>>5551305>>5551782>>5553464One town over, there's a suitably family-oriented 'putt-putt' golf course. You made quite an idyllic picture in the past, with your well-bred family. Now, the summer hire is visibly losing his mind, trying to gauge what exactly is going on. Meryl's family is polite enough, but they obviously unsettle him, especially the Dagonian passing off as an albino woman. Her behavior is odd, not really comparative to other developmental issues, more like a cultural difference. For instance, she doesn't speak to the sixteen-year-old behind the counter because she's not the one paying, asking questions of her husband instead of the employee.
It doesn't help that she's insanely good at putt-putt golfing. One might expect a hybrid like her to be somewhat clumsy, with wrongly knit nerves and muscle issues, but she places holes in one every other hole, and patiently waits for everyone else. Only her husband comes close, with Alice, Meryl, and your mother following in that order. You take up the rear guard. These stupid little sticks aren't built for you. Meryl is astonished and offended: Astonished because her mother never displayed this kind of skill before, and offended because her mother has apparently been ignoring her to practice minigolf. That's a rare sentence if you've ever heard one.
"It was a common date night when we were younger," Dr. Cier clarifies. "A good way to ease her into socialization. There are lots of minigolf courses on the coast."
"Yes. We never went as a family because I've psychologically associated it with courtship," Mrs. Cier declares, apparently getting ahead of her daughter. "Which makes it appropriate for now." She smiles, trying to connect with her frustrated daughter. "I assure you, your father is more amiable to this match than mine was to my own." Meryl is remaining calm for your sake, even though by her expression, she's very close to bending the flimsy club in half or warping it over her mother's skull.
Speaking of which, you have an aside with Dr. Cier. <span class="mu-g">That's not going to be a future problem, is it? Her grandpa?</span> "Nope. You have my personal assurance." <span class="mu-g">Okay, but explain what that means.</span> You're not taking any chances at this point. He ponders his phrasing for a second and then replies, "I wanted to marry Kihau. Her father wanted to duel me. He insisted. I obliged." You're sorry you even asked.
Alice is trying to extract herself from this extremely un-cool situation, and amusing herself by flirting with the poor desk employee. It would be unbelievable, except that it really isn't. Your family was barely keeping a lid on the goofiness prior to your meeting Meryl: her family has launched this comedy of errors into orbit. Maybe when you get to Maine things will simmer down. You doubt it, though. At least you'll be several hours away from any shenanigans.
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