Chapter 14 - THE DINNER TABLE
The first family dinner after the trial felt strange.
My father came from Wisconsin.
My friend Rebecca brought dessert.
Dr. Patel stopped by with flowers but refused to stay because she said doctors should not invade family dinners.
Dustin invited Mason.
Mason had moved in with his father, Eric, who had been absent for several years because Ellie repeatedly blocked contact.
After her arrest, Eric returned and cooperated with child services.
He brought Mason to our house himself.
Mason stood on the porch holding a paper bag.
“I brought something.”
Inside were dinner rolls.
The same kind he slipped to Dustin on the night of the cold potato.
Dustin looked at him.
“You don’t have to hide them now.”
Mason began crying.
“I’m sorry about the bracelet.”
“My mom said you would only be gone for a little while.”
Dustin stared at the floor.
“I thought the police would take me forever.”
“I didn’t know.”
“I know.”
Children sometimes forgave more honestly than adults.
They did not pretend nothing happened.
They simply decided what to do next.
Dustin held out his hand.
“Want to see my new game?”
Mason nodded.
They ran upstairs.
Eric remained near the door.
“Thank you for letting him come.”
“He is a child too.”
“I should have been around.”
“Ellie made that difficult.”
“I still should have fought harder.”
I understood that sentence.
Regret often made people imagine they once possessed information they only gained later.
“You’re here now.”
Dinner included fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, green beans, fruit, rolls, and roasted potatoes.
Every plate was the same.
No one sat in the corner.
No one earned food through obedience.
Before we ate, Dustin stood.
“I want to say something.”
Everyone became quiet.
He looked nervous.
Then he looked at me.
“In this house, everybody gets dinner.”
My father cleared his throat and looked down at his plate.
Rebecca wiped her eyes.
Eric nodded.
Dustin continued.
“Even if they make a mistake.”
“Even if they aren’t blood family.”
“Even if they are mad.”
“Food is not a punishment.”
I walked around the table and hugged him.
“You are absolutely right.”
After dinner, the boys carried their plates to the kitchen.
Mason stopped near the corner where Dustin had once sat.
The wooden stool was gone.
I had thrown it away.
“What was there?” Mason asked.
Dustin looked toward the empty space.
“Nothing anymore.”
Later, after everyone left, Dustin helped me lock the front door.
He checked it twice.
Then he looked toward the stairs.
“Can I ask you something?”
“Always.”
“Do you wish you never met Nathan?”
I thought carefully.
“I wish he had chosen to be the person he pretended to be.”
“But I don’t wish away the years.”
“Why?”
“Because they brought us here.”
Dustin leaned against me.
“Are we a real family?”
I held him tighter.
May you like
“You and I were always a real family.”
“We just let the wrong people convince us we needed their permission.”
