Neighborhood Steele - Part Eight
The conversation over dinner stayed, for the most part, in the realm of safe, casual chatter. It was only when Frances finally asked about wedding arrangements that Steele and Laura grew slightly nervous.
“San Francisco! What a wonderful idea!” Frances exclaimed. “Mother will like it.”
“Mmm,” Donald agreed, “And Elizabeth already lives there. It’s always best if she doesn’t have to travel at her age.”
“Elizabeth?” Steele asked.
Laura smiled apologetically. “My grandmother. She’s mostly harmless, don’t worry.”
Steele wondered briefly why Laura had never mentioned she had grandparents living. This thought, however, was driven quickly out of his mind at Donald’s next question.”
“What about your family, Remington? Will they be here?”
There was an awkward silence. Laura gripped her fork very tightly and Mindy took a large slurp of milk.
“My - um - both of my parents have passed away,” Steele said at last.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” Donald said quickly. “I didn’t know.”
Steele shook his head and muttered, “Quite alright.”
“And - and your siblings?” Frances went on tentatively.
“I haven’t any.”
There was another, even more uncomfortable silence, until Steele fixed a smile on his face and said, “But let’s not dwell on that. I’m sure it’ll be a rousing party with just the Holt side of the family.”
Donald nodded and raised his glass. “To the family. Including its newest member.”
“The family,” the adults echoed, and Steele looked much happier.
“San Francisco! What a wonderful idea!” Frances exclaimed. “Mother will like it.”
“Mmm,” Donald agreed, “And Elizabeth already lives there. It’s always best if she doesn’t have to travel at her age.”
“Elizabeth?” Steele asked.
Laura smiled apologetically. “My grandmother. She’s mostly harmless, don’t worry.”
Steele wondered briefly why Laura had never mentioned she had grandparents living. This thought, however, was driven quickly out of his mind at Donald’s next question.”
“What about your family, Remington? Will they be here?”
There was an awkward silence. Laura gripped her fork very tightly and Mindy took a large slurp of milk.
“My - um - both of my parents have passed away,” Steele said at last.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” Donald said quickly. “I didn’t know.”
Steele shook his head and muttered, “Quite alright.”
“And - and your siblings?” Frances went on tentatively.
“I haven’t any.”
There was another, even more uncomfortable silence, until Steele fixed a smile on his face and said, “But let’s not dwell on that. I’m sure it’ll be a rousing party with just the Holt side of the family.”
Donald nodded and raised his glass. “To the family. Including its newest member.”
“The family,” the adults echoed, and Steele looked much happier.