The Heiress

Meet George's Parents

 

This week George and I went to visit his parents.  I hadn't ever been to his house, even though we dated in highschool.  Our relationship was mostly at the grocery store where we worked and I was nervous.  I didn't know how his parents were going to feel about me.

See, I've always thought they had something to do with splitting us up.  George and I snuck out together one night in highschool, but only because the moon was full and George begged me to meet him because he said he was dying to kiss me on the kickyball field, under a full moon.  He said it would bring him good luck all season.  It was so romantic, so of course I met him.  Then the sprinklers on the field turned on and we got soaked.  George's mom found his wet clothes the next morning and figured out that he had snuck out.  She made a big deal out of it and grounded him for life.  (Just not from Nicole Bretweiler??)  They never said anything to me, but from what George told me at the time, they were pretty upset with him.  My parents never found out, well, until now.  Sorry Dad! 

 

"Mom, Dad, You remember Calliopie Legalos?"

George introduced me to his parents, Ribald and Helena Mc Carthy.

"Welcome to our home" said Helena.   "We are so glad to see you with our George.  Won't you please come inside and have some ice tea?  I've just made some, and I've got supper cooking."

It was a much warmer welcome than I was expecting.

Until I met Georgia, George's 17 year old sister.

"Georgia, This is my girlfriend, Calliopie"  George told her.

 

 

"I KNOW who she is"  said Georgia, "and she's NOT your girlfriend George.  Don't you watch television?  She kisses every guy she goes out with."

I won't deny, it stung when she said that.

"Georgia dear, you're being rude to our guest.  Please go inside and set the table for supper."  Helena told her daughter.

 

 

As we were going into the house, Ribald stopped me.

"So Calliopie, how does it work, are you going to have the wedding right there on the show?  Have you decided who you're going to pick?  Will there be any family at the ceremony?  "

"Oh, umm, the wedding isn't part of the show"

Helena jumped in "Oh Ribald, you're over thinking things again.  Calliopie is here to enjoy herself, please, there will be time for questions later.  Will you check on the green bean casserole?

Helena was being a real sweetheart.  George grinned at me nervously as we went inside.  I know he was worried his parents would "blow it"  I told him there was nothing to "blow"  And besides, he was going to be meeting my family and I'm sure I will be just as nervous.  Family is family and we both deserve to know them as they are.

 

 

Inside I met "Little Geoff" who wasn't little anymore - he was 13 years old.  I hadn't seen him since George and I worked together and Helena would bring him with her to the grocery store to do her shopping.  He was just a little kid then.

"Hey!" said Geoff "You're Llama Mama's brother, I mean, sister, I mean you're his twin, right?"

Yeah!  I am, that's my twin brother Plato.  So you're a Llama fan?

"Oh man, am I ever.  I was at the Kings Gardens concert - they totally shredded!  I got this t shirt at the concert.  Can you get me an autograph??  Are they gonna sign that recording contract with Home Malone Records?  Were you really there when they filmed the video for '69??  Hey, mom said if you marry my brother, then Llama Mama would be like my brother in law or something.  Is that true???"

How could you not laugh?  Geoff was so cute - like a little George, and an obviously dedicated Llama Mama fan. 

"Hey, I got a pinball game for my birthday.  Do you wanna see?  It's in my room."

 

 

 

Of course I did, and I went with Geoff to play his pinball game.  It was kind of neat having a little brother.

 

George came into the room to tell Geoff that dinner was almost ready and Helena needed his help.  After Geoff left he shut the door and wrapped his arms around me.

 

 

"Are you ok?"  He asked

"With your family? Yeah, better than I expcted."

He cupped my face in his hands  "Listen, I'm really sorry about Georgia. I think she's just trying to be protective of her big brother. But that was rude, and I'm going to talk to her.  Nobody treats my girl like that.  ."

Then he kissed me so softly that I actually shuddered.  I completely forgot where we were until Helena called us for dinner.

 

Dinner was delicious.  Georgia was very quiet, but little Geoff was  non stop with the Llama Mama questions.  I could tell Ribald wanted to talk about "The Heiress" but Helena wasn't letting him.  We were all having a nice meal when  we turned around to realize the kitchen was filled with smoke.

"Ribald!  Your cake!  You forgot to set the timer again!"   Helena cried as she dialed the fire department.

 

"Lordy Lordy Lordy!" Ribald cried as the stove burst into flames.  George covered his face with his hands.  I could tell he didn't know whether to laugh or cry.  "I'm really sorry" he said.  "It's ok," I told him.  It could happen to anyone.   His parents really did seem to be going out of their way to make me feel welcome.

