Chapter 87: A Not Entirely Welcome Guest

The next week was much like the one before it, with Greg trying to rid his mind of the sexy images of his daughters. He couldn't deny that they had beautiful bodies, the kind that made him think thoughts he shouldn't. No matter how hard he tried to fill his mind with business or other concerns, every so often those images would pop right back in.

With Alya arriving on Saturday, he had plenty of other thoughts to occupy him. Worries, more precisely. He still didn't know how he would manage to keep things civil when he was so opposed to Alya's very existence. She was an affront, an insult to him and everything he stood for. As the week passed and the weekend drew nearer, he found himself feeling more and more on edge, uptight and even occasionally grouchy.

Allison had a talk with him every night, trying to make him see reason. It usually helped to soothe him, but the effect was only temporary, and by morning he was as stressed as ever.

The fateful day arrived, and with the exception of Greg, most of the family looked forward with eager anticipation to meeting her. Finally they would get their chance.

Lissa insisted on driving to the airport alone to pick her up, and for good reason. She wanted some time alone with her girlfriend to explain the mood in the household, and what to expect. No one argued this point with her, so that morning Lissa left the house and drove into town, leaving the others waiting and wondering what the encounter would be like.

Allison, calm as ever, went about her usual routine as if nothing were out of the ordinary, though she got Jeff and Brit to help her do a bit of last-minute cleaning. Greg sat in silence, though he didn't look forward to the inevitable meeting. He didn't know what to expect when Alya arrived, but realized that more than likely it would end in some kind of confrontation. Maybe that was his own fault; maybe he was just too closed-minded to accept the girl as his daughter's lover. But he certainly wasn't happy that this day had arrived.

It was just after lunch time when he heard Lissa's car pull into the driveway. Jeff in particular seemed anxious to meet Alya, not surprisingly if she turned out to be as pretty as Lissa made her out to be. Not that they could really trust Lissa's opinion; when a person was in love, they tended to see only the good in the one they were in love with.

Brit skipped to the front door and opened it. Jeff continued to sit at the table with Greg, apparently not wanting to appear too eager. That was just his way; he tried to always seem casual. He did turn around, however, as soon as the girls appeared in the doorway. From the dining room table they had a clear view of the front door, and as soon as they saw Alya, Greg realized that Lissa hadn't exaggerated one bit. Though not as stunning as Allison, she was still extremely beautiful.

"Come on in," Allison grinned, and Alya hesitantly stepped into the great hall. Lissa took her by the arm and led her into the dining room.

"Everyone, this is my girlfriend Alya," said Lissa. Though her tone was cheerful, Greg couldn't help but sense a hidden challenge there, as if daring anyone to make a big deal of her sexuality. But nobody did.

Allison strode over and threw her arms around the girl. "It's so good to finally meet you!" she exclaimed.

"Likewise," said Alya.

Allison drew away. "So this is our family," she said.

"No need for introductions," Alya said. "Lissa's shown me pictures of all of you." She glanced at Jeff. "You must be the little brother that she had lots of good things to say about. If even half of the things she said are true, then I'm jealous that I don't have a brother, especially one like you."

Jeff actually blushed at the compliment.

"And you must be Lissa's little sister Brit," she said. "You're even cuter in person than in the pictures."

"Thanks," Brit grinned.

"So how was your trip?" asked Greg, perhaps a little more formally than was strictly necessary.

"A little tiring, truth be told. I'm glad it's over."

"Well come and have a seat," Allison smiled. "You just have a nice rest. Jeff, would you be a dear and go get her bags out of Lissa's car?"

"I'd be happy to," he smiled.

"Thank you, Jeff," said Alya. "You're a real gentleman. Of course, the way Lissa's described you, I already knew that."

He beamed at the compliment as Lissa handed him her keys. He headed out to the car, returning a minute later with two suitcases in his hand, making a big deal of carrying both of them at the same time. Greg couldn't fault him for that; as a teenage boy, it was just his nature to want to show off his strength for the girls, especially their new guest. She glanced over and grinned at him from the dining room as he placed them in the hall. Then he came back over and sat down at the table.

"So are you hungry, Alya?" asked Greg. "We just ate, but we can always throw together another sandwich."

"No, Lissa and I picked up some lunch on the way over, but thanks anyway."

"Well then, let's just get these dishes out of your way," said Allison, picking up some of the plates and carrying them into the kitchen. Greg grabbed his own and rose to his feet.

"You really have a beautiful house," Alya commented.

"That's why I married Greg," Allison called from the kitchen. "That and the rest of his money." She said it with a lighthearted tone, almost jokingly; she wasn't ashamed of the fact, and she knew that Lissa had told Alya all about the situation with the family.

