Dinner at Lucil's house began exactly as Nica had expected it to.
Warm.
Loud.
And completely impossible to control.
The long dining table was illuminated by the soft glow of the chandeliers above, their light reflecting off crystal glasses and polished silverware. Platters of food covered the center of the table, and beyond the tall windows, the garden had disappeared into the deepening evening, leaving only the warm landscape lights scattered across the lawn.
Lucil sat at the head of the table.
Nica was on her right, Kane on her left, with Clara beside him. Across from Nica sat Lizzie and Elsa, with Elsa's children occupying the seats nearby.
For a while, everything felt easy.
There were stories about the children.
Comments about the garden.
Complaints about the weather.
Clara
