CHAPTER 12:

Helping out it was surely no unnecessary luxury, Ashley soon figured out. Seth's mother truly had no idea what cooking meant. First of all she wanted to cut the tomatoes with a blunt knife, which would have turned out in a total mess especially seeing the white blouse she was wearing. And after all the mistakes from before she know thought that she had to use half the bottle of salad dressing on the small bowl of salad they just made.

"No no no wait", Ashley said as she saw it happen. She quickly jumped forward and grabbed the bottle from Kirsten before all of the sauce disappeared in the bottle. Seeing the woman stare at Ashley in return she gave her a cheeky smile. She didn't want to insult her by telling she was putting too much dressing on it so she shrugged. "Thought it fell out of our hands", she said as she put the bottle at the other side of the sink. Far away from Kirsten Cohen.

"Well I think we're set", Kirsten said as she took the bowl and walked to the table.

Sandy walked in with the bags of food that just had been dropped of and he began to display it on the table.

"Ashley, would you mind getting Seth?", Kirsten asked. "We're ready."

"Sure", Ashley replied as she walked out of the kitchen in the direction of Seth's room. She knocked on his door before opening it. Peeking her head around the corner she saw Seth hanging on his bed with what seemed a comic books in his hands. Clearing her throat to get his attention she walked in his room. "Wow your homework is so much more fun than mine", she sulked. "What class is that? O wait, or weren't you doing anything for school?"

"Well as a matter of fact", Seth started as he jumped up from his bed. "I am member of the comic book club and we're discussing this guy next week."

"Ow really", Ashley said suspicious as she rose an eyebrow.

"Yes", Seth said with a huge smile on his face. There did was a club, no need to tell Ashley he was the only member.

Ashley walked towards Seth and took the book from his hands. Staring blankly at the cover, but not seeing who was actually on it she gently threw it on his bed. "So I bet this was more important then French or other homework for tomorrow", she kept teasing.

"No mom", Seth teased back on his turn as he tried to get behind her and recover his book.

"Mom?", Ashley gasped as she made sure to softly slap away Seth's greedy hands when he came to close to the book. "Well fine", she added as she crossed her arms. "Young men, dinner table now!", she commanded as she pointed to the door. Seeing Seth not being too hasty to actually do as she told him to, she pushed him out of the room herself.

"Hey quit it", he protested, but it was too late. He was standing outside his bed room, Ashley had closed the door and guarded it as a well trained dog.

"You're such a dork", she laughed as she grabbed his arm and dragged into the direction of the dinner room. "Common, work with me here, you don't want you mom to get mad at me for not being able to do as she asked me to, now do you?"

"Not being able to do what?", Kirsten asked, who just walked by with a few plates.

"Ehm nothing", Seth said, waving the question away. "So what's for dinner tonight?", he quickly asked Sandy as he turned to him.

"Greek", Sandy answered while a smile crossed his face.

"Ow dad", Seth pouted. "You don't mean that awful wite cheese, and olives and garlic in every shape and state sticked in every little piece of food?"

"Exactly my boy", Sandy replied as he laid an arm around Seth's his shoulder. "Aren't we looking forward to that?", he said as his mouth began to water. "Imagine yourself in the backyard of a Greek home", he went on as he used his free hand to visualize the images. "Large table, the entire family waiting for food."

"Great", Seth mumbled. "Grandma Cohen, grandpa Nicol, what a blast." Receiving a soft slap against the back of his head he closed his mouth. Rubbing with the palm of his hand over the place his dad hit him.

As if he was unhindered Sandy went on. "The warm sun shining, even late in the evening."

Seth resisted the urge to say they had that too in Newport Beach.

"And finally the food gets served. Bowls of salad made by ehm the cook, the smell of meat with garlic feeling your nose and the bread with delicious white cheese?"

"Dad do you want me to vomit now or when I am actually sitting at the table and see the food?", Seth asked carefully as he took a step aside.

"What am I gonna do with you?", Sandy asked as he shook his head. "You have no taste, no manners and worst of all, your jokes are not nearly as good as mine."

"What?", Seth said as his mouth dropped open. "Everyone knows I am the funniest Cohen. Mom, Ashley?", he asked as he looked around.

"I am not getting in between Cohen men when it comes to jokes", Kirsten defended herself. "And you shouldn't ask Ashley either. C'mon Ashley", she said as she took the girls' hand. We'll just go to the table, let the men fight this out on their own."

Ashley walked away with Kirsten, but not without looking over her shoulder and nearly bursting out in laughter over the serious faces from Seth and his dad. They really did like this was a big deal, unbelievable.

Seth saw his dad was waiting for an answer, but he didn't open his mouth. He waited just long enough for his dad to get bored and of guard before running past him and plumping down on his chair at the table. "We're all waiting for you dad", he shouted mischievously to his dad.