Andy's POV
The dining room feels warmer than I expected. Too warm, maybe. Like the walls are closing in on me.
Everyone's already seated—everyone except Mom and Kimberly. They're in the kitchen, bringing plates of food to the table. Their voices float in and out, soft, domestic, almost musical. I try not to look at them too long. Kimberly catches my eye once and smiles—small, comforting. It keeps me from turning around and leaving.
Sophia's hand hasn't left mine since we walked in. Her grip is light, but firm. She's not letting me drift. Not tonight.
At the table, Ethan throws his head back and laughs at something Caleb just said. Caleb's grinning, flicking something off his plate like an annoying little brother would, and Ethan nudges him back with a mock scowl. They're loud, playful, alive. Like this is any other dinner in any other house.
They don't even notice me at first.
And I almost feel grateful for it.
I just… watch them. From a few steps away. My feet glued to the floor. I can't remember the last time I watched a family just be a family without trying to shrink out of frame.
Caleb says something again—something about Ethan's haircut, I think—and they both break into another round of laughter. Their banter is effortless. Comfortable. And I wonder if that could ever be me. If I could ever fit in that space between them without shattering the illusion of normal.
Then Ethan's gaze flicks up—and finds me.
It's not hostile. Not even cold. Just startled.
Like he forgot I was real.
Caleb follows his eyes, then stiffens slightly when he sees me too. The laughter dies slowly, like a song fading out on the radio. And for a beat, the room holds its breath.
Sophia squeezes my hand gently.
"You want to sit?" she asks.
I nod, because I have to.
Because if I speak right now, my voice might crack under the weight of all the years I wasn't here.
Andy's POV
I ease into the seat beside Sophia, my hands resting stiffly in my lap. The chair creaks under me, like it's not used to my presence. Maybe it isn't.
Footsteps. Then the scent of something familiar—rosemary, butter, a hint of spice.
Kimberly walks in, carefully balancing two dishes.
"Coming through," she says with a playful warning. "Hot stuff. And I'm not just talking about the food."
A chuckle escapes Caleb. Ethan smirks. Even Dad lets out a breath that could almost be called a laugh.
Kimberly places the plates in the center of the table and looks at me. "You okay?" she whispers, not waiting for anyone else to hear.
I nod.
She pulls out the chair next to mine and sits, her thigh brushing against mine. Grounding me again.
"Alright, dig in before it gets cold," Mom says as she enters with the last dish, cheeks flushed from the heat of the kitchen and maybe a bit of nervous energy. "Kimberly did most of the cooking. I just supervised like a good mom."
Kimberly chuckles. "She made the rice. Perfectly, I might add."
"Oh, well then you deserve a medal," Ethan teases, reaching for a drumstick. "Anyone who can make Amber's rice without burning it deserves a standing ovation."
"Hey!" Amber feigns offense, swatting him lightly on the arm." Don't insult my rice, it's perfectly fine."
Caleb bursts out laughing. "He still burns toast."
"I only burned toast once," Ethan says with mock pride. "And I was distracted. Caleb was playing guitar shirtless trying to seduce himself in the mirror."
That sends everyone into another fit of laughter. Even Dad smiles, shaking his head.
And me?
I laugh too.
It's quiet at first, just a small breath that turns into a sound.
Kimberly's hand slides under the table, gently squeezing my thigh. I don't know if anyone else notices, but she does it to say, You're doing good.
I glance around the table—Mom's eyes warm, watching me from the other side. Sophia is focused on her food but smiles every time someone laughs. Ethan and Caleb are still joking, arguing over who makes better scrambled eggs.
And my dad…
He's quiet. Watching me in between bites.
Not judging. Just… taking me in.
Like he's seeing me for the first time.
I reach for a spoon and serve myself some rice. My hand only trembles a little.
For the first time in years, I'm at the table.
Not as a ghost.
Not as a memory.
Just me.
Anna.
--------------------------------------------------
The table is a mess now—half-empty dishes, crumpled napkins, laughter echoing in the corners. For the first time in a long time, I don't feel like an intruder. I feel… included.
But peace never stays long in this house, does it?
A sharp ringtone cuts through the moment like a blade.
All heads turn.
Ethan sighs and reaches for his phone from the table, his thumb already swiping across the screen.
Dad stiffens across from him. "Don't pick up that call."
Ethan's hand freezes mid-air. His eyes dart to Dad's, defiance flickering behind them. "Dad, please. We can't go over this again."
His voice is tight—controlled, but barely. Like it's been said too many times and still goes unheard.
