244: The Suitors' Supper

In the grand tapestry of the family saga, a dinner meant to unite the siblings under one roof took a turn towards the theatrical with the unexpected addition of Alex and, later, Bauer. The mood, previously buoyed by the anticipation of familial banter, now teetered on the edge of a Shakespearean farce. Gable, ever the sentinel of his sister's well-being, couldn't mask his dismay. His stoic silence was a loud testament to his thoughts on the matter. Emma, caught between amusement and exasperation, sought to ease the tension with a mix of diplomacy and sisterly scolding. "Gable, really, glaring at guests as if they've personally offended you is a new low. And here I thought you were the mature one," Emma teased, nudging her brother in an attempt to lighten his mood. Gable, unamused, retorted, "Mature or not, I didn't sign up to play chaperone at what's turned into a bizarre matchmaking dinner. And as for those two," he gestured vaguely towards Alex and Bauer, "one seems to have mist