Chapter117: The Last Dinner

Chapter 117: The Last Dinner RILEY The grandfather clock in the dining room chimed at midnight, its deep, resonant tones echoing through the quiet house. I'd been lying in bed since dinner, staring at the ceiling and thinking about everything that had happened today – and everything that was going to happen tomorrow. Dinner was different tonight. Mr. Xenois had come home just as we were sitting down to eat, which surprised both me and Mommy. He'd been staying away from the house ever since he got out of the hospital, and I'd started to think he might never come back. But tonight he'd sat across from me at the big dining table, asking me questions about how I was doing, what I'd been playing with, if I was sleeping okay. His attention felt warm and genuine, not like the distracted way he sometimes looked at me when Mommy was around. "I'm sorry I haven't been here more," he'd said, cutting his food but watching my face carefully. "I know I should have been spending time with you, especia