Chapter 17.2

Mr. Lawrence could only sigh.

"It was the first time in a long time. You respect that but my family's hearts have become cold towards me. I don't know how to get them to warm up to me," he said solemnly.

Even Jeff couldn't help him with that. That was his cross to bear.

About 10 minutes later, as Mr. Lawrence was about to excuse himself, Jeff suddenly held him back.

"I know someone who can help you," he said with a huge smile on his face.

Mr. Lawrence sat back again and looked at Jeff skeptically.

"You really know someone who can help?"

Jeff nodded with all seriousness.

"My dad. Well, the best candidate would be my grandmother, but I think you'd get along with my dad better. The women in our family are the queens. You can learn a thing or two from him," he replied.

Mr. Lawrence still wasn't so sure even after Jeff explained.

"Are you sure you have no ulterior motives here? Like making your dad and I best friends so that it'd be easy for you to propose marriage?" he stared down at Jeff.

"Aha aha aha, you've got me wrong sir. No ulterior motives here. I just want Tina to have one less burden when her parents reconcile."

After he put it that way, there was no longer any objection from Mr. Lawrence.

To no one's surprise, Jeff did have an ulterior motive, and Mr. Lawrence had hit the nail right in the head. Judging from his observation of Tina's mom, she most definitely would get along well with his mom and grandmother.

On the other hand, his dad was a man of few words and might not communicate effectively with Tina's father. So, if he introduced them earlier, they could get along long enough for him to confidently propose to Tina.

Depending on the progress the two men made, he'd propose a family gathering with his and Tina's parents in attendance. He already had Lina and Mrs. Lawrence on his side. Once her father joined in, there'd be no escape for Tina.

Jeff had wanted to call his father right there and then, but Mr. Lawrence stopped him. He said that it'd be rude to consult Mr. Strider over the phone, and what they needed was an official date to meet and discuss.

Jeff was really glad that most of Tina's family members, excluding Martha for now, accepted him fully. Right now, he could consider himself as a half-son-in-law. All that was needed was a formal proposal and marriage and he'd be a full son-in-law.

As soon as he walked into his home, he met those who he expected to be waiting sitting there without disappointing him.

"How was it? Did they like you? Were you accepted?" Mrs. Strider came forward, seeking for information.

It wasn't until he had a seat that he answered all of their questions.

"They liked me as much as you like Tina. We had breakfast and lunch together."

"Breakfast? You had breakfast before you left home though," Sia said.

Jeff laughed awkwardly, "well, I couldn't turn Tina's mom down.

They all nodded in agreement.

"What about her grandmother?" Mrs. Strider asked.

This time around, he could not laugh and could only sigh.

"There was a bit of a commotion during breakfast." He then recounted all that went down and how Mr. Lawrence had handled it.

"Wow! What a wonderful woman. If it was a complete stranger, maybe I would understand her, but this is her granddaughter for Christ's sake. How could she say such hurtful words?" Mrs. Strider and Sia were both exasperated.

"How did Tina take it?" Mr. Strider voiced his concern.

"Immune. The whole family just continued breakfast like Martha and Mr. Lawrence were invisible."

"I guess it has happened a lot to the point where they don't care anymore. That is really sad." Mr. Strider couldn't help but shake his head.

He understood Tina's dad's dilemma. Choosing between one's wife and one's mother wasn't an easy task, but whatever choice is made was a reflection of one's priority.

To him, his mother was his father's responsibility while his wife and children were his own responsibilities. Obviously, Tina's dad chose to be a son over being a husband or a father. As a man himself, he couldn't look down on another man's choice because there was no wrong or right answer.

"Now that we are on this topic, dad, do you think you could help Mr. Lawrence?" Jeff asked.

A little bit confused, Mr. Strider asked his son, "what kind of help is Tina's dad seeking?"

"He wants to make it up to his family, but he doesn't know where to start from," Jeff explained.

"Thank goodness he still knows to be a family man. Poor Tina. She has suffered," Mrs. Strider lamented.

Mr. Strider laughed at his son's suggestion.

"When have you ever seen me dabble in another person's matter? That is the job of the queens in our home," he pointed at Sia and Mrs. Strider.

"Dad. Tina's dad will become my father-in-law, and the Striders' in-law. For us to receive a happy daughter-in-law, she needs a happy family," he reasoned with his father.

"Also, he'd probably feel more comfortable talking to a man about it. Do this for my future, please dad?"

How could Mr. Strider bear to reject his son after he attached the issue to his happiness?

This sly fox!