"Hmm," David offered before turning back to Rob. "So tell me more about this new system you've implemented at the firm."
Didn’t Dad want to know what places in her childhood home were important to his daughter?
The dismissal was so blatant that Ben might have laughed if he hadn't felt Kelly go even more rigid beside him. Her eyes were fixed on her empty plate, her fingers absently tracing the rim of her water glass.
"The firm is considering making me a junior partner next year," Rob announced with a broad smile, once again turning the conversation toward himself. "Usually it takes at least another two years, but they've been impressed with my client management skills."
"That's our boy," David said with unmistakable pride, clapping his son on the shoulder. "Always ahead of schedule."
"We’re so proud of you," Jenny added, her voice warm with maternal approval.
“Congratulations,” Kelly said, sounding genuine. “That’s wonderful.”
“Wonderful,” Celia echoed. “My brother and sister are so successful.”
"Yes, Kelly, what about you? How's your little podcast going?" David asked.
Ben had the feeling that the only reason David Bateman had asked Kelly anything at all about herself was so he could compare her to his son.
"It's going well," Kelly replied, her voice even. "We're up to fifty thousand subscribers now."
"That's wonderful," Celia said with genuine enthusiasm. “I’ve been listening to it, and it’s really good.”
Jenny shot her youngest daughter a sharp look. Celia would be hearing about this later.
"Fifty thousand, huh?" Rob cut in before anyone else could respond, turning to Ben. "The Thompson account alone represents over a hundred million in assets. It's all about scalability in business. The numbers have to make sense."
Ben had to clamp down on the urge to laugh out loud at Rob’s tone, explaining business to Ben in a way someone might have used to tell a child not to bang their head against a wall over and over because it might hurt them.
Normally, he would have just let it go, but his urge to protect Kelly was too overwhelming. He couldn’t ignore it. He wasn’t that good of a person.
"In Kelly's industry, fifty thousand dedicated listeners is quite impressive. It shows a significant audience growth and engagement."
I might have done some research after she told me what she did for a living.
Okay, I did a lot of research, including engagement numbers, sponsorship opportunities, merchandising, and projected income over a one, five, and ten-year period. There might have been a SWOT analysis in there, too. Just in case she needed some business advice.
It had given him something to do in the days before their trip here to Bergen.
Ben reached under the table and briefly squeezed Kelly's hand. She returned the pressure with surprising strength, a wordless acknowledgment of his support.
They were a team, at least for now.
As the conversation continued and they waited for Trevor’s parents, he observed the family dynamic with increasing clarity, and more than a bit of horror. The Batemans weren't just proud of their son; that was too simplistic a description.
They were actively invested in maintaining a hierarchy with Rob at the top. Every question, every comment, every glance reinforced this structure. And Kelly and Celia, through years of conditioning, had learned to shrink themselves to maintain the peace.
It wasn't accidental or unconscious. This was a performance that had been perfected over decades, with each family member knowing their assigned role.
Any deviation would be punished, if not right then, eventually.
The uncomfortable silence that followed Rob's latest self-congratulatory monologue stretched across the dining room like an invisible barrier.
Ben watched as Celia fidgeted with her napkin, clearly searching for a way to change the subject. Kelly, for her part, had perfected the art of disappearing while remaining physically present.
It was a skill Ben suspected she'd developed through years of family meals exactly like this one. Surely, the Geneva Convention had some sort of agreement about torturous meals with relatives?
"So," Celia said brightly, her voice cutting through the tension, "what all did you see this morning when you looked around town? The high school? The park? They have a new fountain there."
