Michelle’s father had a childlike grin on his face as he handed the Magic 8 Ball over to Nell. Dinner had gone well: she’d outdone herself in the cooking department, and Esa and her dad seemed to get along just fine. Even so, Michelle could see when Esa stopped actually enjoying her dad’s needling and started pretending to enjoy it. It was all in the tightness of his smile. Her dad, thankfully, remained oblivious. The thing that mattered most was that Nell was having a wonderful time. She’d been thrilled when Michelle had produced traditional British Christmas crackers. They tore them apart and everyone, including Esa, who wasn’t known as someone who liked to look ridiculous, wore the paper crowns they found inside. A feeling as soothing as sinking down in a warm bath suffused Michelle when, at one point, she’d glanced around the dinner table. The word that came to mind was “family.” This was her family. And right now, her family was playing with Nell’s Magic 8 Ball waiting for their food to settle a bit before dessert.
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