Dinner

Ernest stepped out from his room and headed straight toward the dining hall.

Back in their original home, the living room would have been just outside his bedroom.

Now?

He had to walk for nearly a minute just to reach it.

Honestly, he still wasn't used to it.

The estate felt absurdly large.

Several times today he had accidentally taken the wrong hallway.

Once, he even opened the wrong door and ended up inside a guest bedroom.

The place was practically a maze compared to what he grew up with.

Eventually, he reached the dining hall.

And when he got there, he saw his parents already sitting around the long dining table.

Anna sat near the center while Victor occupied the seat beside her.

Both looked strangely relaxed.

Actually, Ernest noticed that immediately.

For years, dinner had been a rushed affair.

Victor returned exhausted from work.

Anna prepared food.