A moderate-sized lunch crowd populates the local bar as Kenny G's "G-Bop" plays blare on the ceiling speakers throughout the establishment this fall afternoon.

 

Samuel Gupta makes his way into the warm bar from the brisk outside. 

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If he didn't have this lunch on his schedule, he wouldn't believe that both of his parents were here sitting in a booth even though their divorce had been pretty much amicable. 

 

"Sorry I'm late," he apologizes, taking a seat across from them. 

 

"It's all right; we just got here ourselves," Mala Gupta states. 

 

Jai Gupta clears his throat. "We can go ahead and order. I know we've all got to get back to work."

 

Not much time passes when Mae Jackson comes to their table with a notepad and pen. 

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"Hey, how are you all?" The bar owner greets her customers. 

 

All of them express their various responses to her. 

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While his parents recite their meal orders, Samuel wonders if Mae is aware of the minor incident that occurred on Halloween night when Sean and he almost got physical when Sean discovered that he and Tricia had kissed here weeks before. Despite telling him nothing else happened, he knows it will affect his friendship with her. 

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When Mae gets to him, Samuel randomly requests a cheeseburger, fries, and a coke since he is working at the hospital today.

 

She goes off to get their food. 

 

Mala and Jai both glance at one another before they look at their son. 

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"I gather you wanted to see me because you heard about me and Tricia," Samuel blurts out, not wanting any more suspense between the three of them. 

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"He has your perception, for sure," Jai says to his ex-wife.

 

"Son, we love you, but could you not fall for someone else who isn't married?" Mala asks him bluntly 

 

"Mala," Jai says like he is the good cop warning the bad cop. 

 

The woman turns to her ex-husband before her son. "No, Jai, our son has everything we ever wanted for him, but I'm trying to understand why on earth he got himself involved with a woman that's married to a guy who used to be married to your current significant other, Jai." 

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With his mother saying it like that, it makes Samuel begin to realize that perhaps he does need to take a step back when it comes to him and Tricia.

 

"Mom, Dad, I assure you, it was just a meaningless kiss. Nothing else is going to happen between us. Can we talk about something else," Samuel remarks 

 

"All right," Jai says defeatedly. 

 

Meanwhile, Mala folds her arms across her chest. She begins mumbling something in Punjabi, which Samuel determines she said. 

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Please let my son find a woman without baggage,

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***

Behind the bar, Antoine had been casually gazing at the table with Samuel and his parents, hearing tidbits about his part in the kiss between him and Tricia. 

 

Mae comes out of the kitchen and stands beside her manager and surrogate grandson. 

 

"Somethin' juicy going on over there?" 

 

"Nothin', you already don't know about," 

 

"I guess you should know that Cici and I decided to part ways. Antoine says, and he then fills her in about their conversation. 

 

Mae puts her hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry to hear that," 

 

He shrugs. "Well, it wasn't meant to be. It's not like I was looking for commitment anyway. "

 

The older woman is aware of Antoine's history with women, knowing that her granddaughter would be one of the few he wouldn't give up on. Yet, she knows it isn't a reality since she is happily married to Max. 
 

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