A beat passes. The phone keeps ringing. Loud. Obnoxious. Unavoidable.
Caleb, sitting beside him, places a quiet hand on Ethan's. "Come on, man. Just leave it." His voice is soft, almost pleading. "Behave yourself."
The tension is palpable now. Kimberly straightens beside me. Sophia looks between them like she's afraid something might explode. Mom moves a plate aside, trying not to interfere but clearly listening.
Ethan lets out a long breath, dragging his hand down his face. "Alright. After the meal."
Dad doesn't respond—he just nods once, then goes back to his plate, like nothing happened.
But something did.
The air shifted. A quiet unease settled back in.
The call stops ringing.
And for a second, the silence that follows is louder than the phone ever was.
I glance at Ethan. His jaw is tight. His eyes distant.
Whoever was calling… it mattered.
Kimberly leans in toward me slightly. "Drama never left this table, huh?" she murmurs under her breath.
I smile, barely.
But in my gut, something twists.
Because even in the laughter, the warmth, the food…
This family's still carrying things.
Just like me.
Andy's POV
The table had quieted after Ethan's phone call, the energy shifting just slightly. I could feel it in the way people poked at their food or avoided eye contact. Kimberly must've felt it too, because she suddenly looked up and said—
"So… has anyone here actually looked into what Andy's company has been doing?"
Everyone glanced at her, a bit thrown off.
She continued, casual but clear. "No, seriously. She's not just running a business. She's changing the whole damn game."
I looked down, a little embarrassed.
Caleb raised an eyebrow. "Like what? What's she doing?"
Kimberly leaned forward, animated now. "Mental health leave, profit-sharing with staff, hiring programs for trans and queer folks, environmental partnerships, real transparency. I mean… it's wild. And it's working."
Ethan looked at me, surprised. "Wait—you started all that?"
I nodded, a little awkwardly. "Yeah. I mean… I didn't want to build something fake. I wanted it to actually help people. Especially people like me who've been pushed to the edge."
Amber's eyes softened. "You did all that on your own?"
I hesitated. "Not entirely. I had people who believed in me. But yeah, I started it from nothing. After I ran."
Dad finally spoke, his tone quieter than usual. "You didn't just run. You… built something. With real value."
Kimberly glanced at him. "And not just value in the financial sense."
"Exactly," I muttered. "Money was never the main goal. I just wanted a company that treated people like human beings."
Caleb let out a low whistle. "You really flipped the whole script, huh?"
Ethan chuckled under his breath. "I thought I was doing well in my field. Now I feel like I should quit and work for you."
I smirked. "I'm not hiring family. Yet."
Laughter circled the table, warm and easy this time. Even Dad chuckled.
Amber looked at me with pride in her voice. "You always had this fire in you. I just didn't know where it would take you."
"It took her somewhere real," Kimberly added, placing her hand gently over mine. "She doesn't talk about it enough. But she should."
My throat tightened. I looked around the table—at people who hadn't seen me in years, who didn't even really know who I was anymore.
And yet, here they were. Listening. Smiling.
"I didn't think any of you would be proud of me," I said quietly.
Amber reached across the table, her hand warm against mine. "We are."
Dad nodded once. "You did what most people can't. You built a life—your life. You should be proud."
Kimberly raised her glass. "To Andy. For building more than a company—for building a new world."
Everyone joined in. Even Sophia, with her wide, beaming smile. Caleb clinked his glass a little too hard, but no one cared.
I didn't say anything. I just smiled.
INT. CALEB & ETHAN'S ROOM – NIGHT
The door shuts behind them with a click that echoes louder than it should. The air between them is thick. Caleb leans back against the door while Ethan paces across the room like a storm trying to break loose.
"You shouldn't have done that," Caleb says, low and tight.
Ethan stops, turns with a sharp edge in his eyes. "Done what—answer my damn phone?"
"No," Caleb bites back. "You know what I'm talking about."
Silence. Just their breathing.
Ethan scoffs. "If you mean speaking up to Dad, then yeah—I did it. So what?"
Caleb pushes off the door, stepping closer. "You don't get it, man. Not tonight. Not when Andy—Anna—finally came back. We were holding something fragile, and you—" He exhales, frustrated. "You cracked it."
Ethan runs a hand down his face. "You think I meant to? I'm just tired of pretending like he didn't f*** us up."
"Yeah?" Caleb snaps. "Then pick a better time to bleed, because she just got home and you made it about you."
Ethan's eyes flicker with guilt—but only for a second.
