I’m up first thing in the morning putting the finishing touches on my presentation. Then I get dressed and join the family downstairs for breakfast.
Since everyone is there, I figure it’s a great time to ask for advice.
Kai: So – I meet Me-Me’s parents today. Any advice? I want them to like me.
Merit: Just be yourself, nephew. They’ll like you.
Prosperity: I’ve never known anyone in your whole life who has met you and didn’t like you, Kai.
Well – I can name one significant person, but I won’t bring that up to ma now.
Kai: But what do I say? What do we talk about?
Merit: Funny enough, I never had to go through the “meet the parents” scenario. I’ve known Roni’s parents my whole life. Her mom and my mom were best friends.
Prosperity: I had a boyfriend in high school, whose mom I met in the worst possible way. I didn’t leave the best first impression, but I believe she grew to like me in the end. Just be natural, and you’ll do fine.
Be natural? I guess I can do that – whatever that means. I don’t know if my family’s advice is beneficial, but I’ll take it.
It’s time to go. I say my goodbyes and head out the door – only to slip and fall in a mud puddle at the bottom of the stairs. I hope this isn’t an indication of how the rest of my day will go. At least I’m not hurt. I hurry down the hill and head back to campus.
I receive a text from Me-Me telling me that her family has arrived and that they’re excited to meet me. We agree to meet up at the commons in about an hour, which gives me enough time to shower and remove the mud from my fall.
After getting cleaned up and changed, I enter the Student Center. Me-Me arrives shortly after. I greet her the same way I’ve greeted her here for so long. But she’s graduating, and even though I’ll be joining her soon, it’s still a bittersweet feeling.
Kai: Where are your parents?
Melisa: They’re right outside. Oh, and my brother was able to join them so you’ll meet him too.
Kai: Great
I don’t know why that came out a bit sarcastic – maybe it’s because I’m a little nervous, and him being here gives me one more person to meet.
As we walk out the door, one of Me-Me’s friends speaks up.
Marie: Congrats, Melisa. We’ll miss you in our study group.
Melisa: Thanks, Marie. I’ll miss you all, too!
A lot of people on campus will miss Me-Me. I’m sure of it.
We step outside, and I see a whole group of people that looks similar enough to Me-Me to make it obvious that they are her family. Her parents are a little older now, but I recognize them right away from the picture above her bed.
Melisa: Everyone, this is my boyfriend, Kai! Kai, this is my mom Jalisa, my dad Merlin, my brother Jalin and over there gawking over the view of the campus is my sister Jamelia.
Kai: Hi, nice to meet you all.
Jalisa and Jalin: Nice to meet you, too!
I step over to Me-Me’s father, who’s standing off to the side, quietly observing me. We shake hands.
Kai: Good to meet you, sir.
Merlin: Call me Merlin. It’s good to meet you, too.
Merlin doesn’t let go of my hand right away. Instead, he squeezes just a bit tighter to emphasize his next statement.
Merlin: We’ve heard an awful lot about you. My daughter no longer talks about anything else when she calls. So I’m glad to have a chance to see if it’s all true.
He finally releases my hand. I have no idea what Me-Me has told her family about me. I’m sure she painted a better picture of me than I would have, so I can only hope it’s all true.
Jalisa: We’d love to see more of the campus. Merlin and I attended Britechester, so we’re not as familiar with Foxbury.
Merlin: I’m reasonably familiar. My friends and I used to come over before games to throw toilet paper on the statue in the quad.
I haven’t had much free time to participate in the Britechester vs. Foxbury rivalry during my time here. But I have seen the aftermath of it while heading to class. And like Merlin just said, it usually resulted in the trashing of our statue.
Kai: *chuckles* Well, I’d be glad to show you more than just the statue. Follow me! By the way, my mom graduated from Britechester, too.
Merlin: A fellow alumni – maybe we’ll get a chance to meet her one day.
Kai: That would be great.
I lead everyone down the stairs and point out the science and math buildings.
Kai: Me-Me and I both spent a lot of time there.
Merlin: It’s nice. I’ve always admired the modern look of the Foxbury campus.
I point out a few more buildings, and then we head to the quad where a spirit day event is happening. Me-Me approaches Larry the Lobster for a selfie, then joins the rest of us near the Ping Pong table.
Merlin: I was quite the juice pong expert back in college.
Melisa: Really, dad? I can’t picture you doing much partying.
Merlin: I didn’t, but I could never turn down a game of juice pong.
Merlin walks over to the table and picks up a cup of juice.
Merlin: Wait a minute? Does the school provide this? Is this what my money has been paying for – turning students into juice-a-holics?
Kai: It’s not alcoholic juice. It’s just some punch.
Merlin: *relieved* Oh, okay. *to Jamelia* How about a game then?
We all take turns playing a few rounds and learn that Merlin is as good at juice pong as he claimed. The only one able to beat him is me. He seemed to be impressed by that.
Merlin: Not bad – not bad at all, son
Son? I like the sound of that. It’s something that I haven’t heard much coming from a male in my years growing up.
The spirit event ends. I step over to Me-Me.
Kai: Your family is great.
Melisa: And they seem to like you a lot. They are taking me out to dinner tonight, and my mom wanted me to invite you.
That’s a good sign.
Kai: Okay, sure. What time?
Melisa: Eight o’clock at the Old Quarter Restaurant in Windenburg
That’s a fancy place, which means we’ll have to dress up.
Kai: Okay, see you at eight!
Me-Me and her parents leave the quad, and I hop on my bike to go home and change.
(Generation 3 Chapter Summaries)
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