A Bitter Feast

Dinner used to mean something in this house. Laughter. Noise. Small arguments over food. Willa complaining about vegetables. Maya checking her phone under the table. Jonah teasing everyone. Damon pretending to be strict but smiling anyway.

Now it felt like a punishment.

No one touched their food.

The plates sat there, steam long gone. Rice turning dry. Meat stiff. Glasses sweating onto the table l