Moongrace

Part 19

Evan took a seat on the bench next to her. "Just wait, it will all turn all right!" he whispered.

She just nodded and hid her sadness. Then she went on search for the knife. From now on, she always had to imprint on her mind where she put things. However, her memory did not fail her and she found the knife almost immediately. Just the rest of the potatoes seemed to have vanished. Evan started laughing when he saw Eleeza searching the span of the table she could reach.

"You are already done! You have peeled the last potato!"

She put on a defiant face: "I am sure that there was a least one of them left!" and continued searching.

"Zoe put the rest of them back in the basket. There is no need for more."

"Oh, but I didn't perceive it. I really have to get more watchful!"

The whole thing with the potato made her angry. She really hadn't noticed Zoe taking them from the table. And yet she had ears, hadn't she? Carefully she deposited the knife on the table. This time she listened carefully what the others in the room did.

This way she knew instantly when Zoe put the dishes on the table and collected the knives, the garbage and the rest of the peeled potatoes. Evan stood up after a while, because she seemed not to be interested in talking, and helped Zoe and his father. Every time he left the room, what he apparently tried to avoid, he asked her if everything was alright and if he could leave her alone for a minute.

Finally, the food was ready and the kids sat down next to her on the bench. Zoe lifted the heavy pot with the food on the table. Lay, who was sitting next to her, gave her of the soup and a piece of bread.

Suddenly the rattling of the dishes stopped and Oliver proclaimed loudly: "Heavenly Father, bless this food and bless our friends and family who dine with us today. Amen."

Everybody started eating quickly as she could tell from the noises. She searched for her spoon. But Lay was quicker: „Here is your spoon."

She handed it to her and Eleeza smiled in the direction of her voice. "Thank you, little girl", she said even though she knew Lay couldn't hear it. But Lay understood: "Welcome!" Eleeza could hear the smile in her voice.

She found the plate as well as the loaf of bread which she had precautionary placed left of the plate. The soup was delicious and the heaviest meal since a long time. But she was ashamed that she spilled so much and sometimes missed the plate. She must seem very clumsy and stupid.

"Do you like it?", Evan asked sometime. Eleeza nodded: "It's a wonderful soup. And it does me good!", she smiled.

She had registered that the others had already cleared their second plate while she still spooned her first portion. But well, scraping out soup while not seeing were the last drops were, wasn't easy. In addition, being slow was a good excuse for her natural very small appetite.

"In the castle I couldn't make such soups unfortunately. You get strong and healthy from such soups. And fat, I say!" Evan said and both erupted into laughter.

„Please tell Zoe, that I just loved her soup. And tell her my thanks for the food!"

During the rest of the dinner she listened to the conversations of the others. Evan repeated the story of her getting blind and the reasons why they had decided to return to his home. Eleeza paid attention to the reactions of the family. Lay seemed the most distraught for she put her hand on Eleeza's arm and whispered so quietly that only Eleeza could hear her: "I am so sorry for all you had to go through. This Queen is a very bad which! But we will take care of you!"