Meet the Parents: Part III - In-Laws

In-Laws

"Where's the fire, honey-bunny?", Gerald asked as Gluntz came running home.

"Something happened?", Lianna asked too.

"Yes! Something happened!", their daughter exclaimed with tears in her eyes.

"Oh my. Are you okay, boobaloo? You're crying", her mother said, noticing her daughter's tears.

"Mom, Dad..." Gluntz held up her hand. "I'm getting married!"

Lianna grabs her daughter's hand to look at it. "Do you see that, Gerald? Our little girl's getting married!" They then hug. "How'd he ask?"

"We were hanging out at the Am-I's house so Melanie could see Pam again, along with her husband and son and father-in-law, oh, by the way, McWinkle is Melanie's father-in-law! Anyway, Sam proposed right in front of everyone else and I said yes!"

Lianna envelops her daughter again. "I'm so happy for you, sweetie."

Gerald still hadn't said anything. That is until Gluntz pointed it out to him.

"Daddy? Are you okay?"

"'Course I am", he said plainly.

"Gerry, c'mon! Aren't you excited our daughter's getting married?", Lianna questioned.

"Yes! It's just that Sam came up to me to ask for my blessing." He smiles smugly.

"Oh, did he?", Gluntz asked. Her father nods. She chuckles. "I love him so much."

Lianna pats Gluntz on her back.

——

Okay. Everyone's here, Sam noted to himself at the head of the dining room table. "Alrighty then! Can I have everyone's attention?!"

The commotion died down. Sam stood up. Gluntz had the seat next to him, and both her parents, Molly, Melanie, Jack and Terry in succession. Guy sat at Sam's right with Michellee, E.B., Junior, Grinch and Pam (who occupied the seat at the opposite end of the table).

"Umm,...hope you all are enjoying dinner!" He smiled. Then he was met with various comments of agreement. "Gluntz and I put our all into the food and we hope you...like it!"

Speaking of whom, Gluntz grabbed Sam's hand and stood up too. "My fiancé's a joker", she chuckles. "What Sam's trying to say is...we finally decided on where we're getting married!"

Except for the babies, who didn't really get what was going on, everyone else happily anticipated an answer.

"Knox Vegas!"

There was an excited chatter amongst everyone.

"We decided, since lots of people get hitched there and it can double as a good place to have both the bachelor and bachelorette parties, it could save us some dough", Gluntz continued to explain.

Gerald and Lianna exchange glances. So do Pam and Grinch.

"It seems...doable, sweetie. But what are we gonna do with the kids? There isn't much they'll be able to do in Vegas", her mother explains.

"Actually, Lee", Sam rang out, "Gluntz and I found a family-friendly hotel further down the strip. One of us is gonna have to volunteer to stay with them."

"Well...I'm glad you two at least have a plan."

——

Shortly before leaving, Gerald pulled Sam aside to talk in the hallway.

"There's something I wanna tell you, Sam."

"Oh. Did I do something wrong? Does it involve the whole 'baby before marriage' thing? Neither of us expected Molly-"

Gerald puts his hand on Sam's shoulder. "Sam. It's not that."

Sam drew air between his teeth in embarrassment.

"I wanted to tell you...how happy I am to have you as a son-in-law."

The shorter man grinned and blushed.

"You were the first boy that Gluntz brought home that wasn't scared of me."

"Admittedly, I was at first."

"But what's important is that you stuck to your guns. If there's one thing that Lianna and I love about you, that's your determination. You and Gluntz deserve every happiness in the world."

By now, Sam had tears flowing.

"In addition, I couldn't have asked for a better granddaughter." He punctuated that statement with a small laugh.

Sam threw his arms around Gerald. "Thank you, Gerry."

"No problem, son." He pats his back.

At the end of the hall, Lianna linked her hands together and rested her knuckles under her chin, saying "Aww!"

Both men heard her.

She then walks over. "I heard everything. I'm proud to have you as a son-in-law too, Sam."

"Thanks, Lee!"

"You can call me Mom. If you want to, that is."

"Thanks, Mom."