A Slow Burning Candle *Main story completed, additional scenes to be added*

Chapter 18: Cena

"Please come in." Bruno stepped to the side, and the three visitors walked in.

Casita closed the door behind them and moved three extra chairs over to the table. Looking back at his family, he saw them all resume their activities from where they had stopped to watch.

Dolores came out of the kitchen, clearly holding three extra plates. When he raised an eyebrow at her, she gave him a sheepish grin and quickly moved to go help the rest of the family.

It had been a good while since Luz had set foot in the house, and Carlos and Josefa had never spent much time there to begin with. Since the rebuild and transformation, it was still the same structure, but had some differences. Isabela had clearly been to work on her color palette and plant selection, and Abuela had been allowing the various household members to add their own little additions. The place seemed to be glowing with more life than ever before.

Luz found herself lingering, looking over all the changes, a fact apparently also not missed by casita, who shifted the tiles under feet, bringing her to the table along with Carlos and Josefa. Luz squeaked – still shocked when this happened, while Josefa grabbed onto her husband's arm for dear life.

Carlos was trying to steady himself and grabbed onto the table for support.

"I guess it's time for dinner." Carlos looked at his companions, straightening his shirt.

Alma nodded, shaking her head with a light laugh, "Our casita is persistent. Por favor, sit."

With the matriarch at the head of the table, and Luisa at the other end, Luz took up the seat to the right of Julieta's middle daughter and Josefa quickly took up the seat on the other side of her.

Most of the family was waiting to see exactly where Bruno would sit after Luz took her spot, but he merely sighed and sat to Alma's right as if it was an afterthought. Julieta and Pepa exchanged a glance and bid their children and husbands to find seats.

It was a cramped fit, with little Antonio squeezing in between Luisa and Mirabel on the corner end.

Luz looked across at her former student and gave her an apologetic smile, "I'm sorry."

The youngest daughter waved it off, "It's okay, we've done this with more people, no worries."

As the dishes were distributed and passed around the table, Alma decided to start the conversation. She was trying to be a little less invasive into her children's lives, but clearly, given that her son had chosen the seat furthest from the maestra, something had to be done – at least minimally.

"So, Maestra Estrada, how are you enjoying being an employee of the village?"

Luz swallowed the soup she'd been enjoying, "Not very much has change in my day to day life, Doña Alma," She mused over it, but thought a bit better of her response, "But all the same, I am very thankful to you."

"Please do not thank just me, both of my daughters brought it to my attention after we decided to change some rules."

"Well, you all have my appreciation." Luz nodded at Alma and her two daughters.

Bruno kept his head down and focused on the food in front of him. She'd seemed so uncomfortable early when they met up at the door that he was certain she did not want to be in his presence.

He knew why the rest of the family had kept it from him that she was coming over that night, they were afraid he'd leave, and they were probably right. If it meant that she was able to eat in peace, he would have gladly stayed in his room. All he wanted to do was apologize and then she could get back to her life in peace and his conscience could be clear.