The food is exquisite. Melissa it turns out, among other things, is a trained chef, and worked for a while in a couple of good restaurants in Switzerland.
"That was just for a couple of years", she says between mouthfuls of the casserole dish that has resulted from our combined efforts. "I did that to help fund my two years in graphic design college. You see, even though we come from a rich family, Mom was bound and determined that both of us know the meaning of hard work, if we really wanted something bad enough. It paid off."
This time Francois is the only person from the community next door to have joined us, which makes sense, given that we now are harbouring him as a refugee. Apparently he has stayed in his room most of the day, only coming out to walk in the garden. He is careful to time his excursions so as to avoid others from the community. He has been chatting quietly with Carl, next to whom he is seated. The rest of us seem pretty quiet right now, even Carol who hasn't bothered to put her rings back on since her piano practice.
Suddenly Aaron says, "Do you know what would be really cool? If we could appoint a reader on some evenings to keep us entertained and edified while the rest of us dine in silence."
"But then the reader would have to go without eating", says Carl.
"That sounds like a great idea", says Melissa, rather deadpan. "How soon can you start, Aaron?"
"Tomorrow?"
"You're one of our guests", says Carl. One of us should do it. "Melissa...Who´s it going to be?"
"If you don't mind doing all the cooking."
"Okay, then I'll do it", Carl says.
"But I can do it", says Aaron. "I love reading aloud."
"You're a guest", says Carl, "and a guest you shall remain. Don't argue."
Carol continues to eat in silence, as though all it takes is playing the piano for one hour to settle her ragged nerves....
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