Larry couldn’t stand seeing Sarah upset. He just scooped her up, carried her to the bathroom, and helped her wash up. Afterward, he even got her dressed himself. Sarah was in such a rush to get out the door that she barely grabbed a bite to eat, just enough to settle her stomach, before Larry dropped her off at the restaurant where the Browns and Robinsons were meeting.
When Sarah walked in, the Robinsons hadn’t arrived yet. Her own family was already there, though, and they looked like they were gearing up for something big. Around ten minutes later, the Robinsons finally showed up.
Waldo and Beatty hurried over to greet them, all smiles and warmth. “Orval, Belinda, sorry if we kept you waiting.”
They’d expected the whole thing to be tense, but to everyone’s surprise, Aurora’s parents seemed to be in a really good mood. Orval even took the lead and greeted Sarah’s parents first. To the Browns, that felt like a promising start.
Waldo grinned. “Not at all, we just got here too. Let’s all sit down and chat.”
Orval nodded, then he and his wife and daughter found their seats. Sarah followed her brother to greet the older couple. “Mr. and Mrs. Davis, you two look younger every time I see you.”
She was so sweet, it instantly put the elders in a good mood. Even Billy got a rare smile from them. As soon as the introductions were over, though, Billy’s eyes were glued to Aurora. He barely noticed anything else.
Luckily, the parents were chatting away, caught up in their own conversation, so nobody paid much attention to him. Soon, the food started arriving. Sarah sat quietly, listening to the adults talk, but she kept sneaking glances at her brother. He was completely lost in thoughts of his future wife, so she gave him a little kick under the table and whispered, “Stop sitting there like a statue. This is your moment. Go pour everyone some wine.”
Billy finally snapped out of it, stood up, and started taking care of the elders, pouring wine and ladling out soup, being as attentive as possible. Aurora was watching him, trying not to laugh. The old Billy would never have acted like this, but she understood the change and just watched quietly.
Sarah piped up, wanting to help. “Orval, Mrs. Robinson, you have to try the soup here. I swear, it’s the best in town. I’ve eaten just about everywhere in Cabinda and nothing tops this.”
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