Dinner Time Madness (Rederick)

[Langston Rederick]

Langston had not been one to cook, nor one to be in the kitchen, and today was just the same. He yelled at the cook to make sure dinner was set and ready at six, not delays and he would have nothing to do with cold food. His daughter back from her school in Japan this meal was sure to bring some un-pleasantries. However he did not care as he took a comb to his hair before straightening his jacket. He walked down the steps at quarter to five, he would not make a late appearance, it was not like him.

Letters were sent to his children to arrive for dinner at six, which meant they were likely all there in the dinning room ready. He assumed they would be discussing many things, like the arrival of a long lost sister perhaps? It was cold outside, but the entire house had a nice normal glow and warmth about it. He walked down the steps hearing voices from the dinning room. He only stopped into the Kitchen for a moment.

“Tick tock.” He said moving his hand once and twice, the kitchen were moving rather fast as the four-course meal was being prepared. He would not be doing anything small for the family. He pushed open the door and looked about the room to see who had arrived on time, like he had requested…rather ordered was more like it.

[Tristise Rederick]

Her father was requesting her home for dinner? He was orchestrating a family dinner? Tristise had read the note in disbelief and suspicion. Her father never did anything of the sort, but she supposed there was a first time for anything. Usually it was her mother Diana who called the dinners just to torture the poor kids with terrible tasting food and a million annoying questions.

Either way, Tristise ending up sitting in her usual seat at the dinner table with her siblings. Sighing, she all but slouched in her chair, refusing to talk to anyone. She had disowned Landon, she wasn't in the mood for Jimmy's childish ways, and she was still a little miffed with Reagan. Her older siblings weren't around, and Tris certainly wasn't going to say anything to her parents. I mean why would she talk to her mother or father when they sent her twin halfway across the world, never really cared what she was up to, and probably wished Reagan didn't have a twin at all?

Speaking of the devils, her father walked in and scanned the table. Tris locked eyes with him, her gaze fierce and very nearly challenging. They practically screamed 'go ahead, say something to me. I'll turn this whole household upside down.' She wished her grandfather didn't always have to be fashionably late. She understood it was his right and that he was a busy man, but if he were here her parents couldn't say anything negative to her and she'd actually have someone to talk to. Tris broke eye contact with her father and slowly let her view fill with the chair at the head of her table that her grandfather usually occupied. 'Please get here soon before I kill someone, grandfather.'

[Diana Rederick]

Filth! Diana grimaced as a drunken customer sloshed his beverage around. She could put up with disgusting comments, but she couldn't stand it when they messed up her outfit. She smacked the customer upside the head and demanded they leave the premises. How dare they! Luckily for her, her boss was used to her cruelty and let the violence slide. Her boss also knew she was impossible, and therefore didn't even bother chastising her when she quit working early because of a soiled outfit.

Already in a dreary mood because of dinner plans for that night, Diana hurried home to take a shower and freshen up. She honestly didn't care that Raegan was back. Sure, she was the favorite twin, but her stay in Japan made for one less child to take care of. There were too many Rederick children, in her opinion. Wasn't the point of having so many being able to kill one or two off in some freak accident and still have minions left? Of course, the accidental killings would have to be a group decision, and most likely the choice of the alpha Rederick would conflict with her ideas. If the old bastard would just hurry up and die... Then Langston could take over and we could kick Tristise out of the house without an argument...

Once out of the shower, Diana stared at her mundane appearance. She was starting to get wrinkles from the stress of dealing with such annoying children. Rather than apply concealer, Diana used her metamorphagus powers to alter the appearance of her skin before brushing out her thick, dark hair and picking out the perfect outfit for supper.

Elegant as ever, Diana didn't want to wear out her red new heels, so she apparated to the dining room and ended up behind her daughter, Tristise. She furrowed her brow. Didn't she have any manners? This was going to be a nice dinner with the family! "Tristise Tempestas Rederick, have you no shame? Sit up in your chair this instant, you know better than that." [[OoC: Lykewoah. I think I remembered her middle name without having to look it up.]] Carefully, Diana maneuvered her way to her seat a few paces away, careful not to stumble. She sat down slowly, taking care not to wrinkle her black silk dress. She loathed getting her clothes messed up. Remembering the incident at work a few hours previously, she shuddered.

Trying to be civil, she turned to one of her less-annoying-but-still-not-on-her-favorites-list children who had just entered the room. "How lovely of you to join us, James. As civil as having a ball of fur at our table is, I'd much rather have a son than a cat for dinner." She waited for him to get the hint to morph back into human form. What was with her children and forgetting manners tonight? "Good, James. How's school?"

[Jimmy Rederick]

Getting owls from the family mansion in the morning usually upset Jimmy. This time was no exception, although it wasn't signed by his mother, so he was a little more at ease. He suspected her of TRYING to poison the family with all of her miserable dinner parties that occurred when Daddy Heck and Gramps were out of town... Obviously, Daddy Heck was in town to have sent out a dinner invitation.

Jimmy had gone home earlier in the day to ensure that he remembered about dinner, and by five he was more or less ready for dinner. To kill time, he decided to go dart around the house and surrounding grounds in kitty form. When he estimated enough time had been wasted chasing a butterfly, he sprinted to the dining room and hopped onto his chair. He was far to used to being an animagus, and often forgot which form he was in. When his mother reminded him, he shrank. "Yes mother..." He morphed back into his human self and smoothed his hair, hoping it looked alright in his mother's eyes.