 

I thought it might make things go a little better if I talked to Georgia alone, so while everyone was cleaning up from the fire, I asked Georgia if she would show me her room.  I'm sure she saw right through me, but she took me to her room anyway. 

"This is it."  Georgia said.  "Was there anything else?"

"Georgia, I just, I think we got off on the wrong foot.  I know I'm on a reality tv show, but that doesn't mean I don't have very strong feelings for your brother.  We really care about each other sweetie."

 

"Oh NO!"  Georgia reared back.  "I am NOT your sweetie.  Don't go pulling all that 'Heiress' stuff with me.  You try to make everybody like you so then you can treat them however you want to.  That doesn't work here your majesty...."

Wow.  I don't think it could have gone any worse. 

 

"You kiss every boy you meet."  She said.  "So how do you know when you really like one of them?  They're all the same to you.  How are you going to decide who you marry?  Are you going to marry the best kisser?"

I should have had a response, but she caught me off my guard.

"My brother is a real person, you know, not just a set of lips.  I'm not going to let him marry some girl even if she is an Heiress just because she's turned on by him."

I tried desperately to get my wits about me.  Of all the worst case scenarios I'd imagined, this was worse than all of them.  I never thought a 17 year old girl could be so pointed.  I thought we'd be talking about hair and clothes and boys.  "Georgia, you have every right to want to protect your brother, I'm glad George has a sister like you.  Please believe me when I tell you that I have cared about your brother for many years, not just this show.  I don't know how to choose which man is right for me, I've never made a decision like that, and it does scare me.  But I wouldn't let kissing be the deciding factor.  George and I really care about each other, there is more to our relationship than what you see on "The Heiress"  I don't know who I'm going to choose, but I do know, and I've told your brother, that I didn't go on this show to hurt anyone.  He knows how the show works, and that there can only be one winner, but he still cares enough about me to go through all of this and take the risk."

I turned around and George was standing in the doorway smiling.  "Mom and dad are in the living room"  he said.   "It's my turn to catch up with my favorite sister."  

 

I sat in the living room with Ribald and Helena.  Ribald was anxious to talk.  "Now, Calliopie, I'm confused dear.  How will you know who you're going to marry?"

"Wow, ummm, I guess that's the million dollar question, isn't it?  I don't know how I'll know.  How does anyone know?  I just consider myself really lucky to have two special guys who care about me so much.  I don't want to choose between them, even though I have to."

"That's a very good answer Calliopie.  You seem like you have a good head on your shoulders.  Ribald please don't interrogate the girl, she's already under enough pressure."

"Oh, Helena, I just want to know how all this reality TV stuff works, I'm not trying to give the girl a hard time.  I know.  I know"

 

"Calliopie, when I met my husband Ribald 25 years ago we were both working at Simunders Apparell, I was the only woman in the whole company, because as you know, Simunders Apparell makes mens undergarments.   Ribald was a lead designer and I was the secretary.  I was just 19, younger than you, working with all those underwear designers, all men.  I think there were thirty of them, many of them were single since Legacy Land was such a new town and many people were just moving here.  I remember my mother told me "Helena, if you can't catch yourself at man at that job..."  Well, never mind what mother said, what matters is that I met Ribald and we've been blissfully wed for 25 years."

 

So how did you know that Ribald, I mean, Mr. McCarthy was the right one for you?

"I told her I was the right one" said Ribald smuggly, but Helena knew he was joking.

 

 

"She kissed all of those other underwear designers, and when she kissed me I turned into a prince"  Ribald continued.

"Oh dear, that was a long time ago.  I do remember that Ribald was all the things I was looking for.  He had a good job, he was a talented underwear designer and was known for designing the most comfortable underwear.  I knew that a man whose priority was comfort at the most intimate level, was a man I could grow old with."

"And I was a good kisser"  Ribald added.  "She used to call me 'Sizzle Lips' "

George has always been good at timing, and I couldn't have been happier to see him that that moment.  He arrived in the living room with a much calmer Georgia and Geoff, whose personality reminded me of a Golden Retriever.  Ribald lit a fire in the fireplace and we all sat together and talked, like we were in some kind of movie.  I thought I grew up in a close family, but I can probably count on one hand the number of times we all sat in one room just to talk.  I didn't mind it.  It was just different.

 

 

"Now George, your father and I want to know if you have declared your major yet.  We've been paying all this tuission.  What do you think you're going to do son?"

"Mom, can we talk about this later?  I wanted you guys to get to talk to Calliopie.  Today is supposed to be about her,"

"But this is about her George.  I'm sure this young lady would like to know how you're going to support her.  You've taken so many classes, surely you have some idea of what you'd like to do son. This is your senior year."

