Was it possible that his parents liked Madeleine too much?  Quentin expected them to be delighted that he had a fiancee at all and that he had brought her home to meet them, and he expected her to charm them because she was, after all, charming.  But within hours they seemed to have lost all sense of proportion.  Everything she said, they laughed or oohed or tsk-tsked or whatever the appropriate response was.  Their attention toward her never flagged.  They offered her drinks, food, their own bed - it was way beyond hospitality.

They were obsequious.  It was as if they were servants and Madeleine was the mistress of the house.  It embarrassed him, but he couldn't seem to get either of his parents alone to tell them to lay off a little; nor could he seem to find a moment alone with Mad to explain that they didn't always act like this, that they must be compensating for all those years that they had given up on the idea of his marrying.

Poor Mad must be going crazy with them fawning on her all the time, but she was a trouper, she didn't show a sign of irritation.  Just acted as though it were the most natural thing in the world.

Quentin tried to take her out to dinner.

"The four of us?" asked Mad.

"Nonsense," said Dad.  "The two of you just go"

"The lovebirds need some time for tête-à-tête,' said Mom, smiling.

"But you must come," said Mad.  "How often will we be together like this?  We have to make memories together."

"And I'll bet the crockpot chicken I was making will be just as good tomorrow," said Mom.

"Oh, that's right, Tin," said Madeleine.  "I forgot that I helped her pound the chicken this morning."

"But it doesn't matter, if Quen wants to take you out."

"I wouldn't dream of missing out on the chance to taste your crockpot chicken when it's just so."

Quentin wanted to scream.  It wasn't just his parents gushing over her, she was also gushing over them.  If everybody would just stop trying so hard, maybe they could have a civilized visit.  But that apparently wasn't going to happen without some kind of intervention.

"Listen," said Quentin, "I don't really care if we eat in or out.  I don't care if we have chicken or Big Macs.  I brought my fiancée here to meet my parents.  And the way it looks right now, we're going to leave here without ever having done that."

They all looked at him as if he were insane.