Preparations

The In Laws

Linda paced up and down her fiancé's family's kitchen, trying to calm herself.
She had insisted that her family-to-be where church clothes- or at least work clothes. She was in a pretty summer dress and wedges; she looked at the kitchen door way as Jamie entered.
"This okay, Linda?" He was wearing a casual suit and a tie.
Linda nodded, "perfect! That's absolutely perfect!"
"Why do I have to wear this monkey suit?" Danny complained.
"First, a monkey suit is a tuxedo; second, you look very nice," she fixed his tie and kissed his lips.
"Why do I gotta wear this?" Joe complained, walking in the kitchen.
"Because first impressions are everything! Plus, my parents already kinda hate this family..."
"So you're going against their wishes?" Erin walked in with Jack and little Nicky.
Linda sighed, "basically. But this is right, I can feel it."
The doorbell rang and the nervous blonde nearly jumped out of her skin. "They're here!" She somewhat ran to the door, then opened it. "Mom, Dad. Hi!" She hugged her parents, "glad you could come." She led them to the living area, "Mom, Dad, this is Henry and Betty, my grandparents in law."
Henry and Betty smiled as they shook the O'Sheas hands.
"And this is Frank and Mary, my parents in law," Linda pointed to them, watching her parents coldly shake their hands. "And this is Erin and her husband Jack," she tickled Nicky, "and little Nicky!"
Her parents shook their hands, and nearly ignored Nicky.
"This is Joe and Jamie, my brothers-in-law," she bit her lip; why aren't they being nice to the Reagans? "And this," she linked arms with Danny. "This is Danny, my fiancé."
"Nice to see you again," Danny faked a smile as he shook their hands.
After a few awkward moments of silence, the timer beeped. "Oh! That's dinner! Please, take your seats at the table," Mary smiled and went to the kitchen.
********
"So, Mr. and Mrs. O'Shea, you must be proud of your daughter," Frank smiled, trying to make conversation after a very heated argument.
"Why?" Mr. O'Shea, Steve, wondered with a little edge in his voice.
"Because she graduated top-a all her classes, got multiple scholarships, had an LPN in her freshman year of college, and is the best RN in the ER." Danny boasted of his fiancée, causing her to blush.
"He was asking your father," Mrs. O'Shea, Sofia, scolded and looked at Frank. "Hank?"
"Frank," He corrected, "I agree with Danny. Linda's a very smart woman."
Linda blushed again, moving her food around in hopes to not be noticed.
"So," Sofia looked at Danny. "You're a cop..."
"Yeah." He popped a green bean in his mouth.
"Do you expect to be more than a mere cop?" Steve raised an eyebrow.
Biting his inner cheek, Danny answered, "I expect to be a detective."
"Is that all?"
"Being a detective is honorable work; without detectives, cops, firemen we wouldn't be safe," Jamie explained.
"Hey! Whaddabout lawyers?" Erin smirked, joking with her brother.
"Lawyers are corrupt," Sofia stated simply.
"Mom, there are lawyers at the table," Linda whispered through her teeth.
Steve looked at Erin and Jack. "You two?"
Jack nodded, "and Jamie." He pointed to the teen. "Well, technically, he's not a lawyer yet. But he's gonna be."
"Oh..." Steve and Sofia said, like it was the worst thing in the world.
"Y'know what you should do?" Steve pointed his fork at Danny.
Completely ignore you? "What?"
"Find someone who wants a detective—"
"I want a detective," Linda interjected. "I want to marry Danny. I want to marry into a family of law-enforcers—"
"Well, then, you're kinda stupid," Sofia said smugly.
Linda stood up angrily, and looked at the table. They had been fighting all through dinner. She angrily turned on one heel and stormed upstairs.
"Linda!" Danny followed her, but not before giving her parents the most evil look in the history of evil looks.