The next morning came and went in a flurry, with 'avoiding other humans' at the top of Neela's to-do list. This was avoidance was relatively easy to accomplish in a sprawling château, with enough gardens, corridors and sitting rooms to keep pesky humans at bay. Neela and her crew of family and friends were scheduled to hit the road at ten a.m., and she didn't plan on emerging a minute sooner.

With the chamber doors shut and the blinds barely open, she indulged on a croissant and coffee in an eerie silence. She took a bite and licked her lips before eyeing the half-eaten croissant. "You I will never not love," she affirmed. She noticed some flakes of croissant on her pajamas and ate those too, an act of devotion that only deepened her lifelong romance with butter.

A soft knock on the door put a stop to the buttery love fest. She instinctively closed her eyes and pretended to sleep.

"It's me," Tiff said from the other side of the door.

Neela opened her eyes and seemed relieved. "Come in!"

Tiff was all dressed up in her summery best, hair in place, heels strapped on and ready to hit the road.

Neela frowned. "Seriously? That's your 'end of the trip' bus outfit?"

Tiff closed the door behind her and smirked. "And 'end of the trip' bus outfit is not a thing."

Neela sat up in bed. "Yes it is!" she insisted. "Like you know how at the beginning of a road trip you're wearing your cutest ensemble because you're so excited? But on the last day when all the fun is over, you just throw on your 'raggedy ass wrinkled whatever'? You know? Tell me that you know."

Tiff sighed. "Neela, I almost never know when it comes to you."

Neela shrugged. "Well, it's definitely a literal thing, and you're going against protocol by looking so hot." She dragged herself out of bed and started rummaging through her suitcase. "I'm gonna go for leggings and a T-shirt."

"Dante told me you guys talked last night," Tiff said suddenly.

Neela focused on the contents of her suitcase. "We did. And it was helpful." She looked up and smiled. "I'm starting to feel a lot better about the whole situation."

"I ran into your parents this morning," Tiff added.

Neela's smiled disappeared. "Oh." She seemed uncomfortable. "How uhh...are they doing?"

Tiff frowned. "I don't think your mom likes me."

Neela instantly nodded. "It's true; she doesn't."

"What?" She was taken aback. "What did I even do?"

"I think it's because you don't smile a lot," Neela said casually. "Normally it would be fine, but she also doesn't smile a lot, so she probably thought it was kinda rude that you tried to infringe on her 'not smiling' dominance in the worldwide market."

Tiff shook her head. "You've gotta be joking."

Neela collapsed onto the floor. "Maybe I am joking, I don't even know Tiff!" She sighed. "I guess it'd just be easier if she hated you, so I didn't have to face the wrath of her hating what I did last night." She looked up at Tiff desperately. "Do you have anything you could use to sedate her? Or me? Like please, knock me out for the entire bus ride."

Tiff leaned over and grabbed Neela by both of her forearms. She pulled her up to her feet with a surprising amount of strength. "No one is getting drugged. You're going to get dressed, and then you're going to pack, and then you're going to get on that bus." She smiled. "And I'm going to help you."

Neela was more than fine with Tiff calling the shots, because as much as Dante was the one she could bare her soul to for hours at a time, Tiff was the one who was always there to slap her back into reality.

A reality that was only thirty minutes away...

***

Even though it had barely been forty-eight hours since they'd arrived, things looked incredibly different in the courtyard of the beautiful château. The stunning fountain was still very much there, but the sound of the water had somehow changed from soothing to almost ominous.

Neela made a tentative approach towards her family as they readied to board the bus. She was hoping for some sort of acknowledgement, but all she got was a concerted effort by all of them to carry on whatever conversation they were already having. Without her. It created an atmosphere of forced normalcy, and it also made something abundantly clear:

She was officially on the outside looking in.

***

On the bus, Dante made sure to sit beside Neela to offer her his BFF protection. To his surprise, he watched as she craned her neck throughout the bus ride, trying to take in every word of the family conversation happening two rows behind her.

