Meeting Dad

Carly's pictures were the usual family pictures. Naked in the tub, playing in the yard, school pictures. You know the kind I'm talking about. However, the funnest pictures to look at were the dance pictures from high school. I browsed through those pictures. I saw one boy more than once. "Hey Carly, I've seen this boy in more than one dance picture. Is there something you need to share with me? I believe I recall you saying that you didn't have a boy friend. These pics show otherwise."
"Have you ever heard that looks can be deceiving?" Carly said with some superiority in her voice.
"Have you heard, 'Avoid the appearance of evil' by chance?" was my smart Alicky reply.
"Okay, I will concede that, but he was the one who wanted him and me to be an item. I just couldn't do it. I also told him flat out that I was not interested in dating steadily. But he kept asking me out." Carly said.
I noticed the time. Carly's dad should be getting home in a little while. I had managed to forget about it, but I was nervous again. I started to shake my leg. Carly picked up on it and sent me outside to clean out some stuff out of her car. I was happy for the distraction.
"Excuse me, but I think you're in my daughter's car. May I help you?" came the deep sound of fatherly voice.
Needless to say it startled me. So much so that I smacked my head against the inside of the car while trying to pull myself out of the car. With one hand rubbing my head I held out the other. "Yes sir, this is Carly's car. She asked me to clean some of the stuff out of it for her. Oh, I'm Brian, Brian Owens. I'm a friend of Carly's. We work in the same office. You must be Mr. Smith."
"That I am son." He gripped my hand firmly and shook it. "Carly must be inside then. I didn't know she was coming home for a visit."
"Well, Carly wanted to surprise you and the family. She likes to do those kind of things." I said trying to make small talk.
"I guess she brought you home with her to see if we approve of you?" Mr. Smith raised his eye brow with that question.
"Well..." I didn't know what to say. This whole thing caught me so off guard. My mind was scrambling, and I didn't know how to stall for time. "She brought me here so that I could ask you permission to marry her." In the minute or so of talking with Carly's dad, I had decided he liked things to be straight forward. "Mr. Smith may I marry Carly?" After asking this question we both leaned against the car. I could see the tension ease from his shoulders and face. His face became much softer.
"Brian is it? I have one question. The answer to this question will affect your future with my daughter. Do you like Carly?"
I quickly started to reply. "I love y..."
"Stop! You need to think about this question before you reply. When are you two heading home?"
"Sunday." I said being confused.
"Plan to talk with me on Sunday morning. I'd like to go for a walk with you and spend some time with you.
"I have another question...can you act?" Mr. Smith asked with a big smile on his face. I nodded. "Great follow my lead."
I had to walk quickly to keep up with him to the door. "Mel call the cops. I caught this boy trying to steal Carly's car. Hurry!"
"What's wrong Dear?" Melinda called out.
"Hurry call the 911. This kid was trying to steal Carly's car." Mr. Smith started to wrestle with me a bit. I took that as a cue to do some resisting. I started to struggle to get free. He has wrestled me to the floor face down. I kept struggling. Carly's Dad put his knee in my back. All this happened before anyone could get into the front room.
"Daddy." Carly shouted. "Daddy that's my fiance, Brian."
"Your WHAT?"
"Dad that's Brian my fiance."
"Why have we never met this no good for nothing...?"
"Duane get off of him at once." Carly's Mom said.
I started coughing and acting like I couldn't breath.
Mr. Smith rolled me over, "Is this true boy? Do you think you can just waltz in here and steal my daughter from me?"
"Daddy stop it." Mr. Smith offered his hand to help up. He winked at me and he started laughing. That was my cue to start laughing. Carly, Melinda, Dan, and Juli couldn't figure out they had just been duped by their dad.
"Duane, I can't believe you." Melinda slapped Duane on the shoulder. Carly just turned and walked into the other room. This went a lot better than I had anticipated. But I still had Sunday morning to look forward to. Mike and Juli were rolling on the floor, because they were laughing so hard.
Duane went into the kitchen and kissed his wife. She let him kiss his cheek, but she didn't appreciate what he had just done. What I saw was what I wanted after 30 years of marriage.
"Hey Carly, it's good to see you. And a nice surprise. Didn't see any of this coming for sure. It's been a while."
"Daddy, be nice. So much for telling in a nice way."
"Apparently, there's something you need to share with your old man."
"I tell you at dinner." Carly said looking somewhat dejected.
"Give your old Dad a hug and kiss."
"I think you don't deserve a hug and a kiss." with this statement she stuck her nose to the air.
"Okay, if that's the way you feel then, I...I...I think I'll go to bed and not get out all weekend." Duane had said in one of the saddest voices I have ever heard. He even stuck his bottom lip out. Carly caught a sideways glance at him and she started laughing.
"Gotcha."
"Be nice to me Dad. I'm your favoritest oldest daughter."
"That you are." with that Mr. Smith disappeared upstairs.
When Carly looked at me I could see that I was in trouble, but I just shrugged my shoulders and went into the other room.