Family Tradition Ch. 02

Family Tradition, Chapter 2

By greenday0418

*****

Chapter 2 The actual proposal and the showdown.

This Chapter is in Loving Wives, "Family Tradition" by BigGuy33 can be found at https://www.literotica.com/s/family-tradition-4.

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We arrived at Millie's, and Mary went to the kitchen while I went to the barn. Joe, Frank, Jeff, Tom, John, and a few other cousins Frank introduced me to were out there drinking beer, so I grabbed a cold one and sipped it. Joe must have spilled the beans because they were teasing me. When the call came for, "Wash your hands and come eat," I was relieved.

The men had carried out four long picnic tables earlier that afternoon, and as much as Mary tried, we ended up at different tables, according to the plan. The food came out, carried, by the women, teenage girls, and pre-teen girls. The ratio had to be three females for every male.

The meal was fantastic, and dessert would be served two hours later. I received the nod from Joe to get moving on my proposal. I stood up when I saw Mary talking to a cousin, and I snuck around behind her. That was the cue for Frank to stand up and put some terror in his granddaughter.

"May I have your attention, please?"

Frank waited, then raised his voice, "Quiet down, girls." He had to wait about fifteen seconds before he could continue, "Henry has something he wants to ask Mary, so I want quiet."

Mary looked where I had been sitting at the mention of my name, and my seat was now empty. We discussed this last night in bed; I didn't want to scare her; I wanted her to pretend to be scared.

"Henry! Where are you? Grandpa, where's Henry? Did he leave?" She jumped up and bumped into me when she turned around. "Henry, I thought you...."

I hugged her as she whispered, "How was that? Do I look terrified?"

"Perfect." I pushed her away and shouted, "Mary, we need to talk."

She was trying so hard not to laugh, and I almost spilled the beans myself. I took her hand and led her into the center of the tables, where I faced her, "Mary," I said, and I knelt on one knee, "Will you marry me?"

She started jumping and screaming and managed to nod and yell, "YES." I pulled a box out, and there was a 1.5-carat oval diamond on an 18k gold ring inside. I placed it on her finger, stood up, and gave her a big kiss while a chorus of oohs and aahs came from the girls. What an actress she was.

Everyone started clapping, and the men were shaking my hand, and the women were hugging me, and John was staring at me like I was dead.

After dessert, I drove home as Mary admired her ring. My family already knew what I was planning, and Mom was eagerly awaiting a phone call when we got home.

*****

September changed to October, and the plans for a May 1^st wedding were taking shape. I was left out, and that was okay with me.

All too soon, Halloween arrived, and I decorated the outside of our condo while Mary and her students decorated their classroom with a fall theme and a few scary characters.

Thanksgiving, we celebrated with Mary's family, and on Black Friday, I watched football with Dad and Ted while Mom and Mary went shopping for bargains.

*****

Christmas Eve was at Millie's, and now, every time we see each other, we draw swords and duel with words. I decided to be super nice to Millie today. As I walked past the kitchen, I saw her struggling to pull the ham out of the oven, so I walked into the kitchen, "Let me get that, Millie."

I set it on the island in the kitchen as Joe came in with his carving knife. After the ladies brought the food out to the table, I pulled Millie's chair out for her and then sat next to her. I pretended to be interested in our wedding plans and offered my help if needed. After dinner, I helped clear off the table and then washed dishes, pots and pans. When we were ready to exchange gifts, I saw Mary and Millie out on the porch, having a heated discussion.

I started to go out when Lois intercepted me and asked a question about life insurance. I tried to get past her, but she managed to stay between me and the front door until Millie came back in and waved me over.

"Excuse me, Lois, Millie wants me. Um, I didn't say that right. I meant; she wishes to speak to me."

I followed her out onto the porch where Mary was waiting, looking very angry.

Since I was the man, it must have been something I did. I put my arm around Mary and asked Millie, "What did I do wrong?"

"Why were you so nice to me today? We have not been exactly friendly toward each other since you began seeing Mary."

"That's why I decided to take the first step, Millie. You know, break the ice, take one for the team."

Both of them looked at me like I was speaking in Russian.

"I thought if I spent some time with you, get to know my future mother-in-law, and show you I'm not above helping in the kitchen, you would appreciate it."

