"I don't know what to say. His resilience is beyond me. I'd like to say he got it from his old man, but what he's endured is far beyond anything I could have achieved."
Ronald lifted his cup. This wasn't a conventional toast, and his words might not be what everyone expected to hear, but they were what he wanted his son to hear.
"A toast to you, son. To your bravery and your strength. To the hope that has kept you going, and to the people who have stood by your side."
The others raised their cups. The gentle clinking of glass filled the room as everyone drank their wine with smiles.
Christie glanced at her daughter. Isolde understood the signal and took the fork from Godfrey's hand, making it clear that she intended to feed him herself.
Arthur chuckled.
"Shy?" Snow clicked his tongue.
"Shy?" Godfrey scowled.
"I think he's shy," Percival's sister said.
Lucy giggled, while Percival nodded in agreement, his cheeks bulging with the food he'd just stuffed into his mouth.
