Kim visits Montreal

[noteful]

It's not that difficult to find Sylvain Gagné's restaurant. It is, as Meg said, written up in several guidebooks.

And late morning isn't a bad time to arrive, at least on weekdays -- the breakfast crowd has gone, the lunch crowd isn't really there yet. There's no line out the door, no wait to be seated, just a hadful of patrons lingering over coffee at the tables on the sidewalk in front of the restaurant.

It's a beautiful summer day in Montreal.

Comments

[noteful]

"Bienvenue à Montréal," he tells her.

"Left, at this corner," he says, of the turn ahead.

When the cars are clear, of course.

[bannion_sight]

Of course.

"So how did you meet Meg, anyway?"

[noteful]

Alain's smile get bright.

"My brother was in a play, Tartuffe, at the university. Ah, the Université de Montréal, not McGill. And I bought a ticket for the wrong night. Your sister had an extra, because her friend was sick, and gave it to me.

"Don't tell my brother, but I don't remember a damn thing about the acting, or anything on the stage."

[bannion_sight]

Kim laughs.

"Sounds just like her. And it sounds like you were kind of smitten."

[noteful]

"Smitten? I don't know what that is, en français."

[bannion_sight]

"Romantically struck?" she tries. "Enchanted? Only not literally."

[noteful]

"Ah, I see," he says. "Smitten.

"Very much so.

"Meg is very special."

[bannion_sight]

"She is that."

Kim smiles.

"She said you helped carry things when you met our parents at the end of term."

[noteful]

"She had a lot of things to carry," he says, amused. "Heavy things -- books and papers."

[bannion_sight]

"Still, it was nice of you to help," Kim points out.

[noteful]

"It, ah, makes a good impression, yes?" he asks, still amused.

"Just up here," he adds, indicating a right turn down a side street.

[bannion_sight]

"So I hear."

She makes the turn with him, glancing around the neighborhood as she does.

"It's your uncle's restaurant, right?"

[noteful]

"Oncle Sylvain, yes," he says. "And his wife is Tante Ginette, and this is their house," he says, stopping in front of a small, tidy, two-story house with a small tidy garden in front.

[bannion_sight]

Her eyes light at the sight of it.

"It's beautiful."

[noteful]

"Tante will be pleased to hear you think so."

Alain lead the way up the steps, opens the door, and yells, "Tante Ginette? Meg? C'est moi. Où êtes-vous?"

"Dans la cuisine," his aunt calls back.

"Excuse me for a moment," Alain says. "If you want to wait there," he adds, and indicates a family room.

The room is a little dark, and the furniture a little dated, but tidy, and full of photographs.

[bannion_sight]

She nods, and walks into the room as he heads toward what's presumably the kitchen.

One set of pictures draws her eyes, and Kim wanders over to look at it.

[noteful]

"Alain and his brother and their parents, through the years," Meg provides from the doorway.

"Hello, Kim."

[bannion_sight]

Kim swings around, smiling.

"Hi, Meg."

She looks past her sister, just to check, and then lowers her voice so it won't carry.

"Okay, I have to say, he's pretty great."

[noteful]

"He's cute, too," Meg says, coming into the room.

"How are you?"

[bannion_sight]

"No argument there."

She pushes a lock of hair back from her face, tucking it behind her ear.

"I'm okay." Beat. "I had a good visit with Mom and Dad."

[noteful]

"That's good," Meg says.

"So everything's . . . I mean, you guys talked about all the stuff . . . you needed to talk about?"

[bannion_sight]

Kim nods.

[noteful]

"And, um, how did that go?"

[bannion_sight]

"It went okay, I guess. Pretty much as well as it could," Kim tells her.

"Mom was worried at first, then -- I think she likes knowing that someone's inherited the gift."

[noteful]

"I'm sure she does," Meg says.

Especially that it's Kim.

There's a slight pause.

"I got your note."