psychological

The Dinner Party

They were all quietly sitting, waiting for dinner to begin. It was a special night for their host; her daughter’s birthday was coming and she finally agreed to come home after seven long years away. It was a night to be celebrated, if that wasn’t clear already. There were long candles decorating the middle of the table; in their intricate golden casings, they burned on into the night. A feast had been prepared, laid out in front of the guests; a glistening turkey; white, milky soup garnished with black seasoning; any vegetable or fruit one can think of laid there, waiting to be eaten. For dessert, a cheesecake; it was sitting next to the daughter’s empty chair. It was her favorite, as they had all heard at least a dozen or so times.