Chapter 55.1-Meet the Parents

Author's Note-I have opted to include Caleb and Hope's wedding in with "A Race Against Time" rather than the bachelor challenge as Caleb is no longer an eligible bachelor and there will be several references made to the main story in the three wedding updates.

The production company needed the house back that they used for the program, but offered the couple use of a different house until they returned home.  It was the first time a couple who met on The One actually did get engaged and they knew this would bring the ratings up.  Caleb and Hope both felt uneasy about the offer as there must have been strings attached.  The house was large and with all the family heading in they decided to accept the offer anyway.  When Going Solo Productions insisted on televising the wedding, the couple declined as they wanted this to be a private family event.  The producers didn't push the issue as they didn't want to offend their special guest judge for Sunset Valley Idol,  Wolfie Landgraab.

Hope's family was first to arrive.   As she was happy to see all of them, she was fearful of her father's reaction to all this.  Knowing her father, he couldn't have been happy and she was sure her mother had to calm him down several times the past few weeks.  If her father had his way, he would sent all his daughters to live in a convent.  She knew that her father was getting ready to give Caleb the third degree and he wasn't going to go easy on him.  Caleb thought with them both being vamps, he might be able to win her father over, but Hope knew better and warned Caleb before time.  Caleb had no idea what he was in store for.

His future mother-in-law Cora was a lovely woman and they got along just fine.  Hope's sister Erin clearly was watching the show and was more than ready to welcome him into the family.  Her brother Carter, liked the idea of a vampire brother-in-law and the fact that there would be another male member of the family, as all he had were sisters.  Hope had already explained to Caleb that her twin sister Grace was very shy and quiet, it would take time to get to know her.  He planned to be in this family for a very long time, so he had no problem giving her all the time she needed to become comfortable.

That was the easy part but now he met the one family member he knew would be most critical of him, his future father-in-law.  Somehow he knew he had to earn this man's trust as he knew Hope wanted her father to walk her down the aisle with his blessing.

Caleb: Hello Mr Gruber, Hope has told me so much about you and might I say its a pleasure to finally meet you.

Davis: I have been looking forward to this meeting myself, Calvin.  It's nice to see that you do actually own a shirt and you decided to wear it.

Caleb: My name is Caleb and that was just for the show, it really wasn't me that you seen on that screen.

Davis: So tell me Calvin, what kind of a man goes on a television show to meet girls that are obviously younger than he is?

Caleb: It's Caleb Sir and the show was not my idea.  My brother set it up because he was worried about me after the div.....

Davis: DIVORCE!  Is that what you are trying to say, You are already DIVORCED!

Cora shot Davis a look but Davis was having none of it.  As far as Davis was concerned this was a bad situation and it was getting worse by the minute.

Caleb: Yes my first marriage was a mistake and did not work out, but with all due respect that has nothing to do with how I feel about your daughter.

Davis: You cheated on some girl and now you want the chance to do the same to Hope.  I won't allow that.

Cora: Davis calm down and don't jump to conclusions, give Calv  Damn! now you have me saying it. I mean Caleb a chance to explain.

Caleb: My mistake in my first marriage had nothing to do with me cheating on my ex wife unless you count working too many hours.  I learned from my first mistake and  I wouldn't even dream of doing that again.  I love Hope with all my heart and making her happy will be my first and only priority.  I am a Lieutenant on the Aurora Skies police department and I am up for promotion this year.  I will provide a good and stable home for your daughter and I will always treat her with the respect she deserves.  This is a promise I am making to you now and I am asking for your permission as I know we both would like it.  I do plan to marry Hope as long as she will have me with or without your blessing.

Davis was ready to let Caleb have it at that point but Cora gave him a don't you dare glance and a third party who had just arrived spoke out in Caleb's defense.

Wolfie: Davis I remember you from your mother's wedding, you were still a teenager.  I assume you remember me.

Davis: Who could forget Wolfie Landgraab?  What brings you here?

Wolfie: I am here for the wedding.  Caleb here was married to my daughter Valerie and as you see I am attending my former son-in-laws wedding. He also called in a favor to me with your daughter's best interest in mind.  The producers were not happy when the cameras were disabled and they lost the footage to their usual ending.   Caleb thought it was degrading to your daughter, and it was I who interceded in his behalf.

Now you might ask yourself why would I do this for a man, who is divorced from my youngest daughter?   He treated my Valerie as a queen during their marriage, and she was the one who cheated on him twice.  I will always love my daughter but she made the biggest mistake of her life when she let this man go.  I couldn't have picked a better husband for her myself, this man earned my trust.
Now I ask you to give this man a chance to earn your trust as I am quite sure he will.

Cora: Davis, do you have something to say?

Davis:  I give you my blessing, but I'll be watching you Calvin.

Cora: DAVIS!

Davis: I mean Caleb.

Meanwhile across the room, Starr ran into Nick her editor, neither knowing they would be attending the same family event.  They decided to take this time to get better acquainted.

Wolfie:  Caleb I also want you to understand where Davis is coming from as I understand it all too well.  He loves his daughter and he doesn't want to see her hurt, someday you will understand how he feels when you have one of your own.

Caleb: Hold on just one minute, who is that over there and what is he doing talking to Starr?

Davis: Oh that is my brother Nick, he is here for the wedding.

Caleb: I have to go get Dylan, we need to stop this!

Wolfie:  I guess someday came sooner than we all expected.

As the two men laugh at Caleb, Sandi notices her father and goes over to greet him.  As Wolfie introduces her to Davis, she recognizes him as the man who once tried to pick her up at The Toadstool.

Sandi: Oh I remember you!  We met at the Toadstool.

Cora: Davis?

Wolfie: Mind telling me what you were you doing with MY daughter?

To be continued....

Authors Note-I would like to thank Jazen for the use of the whole Gruber family, Davis, Cora, Grace, Erin and Carter.  I would also like to thank her for Hope Gruber (soon to be McIntyre) and Nickolas Slayer who is Davis' brother as both will be playing a big role in A Race Against Time.  If you want to read more about the Gruber family, I highly recommend reading her story as it is awesome.