Chapter 2: A Feast for Three
Vanessa recovered quickly.
She had always been good at that. A sharp question could make her defensive for a second, but she could turn almost any confrontation into an accusation that Daniel was being unreasonable.
She set her glass down and folded her arms.
"What's the problem now?""
Daniel held the plate between them.
"Explain this.""
Diane appeared behind her daughter, napkin still tucked neatly into the neckline of her burgundy dress.
"Oh, goodness," Diane said, looking at the food.
"What's happened?""
Daniel turned toward her.
"My mother is eating cold leftovers in her bedroom while you two are having a feast.""
Vanessa exhaled sharply.
"She wanted to eat alone. Stop making a scene.""
"She told me she didn't want to cause trouble.""
"Exactly. She gets overwhelmed in company sometimes.""
"She was talking to me perfectly fine five minutes ago.""
"Daniel, your mother is old. People change.""
Diane picked up her wineglass, avoiding his eyes.
"Perhaps we should all calm down," she said.
"There's no need to turn a simple dinner into a family crisis.""
Daniel stared at her.
"Would you eat that plate of food?""
Diane blinked.
"What?""
"If somebody handed you those scraps and told you to eat alone in a bedroom, would you accept it?""
"That's a ridiculous comparison.""
"Why?""
"Because I'm a guest in your home.""
"And my mother is my mother.""
The silence that followed was so complete Daniel could hear the refrigerator humming in the kitchen.
Vanessa stepped closer.
"You are twisting everything. I have been taking care of this house all day, and now you're coming home and attacking me in front of my mother.""
Daniel lowered the plate onto the kitchen counter.
"I didn't ask you to attack anybody. I asked why my mother is eating alone.""
"And I answered you.""
"No. You gave me an excuse.""
Vanessa's jaw tightened.
"Do you have any idea how difficult it is to look after someone who needs constant attention?""
Daniel stared at her.
"Mom cooks for herself. She folds her own laundry. She waters the plants. What constant attention?""
"That's not the point.""
"Then tell me what the point is.""
Vanessa opened her mouth, but Diane interrupted.
"Daniel, your wife has done nothing but try to make this arrangement work. Your mother is fortunate to have a roof over her head.""
The words struck harder than Daniel expected.
He turned slowly toward Diane.
"A roof over her head?""
"Yes. Some elderly people don't have that luxury.""
"My mother worked thirty years as a nurse. She raised me alone after my father died. She paid off this house's mortgage with money she gave us when we were struggling.""
Diane's expression shifted.
Daniel continued.
"She doesn't owe us anything.""
Vanessa picked up her glass again, though her fingers trembled slightly.
"Nobody said she did.""
"You just called her fortunate to have a roof over her head.""
"I was speaking generally.""
"No, you weren't.""
For a moment, Vanessa looked as if she might throw the glass.
Instead, she set it down with deliberate care.
"Fine. You want the truth? Your mother doesn't like eating with us.
She complains about the food. She makes comments about how things used to be. She watches everything I do.""
Daniel frowned.
"Mom has never complained about your cooking.""
"She doesn't have to say it out loud.""
"That makes no sense.""
"Not everything has to make sense to you!""
Her voice rose sharply enough that Diane reached for her arm.
"Vanessa, darling.""
Vanessa pulled away.
"No, Mom. I'm tired of pretending I'm the villain every time Evelyn doesn't get her way.""
Daniel looked toward the bedroom.
His mother had appeared in the hallway.
She stood with her hands clasped in front of her lavender dress. Her silver hair was slightly disheveled, and her eyes moved between the three people in the kitchen.
"I'm sorry," Evelyn whispered.
Daniel's face softened immediately.
"Mom, you have nothing to apologize for.""
"I didn't mean to interrupt.""
"You didn't.""
Vanessa let out a short, disbelieving laugh.
"See? This is exactly what I mean. Everything becomes about her.""
Evelyn's shoulders drew inward.
Daniel saw it happen.
He turned toward his wife.
"Enough.""
Vanessa stared at him.
"Excuse me?""
"I said enough.""
He walked to his mother and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.
"Come sit at the table.""
Evelyn shook her head quickly.
"Please, Daniel.""
"You're having dinner with us.""
"Baby, I don't want—"
"Mom. You're my mother. You're not a burden.""
Her eyes filled with tears.
For a moment, she looked like the woman Daniel remembered from childhood: the woman who worked double shifts, came home exhausted, and still sat beside him to help with his homework. The woman who made sure he never went to bed hungry, even when she skipped dinner herself.