Suddenly he realised- his dad wasn't there yet and his mother was being civil. Jimmy shot a questioning look to Tristise and tried to answer like a normal child would. "Um... It's alright? Same as usual, I guess." Was this a trick question? She never really cared about him or his scholasitc achievements... Something was amiss.

[Langston Rederick]

Langston watched the family interact as he stepped into the dinning room. Diana was her usual cheerful self as she took her seat at the table. James turning back into his human form, Langston scoffed a little, how hard was it to be civil? At times he wondered why he even had children, but it reminded him that their was a great deal of strength in numbers, even if you did not utilize them all.

Tristise’s eyes meeting his only for a moment Langston could nearly feel her desire for her grandfather to arrive. The old man was never on time…

“Hello dear.” He said to Diana, “You look lovely.” He said to her and bent down to give her a kiss. It was a little strange, but Langston had his own agendas as he generally did. Dinner was going to be festive to say the least. He had not addressed his children yet, only meeting eyes with them each, like he was piercing them with his eyes.

He took his seat, “Ahh, five minutes before the meal.” He said looking at the clock, he had a special lineup of dishes, sure to have a bit of a bite to them. The salad and soup was going to be served first, and then the main dish, lycan meat was not easy to come by…

[Adair Rederick]

Adair had caught wind of the family gathering, by the sound of an unusual amount of activity coming from the kitchen. The fact that Langston was home for once meant that there would likely be trouble, especially as the cooks had informed him that it was him, and not Diana, that was organizing the evenings entertainment. He had decided to make extra effort for the evening, and was now dressed in his second best dinner jacket. The only difference between this one and his best was that he didn't mind this jacket getting ruined, which there was always a chance of at family affairs.

'Five to six.' He thought, looking at the clock, Time to head down. He didn't want to have to spend too much time being sociable with his family, but at the same time didn't want to make Tris suffer her parents wrath for too long. A slow walk down the stairs would just about do it, though still allow him to be on time for once. He paused in the hallway outside the kitchen, and checked the time once more. He had strategically placed clocks in his house so that he was able to arrive in any room at whatever time he wished, and he used them to his best advantage. At precisely 30 seconds to 6, he walked through the kitchen door and took his place at the head of the table.

"Good evening James." He said, as he walked through the room to his chair. After sitting down, he said "You'd better not be trying to poison any of us today Langston." then turned to Tris and asked "How's school going, and will you be staying home long this time? I've missed having some civil conversation in the house." Adair wasn't sure what was being cooked, but it hadn't smelled entirely edible when it had started cooking.

[Tristise Rederick]

((forewarning: please excuse the short crappy post.))

Tris inwardly groaned at her mother and father and slouched into her seat just to annoy them both. Honestly, she wasn't even slouching before when Diana told her not to! She looked miserable, had one foot under her butt, but slouch? No she hadn't gone that far until now. She even pushed it on further and put her head in her hands, elbows on the table. "Of course, Diana. How could I be so silly. I forgot how to sit properly..." She muttered under her breath.

Nothing gave her more joy than when her grandfather walked in and sat down. She immediately sat up properly, feet on the floor, hands in her lap, back straight, and smile on her face. She almost snickered when he said he missed having civil conversation in the house. "I'll be staying for the holidays, but then it's back to school. Things are going well. We won our second quidditch match of the season last week - I do believe Hufflepuff is going to receive the quidditch cup again this year when the matches start counting toward it."

"In classes I've been doing well. You'll be receiving my grades any day now if they haven't already arrived, grandfather." She shot a glance at Langston and Diana with a not wholey disguised smirk. Yes, she was doing well. Better than their favored children no doubt. She imagined it burned them so to know she was successful in the classroom as well as in athletics. Her eyes went back to her grandfather. It was because Adair had raised her well. Even if her parents had tried before she found everything out... none of that mattered. They only treated her the way they did then to garner her trust and mold her into what they desired her to be.

"How have things been at the manor in my absence? I hope you haven't had too much trouble." Meaning she hoped her parents weren't being their usual annoying selves. Her poor grandfather, having to put up with them so often... thank god for school.

[Langston Rederick]

Langston was not pleased as Adair came in, but did not show it in the least. He smiled at the old man like nothing was better in the world. He wondered at times why eve himself came to this home. Then again he did not complain that much. He snickered slightly at the mention of a civil conversation; there simply was no such thing with that man. He smiled, “It is not poison, and I do take some offence that you would think that I would do something so…below me.” He said to the man.

He would have yelled at Tris for her remarks to her mother, but since Adair came into the room he let it pass. A few moments after he sat down the salads came out of the kitchen, fresh and clean each plate placed in fount of their owner fast and then they were gone. Nothing unusual here, as Langston checked the salad to make sure it was up to standards.

It did disappoint him a touch that it was a fine salad, and the ingredients were just right. He would have yelled at a cook if he wanted to start trouble, but that was for much later in the meal. At the moment it was easy going. “This is a simple and nice meal to welcome home Reagan.” He said to Adair, though it was not really true. It was just another step to another day.