A bit early...

It's great, the variety of things that kids will come up with. Since Saturday evening, I've been staying with Jim and Wendy and it's been a really good time. They're like family anyway, and now that I'm in a relationship with Jim's daughter, they've picked on me and acted like I'm actual family. Four days into the relationship, and Wendy has already made jokes that I can call Jim "Dad".

With that kind of humor flying around, it was only a matter of time until one of their kids asked a question that turned Jynni's face bright red. After dinner last night, their eight year old stopped her on her way out to join me for a cigarette and asked her, loud enough for everyone to hear (and completely serious), if she was going to get me an engagement ring.

I didn't hear the question, though. All I heard from my perch on the porch was quiet, and then roars of laughter. Jynni RAN out the door yelling "I will not entertain that question!", and came out onto the porch bright red to tell me the tale. Maybe I should point out that their eight year old doesn't always grasp the humor in jokes, but either way, it was hilarious. Four days in? Engagement is not on the agenda any time soon, and I think Jynni would agree.

There was loot to be had, though, from this quest for a relationship. At least until we see each other again, I have her giant d20, which she has affectionately named Colossus. And she stole my Dalek shirt, which was probably going to happen whether or not I got something of hers in return. I've turned her into a Whovian, so it is my punishment. It'll be nice to have something, to help with the long distance. Anyone want to drive me to the Tri-Cities area? :p

Part Two: Unforgiven

Welcome to the second half of last night's post. For this one, there's a little background you need to know.

My stepdad's family is full of horrible people, him excluded, although he could be an ornery bastard when he wanted. A few weeks before he passed, when he was hopped up on pain meds and 100% dependent on his oxygen tank, my stepdad (Jim)'s brother took him in to get the will changed. Long story and one scummy lawyer (that's known Jim's brother since high school) later, Mom got screwed out of the will and was in legal battles for two years after my stepdad died. His family was saying that she was doing horrible things, like tying his oxygen tube in knots and laughing when he couldn't breathe, or beating him and depriving him of his meds -- really fucked-up shit that my mom isn't even twisted enough to do to people she didn't like. Her (now-former) sister-in-law went along with the scumbag brother, even going so far as to straight-up LIE on the witness stand. Everything in the estate had to be sold to pay off the bills that scumbag ran up, which is saying something, since the estate was worth around $125,000 when my stepdad died.

So, yesterday, Mom and I went to the mall, as I mentioned in yesterday's post. After we were done at the ReStore, we got some food from the mall's food court, and were eating it when Jim's sister walked up to us. She runs a store there, filled with crap that she buys at cheap jewelry stores and thrift stores and then marks up a lot. What does she do? She starts talking to us, as if we were okay with her, and then issues some fake apology about the whole situation. Tells us that Jim's dad -- who lied to his son when his son was dying, by saying he'd come see him when Jim called and cried, asking him to -- had died, and Jim's scumbag brother tried doing the same thing with that estate that he had with Jim's. She made up some bullshit line about having realized the truth, and how she was "brainwashed" by her piece of shit brother. Tried to say how much she wished she could do right by us, but it was all lip service, and an attempt to ease her guilty conscience, because she had gotten fucked the same way she helped screw us over. Mom's comment about how they didn't just ruin things for her and me, but completely went against Jim's wishes didn't even get a reaction other than another unconvincing "I'm sorry".

The situation ended with me saying this: "N----, you're not forgiven, and you won't be. You're not welcome near me, or my mother", before we left to take care of the rest of our business for the day. It might have been cold of me to say, but I've thought of FAR worse things to say to that part of my stepdad's family, and even thought of worse to say to her during her "apology" to Mom. And Mom did say a couple things that I think were worse than what I said, but considering the reaction she could have had (and rightfully so, if you ask me), I think we both were fairly reasonable, for the situation.

The rest of yesterday was okay. Finally got ahead on one bill, and don't need to worry about it for another month, and then took a nap before work. Got a great schedule when I came in to work, too -- I don't work again until Monday night. After almost nine days straight, I'm happy to have a "three off, one on, three off" situation between the two schedules. Now, to go to sleep while listening to the movie Eddie and the Cruisers playing in the other room. See you all tomorrow. :)