"I thought you were trying to avoid them," he whispered.

"That was before they started acting like I don't even exist!" she whispered back. "They think they can just erase me? Erase the shame of my public outburst?" Her eyes narrowed into a glare. "I don't think so."

He shook his head in resignation. "Not enough therapy in the world..."

"So what are we all doing for your last day in Paris?" she shouted to the rows behind her. The family chatter dissolved into an awkward silence.

The only person to finally face her was Maneet, but instead of responding she only mouthed the words "Back off."

For maybe the first time ever, it seemed like Maneet was actually trying to diffuse the family drama instead of light it on fire. Neela should've been grateful, but the helpful tip only made her slump her shoulders and slide down her seat several inches.

"Just try to imagine how they feel," Dante whispered. "Your mom thought she was inheriting a family castle."

Neela could barely contain her snort of laughter. She looked up at Dante and smiled.

She may have been temporarily banished by her family, but with the love of good friends, maybe she would make it after all...

***

Three hours later, the shuttle bus pulled up to the Place du Châtelet in Paris, a popular Right Bank square on the river's edge. Surrounded by cafés, a theatre and retail stores, it was an area Neela had specifically chosen when she'd booked an apartment for her family. By choosing this spot she'd made it very convenient for them to stroll along the river, go to the Louvre, or visit beautiful parks, all within a reasonable walking distance. Because I'm a thoughtful daughter who does NOT deserve to be ostracized, she thought angrily.

Dante, Tiff, Chloe and their boyfriends were already starting to peel away with a symphony of goodbyes. It was almost as if they'd collectively decided to give a little privacy to the family and the daughter scorned.

They were probably right.

As each of them dissolved further into the crowd, Neela turned to face her family. Maneet's advice to back off was still there, floating across her brain like an important and prominent 'breaking news' alert. And yet somehow...instead...

"So are we even going to talk?" Neela blurted out.

Dad was the first to vaguely look in her direction. "My knees hurt from sitting on the bus," he announced, not answering her question at all.

"Then we should get home and rest," Mom declared.

Neela waved her hand around. "Uh hello? Am I invisible or something?"

Dad finally faced her head on. "Neela we have to rest, and then we have to share the shower, and then pack for our flight tomorrow. Maybe you should just go home and we will see you in the morning."

"Does she really need to come with us tomorrow?" Mom said coldly. "We know where the airport is."

Talking about her in the third person when she was standing right here? It was a savage move and she could already feel the blood rushing straight to her ears. "I am taking you to the airport," Neela said through gritted teeth.

"Okay okay," Dad said, not wanting two Bhandar women to murder each other in the streets of Paris. "We will see you tomorrow. Now which way again?"

Instead of asking Neela for help he gestured to Gurinder to lead the way, and without another word her family headed off, leaving her at the busy square all alone.

She now meandered down the street with the river in sight.

Her old friend the Seine River, site of many an introspective stroll.

As she got closer, the chatter of excited tourists lifted her spirits a little. To think, she'd been lucky enough to call such a magical place home! Her inner pep talk grinded to a halt at the thought of the word 'home.'

As her face clouded over, she sent off a quick text:

Just got back to Paris. Are you at the apartment right now?

She leaned across the stone bridge and held her breath, but she didn't have to wait very long for his response:

I am staying with a friend tonight. Tomorrow I will figure out what we are going to do about the place.

She frowned and whipped off a response in seconds:

Don't I have a say in figuring this out?

His response was almost immediate:

I think you very clearly figured out what you want last night

She didn't type a speedy response this time, or any response at all.

Because Luc was absolutely right.

She turned onto the nearest bridge and meandered some more, realizing with each added step that 'fresh starts' were not as cut and dry as simply turning a page.

In reality, the first 'new day' would be followed by another, each with its own set of 'fresh start' challenges.

For Neela, her next new day would mean an awkward airport goodbye, and finding out if she'd be homeless...