On this day, to welcome Mandy's father, the Cooper family made thorough preparations, intending to leave a good impression on him.
Georgie and Mandy even went to the gate of the yard ahead of time to prepare for the welcome.
"Do you think I can satisfy your father?"
Georgie, dressed in a handsome suit with his hair combed like an adult, asked.
Having abducted someone else's daughter and gotten her pregnant out of wedlock, Georgie, who had performed such outrageous operations, inevitably felt guilty when it came time to meet the other party's parents.
Moreover, a son-in-law meeting his father-in-law is naturally at a disadvantage.
"Will you be responsible for me?" Mandy, standing beside Georgie, asked back.
"Of course, you are my everything." Georgie promised seriously: "When I reach marriageable age in the second half of next year, we will get married. I will be good to you and the baby in your belly..."
"Then that's enough." Mandy gently held Georgie's hand and comforted him: "As long as you have this heart, we are not afraid of any obstacles. And with me accompanying you, I believe my father won't do anything to you."
Her words were full of protectiveness.
Actually, given Mandy's conditions, finding a partner like Georgie was already very good. At least Georgie was young, fit, and responsible, and his life was on an upward trajectory. While Mandy, approaching thirty, had passed a girl's prime years.
It was hard to say who was getting the short end of the stick in their union.
On the other side, to bolster their family's presence, George and Mary specially invited Meemaw Connie and Mike to their home as well.
At this time, a group of people including Young Sheldon were sitting in the living room chatting while waiting.
"Mike, are you sure letting Georgie leave the arcade is a better choice?" George Sr. asked for an opinion.
As for how he knew Mike had advised Georgie to leave the arcade, that started with Meemaw Connie.
During this past period, Meemaw Connie's stock trading career was on track. With Mike checking behind the scenes, she achieved her profit target in a short time.
With such good results, Meemaw Connie naturally couldn't help sharing the good news with her family. George and Mary also heard from her that Mike wasn't optimistic about the development of the arcade.
"The arcade belongs to a gray area after all, and it's easy to have problems. Georgie is still young; it's best not to get involved if possible..." Mike briefly explained the dangers of gambling.
Although the arcade is making money now, once a large-scale crackdown occurs, Georgie definitely won't be able to escape. Fines would be getting off lightly; being sent to jail for serious circumstances wasn't impossible.
"You're right; I'll persuade him when I have time." George Sr., who had a conservative personality, didn't look favorably on his eldest son's arcade to begin with.
For the elders, that was not doing proper work.
Before, because the arcade was indeed making money, George Sr. chose to turn a blind eye. Now hearing Mike's analysis, he was also a bit scared.
At the same time, witnessing Mike's ability in the stock market, George Sr. also had some more ideas.
Of course, these are all for later; George's ideas can be implemented slowly in the future.
The main problem for the Cooper family now is to receive the upcoming in-laws well.
Just then, a huge engine roar came from outside the house.
"Cool! A domineering muscle car came into the yard~" Missy, responsible for keeping watch at the living room door, exclaimed.
"George, go to the kitchen and call Mary; the people we are waiting for should be here." At the critical moment, Meemaw Connie, with richer life experience, made arrangements.
In the yard outside the house, guided by Mandy, a heavy-duty muscle car stopped by the underground garage.
The door opened, and a man over 1.9 meters tall, built like a bear, walked out.
"Mandy, my darling daughter~" The tall man with a full beard revealed a doting smile.
"Dad~" On the other side, Mandy threw herself into the man's arms like a swallow returning to its nest.
For a moment, in this touching father-daughter reunion scene, Georgie completely became an "outsider."
When the Cooper family and Mike came out, they saw such a scene.
"You must be Mandy's father!" After the father and daughter finished hugging, George Sr. stepped forward with a smile and introduced himself: "I am Georgie's father—George Cooper."
