After My Cousin Introduced Me To His Cellmate For A Date

The sound of approaching vehicles quickly caught everyone's attention.

A group of musicians jumped out of the back of a truck, setting up their drums and electric guitars with impressive speed.

They swiftly adjusted their equipment and tested the sound levels.

Lately, it had become quite popular around here to hire bands for celebrations and funerals.

Everyone enjoyed the spectacle.

Some people even seized the moment to perform a few songs themselves.

When they saw that I'd paid for a band to entertain us for Amanda's birthday, the locals' opinion of me improved significantly on the spot.

Dylan, Amanda, and Jack's family were a bit stunned, unable to believe that I had this kind of thoughtfulness.

Only my parents, who knew me well, weren't quite so optimistic.

I walked over, grabbed the microphone, and spoke passionately into it, "As you all know, David is the cornerstone of our Stone family! He carries the weight of continuing our family legacy! If he thrives, our family thrives!"

My parents exchanged uneasy glances while Jack's family looked puzzled.

I had never spoken so highly of David before.

"If David goes astray, it could spell the end for our Stone family! So he must stay on the right path and do things properly! That way, Grandpa, Grandma, and all our relatives can be proud! Now, let's have the band perform two songs dedicated to David! These are songs meant to show him my sincere intentions! I'm doing this for his own good!"

I led the applause, and the crowd followed suit, clapping along.

I handed the microphone to the band's lead singer, a man with a low ponytail and a scruffy beard.

As the music started, the crowd was taken aback.

The lyrics were unmistakably about prison life.

"...Since I parted ways with you, I've been stuck in the cell! Holding a dry loaf of bread, with not a drop of oil in my stew! Life in prison is so cruel and full of woe!"

Jack's family looked increasingly uneasy, especially David.

"Tears keep flowing down my face! The crimes I committed are so shameful, how can I hold my head high!"

David's frustration boiled over, and he shouted, "Enough!"

I quickly intervened, waving at the singer. "Dude, change the tune!"

He snapped his fingers, and the band switched to a new song.

This time, they performed "Regret in the Pen," a track about the remorse of a former convict who had turned his life around and made amends.

Dylan and Amanda didn't understand the lyrics well due to their limited education, but there were enough people in the crowd who did.

Nearly everyone knew about David's three years in prison, as Jack's family had been searching high and low to keep him out of trouble five years ago.

Seeing that I had dedicated these songs to David as a moral lesson, their expressions were a mix of discomfort and hesitation.

They couldn't quite pinpoint what was wrong, but they were unsettled.

I reached into my bag, pulled out an album, and personally handed it to David.

Holding up the microphone, I said, "David, this album is called 'Tears of Regret.' The singer is an ex-convict who turned his life around after serving time and released this album to encourage others to stay on the right path. The songs you just heard are from this album. Take this and listen to it. It's my hope that you'll turn over a new leaf and stop causing trouble. Don't make Grandpa, Grandma, and your parents worry about you anymore!"

David, clutching the album, trembled with rage.

Emma was ready to unleash a tirade.

My voice coming through the microphone cut through the room. "Uncle and Aunt, you know David's introduction for a blind date had such great conditions—how could I possibly measure up? It's clear that Sandra from your family would be a perfect match instead! Today's Grandma's seventieth birthday, a rare and special occasion with all our relatives and friends here. I think we should finalize the engagement between Vincent and Sandra right now! What do you all think?"

From somewhere in the crowd, a loud voice called out, "Yes!"

Sandra, in an absolute meltdown, screamed, "No way! I won't date a convict, not even if you drag me to it! Let Anna marry him instead!"

Jack and Emma rushed to comfort her. "Sandra, don't cry, we won't push you into this."

What they didn't notice was that David's old prison buddy was glaring with intense fury.

I shook my head with a serious expression and said, "Sandra, you're not a child anymore. Don't be so inconsiderate on Grandma's big day. You're making things worse with your tears!"

Emma, already on edge, nearly toppled over from the anger and almost fell.

David's eyes were bloodshot with rage.