"Well, I'm not interested in Lissa for her money," Alya grinned. "I'm interested in her because she's such a good kisser." She leaned in and kissed Lissa on the lips.

Greg froze, a thousand emotions suddenly flooding him simultaneously and overwhelming him. He just couldn't handle the sight of his daughter kissing another woman. He put his plate on the counter and hurried out of the room, ignoring the shocked looks on everyone's faces. He managed to catch the look on Alya's face as he passed her, a frightened and even a little hurt expression. He hurried into his room, then sat down on the bed and stared at the floor, trying to piece together his thoughts.

A moment later, Lissa appeared in the doorway. She came over and sat down beside him. "Daddy," she said meekly, "are you mad?"

He shook his head. "I don't know what I feel right now. I'm just a little overwhelmed."

"I'm sorry," she said. "Would it help if Alya and I weren't so affectionate when you're around?"

"No. It's just something I'm going to have to get used to, that's all. Look, I've told you before that I don't approve of your relationship with Alya."

"So you are mad."

"Yes, but that's only part of it."

"Tell me."

"You want me to list them all? It's a long list."

"I know, but I have to know how you feel, Dad."

Greg sighed. "All right. I'm feeling mad, and a little bit betrayed, because you're acting so contrary to the way I thought I had raised you. But I'm also feeling guilty because of that sailing trip last summer. I wonder if maybe in part I'm to blame. I feel helpless because you're doing something that I don't want you to do, but I'm powerless to stop you. I'm feeling excited at seeing two beautiful young women kissing, and guilty again because one of them is my daughter. I'm feeling lost because I've never thought of how I would act in this situation, I'm feeling happy for you because you've found someone, but I'm worried about what people might think, and even a little jealous because, well, you're not my little girl any more. And that's just what I can think of off the top of my head."

"I'll always be your little girl, Daddy," she said, throwing her arms around his neck.

"But you're all grown up now, and falling in love."

"Yes, but this is even better. Do you know why?"

"Why?"

"Because this way you know you'll always be the number one man in my life."

Greg chuckled. "Okay, you have a good point." He hugged her back tightly. "Thank you, Lissa. You always know what to say to cheer me up."

"Does that mean you're not mad any more?"

"No it doesn't. This isn't something I can get over in just a few minutes. I'm going to need time."

"How much time?"

"Months. Years, maybe. But in the mean time, I can at least be friendly to Alya, because it wouldn't be fair to you if I went out of my way to make you unhappy. I love you, Lissa, even if I don't approve of what you're doing."

"And I love you too, Dad. I'm glad you're willing to put forth this effort. I only wish there was a way I could spare you this pain."

"I know, honey, and I appreciate it."

"Dad, can I tell you something that might help you understand what Alya means to me?"

"Of course, dear."

"Okay. You remember I wrote to you a couple of times about Matt, right?"

"Your old boyfriend?"

"Yes. And how he betrayed me. He did something to me. He changed me. And the person he changed me into ... well, she scares me."

"What do you mean?"

"I thought I was a victim because I allowed myself to be hurt, and because I tried to follow the rules. I thought as long as I had negative emotions-- guilt, sorrow, hurt-- then people could take advantage of me. So I threw all of that off, threw off all of my inhibitions, and became the same thing that Matt was: a monster. I hated him, but I also realized that he wasn't a victim because he didn't feel guilt."

"What are you saying, Lissa?"

"I might as well tell you. For about a month, I was ... well, I was a slut."

"I'm not sure I want to hear this, Lissa."

"Please just listen, Dad. I did whatever I wanted, to whomever I wanted. My motto was 'damn the consequences.' It felt so liberating, so exciting. But at the same time, I was becoming a horrible person. I was willing to sacrifice even my friends and family to get what I wanted.

"And then I fell in love with Alya. It only took a moment. Just one kiss. And I realized I would do anything for her. I started to care again, care about what happened to her, and therefore what happened in general to the people around me. Oh, I'm still a lot more liberated than I used to be, but now I think about the consequences of my actions, especially on the people I care about. I know it sounds so cliche, but it was love that saved me, Daddy. Love for Alya. Without her, I would be a completely different girl. You wouldn't even recognize me."

Greg stared down at the floor again, but he nodded. "Thank you, Lissa. I think I'm beginning to understand why you love her so much. Maybe my disapproval will never go away, but when I hear things like that, it doesn't hurt so much any more." He chuckled. "Now we can add one more emotion to the list." He looked her in the eyes. "Gratitude," he smiled. "If Alya has saved you, then she can't be all that bad."

"There's nothing bad about her," Lissa smiled. "If you give her enough time, I'm sure you'll see that too."

"I'm willing to make the effort, but I can't give you any promises as to the result."

