Chapter 8. Work Day 1

DYLAN

The morning after was picture-perfect. The long table was filled with people eating and conversing. Like a happy family. On the surface. Look too closely and everyone would see it was not.

“I guess he’ll be under my department, then?” Anton said, in between bites of the tuna sausage.

Seth didn’t say anything but nodded.

It was the first meal I shared with everyone in the family. Seth was on the head of the table, a sole chair fronting everyone. Anton was on his right, alone, and across him was me and Ashlene. Ash had already bathed and changed clothes. She was tasked to meet with the pastor who was going to perform the private wake ceremony for her mother. After a lot of arguments this morning, she finally got her father’s approval. That’s my girl.

The table was filled with breakfast foods: tuna sausages, scrambled eggs, garlic rice, steamed spinach, and diced salted eggs in tomatoes. I got a small portion and ate, focusing on the food and trying