𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐄𝐀𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐑'𝐒 𝐑𝐄𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐓 | 𝐖𝐋𝐖 |

03 | but here, i stay

conversation

/ˌkɒnvəˈseɪʃn/ noun

1. a talk, especially an informal one, between two or more people, in which news and ideas are exchanged.

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Due to the quiet hymns the winds played this evening, the Walker family found themselves enjoying dinner on the outside deck in it's weathered wooden floorboard glory and all. 

On the edges of the deck, lichen clung onto the overgrown plants whilst some soil gathered between the stones, allowing slim but visible strands of green to spring up from the ground, reflecting it a sort of rustic, overgrown charm to the deck's appearance — a sight in which Levi, even at his old dog age, was getting up on the moment his paws stepped foot out the deck door, and Grayson too, only with a beer and a garden trowel in hand when the weather would allow him to.

Ever since Valerie landed back into New York, her father had been bugging her to come down back to the estate for a 'Walker reunion' if she was to put it in his words, and whilst the thought wasn't all that bitter to her, it was the possibility that her uncle was invited that struck a toll on her mind. 

But considering no one else came after her brother, Valerie was free to assume she was granted a brief pardon from a much needed conversation on a later day.

"Everything okay, sweetheart?" Emma asked in a hushed whisper, mild concern lacing her tone.

Valerie shook her head slightly, realising she'd been zoned out for a while as everyone was nearly onto their second servings whilst she barely touched her plate.

"Sorry," She murmured, reaching over to take a sip from her wine glass placed to the left of her, but as she did, she caught her mother's glance, and the older woman's expression softened as her hazel eyes zeroed into Valerie's. "I'm just tired from all this company launch prep bullshit, I guess." 

"Well, we're glad you came down to visit, it's been too long since we've all been together." Emma gently said as she squeezed her daughter's hand in reassurance, ensuring her voice was loud enough for her husband and son to hear amidst their own respectable mouth stuffing competition.

Chiming in, Grayson smiled as he bit down on his charred ribs, wiping away stray sauce from the side of his face shyly as he spoke up. "Ah, yes! It's been what.. 2 years since we've had a dinner together?"

Both Emma and Grayson gazed over at their daughter with understanding, knowing just how busy the girl's schedule had been the since the moment she moved from the city to as of late. And whilst the proudness they both felt in the appeasement of her dreams were evident, they couldn't help but feel a charge of sadness at the distance this outcome had put between them all.

As with Roman now entitled to the lawyer life, and Valerie claiming the promotion to a CEO, the notion of family togetherness wasn't a particular forte that the siblings continued holding onto as they ascended into their adulthood. 

But alas, now that Valerie had moved back to the city and Roman was high enough into his courtroom expertise, both parents began to feel grateful that this awkward distance stage was finally over, as though they had their differences now that they were grown, they'd always see them as they were as children.

As the evening air grew cooler, the setting over the dinner table shifted further into the family's backyard, and as for their conversation topics, it shifted from business and small-talk to reminiscing over old holidays, times and memories.