Family Ties

AvaAs we approached the front door, it swung open before we could ring the bell. My father sat in his wheelchair, his broad shoulders and commanding presence undiminished by his seated position. At sixty-five, George Silver was still an imposing figure, with salt-and-pepper hair and the same green eyes I'd inherited."There they are!" he boomed, his face splitting into a wide grin. "My girls... and the man brave enough to take on my daughter.""Dad," I warned, leaning down to kiss his cheek. "Behave.""Grandpa!" Emilia darted past me, throwing herself into his lap with practiced ease. He hugged her tightly, then set her back on her feet with a theatrical grunt."Getting too big for that, peanut," he told her, though we all knew he'd never refuse

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Table Talk

AvaThe dining room, like the rest of the house, was designed for accessibility without sacrificing aesthetics. My father wheeled up to a space at the head of the table where a chair had been removed. Alex held my chair for me, his fingers lightly brushing my shoulder as I sat—a casual touch that somehow felt startlingly intimate.Dinner was a surprisingly relaxed affair. The paella was delicious, the wine flowed freely, and conversation moved easily from business to politics to my father's latest hobby—adaptive gardening techniques he was developing for others with mobility issues."It keeps the mind active," he explained to Alex. "After the accident, I could have just retreated, let the world pass me by. But what's the point in that? There's still work to be done.""That's an ad

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Promises at Dinner

AvaNearly an hour later, Alex and my father finally emerged from the study, both looking relaxed and slightly flushed from the brandy. My father's eyes were bright with satisfaction, Alex's with something I couldn't quite read."There they are!" my father announced. "Been having an excellent chat, haven't we, Alex?""Absolutely," Alex agreed, his gaze finding mine across the room. "Your father is a remarkable man, Ava.""He has his moments," I acknowledged, noting the genuine warmth in Alex's voice. "But it's getting late, and it's a school night for Emilia.""Of course, of course," my father said. "But you must all come again soon. Next time I'll grill. Nothing like a man in a wheelchair handling open flames to really liven up a dinner party."

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Lahat ng Kabanata ng Pretend to Want Me: Kabanata 21 - Kabanata 23

Family Ties

Table Talk

Promises at Dinner