"You're rich."
"I'm not."
"Come on, Sana, this structure is what people commonly call a mansion."
Sana shook her head and rang the doorbell, "Lee, I told you my father works for the embassy. He has lived in apartments linked to his function for years. It allowed him to buy this."
"Gosh, I knew I missed a vocation. I should have worn a tie," Lee said, feeling a sudden urgency.
Lee didn't fear Sanas' parents' status. He just didn't want to live in a situation where her parents estimated he wasn't good enough for their beloved daughter. Sana had no siblings, which meant her parents were alert when it came to who she saw. Lee already imagined a muscled interrogation like Robert Niro gave Ben Stiller in Meet The Parents.
Sana turned and arranged his shirt collar; her eyes roamed on his face. It was true that he gave off Andrew Lincoln vibes with his hair grown out. "You're perfect," she said and kissed him.
Lee wrapped his arm around her waist. It was one of those moments where he needed to be reassured by the warmth and love of his partner. A little cuddle before the storm wouldn't do any harm.
No matter the age, meeting ones' parents was always an anxietys' peak experience.
Of course, the door sprung open while the couple kissed.
Thus, Lees' first encounter with Sanas' parents occurred while he had his tongue-tied with their daughters and his hands on her buttocks.
"Ahem," Sanas' father cleared his throat.
Like many people of an older generation, public demonstrations of affection weren't something Sanas' father appreciated, especially when his child was involved in the act.
In Mr. Gulatis' eyes, Sana was still a toddler taking her first steps. Any man that touched his little girl was a thief trying to steal his babys' affection.
And here she was introducing a second man to them. Her father hoped these encounters wouldn't become routine, and she would settle.
"Mom, Dad, ㅡem, this is Lee," Sana said while tugging on Lees' arm. The man wanted to make a run for it. Lee had hoped to live the endeavor once by marrying Camille. Now, he found himself facing another set of jolly parents.
After East Asia with Camille, he was in South Asian and Guyanese French territory.
He hoped the Gulati wouldn't roast him like the Kims.
"Nice to meet you, Lee," her father stretched out his hand.
The sign was already better than the head bow he got when he met his ex-wifes' parents. Even though the greeting was standard in her culture, Lee found it set a distance between them from day one.
Lee knew he had to purge Camille from his mind and stop the comparisons, but their relationship was almost sixteen years old if one counted their dating sequence.
It was like having the same car for the same amount of time, knowing everything about it. Its contour and frames, how its engine roared and suddenly being dispossessed.
As much as it pained him, Lee knew he would always have a soft and indulgent spot for his sons' mother.
Sana wasn't precisely in the same space concerning Winston. Their five-year relationship was correct, and the woman believed her love for him was profound, but the rupture knocked her senses back in place.
The last take with Winston left a lot of bitterness. Sana realized with time they were together by convenience. They got along, and the sex was fantastic.
Yep, Winston demonstrated that he could do a hard and dutty wine. The man made Sana feel like she had sex with a porn star.
The act was finger-licking good, but Winston had the Achilles heel of being a short-timer. Sana described it as a sparkler effect. One got all excited while the fireworks burnt and had their lips drooping once the sparks were gone.
For the sex exacerbated woman, it was a downer, and the only thing she remembered him for, as for the rest, the story was part of life, but not the one to live in reminiscence of the love one had signed by Mary J Blige.
The couple entered the Gulatis home. Sanas' parents had a three hundred and fifty-square-meter triplex in the former industrial city of Montreuil.
Many factories became sought for locations once renovated and transformed into lofts. Some surface prices flirted with the million while overs flamed over the threshold. One look was enough to know the Gulatis invested big.
Lee finally a good glimpse at her parents once in the light of the living room. Sanas' dad wasn't very tall, nor was her mother.
Lee could see where Sana got her eyes and lips from. Her mother had a beautiful face, even with the subtle wrinkles. Through her, Lee saw Sanas' evolution.
He was definitely a lucky man if Sana aged the same way.
"Have a seat, Lee."
Lee sat down next to Sana while her parents sat on the other side. A dead silence slalomed between them.
Sana blinked in her mother's direction, only to have her mother flash a wink as if she said, you start the conversation.
To her surprise, Lee began, "you have a very nice home."
"Thank you, I did all the interior design myself," Sanas' mother said with pride while slightly rocking her head from side to side.
"And I put it all the money," her husband added.
Lee didn't know whether he should laugh or not. He sketched a smile and hoped the moment passed.
And that's when he saw Sanas' mother made a face Sana did when she mimicked something he said that she disapproved.
"I put in all the money, yadda, yadda, yadda. Aren't you full of yourself?" The older woman said before kissing her teeth and crossing her arms.
