Mary and her fiancé, Joseph, enter the Hayden cottage.
Valentina pulls her daughter and her to be husband into a warm, friendly hug. Joseph loves Mary with all of his heart and could not believe when the outgoing woman approached him at his fruit stand one summer evening and claimed that they're meant to be. Everyone knew Mary and everyone knew she was never wrong about a matching. So he didn't doubt her.
"Mother, Joseph and I have discussed it, the wedding, and we want to marry as soon as possible." Alexa listens to their conversation from the lounging room, a book in hand, and soft jazz playing from the family radio.
Valentina gasps and cheers for joy. Undeniable excitement leaks from the fifty something year old. Timothy sits beside Alexa, ease dropping on the conversation, reading his morning paper. The father and daughter are a lot alike, anyone could see it.
"Father?" Alexa calls to catch Timothy's attention. He glances up at his youngest daughter. "Is it sad thinking that one day I'll be gone, that no more children will be living with you?"
Timothy doesn't answer right away. His head swirls. He hasn't thought about Alexa leaving once she marries, he just assumes she will live with Valentina and him forever.
"Of course, darling. I am a father and a father is never complete without his entire family around."
Alexa saddens at the thought that her parents will never be complete without the six of them living at home. It makes her want to never have a husband, but she knows if she never marries she'll never have children. If she never has children her destiny in life will never be completed and she will for sure rot in hell, or worse, purgatory.
Timothy can sense the distress he's put Alexa in. He moves closer to Alexa, one of his strong arms around her shoulders. "But knowing that all of my children are happy and married to good men, or a woman in Amy's part, will keep me at ease."
Alexa accepts his answer and goes back to her fairytale story about a woman with long hair and a prince.
➖✖➖
Grayson does not appreciate his mother and step father barging into his home uninvited. Josephine and Kenneth Ryker love their son's lifestyle. He has enough money to support a hundred middle class families for hundreds of years. What they do not love is that their middle son does not like to spend (Grayson and his two brothers took Kenneth's last name, after all, the man raised them to be his own.) He lives in a medium sized home in an average neighborhood.
"Grayson!" Josephine shouts in joy before pulling her giant son into her arms. Grayson, begrudgingly, hugs his mother back.
"Mother, Father, oh-- Grant and George, hello."
Grant, the eldest Ryker son, nods his head at Grayson in greeting. George, the youngest Ryker son, slaps his brother's back. Josephine and Kenneth take a seat on the expensive couch Grayson purchased to try to lighten up his lounge area. His brothers enter the kitchen to bother the cooks.
"What are you doing here?" Grayson asks angrily. "What have I told you about coming uninvited?"
"We raised you, Grayson Ryker, don't disrespect your parents," Josephine scolds the twenty seven year old. He wants to argue but he knows it's futile. His parents are nosey and will do anything in their power to remain in their childrens' lives.
The five of them enjoy the dinner the cooks have repaired. Finally, Josephine asks the very question she's been dying to ask all night.
"I've heard all over town that you are courting the youngest Hayden's gal, is that correct?"
Hesitantly Grayson answers. "Yes." His mother explodes into a song and dance. The entire town has been wondering what would come of Alexa Hayden. She never showed interest in boys as a teenage girl and now as an adult Josephine's most successful son is courting one of the only child foot's in town.
"Gray! Oh, Gray, you must marry her! You'd have the most beautiful children, my son. She's meant for you."
Sometimes Grayson must remind himself why he hasn't cut himself off away from his insane family. His brothers watch in boredom as their mother preaches about how beautiful Alexa is, or how she'd be a wonderful mother, or how her and Grayson are a true pairing.
After an hour of torture Grayson says goodbye to his family. They take separate cars and drive off.
Grayson contemplates calling the operator to connect him with Alexa. He doesn't think long before he picks up the phone, swirls the middle circle seven times using his pointer finger, and asks the operator to connect him with the Hayden family.
