They did not plan the dinner.It emerged the way some evenings now did, without announcement or intention, shaped more by absence than desire. No staff lingered in the house. No aides checked schedules. No messages waited unanswered on the table.Just two people, a kitchen, and time that did not need to be filled.Lillian suggested something simple. Nathaniel agreed without improvement or addition. The menu was decided in under a minute, and neither of them revisited the choice. That alone felt like a small luxury.They moved around each other easily, not coordinating, not deferring. Lillian washed vegetables. Nathaniel prepared the pan. They spoke occasionally, but silence did not signal interruption. It felt companionable, like shared breath.
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