A Paper Plate at My Own Table novel · Chapter 17 of 24
Chapter 17: Guest of Honor
By seven o'clock on Saturday, ninety people were standing in my living room, and none of them were mine.
Norma had hired caterers.
She had hung a garland on the stairs, set out gold place cards and put a Christmas tree in the bay window with a star on top.
She had paid for none of it.
The caterer's invoice had come to my office on Thursday, forwarded by someone who assumed I'd cover it.
I had.
I'd decided that morning to let her enjoy her last dinner.
The television crew had set up beside the fireplace, a woman reporter and a camera with a red light on top.
"Meredith, dear," Norma said, sweeping toward me in a green velvet dress and a borrowed set of pearls.
Her own pearls were in a pawnshop.
She had found a cheaper strand somewhere and pinned her smile to match.
"You came."
"You invited me."
"Of course I did. You're the guest of honor." She raised her voice for the room. "Everyone, this is my daughter-in-law, Meredith. She's had a rough few weeks, poor thing, and she's been so brave about it."
A ripple of sympathetic noise went around.
The club women were in the front row, and the church choir behind them.
The notary was not in the room.
I checked twice.
"Sit," Norma said. "We saved you the best seat."
She led me to the end of the long dining table.
The table was set with the bone china for every place but two.
At the foot, where I'd served so many dinners, there was a paper plate and a paper cup.
Beside them sat a red paper hat.
The camera swung toward me, and the red light blinked.
Keep reading free with an account. Start A Paper Plate at My Own Table from Chapter 1, then sign up free to read the rest of this chapter.
← Chapter 16 · All chapters · Chapter 18 →
Want to keep talking to characters like these? Chat with AI romance characters: AI Boyfriend · AI Girlfriend · Dark Romance · Fantasy Romance · BL (Boys’ Love) · Billionaire Boyfriend · Mafia Boyfriend · Possessive Boyfriend · Hockey Boyfriend · Older Boyfriend · K-Drama Boyfriend · Anime Boyfriend · Vampire Boyfriend · Werewolf Boyfriend · Demon Boyfriend · Fae Romance · GL (Girls’ Love) · Anime Girlfriend · Goth & Alt Girlfriend · Gamer Girlfriend · Tsundere Girlfriend · Fantasy Girlfriend