"That's all I want, Daddy. Just try."

He nodded. She took his hand and led him back down the hall to the rest of the family.

By the time he arrived back in the dining room, the mood had brightened. He found Alya sitting and joking with Jeff and Brit. Brit, of course, was teasing her about her lesbian relationship with Lissa, but Alya was taking it rather well. She was fitting in nicely.

As soon as he entered the room, the conversation came to a screeching halt, and all eyes turned to him. An awkward silence filled the room. He decided the only one who could get them past it was him.

"It's all right," he said. "I was just a little overwhelmed there for a minute."

"I'm sorry," said Alya, still looking somewhat nervous.

"You did nothing wrong," he told her. "It's just something I'm going to have to get used to, that's all. I want Lissa to be happy, and I'm going to have to come to terms with the fact that you're the one who can make her happy right now."

She nodded, but still seemed a bit uncertain.

Despite his misgivings, Alya did seem to put a lot of his fears to rest. The way she immediately took to the family reminded him of Kari. He had liked Kari right from the beginning, and was delighted when she started going out with Jeff. Alya had that same friendly, easygoing manner, and fit right in with the kids.

There was something a bit mechanical, though, about how she went about it, and he noticed her occasionally glancing over at him. He thought he knew why. Of all the people in this house, he was the most her enemy, and it was his approval, perhaps more than anyone's except Lissa's, that she wanted. He stopped short of thinking she was putting on an act; if Lissa loved her, she had to be something special after all. But it looked like she was trying just a little too hard.

Despite that, he realized that overall he really didn't mind her. He would even go so far as to say that she was really likable. She had a certain charm, and not just because of her good looks, of which she had plenty. Under any other circumstances, he would love to have her as a guest in his house.

He decided that he needed to talk to her alone, to ease his apprehensions, and perhaps hers as well. Out here in front of the family, there were some things he just couldn't say to her.

"Alya, would you mind coming up to my office for a minute?" he asked at the next lull in the conversation.

She looked a little worried about that. "Um, sure," she said hesitantly. "What do you ... I mean..."

"Let's put it this way. A long time ago I decided that when my girls brought home their boyfriends for the first time, I would have an interview with them. Well, this isn't exactly the same thing, but I'd still like the interview."

"Oh," she said.

"Don't worry," Greg smiled, trying to make it look friendly. "I'm not going to shoot you or anything. Let's just get this over with, okay?"

"Okay," she nodded. Lissa gave her an encouraging smile as she stood up, then Greg and Alya left the room and headed up the stairs to his office. He motioned for her to take one of the couches, and he took the other.

"Let me explain something," Greg told her immediately. "If I want to be formal or even intimidating, I sit behind my desk. The couches are for a relaxed, casual atmosphere. So you can guess the tone I want for this conversation."

"Thanks," she said, still looking a bit nervous. "The last thing I need is for you to be any more intimidating."

"I want you to understand something," Greg said. "I'm very conservative. Some would even call me prudish. So I'm bothered by the thought of my daughter being ... well..."

"A lesbian?" Alya offered.

"Yes. You see? I can't even say it. But she's old enough to make her own decisions about her sexuality. I won't lie; I'm hoping that it's just a phase she's going through that will pass. Not because I don't like you," he added hastily, trying not to give her the wrong impression. "Alya, I think I know what you're doing: you're trying hard to be especially nice to us so that we'll be more accepting of you. Well, the truth is, it's working. Despite my reservations, I like you. Part of me is glad that you're a good friend to Lissa. It's the other part of me that's struggling right now."

"I appreciate your honesty, Greg," she replied. "And I can understand how hard it must be. This is my first romantic relationship with a girl, and I'm glad it's with Lissa. She means everything to me, and I would do anything for her. I know that's not what you want to hear right now. You want to think it's just a superficial relationship that will end in a couple of months, but that's not going to happen. I don't like that it makes you uncomfortable, but there's really nothing I can do short of giving her up, and that's something I'm not willing to do. I just hope that you can accept me for who I am, because I really don't want to see you as an enemy, and I hope you won't see me as an enemy either."

"Then I'm going to need your help," said Greg. "You see, I'm torn between feeling that there's something inherently wrong with your relationship, and feeling that what's wrong is with me. Although I was never very religious, I was brought up in a strict home with strong beliefs about right and wrong. Two women being in love was something that was quite simply beyond comprehension. So is this kind of thing bad, like I was always brought up to believe, or do I just need to get over my intolerance? I don't know. But I love my daughter, and if she's going to get involved in a long-term relationship of this kind, I'm going to have to learn to deal with it. So help me. Prove to me that this is good for her. That you're good for her. I think if you can convince me of that by the time you leave, I can manage the rest."