65. Something About Falling

"Isn't it wonderful that we're all here, eating together like one happy family, without any problems?" Mrs. Carlos said, her voice dripping with forced sweetness as Mirabel served her dinner. "This is how I’ve always imagined it."

Ivan shifted uncomfortably in his seat. His mother’s odd behavior was clearly unsettling him, and I could tell he knew she was pretending. Mrs. Carlos was never good at hiding her true intentions, and pretending to be supportive wasn’t something she mastered either.

"Yes, Mother, it really does feel good having everyone here," Nathaniel chimed in, giving his mother a knowing look that made my skin crawl. I couldn’t shake the feeling that the two of them were plotting something, working together on whatever schemes they had in mind.

Ivan didn’t say a word. Neither did I. He focused on eating in silence, occasionally feeding Kelly, who sat next to him, clinging to his side. Nathaniel’s presence made me tense, as it always did since the incident. Every time I g