— Dinner with Ghosts
The French restaurant wasn't far — two quiet streets from the bookstore, nestled behind a flower shop. It smelled like rosemary, red wine, and the kind of butter you could only afford on special days.
Elliot hadn't spoken much since they left the shop.
June didn't ask. She just walked beside him, letting silence fill the space like warm static.
Lily led the way. Her posture straight, confident. Almost too composed.
They were seated at a small round table by the window.
The light was golden. The napkins folded like origami.
Elliot sat stiffly. The glass of water in front of him already half empty, though he didn't remember drinking.
Lily scanned the menu like she belonged there.
"This place was my guilty pleasure in uni," she said.
"I'd dress up just to feel like someone else for a while."
June chuckled.
"We all need places like that."
They ordered. Lily insisted on wine. June asked for ginger ale. Elliot just said, "Water's fine."
The food came quickly, but the conversation didn't.
Lily kept the air light — asking about June's job, complimenting her beanie, joking about the bookstore's leaky roof.
June played along with ease.
But she glanced at Elliot often. Quietly checking if he was still here.
He was — but halfway.
Then Lily turned to him.
"You still read a lot?"
"Sometimes," Elliot said.
"Mostly old stuff."
"You used to lend me books," she said softly.
"Write little notes inside the margins."
"Guess I did."
A pause.
"You were the first person who made me feel seen back then."
"Funny," Elliot said, eyes fixed on his plate,
"I thought I made myself invisible."
Lily swallowed hard.
"I've wanted to tell you for years…
That what happened — the way everything fell apart — it wasn't your fault, Elliot."
He looked up.
Their eyes met.
"I know you blame yourself," Lily continued.
"You always did. But you were just a kid. You didn't know. None of us did."
He didn't respond immediately. But something behind his expression softened.
The invisible wall — it didn't fall.
But a brick came loose.
"Thank you," he said quietly.
June stood.
"I'll use the restroom. Don't disappear without me."
She left with a smile that tried to be light.
Lily looked down at her hands.
"I thought… maybe you hated me."
"I did," Elliot admitted.
"For a while."
"And now?"
He thought for a moment.
"Now I don't think about you as much as I thought I would."
It wasn't cruel. Just true.
Lily nodded. A faint smile tugged her lips.
"That's fair."
June returned. They finished dessert. A quiet sweetness after a heavy main course.
Lily stood first.
"Thank you. For coming," she said.
"You didn't have to."
"But I did," Elliot replied.
"And maybe I'm glad I did."
Lily turned to June, gave her a soft smile.
"He's not who he used to be," she said.
"Take care of the new version."
"With my life," June replied.
They parted with a wave.
No hugs.
No dramatic last looks.
Just the soft goodbye of people who finally understood their chapter had ended.
Outside, the sky was overcast. Streetlights flickered on.
Elliot and June walked in silence for a while.
Then he said:
"She said it wasn't my fault."
June didn't look surprised.
"Maybe you needed to hear it from someone who once broke you."
He nodded slowly.
"And maybe I needed someone else to believe I could be put back together."
June smiled.
"You're not broken, Elliot.
You're… unfolding."
End of Chapter 15