traditional spaghetti sauce. The garlic bread was a variation of sourdough bread slathered with a garlic and butter and then toasted.
“So do you have any ideal when Lance will be done,” Amanda breaking the awkward silence; “is he coming by to pick you up?”
“Not sure when he’ll be done,” Lila answering; “he never said and I haven’t called him back after you decided to use me as an excuse to argue with Benton.”
“What did Frieda say when you called her,” Benton pausing to take a drink.
“All I got was her voicemail,” Amanda responding; “I left a message for her to call me back.”
“If she isn’t busy eating or doing homework,” Lila responding; “she is probably enjoying a more intimate moment.”