The two women exchanged looks, and I continued speaking.

"Mary, you haven't said anything to me, but I know it bothers you that Millie and I are tense around each other. Did I break a family rule by clearing the table and washing the dishes?"

They both ran inside and up the stairs, followed by Lois and Agnes. I think they were crying. I walked back in, closed the door behind me, and then bumped into Frank, Joe, and Jeff.

Joe looked at me, "What did you say?"

So I told them almost word for word what happened on the porch, and all three had a shocked look for a second, then they burst into laughter.

The people in this family have escaped from an insane asylum or are concealing a horrific and dark family secret. I'm not sure which one was true, but I planted a thought in my head to never go down into the basement, ever.

I slumped down on the sofa with a beer and wondered what I should do now? John told me last Christmas I should dump Mary and run. Was he right? I was beyond confused.

Frank came over and sat next to me, "Henry, my man, you fell in love with a girl who has a family that belongs in Ripley's Believe it or Not museum. I have stories from when I courted Agnes that would make your experience a minor Fairy Tale. Someday, I'll tell you some, but right now...." Frank was looking behind me when he interrupted his speech to me.

I didn't turn to look, but Frank told me who was coming. "Uh-oh, here they come, boy. Smile for the four hundred pound gorilla in the room, my wife, daughter, and granddaughter. I love them to death, but sometimes I'd like to take them on a one-way boat ride."

Millie gave me a hug and a kiss on the cheek, Mary gave me her wet tongue, and Lois gave me the hug Agnes should have given me. Agnes just glared at me with evil black eyes.

We opened presents and ate dessert, hot apple pie ala mode with vanilla ice cream. We left soon after dessert and were on the way home when I asked the question, "Mary, what was all of the drama about today?" I didn't expect Mary to answer with a lie.

She hesitated, cleared her throat, and said, "She thought you were trying to be a smart ass by doing woman's work without being asked."

Say what?

"Woman's work! What the hell is woman's work in the twentieth century? There's no stigma for a man to wash dishes anymore. That can't be the whole reason."

"Momma thought I put you up to doing that, that I told you to clear the table and wash dishes to aggravate her."

Bogus, total bullshit. Do I come back with a remark I'll regret and start a fight, or just drop it? The one thought on both my heads was sex. So I dropped it because I was horny, and we have gone without all week.

*****

Christmas morning, we woke up at the same time to a disheveled bed with the covers pulled down and bunched at our feet. The two of us were rolled up in the sheet, and mister happy was wedged between her thighs. Before Mary could tell me to stop, I slid into the magic squeezebox, and she stopped complaining until we finished. Then we had to untangle ourselves from the cocoon we pulled around us. After a hot shower and getting dressed, I let Mary drive to my parents' house, where Mom was making breakfast.

When we opened presents, Mary's gift to me was an old pocket watch on a gold chain. I gave Mary a set of diamond earrings and a pendant to be worn around her neck. We finished a wonderful day when we went over to my Uncle Jacob's home, and after dinner there, we sang Christmas songs and danced, a superb finish to Christmas Day.

When we left to drive home, I was behind the steering wheel because Mary was having trouble seeing the road. Tears will do that to you and she struggled to speak, "Henry, that was the most beautiful Christmas I have ever had. Your family doesn't argue or fight; they just have a good time."

*****

We stayed home on New Year's Eve and watched TV, even though the sound was on mute. The next day my parents and Mary's parents came over to our condo, and the men watched football while the ladies made a light supper.

After everyone had gone home, Mary and I compared notes. Joe told me that both of her brothers refused to come to avoid being ordered around by their mother. Mary informed me that her mother tried to act holier than thou on my Mom, and bless her heart, Mom finally responded by telling Millie to drink a couple of cups of wine, and she won't be such a bitch.

Four more months until we marry, will I survive?

*****

Mary, her mother, and Aunt Lois were making all the wedding plans. Lois would be Mary's maid of honor, and my friend Ted would be my best man. Mary told me they had reserved the church on May 1^st and placed a deposit on the VFW hall for a family reception. Valentine's Day was coming up, and I was going to take Mary out for dinner.