"Hello, I am Mandy's father—Louis." The man bypassed Georgie, shook hands with George Sr., and then, feeling it wasn't enough, opened his arms to hug George Sr.
"What does your father do?" Behind them, Georgie asked weakly.
To be honest, seeing his father-in-law's strong physique, Georgie felt a little scared. Too oppressive!
"Our family has a farm in New Jersey; my father should be considered a farmer." Mandy, having just met her father, still had a happy smile on her face.
However, seeing her boyfriend's face wasn't quite right, Mandy comforted him again: "Don't worry, my father is actually a very gentle person."
Over there, Louis had already hugged George Sr. Under the surprised gazes of Mary and the others, the man easily lifted George Sr. up.
George Sr., who was also over 1.8 meters tall, was "weak" like a child in front of the strong Louis, his neck red from being squeezed at this time.
The appearance of the two "wrestling" looked somewhat like a "personal grudge" to outsiders.
"Are you sure your father has a gentle personality?" Georgie, witnessing Mandy's father's "ferocity," had trembling hands. With his physique, he wouldn't survive one punch from the other party.
"Don't overthink it; that's the way men from our side express friendliness. At most, my father is a bit overly excited today." Mandy explained, but felt a little secretly pleased.
In the countryside of New Jersey, the folk customs are indeed very tough.
However, Father Louis's way of greeting at this time was indeed a bit too "enthusiastic."
The reason for this, one has to mention, is that the treatment Mandy received at the Cooper house really couldn't be considered good: a pregnant woman living in a basement and having to go out to work.
Under these circumstances, it's no wonder her father wanted to take the opportunity to give the Cooper family a "warning."
"Alright, Louis. George is running out of breath." As the matriarch, Meemaw Connie stepped forward to separate the two men and said with a smile: "Let's go inside, sit down, and talk slowly about anything."
"Yes, Louis. To welcome you, we prepared a sumptuous feast." Mary, also reacting, stepped forward to stand beside her husband. A look of advancing and retreating together.
"Sorry, I am a boorish person. Please forgive my rudeness." Facing the vigilant gazes of the Cooper family, Louis expressed apologies belatedly.
Compared to the Cooper family's decent attire, Father Louis, draped in old fur, indeed looked like a "barbarian."
Of course, this might have been intentional on his part.
The strong man who unknowingly completed a "show of strength" was obviously a person who was detailed despite his rough appearance.
"The house is a bit small... the furniture is also a bit old..."
Father Louis, entering the house, didn't go directly to the dining room but observed the environment of the Cooper house seriously.
The speaker has a heart, and the listener has a meaning.
George knew this was the in-law deliberately nitpicking, but at this time he could only keep a smiling face. After all, his eldest son was in the wrong.
Finally, after Mary and Meemaw Connie finished setting the food, Father Louis sat in the dining room accompanied by George.
"By the way, kid. When do you plan to marry my daughter?" As soon as the pre-meal prayer ended, Father Louis turned his gaze to Georgie.
"Ne-next year, second half, when I reach marriageable age, we will get married." Facing the question from the future father-in-law, Georgie answered "obediently."
"Tsk~" Louis clicked his tongue meaningfully and gave an idea: "How about you and Mandy go to New Jersey and complete the wedding there."
Marriage laws vary from state to state in the US; some states allow marriage at thirteen or fourteen, some require eighteen to be an adult, and some places require being over twenty-one to have the right to marry.
Texas is considered democratic here; one can register for marriage at eighteen.
But compared to New Jersey where one can marry at thirteen or fourteen, it's still a bit behind.
If Georgie listened to Father Louis's suggestion, it was really possible to complete the marriage registration in the short term.
"No, Georgie's career here has just started; I'm afraid he doesn't have time to go to New Jersey." While the eldest son was conflicted, Mary found an excuse for him.
On one hand, Mary didn't want her eldest son to leave her life. On the other hand, she actually wasn't particularly satisfied with Mandy as a daughter-in-law.