Mario's Choice

Well That Didn't Take Long, Did It?

“Pauline!” Molly greets her as she sits on the couch next to her boyfriend, who’s miraculously managed to still stick around.

“Hello, Molly.” Pauline replies politely.

“Where are you and Mario headed off to now?”

“Actually, he’s coming to my place for dinner to meet my parents.”

“What?” Molly exclaims. “And no invitation for the rest of us?”

“This is as good as I’m gonna get.” Mario states plainly as he joins them.

“Next to her, you don’t stand a chance.” Molly laughs.

“Don’t listen to her, you look fine.” Pauline assures him, making Mario sign in relief.

“Thank you. Make sure Luigi goes to bed.” Mario says over his shoulder.

“Wait wait wait!”

Both him and Pauline stop, but end up regretting it when Molly says,

“See if you can’t get lucky!” Molly and her boyfriend both crack up.

Mario is so not prepared when they pull up to one of the biggest houses he’s ever seen.

“Mamma mia! Please tell me you and your parents aren’t the only ones that live here.”

Pauline comes over from the driver’s side. “Come on, it’s not that big.”

“You’re talking to someone who once slept in the sewers so his brother could sleep in someone’s car for the night. Trust me, it is. Molly was right, you are out of my league.”

“Stop it.” Pauline shuts him down.

“Your parents are gonna hate me.” Mario states matter-of-factly.

“I don’t.” Pauline reminds him, stroking his shoulder, then leans in to kiss him. “And my parents aren’t going to either, I promise. Now in we go.”

“Pauline told me you have a brother?” Pauline’s father, who turns out to be the mayor, asks him.

Somehow Mario’s not too starstruck to reply, “Y-yes. Twin brother, actually.”

“Who’s older? You or him?”

Mario’s suddenly feeling like an ant under a magnifying glass. “Me.”

“By how much?”

“A minute and 23 seconds.”

“Hey, this isn’t a dialogue tree!” Pauline’s mother, who in an even more bizarre twist of irony, is Ms. Johnston, the counselor, using her maiden name to stay out of the press.

“Hey, I’m only curious about the young man Pauline’s finally decided to bring home.” Mr. Verducci defends.

“His name is Luigi, and he’s at home with our foster mom and her boyfriend at the moment.” He tries to keep his bitterness out of it but fails.

“Oh dear.” Mr. Verducci says. “Tell me you two are at the very least being more responsible.”

“What, you don’t wanna be a grandparent while you’re still in your prime?” Pauline jokes.

“Not when you’re still in high school, I don’t.” Mr. Verducci walks over to give her a one-armed hug.

“Um sorry, but where’s the…powder room?”

Mr. Verducci laughs, “It’s just a bathroom here. Right inside, down the hall, first door by the stairs. Pauline, can you show him?”

“No no no. I got it.” Mario insists.