Never Judge

When Cedric and Adrianna arrived at the Bamboo Room, it was as if a famous celebrity had arrived. People were craning their necks to catch a glimpse of the couple, several even took out their cameras as Cedric and Adrianna walked hand in hand to Ray's private table.

"This is exhausting." Cedric complained as he and his wife joined Ayanna, Ray, and their son Emilio.

Ayanna simply laughed at her older brother and shook her head, while Ray gave his wife an amused and knowing smile.

"So what's the inside joke that we are missing here?" Cedric asked as he took his seat.

"It seems Emilio is just like you." Ayanna laughed as she patted the little boy on the head. "When we arrived at the table he complained about how there was too much attention on him. I guess the little boy wants to be as low profile as his father."

"You didn't like the attention on you either?" Cedric asked his son as he gave the boy a puzzled look.

Emilio looked up at his father and nodded.

"Are you just saying that so that you would sound like me?" Cedric asked, he was suspicious of the little boy. He knew that children liked attention, they loved it when adults oohed and ahhed at their every action.

"Cedric, are you seriously doubting your three year old son?" Adrianna asked her husband as she struggled to suppress a laugh.

"He is smarter than you think." Cedric told Adrianna as he kept his eyes on his son. If he wasn't careful this child would manage to outsmart him before he even inherited the company.

"I don't like the stares." Emilio suddenly told his father.

"Oh my, how will he survive the birthday party at this rate?" Ayanna asked as she shook her head.

"Ayanna!" Cedric scolded as his sister finished her sentence.

"What party?" Adrianna asked as she gave her husband a suspicious look.

"You haven't told her?" Ayanna asked quickly, throwing the blame towards her older brother. "Cedric, I thought you were going to tell her on your way here, or when you arrived, or even when you picked her up?"

"We got distracted." Cedric confessed with a shrug.

"Ugh, you guys are nasty." Ayanno complained with a shiver.

"No, not that kind of distracted!" Cedric quickly said in a loud voice as he tried to defend himself and his wife, they really had not done any of the lewd things Ayanna was currently thinking.

"Well you guys are alway all over each other, what else would I think." Ayanna replied as she rolled her eyes at him. "Honestly, as your younger sister it's extremely disturbing."

"Okay you two, stop fighting." Ray said with a laugh as he hugged Ayanna.

"Did they always bicker like this?" Adrianna asked Ray with a laugh.

"Yes." Ray said as Ayanna and Cedric glared at him. "Don't tell me Cedric hasn't told you anything about our childhood?" Ray asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Well," Adrianna started as she looked at her husband. "Things have been hectic, Cedric and I haven't had the time to talk about his life prior to his poverty training."

"Yeah," Cedric said with a nod. "After Adri found out about who I was we discovered she was pregnant, and it hasn't been easy taking care of Emilio."

"You have a house full of staff." Ayanna said, rolling her eyes

"You know that we're very hands on when it comes to Emilio." Cedric told his sister with a knowing smile.

"You're changing the topic." Adrianna said with a laugh as she caught her husband's plan. "What is this party Ayanna is talking about? I thought you guys wanted to keep Yoyo as far away from the public as possible? Having a birthday party for him will thrust him into the spotlight."

"Well Adri, it's not exactly for Yoyo." Cedric said slowly.

"You are using our son for business!" Adrianna said angrily.

"No, no, no. Don't get the wrong idea Adrianna." Cedric said as he quickly tried to salvage their plan.

"You better come clean Cedric Reyes, or so help me if you are using our son for some ploy I will leave you." Adrianna threatened.

"We all know you won't do that Adri." Ray said with a laugh as he took delight in his friend's suffering.

"Well, it's part of a plan, but I asked Yoyo, he said he wanted to have a party too." Cedric said with a shrug as he looked at his son. He had never prayed as hard for his son to nod and agree with him.

"Mommy, I want a party." Emilio said with a smile. "Daddy said my party will help a lot of people, I want to help people mommy." Emilio said in the sweetest voice.

"Yoyo, are you sure about this?" Adrianna asked her son. "You know that there will be a lot of strangers there, and a lot of people will try to talk to you and take your photo. You will have to be nice to everyone."

"Like daddy!" Emilio said proudly.

"Something like that." Cedric said with a laugh. He found it quite interesting how his son seemed to associate everything to him recently.

"So you are okay with this Yoyo?" Adrianna asked her son again.

"Yes mommy." Emilio said, nodding vigorously.

Adrianna sighed and smiled weekly. "So will you tell me what this whole plot of yours involves?" Adrianna asked the other adults on the table.

"Well, I doubt you will be thrilled." Cedric said slowly as he recounted the plan to Adrianna.

Cedric was glad that Ray's table was far enough from the other patrons that they would speak somewhat privately.

As expected Adrianna did not like the plan at all, Lorisa was someone who she despised, she was sure that Lorisa would come with a fake smile, telling everyone that she, Adrianna, and Cedric were all friends back in their University days.

"She probably wishes she had snagged my brother." Ayanna teased her sister-in-law and brother.

"She was very much in love with him even after we got married." Adrianna teased.

"I never liked her." Cedric scoffed. "I was right not to like her, she is just bad news."

"And now we are making her come over to your house." Ray said with a laugh as he tried to insinuate.

"Ugh, you're disgusting." Ayanna said, rolling her eyes at her husband. "There is a child here." she said as she pointed at Emilio who was giving them the funniest look.

"Maybe we should get Cedric to play flirt with Lorisa." Adrianna suggested.

"Gross!" Cedric said as he thought of the vile woman.

"Well we want to get her father-in-law, and I don't mind as long as it's all pretend." Adrianna said with a shrug.

"No way I'm falling for that." Cedric said as he shook his head. "This is a trap, you are trying to find a way to fight with me!"

Adrianna simply laughed at her husband and kissed him on the cheek.

"So when do we start planning this party?" Adriannas asked Ayanna who was seated right across her.

Cedric glared at Ayanna, he knew that if the girls began planning he would never get the chance to be alone with his wife.

His sister seemed to catch what he was trying to express and simply gave her sister-in-law a weak smile.

"Why don't I let you and my brother have the day to yourselves." Ayanna told Adrianna. "As long as we are willing to shell out the money, the party can be planned in less than a day."

Adrianna smiled and thanked her sister-in-law.