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Even before she’d rung the doorbell, the door swung open and the lady of the manor appeared, with Daddy by her side. They both seemed pleased to see her, but when they caught sight of Jay, that initial excitement quickly made place for a look of confusion.

“Mommy, Daddy,” she said proudly, her voice wobbly with excitement, “I want you to meet Jay.” She had planned to wait, but she was bubbling over with such a sense of pride that she suddenly blurted out, “We’re engaged!” And with a flourish, she held up her hand, on which a very modestring featured. It had belonged to Jay’s mother, and was the best he could do on such short notice.

She’d pictured her parents’ faces many times when confronted with the big news, though she had to admit that in her imagination they’d never looked like they did now. Instead of glowing with pride and effusively sharing her happiness, they looked stunned. Too stunned for speech, though that didn’t take long.

Matilda Twine was the first to recover from the shock.“Have you lost your mind!” she screamed. Not exactly a ringing endorsement, as endorsements go.

Jay now stepped to the fore, anxious to make a good impression and possibly feeling that things weren’t going according to plan. “My name is Jay Green,” he said, with outstretched hand. “And can I say how happy I am to finally make your acquaintance?”

“You have got to be kidding,” said Algis Twine. Like his wife, he now appeared intensely displeased with his daughter’s surprise announcement.

“No, I’m not,” said Laia. “Jay is my fianc?, and we’re getting married.”

“All I want to say is that—” said Jay, but Daddy talked right over him.

“He’s an artist!” Daddy cried. “And a penniless artist, no less.”

“He’s not penniless,” said Laia.

“He lives in a dump!”

Laia stared at her parent.“How do you know Jay is an artist, and how do you know where he lives?” And then the horrific truth came home to her. “Oh, my God! Have you beenspying on me?!”

But Daddy waved her emotional outburst away.“He doesn’t have a cent to his name. He doesn’t even own the apartment where he lives, and it wouldn’t surprise me if you’ve been using the rent we pay to support the both of you.”

“Youhave been spying on me!”

“Of course we’ve been keeping an eye on you! What do you expect?”

“All I want to say,” Jay repeated, “is that—”

“This is outrageous,” said Laia. “You’ve actually gone and hired a detective?”

“A friend of ours had seen you,” said Mommy. “In town, with this…” She gestured to Jay, giving him a distinct look of distaste. “This… loafer!”

“He’s not a loafer,” said Laia, crossing her arms in front of her chest. “Jay is a very talented artist, and what’s more, he’s my fianc? and we’re in love.”

“You must be mad,” said Mommy in response. “Absolutely stark-raving mad!”

“Madly in love, you mean.”

“Can I just say,” said Jay, trying once more to put in his two cents. “That I love your daughter very much and—”

“He already has you living in that dump you call an apartment!” Mommy cried. “Between the cockroaches and the rats!”

“Like I said, Jay is an accomplished and very talented artist,” said Laia. “And it won’t be long before he makes a name for himself and breaks into the big time.”

“Oh, honey, just dump the guy,” said Daddy. “He’s obviously a flake.”

“He’s not a flake!”

“I asked Martin, who owns a gallery on Hudson Street, and he says he’s never even heard of the guy. And if Martin doesn’t know him, I can tell you no one does.”

“It’s true that he isn’t a household name yet,” she admitted reluctantly, “but he will be once the world realizes what an amazing talent he is.”

“He’s a nobody!”

“Oh, honey, just snap out of it,” said Mommy, “and move back home. This is just one of those things, don’t you see?”

“Yeah, one of those phases,” Daddy agreed.

“Look, can’t we come in and talk about this like grown-ups?” she said, since they still hadn’t moved past the threshold.

“You can come in,” said Mommy, “but not…him.”

“Jay is my fianc?,” she insisted. “And I’m not going anywhere without him.”

Jay cleared his throat.“I just want you to know how pleased I am to finally meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Twine, and I can assure you—”

“I’m afraid you’ll have to choose, Laia,” said Mommy, her expression hardening. “Either you come in alone, or you don’t come in at all.”

“Okay, so be it,” said Laia, who could be as stubborn as her mother. “Then I won’t come in.”

“Fine,” said Mommy.

“Fine,” said Laia.

“Then I guess we’re done here. Come, Algis.”

And before Laia’s astonished eyes, the door was slammed in her face!

Jay frowned.“What just happened?”

Laia took him by the arm, her initial disappointment and dismay quickly morphing into a sort of righteous rage.“I think they just kicked me out.”

“Kicked you out? But they’re your family.”

“Yeah, well, looks like you’re my family now.”

She stared at the closed door for a few seconds more, vaguely hoping her parents would change their mind. But when that didn’t happen, she gave the door a vicious kick, uttered a scream of frustration, then stomped off.