Dinner After the Disaster

The seaside villa in Fenwick, Connecticut, was inherited from Catherine Hepburn's father's generation. It was damaged in Atlantic Ocean hurricane and later rebuilt.

Although it is now the residence of Ms. Hepburn's younger brother and his family, it is actually mostly inhabited by elderly people. The younger children who have gone to school or entered the workforce live nearby in the city.

Remote locations like this are either used for vacations or for retirement.

Since it wasn't a holiday, the large house felt rather quiet. Catherine's family, of course, welcomed their eldest daughter back.

Henry wasn't so clueless as to only cook for his grandmother and leave the others to fend for themselves. He and several other grandmothers, including Catherine Hepburn's nieces or nieces-in-law, prepared a sumptuous dinner.

Of course, the Beef Wellington, which was also mentioned, is also included.

Actually, this dish originated in France. However, in 1815, the Duke of Wellington of the United Kingdom, together with the Prussian Field Marshal, the Duke of Blücher, defeated the France army led by Napoleon at Waterloo. For a time, the Duke of Wellington was the most prominent figure in the United Kingdom.

Just like how in later generations, when a certain term becomes popular, even completely unrelated things will change their names to ride the wave of its popularity. In the early 19th century, things that entered United Kingdom also jumped on the "Wellington" bandwagon.

So this dish, which may have originated from the traditional France dish Filet de bceuf en croute, was renamed Beef Wellington by the United Kingdom. Of course, the preparation and flavor have also been adjusted, making it slightly different from the original dish and more suited to the United Kingdom tastes.

Who knows what the United Kingdom tastes like? Anyway, that's what the introduction to the dish Henry was researching said, so the taste of this dish is actually not bad. If it's compared to the authentic British culinary disaster "Stargazy Pie," then "Beef Wellington" is being unfair.

However, when it comes to calories, it's really high. A good filet mignon, overcooked, spread with a rich mushroom sauce, wrapped in ham and pie crust and baked until crispy, is no exaggeration to call it a calorie bomb.

When Henry served up the Beef Wellington, the elderly people present were all trembling with fear. However, even the hurdle of needing to exercise for seven days to eat one of his dishes did not deter them from enjoying this delicacy.

For the wine to accompany the meal, of course, a perfect red wine was chosen from the Hepburn Family's cellar. Henry didn't have that strange habit of picking expensive wines over good ones.

The right wine to accompany a meal is one that complements the flavor of the food, enhancing each other to create a richer taste.

This is not a good time to drink strong liquor, because the strong flavor of the liquor will make everything taste the same.

For a Kryptonian who can't get drunk, finding the perfect combination of alcohol and food becomes his only reason to want to drink.

In this setting, where everyone except the nurses Henry and Maria Stark Tom was at least sixty years old, it was inevitable that these elderly people would reminisce about the past.

Especially watching the elderly tease each other and reminisce about the past—this gossip may not be new, but it's definitely interesting.

Especially since everyone was getting older, they spoke with a certain unbridled frankness, daring to say anything. This made Henry worry that he might be murdered to silence him afterward.

Perhaps because we were rehashing old stories, everyone needed a change of pace. The topic suddenly shifted, and we started talking about the main reason Catherine returned to Connecticut.

"Why did that superhero suddenly go crazy and attack U.S. military and civilians?"

"Who knows? Those who call him a superhero are the reporters. Today, those who say that 'superhero' is a heinous criminal are also the reporters. They say that masked people are untrustworthy, and those who show their faces are the ones who are better at disguising themselves."

"Ha, I know that line well. 'Shoot the Vietnam on sight. Those who run are cowardly bandits, those who don't are well-trained.' This line should definitely be on the list of the 100 best movie quotes."

"Oh, you mean the one the American Film Institute recently released? They just copied the United Kingdom this year and released their 100 Greatest Films list."

I heard they're announcing the top 100 movie stars next year. Catherine, will you be on the list?

When asked by her niece, Catherine Hepburn nonchalantly replied, "Who knows? I didn't choose this list. It's just a bunch of self-important people judging and ranking others."

"These people are just trying to prove their superiority over those they've ranked, hence their arrogant behavior. The Oscars, after all, are decided by vote."

"Speaking of the Oscars, Henry," one of Catherine's nephews, who was practically Henry's grandfather, asked by name, "This year's big Oscars winner, * Titanic *, I think your company had some investment in it, right?"

Although Henry wasn't exactly a close friend of the Hepburn Family, these elderly people certainly knew who this big boy their aunt was taking good care of was. Since Henry got along well with them, they naturally paid even more attention to him.

Those who were specifically mentioned wouldn't hide something everyone already knew. Henry said naturally, "Yes, we were involved in the investment. The computer effects in the movie were also done by Stark Studios."

"Oh, which ones are special effects? I can't tell at all."

Henry laughed, "You don't think what we made is the kind that's obviously fake at a glance Bugs Bunny, do you? Like that movie with Mike Jordan, where you can see Space Jam running around everywhere."

"Isn't that right?"

"Of course not." Just as he was about to explain the difference between the two and mention which part of the movie Titanic used special effects, a sudden, urgent knocking came from the front door.

As the youngest person present, Henry stood up and said, "I'll answer the door. Do you have any other guests scheduled to visit today?"

The old people all shook their heads.

"Coming," Henry responded first, then hurried to the front door, opened it—only to find it closed again. Turning around, he said, "Wrong door, ignore him."

The next instant, the knocking on the door became so frequent that it sounded like a continuous, uninterrupted twang.

Henry could only open the door again and complain to the people outside, "How come I didn't know you had a talent for being a woodpecker?"

"Hi, Henry, long time no see." Pietro Django Maximoff stood outside the door. Behind him stood a white woman with auburn wavy hair and emerald green eyes.

The man greeting him, whom he hadn't seen in a long time, was none other than Quicksilver, a former X-Men. It was said he'd left the Mutants group, but who knew? Most X- X-Men members come and go, Henry said helplessly. "I hope you haven't gone back to the X-Men and are just here to relay a message for Raven. I have PTSD from people who can change their appearance at will."