Lee wanted to ask Sana to pinch him, it wasn't much, but the episode defused the pressure.
The older couple bickered for a few minutes as though they were alone.
Sana leaned to whisper, "See, I told you."
"Are they always like this?" Lee asked.
Sana nodded, "we could leave, and they wouldn't notice."
"Eh, sorry about this," Sanas' father said.
"No worries."
"What do you want to eat, Lee? Sana told me you didn't mind spicy food."
"I don't. I don't have a particular diet."
"Great, I ordered from the Taj Mahal. They have authentic Indian food. The owner, Vincent, makes the best Biryanis in Paris."
This statement, too, wasn't something Lee expected. The man imagined Sanas' mother spent all day cooking for some reason. He recognized it as a misconceptionㅡLee, as many unconsciously associated Asians with hard labor, prestige, and titles.
He still had in mind Camilles' parents, who enumerated all of the schools their children went to and the diplomas they obtained from kindergarten to uni.
You heard right, kindergarten, where kids got petals and stamps.
The Gulati didn't seem to want to impress him. One could take it the wrong way and assume they didn't consider him enough to boast about accomplishment, but Lee remembered Sanas' words.
"My parents aren't complicated. They're ordinary people."
"So Sana told us you're in the music industry."
Lee adjusted his position and leaned forward, "yes, I produce."
"Why did you leave a well-paid job for uncertain income?" Sanas' mother asked.
"Eh, emㅡ."
Sana told him to be honest. Hence Lee explained, "I got fired and re-assessed work expectations. I'm passionate about music, andㅡ, he paused and turned to look at Sana. "I had support, so I went for it."
Sanas' mother cocked a brow, "you got fired, and Sana convinced you to chase a cowboys' dream," the woman said and turned to glare at her daughter.
Like a teen, Sana grabbed her mans' hand, "Lees, talented mom."
The woman shook her head, not at Lee but Sana. She couldn't believe her daughter encouraged an enterprise full of uncertainties.
Her father, on the other hand, understood. Being in a relationship consisted of being the cheerleader of a partners' project.
"Isn't it challenging, financially, I mean?" Sanas' mother began to suspect Lee of wanting Sana to live with him to share expenses.
"Ehㅡ, not really, actually." Lee didn't want to boast about it, but he understood Sanas' parents needed to be reassured. Their daughter was leaving the country to live with a man they had just met.
It wasn't just was Sanas' parents. Any parent would be anxious no matter their child's age in such circumstances.
"I don't have that many costs. My apartments, I mean. I have another in Hampstead Heath that I rent out, and I sold the one I had in Brighton. I have investments here and there. So, I'm pretty much not in need."
This time it was Sana who turned to look at Lee. She knew the man wasn't needy, but she couldn't guess to what extent. Lee had minimum revenue assured with or without his musical venture.
Freshly married, Lee cautiously prepared for the future. At the same time, Camille was a born planner.
Everything they bought got thorough reflection. Even the purchase on a coffee table became a state affair.
Did they need a table?
What was its purpose? Were they multiple?
How long could they keep it, etc.?
While Lee just thought, can't we just buy one for the sake of it, or can't you just act like most women and buy things because they're pretty?
Lee was lucky to have a family that knew how to invest; he took the advice around him to build his capital.
Sanas' mothers' broadened smile said it all.
Nothing reassured her more than stable finance.
Sana's father nodded and added, "my wife loves money."
The womans' eyes became slits, "do you have a death wish? I love money, huh? If it were true, I would have killed you already and gone around the world on a yacht with a gigolo named Fuego."
Sana squeezed Lees hand as if you to say you've got this. She knew how much the man dreaded the encounter he had called all week long to ask if he should buy or bring something. Sana advised him not to as her parents would have felt he tried to pressure them.
"Come as you are, McDonald's style," Sana told him.
At that instant, Lee was glad to have followed her advice.
"Perhaps we should eat," Sanas' father said.
"Wait till you taste these dishes, Lee. You'll book a flight just to eat there."
Sanas' mom had all the answers she needed. Yes, Lee was older, but he didn't look like a man who would kick the bucket the next day.
"Mom, the Patels have restaurants in London too."
"But Vincent is the best cook," her mother replied as they walked to the dining room.
Lee felt as though it was a dream come true. He had only met the Gulati's, but he already appreciated them.
Hi,
Gosh, I think this encounter went rather well. Let me know if you agree with me.
I don't know how many parent/spouse encounters I've written, but I'm always surprised by the result.
Sorry, updates are slow. I got one more week to go before my holidays.
I'll update more frequently during that.
Until then, take care.