This is chapter 13 of a series. If you like this story, I encourage you to read earlier chapters as they can help understand characters and context. In any case, please do provide feedback. There are obvious sequels to this series, and I would be happy to hear your suggestions for how to improve it.
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Andy had been looking forward to this date. It was well known at the college that Andrew had a crush on Alice but he had always been too meek to ask her out. The experience in Mr. Peters' class had broken the ice and taught him an important lesson (see Chapter 5): Alice was in fact attracted to him and that the way to her heart was to be more forceful and assertive. She wanted him to take charge, to be the man. If he did assert himself, she willingly complied.
He told her that he would pick her up at 7:00PM to take her to dinner. He had not known at the time where, but he decided that he would like it to be a fairly upscale restaurant, one that would impress her. He arrived at her house at precisely 6:55PM. He knocked on her door.
Her father opened the door, not particularly pleased to see a young man who had come for his daughter. "Yes?" he inquired, but knowing full well why Andrew was there.
"Hello Mr. Campbell." He held out his hand to shake the hand of Mr. Campbell. "I'm Andrew Storr; I'm here for Alice?"
Mr. Campbell liked the fact that he said it as a question. He liked it when Alice's dates were apprehensive in his presence. It made it clear to him that they would not dare try anything with Alice. He replied, "Yes, I know," expressing no enthusiasm. He shook the boy's hand, being sure to provide an excessively hard grip, almost smiling when he saw the boy grimace as he pinched his fingers.
Andy was intimidated by Mr. Campbell. He had been determined to be assertive with Alice, as he knew that this was what she liked but he was not off to a good start with her father, who was clearly putting him in his place. "Yes sir," he said for no apparent reason, other than to let Mr. Campbell know that he recognized his authority.
"Yes, well, why don't you come in son. I will let her know that you are here." He waved Andrew into the foyer. Andy stepped in, being sure not to go much farther than the entrance. He noticed how her father referred to him as "son," again letting him know of his authority over him. Andy was a psychology major, and he often speculated on the underlying motives of persons, how they appeared to take complementary roles with one another. He also knew that daughters often liked their men to be like their fathers. If this was true, it was immediately evident to him what kind of man Alice wanted.
Mr. Campbell strolled down the hall, not in any particular hurry, and then called for his daughter. "Alice, a young man is here for you. Do you wish to see him?"
It seemed to Andrew that her father wouldn't miss a single opportunity to slight him. Of course she wanted to see him, they had a date. Her father though liked the idea of suggesting that Andrew might have to be told to leave. Andrew waited patiently.
"Daddy, yes, it's Andy. Is he here already?"
Mr. Campbell looked back at Andrew, and said, "Yes, I believe he is. Are you here early young man?"
"Just a bit, sir," Andy respectfully replied. He was not really early. He wondered if he should say that he will wait outside a few more minutes and then knock again, but he kept his sarcasm to himself. He could feel the temptation to meet her father's authoritarianism with defiance but that would only give Mr. Campbell the excuse to escalate his behavior. Andy waited patiently.
"Yes, apparently so," Mr. Campbell replied.
Mrs. Campbell then appeared from the kitchen, drying her hands on an apron. "My goodness father, a young man is here? Well, you ninny, invite him in." She smiled sweetly at Andrew. "Please, come in, my goodness," she gestured invitingly to Andy to come further into the house. "You must be Andrew Storr. Obviously, I am 'mom.'" She laughed at referring to herself as "mom."
Andy was instantly taken by her beauty. Mrs. Campbell was a striking woman. Andy could tell from whom Alice got her physical attractiveness. Andy didn't move in response to her gesture to enter, in part because he did not want to incur any further criticism from Mr. Campbell but also because he was simply frozen by her appearance. She had medium length blonde hair. Unlike Alice, however, her hair was straight. Her eyes were narrow, as were Alice's, but they were even more so. Mrs. Campbell's eyes reminded Andy of Renee Zellweger. They were more squinty than narrow, providing a sense of modesty or passivity. Her smile also reminded Andy of Bridget Jones, although Mrs. Campbell was not at all pudgy or overweight, as was Ms. Zellweger in Bridget Jones' Diary. Her figure was actually fantastic. Andy had the image of the Zellweger character Dorothy Boyd in Jerry Maquire, but with larger breasts. They were not well displayed though behind her apron and matronly dress.
In any case, she was also very friendly and engaging. Mrs. Campbell was not the least bit passive with respect to welcoming her guests. She simply would not have Andy standing uncomfortably at the door. She walked up to him and took his arm to draw him into their house. Andy instantly felt her warmth, perhaps even affection. Mr. Campbell furrowed his brow in disapproval, but didn't say anything.
"Andrew, really, please do come in. I have been dying to meet you." She brought Andy into the kitchen that was adjoining the hallway. "Here, I have been making some brownies for my daughter's, my other daughter's, Terrie, her school's bake sale. Please, you must try one and let me know what you think." She set him down at the kitchen table and brought him a fresh brownie. The contrast in the behavior of Alice's parents was striking. Mr. Campbell followed them into the kitchen, helping himself to a brownie, but standing apart from the two of them. Mrs. Campbell poured Andy a glass of milk and sat down next to him at the table.
"Well, Andy, tell me all about yourself. Where are you taking Alice tonight? Oh, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked that, it really isn't my business you know. Do your parents live nearby or are you from out of town?" She stopped her flurry of questions and allowed Andy to respond.
Andy and Mrs. Campbell had a nice, pleasant conversation. He found it much easier to talk to her. She appeared to be sincerely interested in him and wanted him to enjoy being within their home. He relaxed. The ease of their conversation was helpful, as Alice did not make her appearance for at least another fifteen minutes. Andy went through three of Mrs. Campbell's brownies. She was pleased that he liked them so much.
Alice entered the room with the flourish of her mother. "Andy, hello, I hope I didn't keep you waiting," she said with a big smile. She had kept him waiting but he didn't at all mind. He had been enjoying his conversation with her mother, as well as the brownies, and Alice's arrival was worth the wait. Andy found Mrs. Campbell to be attractive but Alice was stunning. She was incredibly pretty, with sparkling green eyes and long lashes that seemed to flutter as she laughed. She was no longer dressed in her school uniform. She was now wearing a short sleeve summer dress that reached beyond her knees. It was dark blue with little pink flowers scattered throughout. The dress was not tight but the cotton fabric was thin, draping well across her breasts, which were swinging with every bit of movement. Alice's breasts were moderate in size, but in this dress they were well displayed. The fabric seemed to wrap around each one, clinging to their roundness. He wasn't even sure whether she was wearing a bra beneath the thin cloth, as he could clearly detect them wigging with each step and turn.
"Do you like my new dress, Andy?" Alice asked, twirling around for him, causing the skirt to rise up and her breasts to bounce. Andy gulped with discomfort, not wanting to appear that he noticed how sexy she looked yet also wanting to acknowledge her attractiveness. Mr. Campbell's eyes widened in concern.
Andy replied, "Yes, Alice, yes, you look very pretty in it," and that was no lie. Alice reminded everyone at school of Teri Garr in Young Frankenstein. She had wavy blonde hair and pursed lips, as if she was always getting ready for a kiss, although not really appearing to actually be aware of it. She even spoke in the high tones and naive innocence of the Inga character.
"Now, Alice, you quit that showing off, you're making Andy uncomfortable." Mrs. Campbell apparently noticed that Alice was being a bit of a tease yet didn't seem to mind, or at least she also found it to be innocent fun rather than inappropriate.
