Chapter 20 - FAMILY DINNER WITHOUT DIANE
A year after the patio incident, my cousin invited us to a small dinner.
I almost declined.
Evan heard.
“Chicken?”
I froze.
“What?”
“Will they have chicken?”
“Probably.”
“Can I get some?”
“Yes.”
He wanted to go.
So we went.
No giant family reunion.
Six adults.
Three children.
Normal backyard.
The chicken platter came around.
I felt my entire body tense.
Evan reached.
My cousin said:
“Want a thigh or drumstick?”
“Thigh.”
She placed it on his plate.
That was all.
No applause.
No meaningful music.
He ate half.
Then ran off to play.
I stared at the abandoned half-thigh.
A year earlier I would have begged him to finish.
Now I covered his plate.
He came back twenty minutes later.
Ate two more bites.
Then:
“Done.”
“Okay.”
That was healing.
May you like
Not eating everything.
Knowing food would still exist when he returned.