"Well, I don't know mom, ok?  We've been over this a thousand times.  I have a district manager position waiting for me at Green's Grocery, and I'm talking to Espresso Express about opening a franchise.  It's not like I can't get a job mother.  Don't do this.  Not tonight.  Alright?"

We talked a little longer with the family before Georgia and Geoff were sent to bed.

When it was just the four of us, Ribald said to George, "It's time to get serious about this son, and this girl deserves to hear the truth from you. 

 

 

 Do you love her?  Or do you love kissing her?"

I gulped.  I couldn't believe Ribald was being so direct

 

 

"I love her dad.  I do."
"Are you ready to settle down George, marrying into that family carries a lot of responsibility and sacrifice.  You do understand that you'll often have to put your own wants aside, for the sake of the legacy?  Are you sure that's really you?" Helena asked.
I wasn't sure if it was really me, but I'm the Heiress so I guess I don't have much say in it.
"I love her mom, and when you love somebody, you can do anything, right?  I'm not very good about talking about my feelings, I'd rather show them, in other ways.  Calliopie is a girl I've cared about for a long time.  I can see us having a future together."

My mouth felt quite dry, and my palms were getting sticky.  I'd never heard George talk like this.

Fortunately the silence that followed was akward enough for Ribald to make up an excuse to do something and Helena said she needed to finish tidying up the kitchen. 

George and I were alone for the first time today. 

 

I was anxious about his conversation with Georgia.  "How'd it go with your sister?"  I asked?

"Oh, it went pretty well"  George said.  "She's protective, maybe a little jealous, but I think she feels better knowing how I feel about you - hearing it come from me."

I was curious.  "What did she say?"

 

 

"Well, first she said  'Are you going to breed with that girl George?'

 

Oh gosh George, that doesn't sound very good at all...  Did she really say 'breed' ???

 

"Yes, but it got better.  I told her I would be the luckiest guy in the world if that happened.  I told her about your legacy and how important that was.  I said you were the smartest prettiest hottest girl I've ever known, and I've always compared every girl to you.  You are the perfect woman to me, and I'm very lucky to have a chance like this, to be your partner.  I also told her what a good kisser you were, but she made it clear she doesn't want to hear about any of that part.  I told her I wasn't worried about what you had or didn't have with other guys.  It's what we have together that's important, and that to me it was pretty special, and I thought it was for you too.  Her best friend is Nicole's younger sister Tamara, but we didn't talk about that.   I know she always hoped Nicole and I would get together so she and Tamara would be related, but I dont think that's the issue now.   I think she just wishes you would hurry up and make up your mind, but it was a good talk.  I think she's ok with you now."  And then he leaned over and wrapped his hand around the back of my neck.  "I want to kiss you, really bad" he said. 

"Then do it silly" I told him.

"My parents are here.  That wierds me out."  he said.  But then he kissed me anyway.  "My mom made cherry jello, do you want some?" 
Of course I wanted cherry jello.  Does a fish get thirsty?  We lay on the floor in front of the fireplace and George insisted on feeding it to me.  He tried roasting it in the fireplace like a marshmallow, but it turned to liquid right away, like I told him it would, but it was so funny and we both laid on the floor and laughed like kids at a sleepover, and like powerful magnets, his lips found mine, and very quickly we were on our feet, because we were in his parents house and he was right, it was becoming wierd.

"Do you want me to tell mom you're ready to go?"

"Yeah, I guess I better get back, it's a long drive."  I was glad for that much, because I had a lot to think about.  "You'll call me tomorrow?"  I said.

"You bet."  George grinned.  George was staying overnight to have more time with his family.

 

Helena walked outside with me.  "Calliopie we are so glad that you came.  I told Ribald you are a lovely girl, you remind me so much of myself when I was your age.  I can see why George likes you so much"

I thanked Helena for dinner and she kissed me goodnight.

"You're going to make a good choice honey, just follow your heart"

 

 

So here I am.  Home, trying to process the day.  "Just follow my heart"  That's what everyone tells me.  What they don't understand is that I don't have one heart, it's torn in two.  Which half do I follow?  George is so sexy, I can't look at him without wanting to kiss him, and lucky for me, he feels the same way.  Georgia's comments really hurt, but they made me think too.  I love George for more than just the kissing, much more, but I'm not sure I can articulate what those reasons are, but I think if I'm going to make a decision I can live with, I'm going to have to know.  I am so tired I'm going straight to bed. 

Thanks for watching Legacy Land.

 

 

 

 

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