Short Stories 366:342 — “Making Up With Eid Bae,” by Farah Heron

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I always know I’m going to enjoy a Farah Heron story, and if you’ve not read Chai Factor, allow me to be the bearer of the next book you should be grabbing. Heron has this way with dialog, especially, that zings and snaps, and her plots have this magical way of turning the strangest things—say, Barbershop Quartets—into perfectly “Oh, of course!” parts of her narratives. Basically, her books are as charming as all heck, and “Making Up With Eid Bae,” from Love All Year: A Holidays Anthology is a perfect example of what I’m talking about.

We begin with Nafissa and her friend and business partner, Analise, on a scheduled trip to Toronto from Ottawa. They’ve launched their own small makeup business—Bronze, specializing in pigments for Black and brown skin—and they’re here to try and get a wider audience in the larger city’s boutiques. That Nafissa’s mother wants her to visit an Aunty’s Eid party despite Nafissa being busy and focused isn’t going to stop Nafissa from staying the course. Until it turns out said party includes a shot at meeting someone who would really get them some exposure and potential sales…. oh, and also potentially reunite her with the family of the her “Eid Bae” (who she dated secretly and long-distance for a few months) the last time she attended this party, but she’s sure he’s out West and this is a huge opportunity, so she goes. Of course, we know what’s going to happen, and who will be present, but Farah Heron puts so much joy into every scene (and also joyful awkwardness, joyful simmering, and even a joyful shutdown) the journey is completely entertaining.

Also, I could smell the biryani.

The story had me completely engrossed. The cast of characters were consistently amusing (even when they’re amusingly terrifying or amusingly frustrating) and the ending to this one was a perfect mix of cute, happy-for-now, and promise all wrapped up in a great final line. I’ve enjoyed every story in this anthology, and I don’t want to understate that, but for this story alone the book is worth picking up.