Meet Nathan

This is my sister's boyfriend. 

The one that attends UMass to study the gibberish they call Economics.  The one that plays rugby three seasons of the year (and blew out both of his knees doing it).  Or is it two?  I dunno.  After all that talk about supply and demand and feeding variables into computer programs, my brain goes fuzzy. 

The one that learns to cue just for the heck of it, and actually manages to look good doing it.

The one that eats burgers without a bun.  Not because he's on Atkins, but because without burgers, he can fit more meat into his belly.  Yeaaaah, dude.

Now that I'm writing all these things, I wonder why my sister is with him.  He is the anti-Lara.  Maybe that's why. 

Or maybe it's because he's the kind of guy who'll happily sit poolside with her doing nothing.  Or watch a chick flick with her when she's sick.  Or go for a walk just because it's a beautiful day. 

Because he makes her feed herself when she forgets.  Because he makes her do things for herself when she's playing martyr and waiting hand and foot on everyone else.  Because when he's around, a calm giddiness comes over my baby sister and I can't imagine him not being there behind her.

Which is a good thing, since neither he nor my sister are of legal drinking age yet, but my stepdad has already been introducing him as his son-in-law.  *ahem*  Contrast that, if you will, to the parental reaction to my engagement seven years ago.

Picture this: me six months pregnant with CK's baby, living with CK for the better part of two years, ring freshly perched on my ring finger.  Eyes still teary, nose still bloody, heart still fluttering, I page my mom -- "I'm engaged!!!" 

The excruciating wait for a response finally ends a few minutes later: "To who?"

Yes, I'm still bitter.  Deal with it.

But there can be no bitterness with Nathan. 

Not when he responds to my commands to ham it up by putting a flower in his hair and posing for my camera, clueless about my penchant for publishing my personal life for the world to see.

Damn.  What do you know?  I like this guy.

Comments

[-ck]

With all of the above mentioned, one'd wonder that they both have been together for ages, but in reality, Lara and Nathan have been together what, two years?

Oh yeah, they survived 1.5 years living on opposite sides of the country and flying to see each other every few months and countless phone calls daily.

[QueenAlpo]

Yeah, CK. And let's not forget the calls at 4:30 am from one party when a certain party's alarm clock broke. *ahem*

Though how the shorter sister ended up with the six-foot-plus boyfriend? Um? I'm still trying to figure that one out...

[Lara Hennessey]

*smiles*

[Carrie]

Easy on the eyes too, eh? ;-) Congrats on a what appears to be a cool "brother-in-law".

[sazzy]

Lara's scored a good one!! :)

PS: He reminds me of a Californian in this particular photo, ironically.

[Hilary]

Yay, Lara... this one sounds like a keeper! :) Especially if the Queen approves!

[shilpa]

i like Nathan too.