Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Team Brady's First Encounter with the In-Laws

After a bit of a rocky start, Brady and I became inseparable. We talked constantly via instant messenger when we weren't together, studied together, and were with each other during all our free time. Which actually wasn't that much seeing as we were in law school and working.

We started dating in our last semester of law school, there was so much going on. We were looking for permanent jobs, getting ready to take the bar, and getting ready to graduate! There were many parties, "bar reviews," ditching class to go to Dave and Buster's. Lots of fun to be had.

In the first few months we were starting to get to know each other's friends. And we had a lot of friends in common from law school, so that made the whole introducing your new boyfriend to your friends even easier.

So the first few weeks of our relationship are going great. And then, a huge obstacle is thrown in our road to true love....Easter. Now, I love my family, but my family can be, um, a bit much. They are fantastic people, but a little quirky. My plan was to get Brady to fall madly in love with me, and then introduce him to my crazy family. But then Easter reared its ugly head. I thought I could avoid the whole issue of whether we would spend Easter together. Easter isn't a couples holiday, it isn't romantic. There is no need for such a brand, spanking new couple to spend Easter together. But then, Brady asks about it and suggests we go to my family's celebration and then his family's party. Gulp, ok. I couldn't think of an excuse quick enough, so Brady was going to meet my family on Easter.

We go to my grandma's house on Easter, we walk in the door, Brady and my mom hug. My mom never hugs anyone. Things are looking promising, everyone is getting along. I was worrying about nothing. At one point, I'm standing outside on the patio, Brady is somewhere inside. My sister comes running out and whispers "Mom has Brady cornered in the kitchen, she's interrogating him about your ex-boyfriend." What?! Brady knew my ex, but that does not make it ok for my mom to ask my new boyfriend about my old, kicked to the curb, boyfriend. I freeze for a second in a state of shock and then start to sprint to the kitchen, hurdling a patio chair on my way. I find my mom, with Brady literally backed into a corner of the kitchen and she's asking him about my ex. Brady looks shocked and clueless as to what to do. I grab my mom by the elbow, drag her away, and give her a harsh scolding. I calm down, grab a mimosa, ok crisis averted.

The Easter festivities continue, everyone eats the amazing egg casserole that my grandma always makes. Everything is good. Brady and I are standing by the front door when, all of a sudden, I see my mom and dad charging towards the door. My mom has her dog Maddie tucked under her arm and is yelling at my grandpa, who is clutching his little dog and yelling back. My parents storm past me yelling, "we're leaving," and are gone. What the hell has just happened? Brady is looking at me like, "what the hell is wrong with your family?" Apparently, Maddie and Rosie, my grandparents' dog, were playing. My mom and grandpa thought they were fighting and got in a fight over which dog started the "fight." Which ended in the very bizarre fleeing of my parents from my grandparents' house.

The dog incident was our cue to leave. So we headed over to Brady's family's party. Finally, normal people. Easter was my first time meeting any of Brady's family. I walk in, wearing my best Easter dress, looking like all sweetness and good manners. Brady's aunt is working in the kitchen, so I offer to help. I get assigned the task of putting pie crusts in pie dishes, easy enough. Brady's aunt starts asking me questions, trying to get to know me, ok fine.

Aunt: "So how long have you known Brady?"

Me: "Oh we met at the beginning of law school but we just started dating."

Aunt: disapproving look down her nose at me.

Aunt: "So when, exactly, did you start dating?"

Me: "WTF, you nosy you-know-what, what does it matter?"

Me and what I actually said: "Oh about a month ago."

Aunt: another disapproving look, "hmmmm."

At this point I decide I've had enough of pie crusts and move on from the kitchen to try to get to know the other family members. And I am repeatedly met with cold shoulders. Seriously, no one would talk to me. Except for Brady's grandma and she basically wanted to know what my gpa, class ranking, job plans, credit score, etc.

So I politely eat my Easter dinner and we leave. I ask Brady, "what the hell was that?" He tells me, "oh you are just shy, you just need to open up a bit and they'll love you." Subsequent events with Brady's family were better and with time, I grew to be really close with these people.

A year later, at the next Easter, I finally found out why I had gotten the silent treatment. Brady's uncle pulled me aside and apologized for not being welcoming, and asked that I forgive their behavior as they were all in shock because they did not know Brady had broken up with his previous girlfriend and were very confused when Brady came walking up with a completely different girl on his arm. I told Brady's uncle that of course they were forgiven and then went to have a little chat with Brady. So, yea, that first Easter, Brady conveniently forgot to tell his family that (1) he had broken up with his previous girlfriend of seven years, and (2) he now had a new girlfriend name Courtney. Um, awkward. Only Brady's grandma knew that his previous relationship ended, which explains why she was the only one that would talk to me.

So, the first meetings of each other's families did not go smoothly. And there were many other subsequent awkward family meetings (Brady and my mother once got in a fight over a basket of tortilla chips at a Mexican restaurant.) But now, everyone gets along great, well pretty good, well as good as family can get along.

3 comments:

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  2. I was not in a corner. I did not look clueless. I was shocked at first, but more than spoke my mind (which is what always gets me in trouble).

    Brady

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  3. LOL love this post, sigh men can be a tiny bit clueless sometimes.

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