Missing In Paris

Chapter 16

Hustle and bustle was the name of the game around the Gare du Nord train station in Paris, where Indian and Sri Lankan restaurants intermingled with purveyors of imported groceries and textiles.

The noisy street sounds quieted to a hush inside a cozy Indian restaurant, where the usual outdated touches were on display. From the dark wood paneling to the dining chairs reminiscent of the nineteen seventies, this restaurant challenged the very idea of Paris.

The Bhandar family were the central focus of the lunch service, as they awaited their food in the comfort of cultural familiarity. Dad in particular was having himself a time. He took in the music, the smells, and the fellow brown faces with a marked level of glee. It was in that moment we learned that yes, even Dad could grin from time to time.

Neela studied him closely, feeling somewhat assured that her plan thus far had been a good one. Bring her family to an Indian restaurant, having them feeling safe...relaxed...comfortable...it was the best possible way to drop a personal life nugget that would rock them to the core.

Grease 'em up...and then reveal the white boy lovin'.

It was still entirely possible that her grand reveal would result in them running out of the restaurant screaming, a dramatic prelude to them cutting her off for good. Entirely possible indeed, but alas there was only one way to find out.

The bell attached to the restaurant door jingled as it opened, a subtle sound that trapped Neela's breath in her throat.

Okay so this is actually happening? This a literal thing about to unfold?

She managed to release her breath and snuck a peek at the restaurant's entrance.

In walked Luc, looking dashing as ever in a fitted blue suit.

Mom immediately eyed him with suspicion.

"Is he lost?" she said skeptically.

To the family's utter surprise, Luc headed straight to their table.

Yep, this is happening. Deep breaths.

Luc flashed a winning smile. "Hello. I hope you have been expecting me."

All eyes fell on Neela, her forehead alight with the glisten of nervous sweat. She managed to catch Luc's eye and shot him a confused look. Should her family have been expecting him? Was he assuming she would have already given them a quick executive summary of his existence? THAT WASN'T IN THE PLAN.

As the realization set in that Neela's family had no idea who in the hell this white boy in a blue suit was, Luc's smile started to waiver. If Neela knew Luc as well as she thought she did, he would blow her big reveal and nonchalantly spill the news himself. So she had to act. Immediately if not sooner.

Neela cleared her throat. "Mom, Dad...this is Luc."

Maneet clapped her hands together hard, a slow dramatic clap that made a crisp echoing throughout the restaurant. "Well well well," she said smugly, obviously savouring the scandal.

Dad's grinning face was now a distant memory, replaced with the expression that precedes the sight of smoke blowing out of an enraged person's ears.

As for Mom? Mom resembled a woman who was ready to take a life.

"I invited him to join us," Neela explained, mustering up every ounce of confidence that existed in her body to force her hand into a gesturing motion that signaled for him to sit. "He umm...he has good manners, he works in finance..."

The mention of 'finance' registered a brief flicker of approval from Mom, a semi-acknowledgement that lasted long enough for Neela to say more.

"He's also never done drugs," she went on, "or been arrested..."