He had promised his father, in a hospital room twenty years earlier, that he would always take care of her.
He had never imagined that keeping that promise would require confronting his own wife.
Daniel guided Evelyn toward the dining room.
Vanessa moved into his path.
"You're not seriously going to do this.""
He stopped.
"Move, Vanessa.""
"You're embarrassing me.""
"Good. Maybe you'll remember how this feels next time you decide someone in this family doesn't deserve a chair.""
Diane pushed back from the table.
"This is outrageous. Vanessa, we can leave if we're not welcome.""
Daniel looked at her.
"You are welcome to eat dinner. So is my mother.""
He pulled out a chair for Evelyn.
She sat slowly, her hands shaking as she adjusted the hem of her dress.
Daniel went to the kitchen and brought her a fresh plate. He served her the roasted chicken, vegetables, and mashed potatoes himself, placing a warm dinner roll beside her fork.
"There you go, Mom.""
"Thank you, sweetheart.""
Vanessa remained standing.
She stared at the plate as though Daniel had deliberately insulted her.
Then she looked at Diane.
Something passed between them. A glance too quick for most people to notice.
Daniel noticed.
"What's that look for?"" he asked.
"Nothing," Vanessa replied.
"Then sit down.""
She sat.
For several minutes, nobody spoke. Forks scraped against plates. The chandelier hummed faintly. Evelyn ate in tiny bites, occasionally glancing at Vanessa before lowering her eyes.
Daniel tried to make conversation.
"Mom, remember that restaurant near the old hospital? The one with the terrible coffee?""
A faint smile appeared on Evelyn's face.
"The one where you spilled orange juice on your teacher?""
Daniel laughed.
"That was an accident.""
"You were trying to impress her.""
"I was eight!""
Evelyn chuckled softly.
It was the first genuine laugh Daniel had heard from her in weeks.
Then Vanessa's phone buzzed beside her plate.
She glanced at the screen and immediately turned it facedown.
Diane noticed.
"Is everything all right?"" she asked.
"Fine.""
The phone buzzed again.
Vanessa snatched it up.
Daniel watched her read the message. The color drained from her face, and her eyes flicked toward the kitchen.
"What is it?"" he asked.
"Work.""
"At dinner?""
"Yes, Daniel. Some of us have responsibilities.""
She stood abruptly and carried her glass into the kitchen.
Daniel watched her go.
A moment later, he heard a cupboard door open, followed by a soft metallic tap.
Then silence.
He excused himself and walked into the kitchen.
Vanessa was standing beneath the upper cabinets, her back turned. Her phone was pressed to her ear.
"No," she whispered.
"Not tonight.""
Daniel stopped just outside the doorway.
She listened.
Then she said, "I told you I would handle it.""
A pause.
Her voice dropped lower.
"If he finds out what's on that recording, we're finished.""
Daniel's pulse quickened.
Vanessa turned suddenly.
He stepped into view.
She lowered the phone.
"How long have you been standing there?""
"Long enough.""
Her face went blank.
"What did you hear?""
Daniel looked at the cabinets, then at the phone in her hand.
"Who has a recording?""
Vanessa's fingers tightened around her phone.
"Nobody.""
"You just said—"
"I was talking about work!""
"What work?""
She stepped toward him.
"Why are you interrogating me?""
"Because you're acting like someone with something to hide.""
Vanessa's eyes flashed.
"You need to stop this before you destroy our marriage.""
Daniel stared at her.
"My mother was eating scraps in her bedroom, Vanessa. I'm not the one who started this.""
He turned away.
That was when he noticed a small black device sitting on top of the kitchen cabinet.
It was positioned toward the hallway and the dining room.
A discreet camera.
Daniel had installed the security system months earlier after a package disappeared from their porch. He knew every device in the house.
He also knew he hadn't put that camera there.
He stepped closer.
"Vanessa," he said slowly, "why is there a camera in my kitchen?""
She stopped breathing for a beat.
Then she lunged toward his phone as he opened the security app.
"What do you think you're doing?""
Daniel pulled the phone away.
"Checking the footage.""
"Don't!""
The word came out too quickly.
Too desperately.
Daniel stared at her.
"Why are you so desperate to stop me?""
Vanessa's mouth opened, but no answer came.
Behind them, the hallway floor creaked.
Evelyn stood in the doorway, her hands trembling.
"Daniel," she whispered, "please see what happens when you're not home.""
Daniel looked at his mother.
Then he looked at the camera.
The security app loaded.
A list of recordings appeared on the screen.
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And beside each date was a small red notification he had never seen before.
*Audio detected.*
