How Paris Changed My Life

10

The moment was awkwardly suspended in time as James's grandmother walked into the room. Her eyes widened in shock as she took in the sight before her. James, reacting instinctively, quickly pulled away from me, and I hastily adjusted my T-shirt, hoping to restore some semblance of normalcy. The atmosphere was thick with embarrassment, and I could feel my face flush with heat.

The grandmother stood in the doorway, her expression a mixture of surprise and confusion. "Your mother said you were in your room," she began, her voice carrying an undertone of disapproval. "But I see I'm interrupting something. I'll just head back downstairs."

"No, it's fine," James interjected, his voice attempting to mask his frustration. "Why were you looking for me?"

The grandmother shifted her gaze between us. "Your parents mentioned that you had someone over, and I wanted to come and talk to him."

James's face tightened with visible annoyance. "That's right. This is Noah. Noah, my grandmother," he said, introducing me with a slight edge to his voice. I offered a tentative wave, feeling a mix of nerves and politeness.

"Nice to meet you," I said, my voice steady despite the circumstances.

"Likewise," the grandmother replied, still clearly taken aback. "I'll just go back downstairs then. I'll see you at the table." With that, she turned and made her way to the door, glancing back one last time before leaving to join the rest of the family.

As the door closed behind her, I let out a sigh of relief, though the tension in the room was still palpable. "Should I go home?" I asked, my voice tinged with uncertainty.

"No, stay," James urged, his expression softening. "I just forgot that family was coming over. Sorry about that."

"It's nothing," I replied, trying to downplay the situation. "Everyone forgets something sometimes." I stood up, took his hands in mine, and offered a reassuring smile. "Luckily, we hadn't gotten too far yet," I added with a chuckle.

"True," James agreed with a laugh. "We'll have to remember to lock the door from now on."

"Definitely," I concurred, sharing his amusement. "We can't have a repeat of this."

James's gaze softened as he looked at me. "You have to stay. I want my family to get to know you."

"I didn't make the best impression with your grandmother. We'll have to try again," I said, my tone apologetic but hopeful.

"That's true," James acknowledged. There was a moment of silence as we locked eyes, the intensity of the earlier interruption beginning to wane.

"Let's head downstairs," James suggested, his voice breaking the silence.

I nodded, and together we descended the stairs. The atmosphere in the dining room was charged with the residual awkwardness of the earlier encounter. As we entered, everyone's eyes turned to us. James's grip on my hand tightened, a silent gesture of support. We took our seats at the large dining table, positioning ourselves next to each other and facing his grandparents.

The dinner conversation soon resumed, though there was an air of formality that hadn't been there before. "So, how was the meeting with the new addition to the family?" James's mother inquired, trying to steer the conversation back to a neutral topic.

James's grandmother replied, "Noah was very open. We haven't had a proper conversation yet."

At her words, I nearly choked on my water. The surprise and nervousness were almost too much to handle. James reached over and patted my back, a comforting gesture amidst the tension.