"I will be the judge, and if that friend of yours breaks my daughter's heart, I will slowly and painfully kill him. That is a guarantee."

"I'll remember that, ma'am."

"That's my boy. Why don't we go back inside? I have something to tell you all."

"Why don't you just tell me?"

"No, I'm not going to pick favorites," she said, and he smiled. She wasn't budging at all.

"Since we've finished with your hands, let's go inside," he said, leading her inside.

They ...