When Vivienne’s daughter, Monica, announced she was engaged to a man named Zach, Vivienne couldn’t believe it. She had always envisioned her daughter marrying someone respectable, preferably from Hartford’s high society. Monica’s previous boyfriend, Anthony, had been a good match in Vivienne’s eyes, but he had betrayed Monica’s trust by cheating on her. In her heartbreak, Monica met Zach, a fisherman from Mystic, Connecticut—a man entirely outside her mother’s social expectations. Unable to believe her daughter could love someone from such a different world, Vivienne decided to see for herself who this “Zach” really was.
Determined to investigate, Vivienne dressed up in worn clothes and went to Mystic, disguising herself to avoid recognition. She easily found Zach’s address after asking a local shopkeeper, but upon arriving at the house, she was appalled. Beer bottles, cigarette butts, and an unkempt yard greeted her. Vivienne steeled herself and rang the doorbell. A rough-looking young man answered, beer in hand, wearing a stained shirt. This had to be Zach.
When Vivienne explained she was lost, hoping to engage him in polite conversation, he belched and yelled angrily at a woman inside, who screamed insults right back. Vivienne could hardly believe her eyes; this man was rude, aggressive, and clearly disrespectful toward women. She left, heartbroken and more convinced than ever that Monica was making a terrible mistake.
As she walked back toward town, feeling hopeless, she was approached by a kind woman named Georgia, who invited her inside to warm up and offered to call a cab. When Georgia’s son arrived, Vivienne was struck by how polite, hardworking, and genuine he was. They had a lovely conversation as he volunteered to drive her back to Hartford, refusing any payment. On the drive, Vivienne thought wistfully, Why couldn’t Monica have met a man like this?
When Vivienne got home, she was prepared to tell Monica everything and forbid her from seeing “Zach.” But when Monica arrived with her boyfriend the next evening, Vivienne’s jaw dropped. Standing beside her daughter was Georgia’s son—the kind young man who had given her a ride. Shocked and relieved, she learned there were two men named Zach in Mystic, and the rude one she met was simply a mix-up.
Vivienne apologized to Zach, and they all laughed about the mix-up over dinner. Finally seeing how much her daughter was loved and respected by this Zach, Vivienne wholeheartedly approved of the engagement, even offering to pay for the wedding. She realized it wasn’t wealth that mattered but how deeply someone cherished her daughter. After the chaotic misunderstanding, Vivienne was overjoyed to welcome this Zach into the family, grateful that Monica had chosen someone so genuine.
