63-Bridal Dinner

**Zuri's POV**

We're about fifteen minutes late to the dinner, but no one mentions anything. I guess everyone is wise enough to not rush two pregnant women. Everyone is sitting at the large dining room table with the food already out and ready to serve. Daveed pulls our seats out for us before taking his own at the head of the table. My parents are sitting beside Sav's parents and Daveed's parents are across from them. Selene and her boys are beside Caroline and the rest of Daveed's siblings wrap around the rest of the table. Khiya brought Rory with her and they're kind of in their own little world as they talk to one another.
Daveed taps his glass of whisky and stands up, getting everyone's attention. "I would just like to thank you all for joining us tonight. We're so blessed to have you as our family. My best friend being here tonight is more important than anyone can imagine. Thank you, Rory, for showing up this morning. You all make me realize how important family is, and I'm so grateful to share this with the loves of my life and our children. Tomorrow is one of the biggest days of our lives, so I just wanted to take a moment to appreciate all of you for helping us make this happen. I love ya'll." He raises his glass and everyone does the same before taking a sip of whatever they had in their glass.
The rest of the night was so much fun. Us women painted canvases together while the men played Spades in two different groups. My dad and James were undefeated at their table, while Daveed and Rory won most rounds at their table. For the Spades championship title, they faced each other. In the end, my dad and James came out on top. To finish out the night, we all played family feud. This is the most fun we've had in so long, but it's already eleven o'clock. We haven't stayed up this late in a long time, but it was nice getting time with everyone before the big day.
We're about to leave when Khiya comes up to me and asks to talk with me alone, so we go into a guest room for privacy.
"What's up?" I ask. She looks a little nervous.
"I just wanted to make sure you and I still have a good relationship. We're sisters, so I didn't know if you were upset about Rory and me." She's looking down at her hands and I take them into mine. Khiya has gotten very close with Sav and me, so I can understand why this might cross her mind.
"Khi, we are sisters. I'm completely in love with Daveed and I have no feelings for Rory. I know Rory has loved you for years and he finally has you. I'm so happy for you two." I see her shoulders relax.
"I needed to hear that. I get so insecure being with him sometimes because of my weight and I see the other women he has been with. I don't have the skinny waist or toned body like you had when you were with him." Khi is a plus-sized woman, but that doesn't mean she isn't stunning. Not only is she intelligent and successful, but she is gorgeous.
"You are the whole package, Khi. You don't have to be a size two to be attractive." Considering I look like a whale right now, that's been one of my insecurities too. Sav has always been a little on the thicker side, so she's not feeling the same insecurities that I am.
"I'm a size twenty-four. I exercise every morning, and I cut back on eating. I stopped taking birth control. I tried a weight loss supplement, but it made me so sick. I can't get this weight off no matter how hard I try. I don't feel like I look good, and nothing is working." I wish there weren't so much pressure on women.
"Do you want to lose this weight for yourself? Or is it because you think it's what Rory will want?" I ask.
"He's always had skinny women. I think he would be happier if I lost weight." I was hoping that wasn't her motivation.
"So before you and Rory got together, it wasn't something you worried about?"
"Well, no. I've exercised every morning for the last four years for health purposes, but I never had to worry about a man looking at my body. Now that I'm with him, I feel like I need to be skinner." She explained.
"Here's my advice. I think if you are exercising every morning and properly eating, then your body is the size it's meant to be. Don't kill yourself just because society tells you beauty is only limited to skinny women. Rory is not worried about your size. If he wasn't sexually attracted to you, then he wouldn't have looked Daveed in his eyes this morning and told him how in love with you he is. Change your body if you must, but don't do it because you assume he isn't attracted. Rory said you are his for life. Don't be surprised when he pops the question one day." Khiya's eyes go wide.
"I can't believe he said that to Daveed. I knew he went to make things right with him and tell him we have been seeing each other, but I didn't think he would say all that," Khiya exhales. "We haven't had sex since we started dating. I kind of won't let him see me naked."
Now I'm the one surprised, "Do you want to have sex? If so, then do it!"
"But he wants to do it with the light on, and he wants me naked! If I could wear a t-shirt and keep the light off, then I think it would be fine." She shrugged.
"Of course, he wants the light on because you're hot. He wants to see the way you look at him when you make love. You're taking away the intimacy when he can't even look at you. No one can make you love your own body, but I want you to listen to him when he tells you how much he wants you. Judging by the way he watches you, he loves every inch of your body. Once you let him have it, you'll be mad that you deprived yourself for so long." I smack her butt, causing her to yelp, "Let him hit, Khi! Tonight. I'm sure you want to see him naked too."
"Okay, fine. I'll do it." She looks determined but nervous at the same time.
"As you should," I hug her, and she thanks me for the pep talk. She's the sister I've always wanted.