Chapter Two: Conjugal Consequences
Karen retains her loose composure after the shock of her eldest son's engagement wears off. She forces a smile to appear on her face, but her puzzlement still remains.
"You two are getting married?" Karen questions aloud. "Well, if you two really want that…."
Jack and Tony soon walk in through the front door, and Jack's face glows crimson when he sets eyes on Mint.
"You aren't here on behalf of your father, are you?" Jack questions unreceptively.
"I won't let you speak to my fiancé that way, Dad!" John exclaims.
"She's your fiancé! What're you on, boy?" Jack exclaims fumingly.
"Mr. Harvest," begins Mint nervously, slowly gaining more confidence, "frankly, your son and I don't give a hoot about this feud my father and you seem to have. I love John with all my heart, and he the same. We aren't exactly young people anymore, nearing 40, and have been through a lot of heartache, so we aren't love-sick teenagers."
Jack opens his mouth to speak but quickly shuts it. He looks to his youngest son and Karen for the proper response.
"I'm sorry you had to hear that, Mint," Karen says kindly. "It's still morning yet; would you like some breakfast?"
John looks to his wife, who smiles at Karen because of her kindness, though possibly affected. Jack purposely looks away as the other three venture into the dining room, and then he looks at Tony with an obviously disgusted appearance.
"I can't believe what your brother just did! He didn't even have the balls to say anything till they became engaged." Jack exclaims in a hushed tone.
Tony shakes his head, sharing his favored parent's feelings, and asks, "I probably speak for both of us when I say I don't have an appetite."
"Yeah…. We might as well finish in the fields and get it off our minds," Jack suggests, edging towards the door.
Karen sets down three plates and begins to dine with John and his prospective wife. The mood at first is silent, but Karen attempts to ease the atmosphere.
"Have you two set a date or anything like that?" she questions curiously.
"We haven't an idea yet, Mom," John answers.
"I have to admit… I'm in a bit of an awful way that Jack thinks so lowly of us," Mint says arbitrarily.
"Don't worry, he'll come around to love you like I love you. You have to know the way my dad thinks," John assures.
"As long as he loves me, not in the way you do," Mint answers jokingly, starting laughter among the three of them.
"We shouldn't become too caught up in laughter yet…. There's still your own father to deal with," John mentions drearily.
"Jack didn't kill us yet, so I'm not too worried," Mint states confidently.
Karen stands up quickly and leaves the room as a thought quickly springs to mind.
"I left your grandfather upstairs and forgot to check back on him," she mutters.
The Harvest matriarch enters Gotz's customized quarters and is relieved to see that he has not spilled any of his soup.
"What in the heck was that entire ruckus about downstairs?" he questions somberly as Karen retrieves his empty bowl.
"You won't believe it," Karen starts with a smirk, "but John came home with his fiancé."
"I didn't even know he was engaged. Who is she?"
"Mint Green – you know, Gray and Popuri's daughter…."
"You're kidding me!" Gotz mutters in a shocked manner. "What did Jack have to say to that?"
"He had quite a bit to say. John seems to think he'll warm up to Mint, but I know he won't…. I'm amazed, though, because Mint doesn't seem at all insecure about this. She's going in this head-on," Karen answers.
"Does Sasha know yet?"
The sound of her granddaughter's name startles Karen; she hasn't even begun to contemplate her possible reaction yet.