Chapter 4
Now people were gathering at the long table in the dining room. When Nell had said, "let's have a get-together soon", she'd meant that night. Victor was squished in between two people he'd never seen before in his life. This made him a trifle uncomfortable. The lady to his left was some sort of great aunt; she looked ancient, with blinding white hair that frizzed out wildly. She was from William's side of the family, because she would have looked exactly like him if she'd had a droopy beard. And the lady to his right was lady Everglott. She was still just as frightening. Victor let out a diminutive sigh, so as not to interrupt anyone's dinner conversation.
The little Everglott girl wasn't there, her parents said that she wasn't one for large crowds. Victor wasn't one for large crowds either, so he thought to himself, why do I have to be here? He was the most easily recognizable one there. He was the small one with black hair and dark eyes. Everyone else present had either gray or white hair. It was interesting. Why does everyone want to look so old? Victor wondered.
He was feeling uncomfortable. He looked down at his hands. He wanted to be by his parents. The women that sat on either side of him weren't his mothers, and the squat little man that sat next to Mrs. Everglott on his right was not his father. Victor's parents sat at the head of the table, very, very far away. So far away, that Victor would probably lose his breath running up to them. Why is everything here so overdone?
When Victor looked up, dinner was on the table. It was vegetables, and a fishy-dish. It didn't look like regular trout or bass. It smelled like a shellfish.
Mrs. Everglott was giving Victor a look of disgust. Conversation in the Van Dort household was often a bit obnoxious. Perhaps the Van Dort household simply did not compare to that of the wealthy, sophisticated Everglotts. But if the Everglott family doesn't like mine… how will this ever work? Victor took a bite of the fish-like substance.
It's not so bad. He thought as he chewed.
And then it happened.
A surge of jade nausea sliced through Victor's stomach. He abruptly dropped his fork and clutched his cramping stomach, doubling over in his seat. His aunt Mabel Walker next to him turned to stare.
"Oh dearie, you don't look too well…" She said patting Victor's back as he willed himself not to throw up. He stumbled out of the room, one hand clapped over his mouth, the other on his stomach.
There was a sickly splattering sound, a little whimper, and the sound of Mayhew's reluctant groan in the parlor. All eyes were turned to the entranceway to the hall. Nothing was to be seen, of course. But all present company surrendered their utensils to the table, and claimed to be finished eating.
"Um… tea in the living room?" William asked, as Nell smacked him in the stomach.