Okay, so I got another challenge... This one was to ascribe one of the seven deadly sins to Helen from a POV other than Steph. I liked how this turned out. ;-)

The same disclaimer I usually give goes here. Let me know what you think, I love to hear from you.

There are times that I wish I was back in some hellhole jungle being tortured by rebels. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy with the way things are going lately, and I'm not the sort of man to shirk my responsibilities, but tonight Babe and I are having dinner at the Plum's house. Not only that, but my mother and father are going to be there, too. Babe has finally agreed to marry me, and Helen decided that we needed to have a "getting to know you" dinner.

As we neared the house, I turned to Babe. "We don't have to do this, you know. We could just keep going. I'll take you anywhere you want."

Stephanie giggled in the seat next to me. This was probably the closest she's ever come to seeing me nervous. "Your parents are probably almost here already. It's too late to turn back."

I arched an eyebrow. "Babe."

She put her hand over mine on the gearshift. "Don't you 'Babe' me, Carlos. I've been having indigestion for a week over this. Believe me, it's too late now. I just hope Grandma has gotten over her latex phase."

That was one mental image I could have gone my entire life without. I shuddered quietly. Before I could change her mind, we were parked in front of her parents house. Stephanie was right, as usual. Her mother and grandmother were waiting for us just inside the door. Thankfully, her grandmother was wearing a normal nylon track suit. I got out of the car and walked around to help Stephanie out. Keeping my voice down I asked, "You were kidding about the latex, weren't you?"

It was Stephanie's turn to shudder when she turned towards the house, smiling at the women inside. "I wish I was."

My own parents pulled up behind my car. Babe and I walked over so that I could open my mother's door. My mother practically lept from the car and enveloped Babe in a warm hug. "Stephanie, you look beautiful as always," she beamed. I bent down to her so that she could kiss my cheek. "Carlos, be a dear and get the cake from the back seat."

Stephanie's eyes glazed over. "You made a Tres Leches cake? Mrs. M, you really didn't need to go to all that trouble."

She patted Babe's hand and put an arm around her waist. "Nonsense, I love to see you enjoy my cooking. Now, come introduce me to your mother."

Stephanie walked my mother to the front door and made the introductions. "Mom, grandma, this is Jaquinda and Ricardo Manoso. Mr. and Mrs. M, this is my mother, Helen, and my grandmother, Edna"

Helen held her hand out, but my mom pulled her into a hug. The look on Helen's face was priceless. She repeated the gesture with Edna and said, "Please, call me Jaqui."

Edna turned to my father and looked him over. Wiggling her dentures around, she said, "Well, I certainly see where Ranger got all his looks from." She held out her arms for a hug, but Babe jumped in, probably saving my father from getting pinched.

Helen looked over to where Frank was sitting in the living room, watching the game. "Frank, aren't you going to come over and greet our guests?"

Frank looked at my father. "Yankees or Mets?"

My father scoffed. "Only girls like the Yankees."

Frank nodded his approval. "Come on in, the game's on. You want a beer?" My father walked into the living room and sat down in the chair next to Frank's. They immediately got into a discussion about the team, almost as if they were long lost friends. Stephanie, Helen, and Edna stared in slack jawed wonder. I could feel a quirk of a smile myself. This is probably the liveliest I've ever seen Frank.

Helen shook off her amazement and turned to my mother. "Please, come in and sit down. I was just putting supper on the table."

My mom gestured to the cake I was holding. "I made a little something for you."

Babe rested her head on my arm, breathing in the cake aroma. "Mrs. M makes the best Tres Leches cake I've ever tasted. You have got to try it."

Helen took the cake from me like it was a basket of Vipers. "Thank you, I'll be sure to try a piece later." She carried it into the kitchen while the rest of us went in to sit in the dining room.

Once dinner was on the table, Helen yelled for Frank to come eat. The sound of both men grunting in acknowledgement was highly amusing. It wasn't until tonight that I realized how alike my father and Frank Plum really are.

I would like to say that the rest of dinner went smoothly, but I'd be lying. The argument started when Helen announced what dates were open at the VFW to hold the reception. Jaqui argued that we should have the reception at her house, since that's where the family usually gathers. Babe's eye started twitching when Helen said that she didn't think my mother's house was big enough for the hundred people she needed to invite. I was afraid that these two grown women were going to come to blows over whose cousin would be the wedding photographer.

Helen was knocking back her "tea" and my mother was chugging her wine when I decided to intervene. "Mother, Mrs. Plum, while we appreciate the thought that you both have put in to this occasion, Stephanie and I have already decided where the wedding and reception are going to be held. We have made our guest list, but decided that you could each add ten peole to the list. Helen, Stephanie and I have decided that Father Matt should perform the ceremony since we will be getting married here in Trenton." Helen puffed up like a peacock, and my mother deflated a little. "Mother, we would like it if you would consider making the wedding cake." My mother beamed at me while Helen shot me a look of stunned disbelief. It didn't take long before the two women were arguing again.

My mother stood. "Ricardo, I think it's time we left."

My father was the one who looked shocked now, but he knows better than to argue with my mother. He shook Frank's hand. "Perhaps next time I will get to see your garage."

Frank looked like he was going to pout. He told my father, "Let me know if you want to come down and play poker sometime. I'll bring you over to the lodge." If ever there was a time that I would consider rolling my eyes, this would be it. It's obvious that the men bonded in the short time they were together.

As we walked out with my parents, I'm sure I heard my father mutter, "But I didn't get any dessert."

We were driving back to Rangeman when Babe realized it too. She practically yelled at me, "Carlos, you have to go back."

I looked at her. "Babe, we barely made it out of there without pulling a weapon. Why would we go back now?"

There was a pleading look in her eyes. "Because we didn't get dessert."

Was she serious? "Babe, I'll have Ella fix you something when we get home."

She continued to give me her version of puppy dog eyes. "But your mother's Tres Leches cake is there. Ella can't make one of those tonight, it won't be ready for at least a day."

I sighed. At the next light, I turned around and started back towards Chambersburg. When we pulled up in front of the house, only her grandma was standing at the door waiting. "You stay here. I'll keep the car running and go get some cake for you."

She kissed me and told me that if I hurried, she would show me how much she appreciated my effort. I jogged to the door where Edna was waiting, blocking my path. "You might not want to be here right now," she said. "In fact, you should probably get Stephanie out of here before she decides to go in."

I brushed past her and walked into the kitchen. Helen was sitting at the table with the bottle of Jack Daniels on the table in front of her and the last of my mother's cake in her hand. Somehow she managed to get icing smeared in her hair and there were crumbs everywhere. I went straight to the cupboard and got a paper plate. As I cut Babe a piece of the pineapple upside down cake I said to Helen, "Gluttony is one of the seven deadly sins."

Helen looked at the remaining cake in her hand. When she brought her eyes up to mine, they were glazed over. She mumbled, "I think I need to lie down," and dropped the remaining cake on the table. I quickly put another paper plate on top of the piece I had cut and left.

We were once again driving home when Babe peeked at the cake sandwiched between the two plates. She looked over at me and said, "I thought you were going to get me a piece of the tres leches cake."

I shuddered and told her, "Babe, your mother demolished it."

Her laughter was exactly what I needed to hear. She asked if her mother had the crazy look and laughed even harder when I described the situation. When we got out of the car, she kissed me and said, "Do you think your mother might be able to make us two wedding cakes? I'd like to have something to serve to the guests."