Page 61 of Ravaged From Fate

“No.”

They both say it together in unison, which simply raises my suspicions even more. They think I’m oblivious to whatever they’re trying to conceal, but they forget that I’m a woman and I can tell when men are hiding something, especially these two men. Whatever it is, they clearly don’t want to tell me, so I’m not going to prod. I just hope they can resolve it soon and quickly. I hate this tension in the air.

“Tell me a bit about yourself, Caspian,” Dad asks as he finishes his lasagna.

“There’s not much to tell.”

“Come on, there must be something. You’re new here, right?”

“Yes, sir.”

It’s cute how Caspian calls Dad sir. Very honorable and charmingly old-fashioned of him.

“What were you doing before East Springs?” my dad asks like he’s a hard-boiled political journalist for the New York Times.

I sense Caspian tense up. He hates talking about his personal life. “I traveled for a bit,” he replies. “Lived in Los Angeles for a bit…”

“Working?”

“Kind of.”

Dad’s eyes narrow. “What do you mean, kind of?”

“I was lucky in some… investments I made when I was younger. Money is not something I luckily don’t need anymore.”

“So you’re a man without a job? Without purpose?”

“I wouldn’t say that, sir. I prefer to be called a man finding his feet.”

“Finding your feet with Elsa?”

“If you put it like that.”

“I am putting it like that,” Dad replies. “My daughter is the one thing holding this town together, you know that?”

“Yes, I do.”

It’s weird for Dad to actually say something like that. He’s not one to utter words of appreciation to anyone, especially his own family. I guess he’s just showing off to Caspian.

“So you’re really enjoying the lasagna, or are you just trying to be nice?” I ask Caspian, now very desperate to change the subject.

“Very much.”

“I would like to know more about you, young man,” Dad says to Caspian.

Oh, no.

“Well, this has been fun,” I announce, wanting to end all this. Right now.

Dad seems to pick up on the clue. “I best be off,” he says. “It’s getting past my bedtime. Goodbye, both of you.”

“Goodbye, Dad.” He kisses me on the cheek before turning to Caspian.

“Will you walk me out?” he asks the man sitting next to me.

“Sure.”

What?