Marriage was no trivial matter, and Mrs. Fay couldn’t make such a decision for her daughter so casually.
She exchanged a glance with Mr. Fay, who quickly poured Eugene a cup of tea. “Eugene, you’ve been talking since you arrived. Take a moment to relax and have some tea,” he said.
“Mr. and Mrs. Fay, I genuinely want to marry Lydia. Our families are well-matched, and I assure you she would be well taken care of. My parents would treat her as their own daughter. Please, just give me your blessing.” Eugene took the tea but didn’t drink it, his eyes fixed on them with hope.
Mr. Fay hesitated. “Eugene, I still think this is all a bit rushed. Before any talk of marriage, we should meet with your parents and discuss the details thoroughly. So, take these gifts back for now, and let’s set up a time to visit.”
Eugene could sense the hesitancy in Mr. Fay’s tone. He had pushed as hard as he could. Short of dragging Lydia down to the courthouse to get a marriage license, he had run out of options. Reluctantly, he stood up to leave, but refused to take back the gifts he had brought.
“Eugene, we’ll accept the other items as a gesture, but the jewelry can wait until an official engagement,” Mr. Fay called out as Eugene walked out the door.
Watching him leave, Mr. Fay turned to Mrs. Fay. “We should call Lydia and find out what’s really going on here.”
Mrs. Fay agreed. They sat down together and video-called Lydia. She adjusted her hair, smoothed her clothes, and put on some lipstick before answering, greeting them with a smile. “Mom, Dad, I’m doing just fine on my own.”
Tears of frustration welled up in Lydia’s eyes. She couldn’t believe Eugene would stoop so low as to involve her parents in this.
She had tried to keep things civil out of respect for her parents’ fondness for him, but it was clear that she had been far too lenient.
She took a deep breath, deciding to be completely open. “Mom, I’m just not interested in him. I know you and Dad like him, but I can’t force myself into a relationship with someone whose character I question. He’s willing to do anything to get what he wants, and I worry that if he ever loses interest, he’d turn that same determination against me.”
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