Lunch was a simple meal. Ellen, Ruby, and I had some fruit and cheese, and some slices of bread. During that meal, I learned that Ruby is a mother of five rambunctous children, four boys and one little girl. (I can't remember all their names but I know the daughter is named Emma. Ellen didn't specify whether she's met Ruby's children or not but I assume she has.) Also, her husband works at the shipyard with Bo. Long story short, that's how she ended up with a job at the bookstore. Then around five o'clock we said goodbye to Ruby. Bo came home just before nightfall, while I was helping Ellen with dinner. I peeled, boiled, and mashed potatoes as she monitored the chicken and carrots.

The meal that followed was eerily quiet. I’ve gotten used to the background noise of the meals at the castle. (Last night I was too tired to notice it's absence.) Mother and Mari would discuss a particular topic and Wilhelm and Cory would reminisce about whatever they'd done that day. Occasionally Fae and I would make small talk, while she fed bits of her food to the cats. There's always a few cats at the dinner table. Some would be sitting on top of it and occasionally batting for leftovers, or winding their way between chair and table legs and meowing for scraps from Fae. She always relented eventually. Often one of Father's many dogs would be curled up around his chair, it's tail thumping happily against the floor. There'd also be a few puppies chasing each other around the dinner table.

There in Ellen and Bo’s small dining room it was just silence, with the occasional clink of silverware against the plate. At one point, Bo asked me how my day was. I replied that it was a good day and that I was pleased to be of assistance to Ellen. Then I tossed his question back at him. He'd replied in his usual soft-spoken rumble, that was nearly a whisper.

“It was alright. I did about the same thing I do everyday. I inspected the few completed ships then I went to inspect the workers progress. I’m glad your first day was a good one.” He smiled at me, then turned to Ellen, “Was she helpful?” I frowned at him, thinking to myself, 'That's a bit rude.' (He cast an apologetic look towards me at that thought.) I glanced at Ellen who rolled her eyes.

“Indeed she was.” Then she gave him a significant look. Bo went slightly pink and looked down at his plate.

“Concern is different from worry,” he muttered. He had probably replied to something Ellen thought. She sighed and smiled fondly at her husband then they both continued eating. After that small exchange the silence settled again and we finished and Ellen and I cleared the table. 

I left the two of them in the kitchen, talking softly to each other, and went to bed.