Dear Prudence,
I’ve been dating a wonderful man, “Paul,” for more than a year. His parents are gone, but he has included me and my young daughter in all his family get-togethers, and his relatives have embraced us warmly. I recently introduced Paul to my sweet, kind father, and they have a great rapport already. But it’s time he met my whole family. Unlike me and my father, my mother and sister are adversarial, negative harpies. They frequently throw loud tantrums at holidays and social occasions. I only see them when I absolutely have to. I have avoided situations where Paul might meet them, but now introducing him to them is overdue. I love this man deeply and want to marry him, but I don’t want my relatives to scare him off. I am terrified that they’ll make a scene and that he might, understandably, run away.
–Held Hostage by Harpies