Tellement proches

When Alain married Nathalie, he didn’t know that he’d be also marrying her whole family. This Saturday, like every Saturday, they’re invited to dinner at his brother-in-law’s place in Créteil. But tonight, more than usual, Alain is ready to explode. He drinks like a fish. He’s had it up to here. He’s had enough of getting lost each time he comes to Créteil, had enough of putting up with kind words of advice about life from Jean-Pierre and his wife Catherine, who raise their children like horses, had enough of waiting on an empty stomach while watching their daughter Gaëlle’s soporific shows, had enough of watching for the umpteenth time their wedding video, had enough, as well, of his sister-in-law Roxane, who, her biological clock in overdrive, has set her cap at Bruno, a young medical intern who wonders, just a tad, how he landed at this dinner. It’s true, Alain has had enough of these family dinners, but he doesn’t yet know what really is really in store for him tonight, or what lies ahead in the days that follow. —UniFrance