*****

We went to a seafood restaurant for dinner on February 14th. After ordering, I looked at Mary and started the conversation, "Mary, my love, how did we make it this far without one of us running away, screaming?"

"My mother sure has made the last year interesting, as well as my grandmother."

"I can only hope there are no more surprises before we get married. I don't think I can take one more shock to my system."

Mary started coughing like she was choking on something, but she stopped after drinking some water. After that, she was silent and sad the rest of the evening. Usually, she has an excellent appetite, but tonight, she nibbled on her dinner. On the ride home, she was silent while I was thinking, 'Her mood went downhill when I brought up no more surprises.'

"Mary? Is there something we need to discuss, anything you need to tell me, perhaps a family secret or custom, something I need to know about before we wed?"

She started bawling and managed to speak while sobbing, "I can't believe you would ask me that." Then she clammed up and didn't speak to me for three days. It wasn't until I stopped trying to make peace with her, stayed out all night without calling, that she apologized, and the make-up sex was spectacular.

Still, I had a feeling trouble was lurking close by.

*****

The days went by fast if we were happy and dreadfully slow if we were not. We had just finished cleaning up after dinner on Friday, eight days before the wedding, when Mary made my heart skip a beat by announcing, "Henry, come into the living room with me. There's something we need to talk about."

'We need to talk' ruined my day. I was just worried about why she used those words and why now, a week before our wedding. Is this the surprise Mary glossed over when I asked her about it on Valentines' Day?

We sat together on the love seat, not touching, and Mary was very nervous. I could tell she was having some trouble getting started, so I thought I'd try to help her out a bit.

"Mary, what's going on?"

She turned to me with a look of horror.

She looked scared, and then she had a guilty look on her face. "Henry, love, I need, um, well, it's a conversation I've known was coming for years, but it's still hard to get started."

"Years? And where was this conversation when I asked on Valentines' Day?"

Mary turned but couldn't look at me; she ignored my question, then decided there was nothing to do but say it. "When you proposed, and I accepted, Henry, I knew this conversation would be taking place today."

"I repeat my question. When I asked you on Valentines' Day, you started crying and got angry. Why didn't you bring it up then?"

She was looking at her feet and wringing her hands together when she ignored my statement again and spoke, "Henry, you do know how close my family is to each other and how much they love you, right?"

She still didn't answer my question. I don't think she will.

"The women are close to each other, not so with the men. That they love me; I'm not sure, tolerate, yes."

"With our wedding a week away, there's one last thing that needs to be done before we wed. It's called the family 'Tradition,' and it comes into play whenever there's a marriage. For many generations, this custom has been a way of bringing the husband and the wife's family together."

"You mean like getting naked in the basement and having an orgy?"

"Henry, that's gross. Stop being sarcastic."

"Yea, whatever. Get to the punch line."

"You know, of course, that we talked about me staying with my parents starting tonight. You won't see me until I'm walking down the aisle with my Dad on the day of the wedding. Well, the Friday night before the wedding, my Mother will come here and spend the night with you."

"Uh-huh, oh joy, a night with Millie. Go on, continue. I know there's more sadness ahead."

"The 'Tradition' is about Millie and you, Henry, getting to know each other in a Biblical sense."

"Mary, I'm tired and angry that you lied to me in February. Spit it out."

Taking a deep breath, she looked me straight in the eye and said, "Henry, you'll be spending Friday night fucking my Mother."

What kind of shit is this? Well, that wasn't on the list of surprises I had thought of.

"Do I fuck just Millie, or do I have to fuck Aggie also?"

"Stop joking. I'm serious." She stared at me, and I stared back. "This has gone on for generations whenever a daughter gets married."

"And you're telling me that your Dad fucked Grandma Agnes? Poor Joe, I pity the fool."

"Like a champ, from what Grandma has to say about it, and yes, Grandpa Frank fucked Great Grandma Alice. And on and on back through generations of people you've never even heard of, let alone met."

All this is a horrible joke; it has to be. I walked to the front door to see if the family was there, waiting to yell 'Surprise.' No one there; all was quiet outside.

Since I didn't speak, Mary continued talking. "Look, Henry, I know this has been quite a shock. You don't have to decide right now; the week I'm spending with my parents this week will give you time to think about it. Please remember how very important this is. You can say no if you want, but that means we can't get married, and we'd have to break up. But I know how much you love me, and you'll do this for me."

