Page 108 of The Fate Of Us

I nodded, brows furrowing. “And the one we grew up next door to…”

Again, her face turned stony. Odd, considering she’s been nothing but smiles all evening.“Yes, I do. What about him?”

“Well,” I choked out the word. “I invited him to dinner. I hope that’s okay?”

“Sure,” she says, stretching her neck. “Maddie?” A second later appeared a woman, only a fewfeet away, placing glasses before us as she glanced towards my mother. “Bring out an extra chair, would you?” Maddie nods, before scurrying back inside. “I’ll make sure to get a selfie with him whilst he’s here, that should keep them buzzing for a while?”

“Keep who buzzing?” I asked, as both Goldie and Mom said, “The press.” at the sametime.

“Things have been quiet recently, nothing notable to be said about us all at the moment.”

As my mom took a generous gulp of whatever white wine was swimming in her glass, I heard Goldie mutter under her breath, “Not like your firstborn is starring in the biggest movie of the year or anything,”

I had to disguise my giggle with a scoot of my chair.

As she brought the glass back down to the table, the smile we’d been subjected to allnight beamed on her face. “But that’ll all change when our news about the London project gets out!” she glowed, like she was blissfully unaware of what this little project meant for her daughter.

“Yeah, about that—”

“Adaline?” My dad’s voice called from the glass doors.

I shifted in my seat to face him, taking in the salt and pepper hair, blended throughstrands of auburn, that he didn’t have the last time I saw him, as well as the few more creases on his forehead.

His complexion paled, odd for a man who could pass for Caspar the ghost. “What are youdoing here?”

Before I can speak, my mom butts in. “James, I told you she was coming for dinner thismorning. She’s in town for a movie.”

His eyes flick to me. “Oh… I see.” He started to walk over to me, my heart rate picking upwith every step he took. Anticipating a hug, I scoot back on my chair and hold my arms open, only to look up and be met with his outstretched hand.

Now that I think about it, I can’t remember the last time I hugged my dad.

I had to stop myself from shuddering at the thought, as I lazily put my hand in his,shaking it like I was some casting director he’d just signed me over to me.

“We’ve missed you, Adaline.” My dad says down to me, the ocean breeze swayingaround us.

“I didn’t think you’d notice I was gone, to be honest, not when Goldie replaced me themoment I left.”

My dad pulls his head back, shaking it and rolling his ocean eyes. “Never did masterturning off the dramatics once the cameras were off, did you?”

And before I can say anything, a little bell sounds out from behind my dad, a flurry ofkitchen staff with silver dishes and carts ready to feed us.

We treat our stares like a standoff, sizing each other up before he backs away from me,gesturing to the kitchen staff to start unloading the food onto the table. Within minutes, there’s a spread of sushi across the table, and if I loved sushi, then my mouth would have been watering, but I don’t. Never liked it. And I can tell, as I take a glance at Goldie, that she wasn’t fond of it either.

Once they’re done, the kitchen staff leave, my dad now in the seat opposite me, as mymom goes to raise her glass, her filled lips popping open with a sigh.

“Well, I’d like to toast this long overdue family dinner.” She tilts her head to my dad,then to Goldie, and then remembers me. “I hope we can do more of this, going forward…” she glances at me. “I hope we can be happier, like we used to be.”

Were we ever a happy family?

I raise my glass, giving a tight smile to my mom, then one to my dad, who was burning ahole into his plate with how hard he was staring at it. Then we dig in.

The only sound that invades the table is that of the waves in the distance, and the tappingof gold chopsticks that were laid out for us. The lack of distraction gives me time to remember the empty seat that was placed next to me.

For Nate.

I glance at the chair. Where is he? He might’ve decided not to come, which I would notblame him for. I wanted to leave myself, and if it weren’t for the long overdue conversation regarding how they control my little sister, I’d get up and never come back.

But not yet. I couldn’t just start screaming at them. Maybe after dessert.

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