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room was huge like
a ballroom in a hotel.  A maid stood against a wall out of the way but she
looked Lauren over like everyone else.
    “Welcome my dear.” 
A man that had to be Jake’s grandfather said from his seat at the head of the
long table.  He looked older than everyone here but he did not look ninety
seven.  He was not small and frail like you would expect.  He was slim but tall
with a head full of wavy gray hair.  “Fix yourself a plate then you can sit
here beside me.”  He patted the table next to him.  This man wasn’t weak at all
like she would expect a man of his age to be.  His hand was heavy and hard on
the table.
    “Come, we’ll get
our breakfast then I will introduce you to everyone.”  Lauren smiled
tentatively at them and went with Jake to the long side table filled with
platters covered with every pastry, bread, and muffin imaginable.  Platters
loaded with the most beautiful berries and melon caught her eye, Lauren loved
fruit.  Domed lids covered more platters that she would soon find were full of
meats and eggs.  Jake filled his plate and put extras on her plate.  He grinned
when he added bacon and she made a face.  “Maybe you like ham better.”  He put
a slice of that on top of the bacon.
    “Stop.  I can’t
eat all of this.”  Lauren whispered. 
    “Don’t worry about
that honey, he plans on stealing those back later.”  Jake’s mother laughed and
sipped her coffee. 
    “Oh!  Is that your
plan?”  Lauren laughed and elbowed him away.  “I’m not sharing.”  He reached
into her plate and stole the bacon back.  “Hey!”
    “My plate is never
big enough because I only get out here once in awhile so I have to make the
trip worth it.  “Do you like coffee?”  Lauren nodded and the maid immediately
set a cup of rich black coffee in an antique cup at her place.  “Cream? 
Sugar?”
    “Cream.”  The
creamer appeared beside the cup for her to add.  The maid stepped back from the
table.  Lauren noticed the children around the table watching her with curious
eyes of every color.  There were twelve she counted, seven boys and five
girls.  They sat between adults that they resembled. 
    “Where are Geoff
and the crew?”  Jake asked when he sat down.  “It won’t be the same without his
nonsense.”  Lauren was between him and his grandfather.  No way was this guy
ninety seven.  She studied him when he wasn’t looking. 
    “They are coming
later.  He had some things to attend to before making the trip, but they’ll be
along.  Don’t worry.”  The man she assumed was his father answered.  He looked
like an older version of Jake and a couple of others at the table.  Jake
nodded. 
    “Okay Lauren.  In
front of you there, is my mother, Victoria.”  She nodded.  “My grandfather,
Louis, is mother’s father.”  He patted her hand and she smiled.  “My father
there is George.”
    “Lovely to meet
you dear.”  He reached across to shake her hand. 
    “That’s my
youngest brother Michael, his wife Corrine, their children, Corey, Cadence, Mickey,
Nicholas, and Mathew.”  They all waved.  “Then my second youngest brother
Charles and his wife Anne, their daughters, Julie and Elise.”  Lauren nodded as
he went and they waved but she was never going to remember all of this.  My
oldest sister Elizabeth and her husband Rick, their sons Frankie, Donny, and
Eddie.  My youngest sister Bea and her, husband John.  My oldest brother
Darrell is next and his wife Dorothy with their daughters Donna and Dora.” 
Lauren smiled at the theme with the letter ‘D’.  Something was familiar about
the littlest one Dora.  She was a red head and her eyes amber.  Lauren was sure
she’d never seen this child before but still there was something so haunting
about her.  “Now do you remember all of their names?  Consider it a pop quiz.” 
Lauren’s brows furrowed and she bit her lip.  Everyone laughed and went back to
their plates.