Chapter 280.1
Chapter 280.1
More people arrived one after another until a total of fourteen people, which included seven members and their respective guests, were all gathered around the round table. The table surely was big enough to seat fourteen people without anyone feeling crowded.
“It’s so great to see everybody in the same room.”
“I couldn’t agree more. How long has it been since all the members have gathered around?”
“If I remember it right, I guess this is the first time.”
“Truly? Good Lord, it really is.”
With Dana’s long absence, the attendees never exceeded more than twelve people. And besides that, the other six members, too, have been absent from the monthly gatherings from time to time.
Since the attendance was never mandatory, there has been at least one absence at every monthly gathering, on the pretext of personal reasons. And the members didn’t accompany the guests every month but only once or twice a year. Therefore, it truly was the first time for as many as fourteen people to gather around the table.
Unlike Eugene’s expectation, the attention of the group wasn’t entirely focused on her nor mother. In fact, when everyone was seated after exchanging long greetings, their conversation revolved around a few ordinary topics.