Page 122 of Encounter

Iraced out of thetaxi right after paying, headed for the restaurant entrance. I was nauseous, sore, and completely drenched in sweat. It ran down my forehead, making the hair stick to my face.God, I’m not ready for this crap.

Eyeing me up and down like I didn’t belong, the hostess stopped in her tracks while I rushed toward her. “D-De Clare table, please,” I said, trying to catch my breath and soothe my shaky hands.

Quickly slapping a polite smile on her face, she led me to the table in the back room overlooking the intricate garden. Unfortunately, I wasn’t going to be able to enjoy the view.

“Ah. There he is!” Grandpa announced loudly, voice overflowing with passive-aggressive excitement. Like they were a pack of hyenas and I some helpless small animal, they all fixated their attention on me. Grandma barely met my eyes—she was the one obsessed with punctuality the most, so I expected the judgy, silent treatment from her for the rest of the lunch. Uncle Henry and Aunt Jean sat across from them. Even Maximilian and Amalia were there.Dear god...

I did my best to avoid Dad’s burning look when I went for the chair next to him.“S-Sorry I’m late,” I mumbled in a low voice.

“Oh, I am sure you had some more important business to attend to,” Grandfather flashed me his best contemptuous smile. “No need to worry.”

“We only just finished the appetizer, Father. It is fine.” As always, Uncle Henry seemed to be the only calming force in the entire ensemble.

Grateful, I smiled at him as I sat down.

I never understood what made Dad and him so different. They were brought up by the same people, in the same household, yet Henry was nothing like the rest of them. He was kind and human. Never felt like he judged me or looked at me differently. There were many times when I was younger, when I would pray to the universe—or anyone who would listen—wishing for Dad to give me up like a shirt that didn’t fit, only so my uncle could adopt me...

Finally getting the courage to face him, I carefully glanced at Dad.

Hand wrapped around his wine glass, he had his emotionless mask on, acting like I wasn’t even there, but I could still somehow feel his anger.

I decided to turn my attention to something more positive, giving my cousins a greeting nod. “Haven’t seen you in a while.”

Maximilian was more like his mother—with an indifferent, bored sort of expression permanently plastered over his face—while Amalia barely paid attention to me with a book in her hand like always.

“Been really busy. You alright?” Max replied.God, I could never read the guy. Made me nervous. Instead of replying, Amalia turned the page and kept ignoring us.

“Yeah, things are good,” I smiled awkwardly while fidgeting with my hands under the table. “May I have some water, please?” I reached for the large water jug with ice, lemon and mint floating in it. Aunt Jean passed it without saying a word, her wrist adorned with many expensive bracelets—real diamonds for sure.

With no more attacks against me, things settled down at the table a little, and I was thankful when the waitress came to ask for our main orders. I asked for the menu—mostly to hide behind it—and took my time while Henry and Jean went out for a smoke. Finally, Dad glanced at me, even if it was more of a side-eye.

“Youreallydidn’t tell me,” I whispered through my teeth, getting a scoff in response. I wouldn’t have been surprised if his brain pushed it out, because I knew he didn’t want to be here either, but his unwillingness to apologize was what truly annoyed me.

“How are you succeeding at school, Galen?” Grandma spoke up, to my surprise.

“It’s... alright. I’m doing good,” I said, cautiously moving the menu out of the way. For once, it sounded like she actually cared, and with all the studying I had been doing, I felt pretty confident about school at the moment.

“Quarrels part of the equation?”

Dad’s tense, sharp exhale told me he wasn’t the one to mention the fight to Grandpa. Flexing my jaw muscles, I swallowed the lump it instantly created in my throat and lowered my eyes, clenching the menu.

Grandpa reacted to our silence with a scornful chuckle. “People always talk—you should know that. I’m acquainted with many members of the Conservatory’s board.” Sipping his wine like it tasted the best with a side dish of someone’s emotional pain, he glanced at Dad, who tapped his fingers inches away from his glass, and then me. “Never took you for a violent type.”

“I—”God, enough of this!I wasn’t going to let him completely ruin the remainder of a good mood I had left from spending time with Chast. I didn’t even want to be here right now. “I didn’t start it, only fought back,” I tried to defend myself, but judging by everyone’s looks, it was fruitless. Grandma had this ‘always knew there was something wrong with him’ expression on her face as she folded the napkin on her lap, while Max and Amalia gave each other a quick glance, only to not say anything at all.

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