"I'm not making it about me. I'm just done playing the perfect son. I've carried Dad's silence like it was my f***ing inheritance. I've played strong, I've shut my mouth, and for what? A seat at a table that never felt like mine?"
Caleb's face softens just a little. "Ethan…"
"No," Ethan says, voice cracking, "Let me talk, just for once."
He sinks onto the edge of his bed, shoulders hunched, voice low now. "Do you know how many nights I'd sit in this room, just… watching my phone? Hoping it was her?"
Caleb doesn't need to ask who. He already knows.
Ethan swallows. "Agatha called me."
"You still love her?"
Ethan gives a small, broken laugh. "She's the only one who ever looked at me like I wasn't made of stone."
Caleb doesn't speak. He just watches his brother.
Then, softly—Caleb says, "You didn't ruin tonight."
Ethan huffs. "Felt like I did."
"You didn't. You reminded all of us that there's still stuff to heal. That's not weakness. That's… real."
Ethan lets the words settle. Then nods again.
Caleb leans back on the bed, finally relaxing.
And Ethan—he lets himself breathe.
Sophia steps inside, holding her phone. "Did you guys see this".
Ethan groans. "Can you not knock"
SOPHIA (sits on the bed, scrolling)
Excuse you—when did I ever start knocking?
ETHAN (shaking his head, voice low and heavy)
God... I'm just tired of all this.
He leans back against the wall, arms crossed, eyes somewhere else. Caleb watches him, quiet.
CALEB
Can you not? She's our sister now... unless you're planning to be like Dad.
The silence tightens. Ethan's jaw clenches.
ETHAN
I'm nothing like him.
He doesn't move. Just stares at the floor like it might answer back.
SOPHIA (repeats, half-annoyed)
Did you guys see this?
CALEB (turns slightly)
What is it?
SOPHIA (locks eyes with Ethan)
Quinn just arrived. She's here in the U.S.
She sets her phone down, slow and deliberate.
CALEB (sits up quickly)
Quinn?! Oh my God! Finally—I get to see my pretty damsel.
His excitement cuts through the tension like a spark in a dark room.
ETHAN (grabs his jacket off the bed)
I need some air.
SOPHIA (quickly, almost teasing)
This because of Agatha?
Ethan stops mid-step. The room freezes. His back is to them.
ETHAN (quiet, tight)
Don't say her name.
SOPHIA (soft, but stung)
Why? What did I do? Am I the one causing all this?
ETHAN (turns slightly, eyes cold)
No, Sophia... but hearing her name tears something in me I can't fix.
He walks out, leaving the air thick and broken.
CALEB
Just let him be, sis.
SOPHIA (shrugs, picking up her phone again)
I'm not even bothered.
---
EXT. GARDEN – NIGHT
Ethan walks in silence. His hands are behind his back. The night is quiet, but his thoughts are loud—too loud. He's so deep in it, he doesn't even hear Andy approaching.
ANDY (light nudge)
Hey... hey.
ETHAN (snaps out of it, blinks)
Oh—sorry. I didn't know you were here.
ANDY (half-laughing)
Yeah, you wouldn't. You looked like you were ready to walk straight into the moon.
ETHAN
Andy—I mean... Anna.
ANDY (gently)
Andy's fine. That's who I've always been to me.
ETHAN (nods, awkwardly clears his throat)
Alright. Andy it is.
They walk slowly, side by side. The silence isn't heavy—it's needed.
ETHAN
Are you happy now...like do you feel peaceful after this
ANDY (smiles softly)
Who wouldn't feel peaceful after that amazing dinner
They both chuckle—a tired, honest laugh.
ANDY
But I feel more at ease seeing a full family for the First time in my life
ETHAN
Wow, so you have never eating with a full family before
ANDY
No, just my mom when I was young, and Kimberly or a office meal but family no!
She glances at him, reading the weight on his face.
ANDY
You look sad.
ETHAN
I am. But what difference does it make? No one really sees it.
ANDY
I see it. And I care. Maybe more than you realize.
He stops walking. Looks at her like he's hearing that for the first time.
ETHAN
How do you do it? How do you carry all that... and still breathe?
ANDY
Some days, I don't. But I fake it until the fight turns into healing. Finding out the truth about myself—about Mom, about everything—nearly destroyed me. But forgiving her? That saved me. Forgiveness makes space where pain used to live.
ETHAN
That sounds easy when you say it like that.
(half-smiling)
You should try saying that to Dad. See how far it gets you.