"Congratulations O!"

"I knew you could do it! I'm proud of you girl!"

"Okay! Big O, not the little one!"

"Let's go, Junie!"

Orianne was all smiles as she listened to her family and friends congratulate her on her biggest milestone yet. She had only graduated from college two months before, and now, at the age of twenty-one, she is one of the youngest broadcasting reporters to grace channel 25, which was located at studio 5. The station, News Today, will be her home for the next few years, until another grand opportunity comes her way. It feels weird to get something you've prayed for because it didn't come right away, but it came. Orianne was happy nonetheless. She knew that's what was for her, was for her.

"Speech! Speech! Speech!" Her family yelled in unison.

"Since you guys insist!" She rolled her eyes playfully and stood up.

"I just want to say thanks to everybody that's present! I honestly couldn't have done it without you guys' unconditional love and support. It takes a village, and I'm truly thankful for mine. All those long nights, breakdowns, uncontrollable tears, and so on. You guys stuck by me and helped me whenever I asked. A major shout out to my father though, because being a single father to a daughter isn't easy, but I admire your strength. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be the amazing young woman I am today. Ya girl is a reporterrrr! Talk to me nice or don't talk to me at all!"

Orianne boasted as she did the bankhead bounce with her father, who stood up and joined her. She smiled widely as he pulled her into a hug, kissing her cheek. A flash went off, and she knew her cousin, Azaire, the photographer in the family, was taking pictures.

"I apologize for the interruption, but it's time to serve meals." A young waiter announced himself as he walked into the party room that Orianne and her family were occupying. They locked eyes, and Ori felt her heart flutter once he smiled, showing his pearly whites.

"Girl! Don't even think about it!"

Looking down at her friend Kayli, Orianne frowned in confusion because she didn't know what she meant. All she did was look. She flattened the back of her dress and slid back into her seat. "What are you talking about?"

Kayli smacked her lips. "You know what I'm talking about. I saw you looking at that boy. He's a waiter, someone below your level."

Orianne rolled her eyes. "That mindset of yours is rude and nasty. What does him being a waiter have to do with anything? If I want to look, I'm going to look. He's cute, and if I wanted him, I'm pretty sure I could have him. Him being a waiter doesn't bother me."

"You know, sometimes it's best to keep things to yourself? Did anyone ever teach you that if you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say it all? I may be a waiter, but I'm also the manager too, being that this is my father's steakhouse. After all, I may be a waiter, but I guarantee that I have more money than you, because obviously you don't have enough or your lace wouldn't be lifting."

Both girls jumped in shock as the waiter placed both of their plates in front of them. He reached between the two and straightened them up before walking away. He looked over his shoulder, specifically at Orianne, and winked before heading back into the kitchen.

"I'm not going to say much being that you're my daughter's friend, but that's what the fuck you get! He packed you right up!" Orion Sr., Orianne's father said as he laughed and took a sip of his scotch that was resting in a glass on top of two sphere-shaped ice cubes.

Orianne bit her lip to conceal her laughter as she watched her friend get up and rush out of the room. She shook her head because she's been telling her about her mouth for years.

"I know that's your friend Junie, but I don't like her." Sr. said aloud, making everybody at the table consign with him.

Orianne palmed her face and sighed. Grabbing her fork and pasta spoon, she dug into the chicken tuscan pasta and forked some into her mouth, taking a bite. Her eyes went wide as the magnitude of flavors hit her tongue. She danced in her seat, obviously enjoying the food. She was a big girl that loved to eat, and there was no shame in her game.

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Jayden West was in the kitchen alongside the chef and sous chef, helping them get orders out in a timely fashion. It was a Friday, one of their busiest nights of the week.

"Can someone please go refill the drinks in party room 2?" Jayden shouted as he grabbed a tray of food and made his way out of the doors. He waved and spoke to those he was familiar with before approaching a booth that was occupied by a party of four.

"Apologies for the interruption, but I have a medium-well t-bone with lobster macaroni and cheese with string beans, blacked stuffed chicken with garlic parmesan mashed potatoes and a side of corn, a well-done ribeye with a loaded baked potato and a side of steamed broccoli, and last but not least, we have an order of lamb chops on a bed of garlic mashed potatoes and a side of crispy Brussels sprouts."

Jayden called out each order as he arranged the plates in front of the people who they belonged to. Before departing, he asked if they needed anything else. Heading back into the kitchen, he looked at the party room ticket and prepared the drinks because he had a feeling that task wasn't fulfilled while he was away. He filled 16 cups with ice and poured the drinks that each counterpart had. Once he was done, he grabbed one of the custom-made trays that were made specifically for cups. He placed each cup inside before heading back out.

Approaching the party room, Jayden entered the six-digit code and stepped across the threshold as the doors slid open. He made his presence known and started walking around the room, issuing out the drinks.

"Does anybody need another cocktail?" He asked before he made his way out of the room. Jayden figured that with their big meals, everybody could use another pick-me-up.

