Chapter 13 - A DIFFERENT DINNER
We moved into a modest house with a round dining table.
No head seat.
Dustin chose his own portion.
No one watched how quickly he ate.
Liam and Emma entered independent homes and built contact with us slowly.
Dustin did not call them siblings until he wanted to.
Michael’s contact remained supervised.
Some days Dustin asked to see him.
Other days he did not.
Ellie began therapy and later wrote to Claire.
Thomas joined the employee board but was not allowed sole authority.
No Parker controlled the company.
Parker Foods became a worker-owned business and funded child nutrition programs.
The cold potato photograph became evidence, not advertising.
Years passed.
Dustin became a chef.
His first restaurant offered every child the same menu as adults, in smaller portions.
Then, on opening night, a server carried a plastic plate to his table.
Half a cold boiled potato sat on it.
No one had ordered it.
A business card rested beneath.
ALANA PARKER — FAMILY TABLE CONSULTING.
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Alana remained in prison.
Read Chapter 14 to discover who revived the dinner test.
