As the car rolled to a stop near the entrance, the housekeeper was already waiting by the door, her smile kind and welcoming.
"Welcome home, Mr. and Mrs. Whitmore," she said warmly.
"Thank you, Caroline," Bri replied, smiling politely.
She stepped out of the car, smoothing her dress, then turned to introduce her friends. "This is Anna," she said brightly, "you might remember her, we've visited the estate together before. And this is Jake."
"Of course," Caroline said, smiling. "Nice to see you again, Anna. And nice to meet you, Jake."
They greeted back, and William quietly gestured for them to come in, holding the door open.
In the sitting area, Eleanor Whitmore was already entertaining guests, a graceful middle aged woman, and a younger one, who the three friends recognized immediately.
"Kate Harrington? What is she doing here? " Anna whispered, leaning toward Bri and Jake.
"She is the girlfriend, remember?"Jake whispered mockingly.
Bri didn't reply, she only had one goal. To make it through dinner.
William, who was walking just ahead of them, caught their voices and grinned slightly to himself. Their conversation amused him.
Eleanor noticed them right away, and her face lit up as she stood and rushed over, her steps light and eager.
"There she is!" she exclaimed. "My granddaughter in law."
Before Bri could say a word, Eleanor pulled her into a warm hug that nearly caught her off guard. Still holding Bri from the side, Eleanor beamed and turned to the other guests.
"This is Brianna, my beautiful granddaughter in law " she said proudly. "And these are her best friends, Anna and Jake."
The middle aged woman, Vivian Harrington, stood up politely and offered a handshake. "Lovely to meet you, Brianna," she said with a courteous smile.
Before Bri could respond, Kate was already on her feet, her voice light. "William! I missed you!"
She moved quickly toward him, hugging him briefly.
William's expression didn't change. He gave her a polite nod but said nothing, walking to take a seat on the far end of the room instead.
Jake noticed the exchange and gave William a look..a protective one, maybe even disapproving. William caught it, smiled, then quickly looked away.
Everyone took a seat, but Eleanor, still glowing with excitement, gently guided Bri to stand in the middle. "Kate, this is my granddaughter in law, Bri," she said cheerfully. "Isn't she beautiful?"
Kate smiled briefly. "She is ok," she said softly.
Vivian, sensing the tension, jumped in with a laugh. "She truly is beautiful. I hope my Chris brings me a daughter in law soon. I'm a little envious of you and Susan."
Just then, Susan Whitmore, William's mother, walked gracefully into the living room, her expression composed and unreadable. "Good evening," she greeted simply. Her tone wasn't warm, but it wasn't cold either.
"Hello, dear," Eleanor said lightly, pretending not to notice the stiffness in the air.
Before the awkwardness could stretch, Caroline reappeared at the doorway. "Dinner is served," she announced with a small bow.
Everyone began to move toward the dining room.
William led the way, Kate right behind him, a little too close. Susan followed next, then Eleanor, still holding Bri's hand affectionately. Jake and Anna trailed behind, exchanging glances.
Before reaching the dining area, Richard Whitmore, William's father also joined them, his long and fast strides intimidating.
"Good evening everyone," he greeted, as he stood and waited for everyone to arrive at the long table. "Welcome to our home." He said warmly and firmly.
He shook Jake's hand, nodded politely to Anna, and gave Bri a small smile before taking his seat at the head of the table.
William sat next, taking his usual place beside his father. Susan sat next to her husband while Kate, without hesitation, took the empty seat on William's left side. Vivian sat across from Kate, next to Eleanor, who gently guided Bri to sit between herself and Jake. Anna sat on Jake's other side.
Dishes moved around the table as everyone began serving themselves their favorite meals.
Eleanor, ever the doting grandmother, kept reaching toward Bri's plate. "You must try this," she insisted, spooning a bit of mashed potatoes and vegetables for her. Bri smiled politely, though she already felt her plate filling faster than she could keep up with. Her eyes kept drifting toward the roasted chicken platter in the center, golden brown, and perfectly glazed.
Conversation started naturally, with Eleanor turning toward Vivian. "When is Chris coming home, Vivian? I've missed that boy."
Vivian smiled warmly. "In two months time, actually. I've missed him so much."
Kate, sitting beside William, quickly added, "Me too."
Eleanor turned toward Bri, Anna, and Jake and explained. "Chris is William's best friend," she explained kindly. "And Kate's older brother. Those two, William, Chris, and Evans also, have been thick as thieves since childhood."
Kate's eyes sparkled as she jumped in again. "Me too! William and Ethan have always been my friends too. I practically grew up with them."
As she spoke, she reached out and tried to serve William a portion of the roasted chicken, but William quickly and politely stopped her. "No chicken for me today," he said smoothly.
Then, without hesitation, he added, "Put it on Bri's plate. She loves roasted chicken."