Chapter 26 - THE FIRST FAMILY DINNER AFTER THE WEDDING
Five months after the wedding, we held a small family dinner at my city home.
Not the estate.
Eight people.
Dahlia.
Me.
Two cousins she liked.
Evelyn.
Three children.
No Beatrice.
No Renata.
Court restrictions remained.
No giant table.
No head chair.
Round dining table.
Dahlia noticed immediately.
“Where’s your chair?”
“Any one.”
“Which is boss?”
“None.”
She looked suspicious.
“Really?”
“Really.”
Then she chose the chair closest to the kitchen.
I almost objected.
Stopped.
It was just a chair.
She sat.
A server offered to place food.
Dahlia said:
“I can pass bread.”
I watched her.
She looked at me.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“Dad.”
“Do you want to pass it?”
“Yes.”
“Then pass it.”
She handed the basket to Evelyn.
Sat back down.
A choice.
No one measured her worth.
Then she asked:
“Can Aunt Renata come next time?”
My body went still.
Evelyn looked down.
I answered carefully.
“Not yet. There are rules right now.”
“After rules?”
“We’d talk with Dr. Nora and you.”
“Grandma?”
“Same.”
Dahlia frowned.
“I don’t want Grandma.”
“Okay.”
“Aunt Renata maybe.”
“Okay.”
No promise.
No punishment for ambivalence.
Children can love people who hurt them.
Adults have to protect without demanding emotional loyalty.
May you like
Then Dahlia ate dessert before anyone finished coffee.
No one stopped her.
