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As Stephen stepped outside, Mrs. MacDonald's curiosity got the better of her. "Kyra, who is that strange guy?" she asked, her eyes narrowing slightly.

Kyra hesitated, unsure how much to reveal. "He's...my boyfriend, Mom."

Mrs. MacDonald's eyebrows shot up. "Your boyfriend? But...he's one of the loansharks your father owed money to, isn't he?"

Kyra nodded, her eyes dropping. "Yes, Mom, but how did you know him?"

"When your father was alive, I once went with him, to repay some of the debts, and I am sure that it was the same man we met that is standing outside right now," Mrs MacDonald continued, "and someone like him can be cruel."

"I know... mom, I know, but it's complicated. He's not like that anymore. He's changed," Kyra tries to defend Stephen.

Ken's eyes widened in disbelief. "What? Changed? How can you have a loanshark as a boyfriend? Don't you know how dangerous they are? They'll stop at nothing to recover their debts. They'll kill people, beat them up..."

Mrs. MacDonald's face paled, her voice trembling. "Lyra, how could you get involved with someone like that?"

Kyra held up her hands, pleading. "Listen, Mom, Ken, I know it sounds bad, but Stephen is different now. He's helped me so much, and he's never mentioned anything about the debts. I think he might have even settled them for me."

Ken scoffed. "And you trust him? How do you know he's not just using you to get to us?"

Kyra's face set in determination. "I know he's not like that, Ken. I've seen the way he is, the way he's helped me. He's trying to make amends for his past. And I'm going to help him become a better person."

Mrs. MacDonald's eyes filled with worry, but she placed a hand on Kyra's arm. "We just want what's best for you, sweetie. Be careful, okay?"

Kyra nodded, relief washing over her. "I will, Mom. I promise."

Stephen stood outside, puffing on his cigarette, unsure whether to go back inside or wait for Lyra. He felt a twinge of embarrassment, realizing he had shown up empty-handed to meet her family. "What a loser," he thought to himself.

He decided to take a walk to the market to grab something, at least something better to present to Lyra's family. He browsed the stalls, settling on some fresh fruit and a bouquet of flowers.

As he made his way back, Lyra came out, looking around frantically. "Stephen? Stephen, are you here?" she called out, not seeing him.

She went back inside, thinking he might have had an emergency. "Mom, he's not outside. Maybe something came up," she said, a hint of worry in her voice.

Meanwhile, Stephen approached the door, his hands full of goodies. He took a deep breath, feeling more confident, and knocked on the door.

"Hey, sorry about that. I just wanted to get something to bring over," he said, smiling sheepishly, as Lyra opened the door.

Lyra's nose wrinkled as she detected the smell of smoke on Stephen's clothes. "You've been smoking, haven't you?" she asked, her voice tinged with disapproval.

Stephen looked sheepish, holding out the gifts. "I got these for your family. Fresh fruit and flowers."

Lyra's expression softened, and she accepted the offerings. "Thanks, Stephen. That's thoughtful." She took them inside, where her family admired the gifts.

Kyra came back to the door, and asked Stephen to step back outside, "why were you smoking again? And here?"

Lyra pulled out a pack of menthol sweets. "Here, take one of these. It'll help mask the smell, and you should stop smoking, Steph."

Stephen took the sweet, but his expression hinted that he wasn't keen on giving up his habit. "I'll try, Lyra. But it's hard to quit."

Lyra's eyes narrowed. "You need to try harder, Stephen. Smoking is bad for your health."

But her words fell on deaf ears. Stephen popped the sweet into his mouth, but his eyes gleamed with a rebellious spark. He wasn't one to take instructions well. With that, they headed back inside.

Stephen extended his hand, introducing himself with a charming smile. "I'm Stephen Mackenzie, nice to meet you all."

Lyra's mother, Mrs. MacDonald, shook his hand, her eyes sparkling with warmth. "Welcome, Stephen. Thank you for the lovely gifts and for taking care of our Lyra."

Stephen's eyes met Lyra's, unaware of the loanshark revelation. "It's my pleasure, ma'am. I work for a company, and I've been able to help Lyra out."

Lyra's hand brushed against his arm, a subtle hint to correct his lie. But Mrs. MacDonald playfully teased, "Oh, I'm sure many girls would be swooning over you, Stephen. You're quite the catch - handsome, tall, and muscular!"

Stephen chuckled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "They do try, ma'am, but I'm not easily swayed. Lyra's the only one who's caught my attention."

As they sat down to eat, the flavors exploded on Stephen's taste buds. "Wow, this is incredible! You're an amazing cook, Mrs. MacDonald."

The tension dissipated, replaced by warm conversation and laughter, as they savored the meal together.