THE GHOST OF MY PAST(GP)

Chapter Twenty

The dinner goes amazingly well. For some reason, Ive managed to serve beef Wellington which Ive never cooked before. The table is full of different kinds of side dishes, adorned by a pair of decorative red candles and red roses at the base of my moms classic candelabra. Everyone at the table is smiling warmly, reflecting a perfect little family.

I wish it was real but alas, thats the scene in my dream last night. The actual dinner is different. Very different.

Ive cooked stuffed chicken breasts, roasted potatoes, steamed mixed greens, and garlic sauce. No candles, no antique candelabra, and no flowers. What we have now is just a plain wooden dining table that is enough to hold all the eating utensils for the three of us. This isnt a dinner to impress; this is a dinner to test.

Despite being the one who came up with the idea, Ella is pretty reserved and quieter than usual. But thankfully, she isnt totally closed up or worse, showing resentment that can cause drama. I hope its just her usual phase when we have company she isnt familiar with. She sometimes gets shy but then warms up as time passes by.

Her bright green eyes steal glances at Lisa now and then when she doesnt look, but once she turns hee gaze to her, she looks down at her plate right away, suddenly busy with her meal.

You have a very comfy house, Ella, Lisa says. How long have you been living here?

Instead of answering, Ella averts her eyes to me. I didnt expect she would be this timid in front of Lisa after knowing who he is to her. I nod at her, encouraging her to reply to her father.

Since I was two, she says, her little fingers gripping the adult-size fork before sticking it into the potato. Ellas refused to use childrens cutlery since she turned five.

Oh. Where did you live before?

In grandmas house.

That sounds fun. Did you like it there?

Ella frowns. I cant remember. I was still a baby.

Right, Lisa mutters under her breath. So, do you spend holidays at grandmas place a lot?

Ella shakes her head. Not that often anymore.

Lisa raises her eyebrows, hee interest piqued. Why not?

Ella shrugs. Grandma says no a lot. No for riding a bike on the street, no for climbing trees, no for playing with the children in the neighborhood. A lot of no.

Well, I agree with your grandma about the bike. Riding a bike on the street can be dangerous.

Lisq hasnt seen grandmas neighborhood, I interject as I see a scowl forming on Ellas face. Of course you can ride your bike on that street.

Still, there are a lot of reckless drivers on the streets nowadays, Lisa replies as he cuts his chicken, completely oblivious to my glare.

Where can she ride her bike if its not on the street then? I ask. We havent got a chance to have the parenting talk since we wanted to wait for Ella to come around first. As much as I want to discuss it privately, there is something seriously wrong with his knowledge about raising kids that I need to address right here, right now.

Lisa purses her plump lips, making me slightly distracted from the view. In the park? Theres a bicycle path, and its safe for kids.

I give hee a deadpan look. Ella rides her bike to learn about rules on the streets. The main purpose is that she can be more independent and do more things, not depending on her parents all the time. Shes almost eight.

Exactly. Shes still seven.

I open my mouth in disbelief. Does she seriously think kids dont need to learn through the process and are automatically able to do everything when they are bigger? Was she born as a baby or just being dropped from the sky like Mr. Bean?