An excerpt from Harmony House —
"Didn't he go out once already today?" Deepu asked, looking up from his notebook.
"How should I know?" Fran said.
"He likes taking a couple of little breaks rather than one long one," Jayden said, not looking away from the entertainment screen.
"Sounds like the two of you bonded," Deepu said, smirking.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Fran said. "Besides, we were having a private conversation."
"There are no private conversations here."
"You're right about that," Fran said, standing from the table and taking her mug to the sink to rinse it out.
Deepu joined Fran in the kitchen. He opened the small refrigerator and retrieved a cardboard container that had his leftovers from lunch. He opened the carton, sat down at the table, and picked up the remaining half of an avocado and cheese sandwich.
"You know why you pissed him off, right?" he asked with his mouth full of sandwich.
"Oh, I'm not sure he was pissed off, was he?" Fran said. "I mean, I know it was awkward but…"
"Um, yeah he was legit pissed off. You all but called him deviant."
"I did not! I said no such thing," Fran said, turning from the sink to face Deepu.
"Maybe not, but you were thinking it so hard Cam probably heard you in the shower."
"So what? Now we're all guilty for things we think?"
"Hey, I'm just stating a fact. Whether you said it or thought it, you pissed him off. Probably hurt his feelings."
"So, what if I did? I'm not the first person who thinks what he is… is… unnatural. I mean if God had intended her to be a him, he would have made it so. C'mon, you're telling me that your people are okay with the whole trans thing?"
Deepu stopped chewing and gave her a withering stare. He shook his head slowly. "What the fuck are you talking about when you say, my people? Who do you think my people are exactly?"
Fran felt all the blood from her body rush into her face. She swallowed hard. What in the hell was wrong with her? She hated to say the wrong thing and she really hated to make other people uncomfortable and yet here she was, two for two in less than five minutes. She struggled to push through her embarrassment so she could begin to formulate an apology when Deepu broke into a smile and chuckled.
"Dude, I so fuckin' had you going! You thought I was going to be all upset thinking you're a racist," he said. He then half stood from his chair and leaned forward, dropping his voice to a conspiratorial level. "I'm all about freedom to be who you wanna be, but Riley," he sucked air in through his perfect teeth, "kind of a tool if you ask me."
Fran felt the endorphin rush of instant relief, like that feeling when a cop puts his lights on right behind you on the interstate and then pulls around you to pursue someone else. "You're such a jerk!" she squealed and shoved Deepu back into his chair.
She pulled out a chair and sat down across from him. He was handsome, striking even. She'd noticed that right away in the orientation. He wasn't exactly her type. She'd never dated anyone ethnic like him, but that was the old Fran. Anything was possible. At the very least, she had a kindred spirit in Deepu. He wasn't some politically correct snowflake. He was practical. He knew how to operate in the world. That was a phrase her father had used a lot to describe anyone he admired. While her mother was a demurring woman of faith, always the first to volunteer at church, her father was loud and confident, a career military man.
"You like the food?" she asked him, gesturing to the carton in front of him.
"It's fuel," he said. "I've had worse. It's hard to mess up a sandwich. So, seriously, what's your deal? It's none of my business but are you like super religious or something? Is that what bothers you about Riley?"
"What does that even mean, super religious? You make it sound like a disease or something. I believe in God and the holy trinity. I believe there are consequences to the choices we make in this life. What do you believe?"
"I believe in God too, I guess… but not like your God. My family's Hindu but I don't really practice or anything."
"Hmm, I confess I don't really know much about your faith. You're Indian or Pakistani, right?"