"Can I have another J-Walker?" Orianne was the first to speak, making him smirk internally. The specific drink was named after him.

"Yes ma'am, what's your favorite dessert, if you don't mind me asking?" Jayden had a plan, and he was about to execute it.

"Honestly, anything with chocolate."

Jayden nodded his head and exited the party room. He walked into the kitchen, over to the bar, and requested the four drinks. He tossed the tray into the dishwasher and washed his hands before going to grab a two-tier chocolate cake from the refrigerator. Pulling a square plate from the overhead, he cut a precise slice and placed it on the plate. He grabbed the raspberry purée from the frig and wrote, "Congratulations, love!" and finished it off with a heart.

Going back to the party room, Jayden passed out the drinks and saved the best for last. He placed the J-Walker down, which was a blue concoction housed in a highball glass garnished with a lime peel and sugar on the outside of the glass. He then placed the plate of cake on the table.

"It's on the house." He winked and called out over his shoulder as he made his exit.

"Ooooo! Somebody wants a taste of the O!" One of Orianne's cousins exclaimed as she watched her blush and smile like crazy.

A few hours later, Jayden finally arrived home. He pulled up to the big steel gate, punched in the security code, and drove up the driveway and around the fountain before parking beside his mother's Audi Q7. Jay killed the engine and grabbed his phone along with his tips from the cup holder before climbing out. He hit the locks and made his way up the steps of the huge house. He stuck his key in and turned it before stepping across the threshold. As he tossed his keys into the bowl, he kicked his shoes off and placed them on the rack. He took note of the quiet house, assuming everybody was asleep or in bed.

Jayden quietly made his way upstairs. He stopped by his parents' room and knocked on their doors before pushing them open. Once he took notice that they were asleep, he eased his way out and went down the hall to Emmie's room. Pushing the door open, he couldn't do anything but laugh. She was sitting up in the middle of her bed, crisscross fighting her sleep.

"Emerie." He called out and she jumped, popping her eyes open before holding her arms out, reaching for him. He scooped her up, which prompted her to lay her head on his shoulder.

Jay didn't bother checking the twins' room, because he knew that either his auntie or Momo had them. He checked on Aniyah before heading to his room. He pushed the door open and turned on his lamp before laying Emmie in his bed. He figured he would wait until she was asleep before he took a shower. Stripping from his clothes, leaving him in his briefs, he turned the fan on and climbed into his bed as well, which prompted Emmie to crawl onto his chest. Two years later, she still slept with her thumb in her mouth and knees tucked.

"Good morning, mama and pops." Jayden made his presence known as he walked into the kitchen. He kissed his mama on her cheek and took a seat beside her, laying his head on her shoulder as she breastfed one of the twins.

"Good morning, boo! How was work and what time did you get in?" Sonni asked as she watched her husband flip pancakes and plated food.

"It was alright until I had to put this girl in her place and around 1:30." He reached across the table and grabbed a pineapple chunk, popping it in his mouth.

Sonni and Xavier furrowed their eyebrows, speaking in unison. "What do you mean?"

Jayden's eyes went wide as he laughed. "I don't think I'll ever get used to y'all being in sync, but there was a party of 16 in party room two, so as I was making my way in, the guest of honor was delivering a speech. I waited until she was done to announce myself. The girl and I locked eyes, so I smiled. As I was making my rounds passing out plates, her friend was basically like, "don't even think about it; he's a waiter, someone below your level." Not only did I eat her up, her friend ate her up as well."

"What did her friend say?" Xavier asked as he held two plates out in front of them.

"The friend was like: "That mindset of yours is rude and nasty. What does him being a waiter have to do with anything? If I want to look, I'm going to look. He's cute, and if I wanted him, I'm pretty sure I could have him. Him being a waiter doesn't bother me."

Sonni shook her head as she peaked inside the nursing cover, checking on prince number 2. "And what did you say?"

"I was like, you know, sometimes it's best to keep things to yourself. Did anyone ever teach you that if you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say it all? I may be a waiter, but I'm also the manager too, being that this is my father's steakhouse. After all, I may be a waiter, but I guarantee that I have more money than you, because obviously you don't have enough or your lace wouldn't be lifting." Jayden shrugged as his parents looked at him in disbelief. He poured the hot syrup over his pancakes and cut them into mini triangles.

"Boy! You've been hanging with Savion too much. He's corrupting you, but that was a well-deserved read. You should've told that hoe you'd buy her and her whole life." Sonni shook her head as she detached her baby boy from her nipple. She quickly fixed her shirt, so she could burp him.

"Aht Aht, I got him. I need you to eat." Xavier pointed out as he quickly washed his hands and threw a fresh burping blanket across his shoulder. He grabbed him from her arms and took a seat across from them before laying him across his shoulder.

"Good morning, everybody." Niyah greeted everybody as she yawned while walking into the kitchen. She climbed onto the bench and laid her head up against Sonni's shoulder.

The Wests enjoyed their family breakfast before they embarked on their journey to their Saturday fun day at No Child Left Behind.