We are having morning coffee in the same reception room. I count here, Jesús, Melissa, who is chatting with him on one of the sofas, and Carol, who is comfortably seated in an armchair across from another occupied by a young black man I have never seen before. Aaron finds his place on another couch and Carl and I are in the two corresponding armchairs, forming rather a triangle.
Melissa looks up at her brother in order to deliver a half sour "You´re late."
"Five minutes", Carl retorts, "So sue me."
"You'll have your day in court, Big Brother." It is delivered so deadpan that it is almost impossible to tell if she is joking. There is a slight edge of menace to her tone that rather sets me off. The black visitor has very closely cropped hair and I find him very handsome. There seems to be a light of wellbeing glowing through his ebony skin.
"Coffee ready?" is all Carl says.
"It's waiting there on the tea trolley and the gorgeous spice honey cake that Carol and I worked our butts off getting ready for your ungrateful stomach." She has delivered this so flat, toneless and deadpan, that surely she must be in jest and I realize now that this is simply their form of childhood play.
"Very kind of you to wait for us." Carl says with a satirical grin. Our African guest smiles broadly, clearly entertained by the sibling banter. He turns his gaze towards me and says, "My name is Francois."
"Christopher. Glad to meet you."
"And I am so very glad to meet you, Christopher."
Melissa says, "Francois is one of the community brothers here. He would like to get to know all of you here, so he will be with us for all meals and social sessions..."
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