Shaking my head in disbelief, I went into the bedroom and pulled my travel bag and a suitcase out of the closet. I filled my travel bag with my one suit and enough slacks and shirts to carry me through work the following week. I put a week's worth of socks and underwear in my suitcase along with two pairs of shoes. I filled my travel kit with toothpaste, toothbrush, and shaving gear before dropping it in my suitcase and zipping it up. Grabbing my suitcase and travel bag, I walked out of the bedroom toward the front door.

"Henry! Why are you leaving? Where are you going?"

"Don't concern yourself, dear. I still need my job, for now, until I talk to my Dad. I'm putting the decision back on your shoulders now. I don't need a week, a day, an hour, or a minute to give you my answer. My answer is thanks, but no thanks, nope, not in this lifetime, no way Jose, capital N capital O, NO!"

She was sinking into the sofa.

I was on a roll and was speaking louder, "Forget the 'Tradition' and marry me Saturday, or give me my ring back. Let me know by Friday. That's my counter offer."

I put my bags down and faced Mary, "You know when I first saw you, I thought you were an angel, but I was wrong. You're nothing but a liar whose Mother is a bitch, and her grandmother is a witch. Choke on that, Mary."

She leaped off the couch without a word and barely made it to the bathroom before dinner shot into the toilet.

I stayed in the living room for a minute, then stuck my head through the bathroom door.

"The truth hurts, doesn't it? You have one insane family."

She started heaving again.

"It's all right, Mary. I know this has been quite a shock. That's why I told you now; the week you're spending with your parents will give you time to think about whether to give me my ring back or marry me."

Hah! Take that, miss. 'We need to talk.' Right back at you.

She stood up and reached for me, but I pushed her away. "Stop, Mary! I don't want you to touch me."

I left the bathroom, and she followed me. I pointed at the bed and yelled angrily, "SIT!"

I was beyond anger; I was ten seconds from wrapping my fingers around her neck. "Infidelity is a sin I would never commit because of the pain that action would inflict on you. There are no other women in the world who could steal my heart as you did. It looks like thinking about pre-marital adultery is inflicting more pain on me than on you."

She reached out to me, and I brushed her hand away.

"If we stayed engaged for ten more years, I still wouldn't change my mind and fuck your Mother. Respect is something earned, and the pond scum you call family has lost mine."

"Henry, my love, don't push me away. Sleeping with my Mother won't affect my love for you." Now she had a look of shock on her face.

"Well, it has affected my love for you, Mary. I would have trusted my life to you because I knew you would have my back. I love you with everything I have, but this has to be the worst thing you could do a week before the wedding." I was on a roll.

"And why did you wait until a week before the wedding? I guess that's part of the 'Tradition'; wait until you've hooked him, reeled him in, and then a week before the wedding, gut him with an ultimatum." I was pacing back and forth, making fists with my hands and then opening them, over and over.

A light shined into my stressed little mind, reminding me of something that happened on Christmas Eve.

I got angry, and I yelled, "You lied to me on Christmas Eve. Your mother thought you told me about the 'Tradition,' which made her think I was excited to sleep with her by the way I was acting. That's why she was angry with you. She doesn't know me very well because I wouldn't even masturbate on her."

Her face was frozen in shock, tears running down her cheeks. My reaction was not what she was expecting.

"Why couldn't you say something when I proposed, or even when we first made love? At least then, I could run away and not feel too much pain."

"Henry, I couldn't; the 'Tradition' only allows one week's notice."

"Bullshit. Here's a better explanation, if the women in your family told their boyfriends about this ridiculous 'Tradition' early enough, almost all the good men would head in the other direction at full speed. The ones who stayed would likely be the losers sitting alone at the bar."

"It's not like that...."

"Quiet. Let me tell you a story, non-fiction, because all the pieces are now fitting together in my mind. Your Mother wants no more than a seven-day notice because first, you needed to hook me. After you fucked me a few times, I was invited to dinner and allowed to hang out with the men, listen to their stories, and then think to myself, what great people they are, and I am so lucky to be allowed to join them."