The Way Back | ✓

7.4

note: we passed 10k reads recently! This is dinner with the family, part 2. Feedback is much appreciated and do vote if you enjoyed the chapter. 

Happy reading, and I hope you're all having a good weekend <3 

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Though the crisp air outside was bitter and cold, inside the Liang household it was warm.

Gwen, London's sister, was the one to open the door when she and Andrew arrived, the air already buzzing with the excitement of Christmas. Gwen's arms immediately engulfed her and London had laughed, hugging her sister back. London noticed the shiny diamond on Gwen's finger and decided to ask her about it later, when they found some private time.

"This is my sister, Gwenyth," she had said, introducing them at the front door. "And this is is my boyfriend, Andrew."

"Nice to meet you," Gwen had said, grinning widely and sending London a knowing look before she gave Andrew a quick welcome hug. "Now come in before we all freeze our arses off."

"Where's Dad?" London had asked after a while of casual conversation in the living room. This was the time of year that was hard for all of them — for London, Gwen and their father. It was the first time that their mother had attempted suicide, and months later actually succeeded in it. That night was chaos, it was emotional and it was those two times when their father chose to close off even more.

"You know where he is," Gwen had replied, the smile dying from her lips at the mention of their father.

London did. She found him nursing a glass of whiskey in his hand in his study and immediately regretted letting Andrew tag along. She could have helped freshen him up first before meeting her boyfriend because this was far from how she wanted their first meeting to go, but it had already happened and there was nothing she could do to change that.

"Dad," she said, strained smile to her lips. "Couldn't wait to get drunk after dinner, I see."

She tried her best to hold in the snide comments but one look at the lazy smile her father gave her made the words tumble out. His appearance startled her. They rarely talked these days, and when they did it was always a phone call, never a video call, so she hadn't really seen him since last Christmas. And he refused to come to Porte Orlands on their mother's death anniversary, so they seldom saw each other. The last time her father visited her mother's grave was at her funeral. He refused to come to Porte Orlands again, refused to visit his dead wife. It frustrated London, though she did partly understand why he wanted to keep away, but it was doing him more harm than good. He just kept hurting.

His hair was longer, a beard on his chin. He looked chubbier now. The first Christmas after her mother's death, he was the same. It had only been a month after she had died. The second Christmas, he was thinner. The third Christmas, he gained some weight, and the fourth Christmas he lost it. Now, the fifth Christmas since her passing, he gained it back. His weight fluctuations bothered her, made her worried but he was a stubborn old man and would not listen, even if what she was right.

He fixed his glasses. "London, my dear, you look beautiful," he said in greeting. His breath was stale when she leaned down for a kiss. He kissed her cheek, grinning widely at her, his eyes holding a despondent but hopeful glow. "Seeing you always reminds me of your mother. So alike... so beautiful."

"How are you doing, Dad?" London was quick to change the subject, aware that Andrew was still at the doorway to her father's study, observing silently.

"Oh, you know, just the usual. I am fine, don't worry."

"No, I wouldn't know because we barely keep in touch," she sniped, grabbing the drink from him and setting it on his table. "That's enough. I'd like for you to meet someone."