Season 1, Episode 6: Vlad Gets Down

Marie returns home from running her errands with a new look. Her long conservative skirt is gone. In its place, she wears a playful pair of shorts. 

She had really hoped that someone would notice, but the house is empty and gravely quiet, except for the sound of a low muttering coming from the bathroom... 

It's Grenadine muttering to herself, having been sedated and placed in a bath. 

Marie offers her a magazine to take her mind off her obvious woes, but Grenadine only snarls at the dutiful maid, rejecting the In Touch that might have eased her worries... 

Meanwhile upstairs, Meryl sits Gene and Vlad down for a serious talk. 

She tells Vlad in earnest that his sister can't seem to handle his yearning toward Gene. "Let this go," she tells him, "for the sake of the peace in our house."

But much to Meryl's dismay, Vlad ignores her completely. He gets down on one knee and tells Gene he'd like to be her man, or at least he'd like to give it a shot. 

Meryl is helpless to stop the force that has overcome her strange and tiny cousin. 

And Gene experiences a high that she's never felt before... 

Season 1, Episode 5: The Struggle

Meryl and Grenadine are in for a surprise when they return home from their walk...

The house is eerily quiet upon their return. With a sense of deep foreboding, Meryl creeps up to  Gene's room and peers inside. 

 She is not prepared for what she finds: an amorous Gene whispering sweet nothings to Vlad as he is pleasantly roused from his nap in her bed.

Meryl's heart gives a jolt  as she hears the inevitable sound of Grenadine charging up the stairs... 

Even old Chippy's heart gives a shudder... 

Meryl tries to tell Grenadine she may not enter Gene's room... that Gene is indisposed at the moment... 

The sound of Grenadine's teeth gnashing in anger echoes throughout the hallway. 

In a sudden ferocious burst, she flies at the door throwing her full body weight at Meryl. 

Meryl does her best to hold Grenadine back. Gene and Vlad sit up and take in a healthy dose of terror... 

Ultimately, Meryl is no match for Grenadine's serious rage. She blasts through the doorway, knocking Meryl down in the process. 

Grenadine breaks free of Meryl's grip and claws her way toward the bed. 

As shit gets really real... Vlad springs off the bed and cowers in the corner of the room. He begins to weep. 

Grenadine is headed straight for Gene, growling like a rabid animal. Meryl tries again to restrain her, and Gene goes limp with fear. 

Season 1, Episode 4: Vlad Gets Some Alone Time in the House

Seeing that Grenadine is in a foul mood, Meryl offers to take her for a walk outside so that nature might soothe her ruffled spirit...

Alas, Grenadine's dark mood persists, even in the seat of nature. She refuses to speak to Meryl despite her cousin's gentle coaxing. 

Meanwhile, Gene has gone shopping for records and Marie is out running errands, leaving Vlad alone in the house. A piece of art in the foyer catches his eye... He stops to examine it more closely.  

Vlad is suddenly inspired to unpack his case...

 He decides to take his business into the living room where it's more comfortable. 

Here, he can spread out... 

When Vlad is finished in the living room, he goes upstairs to have a look around. 

He climbs the stairs his sister has warned him not to fall down, and he is victorious, not stumbling even once. 

Vlad gives in to his strong urge to investigate. He lets himself into Meryl's room first. 

 A strange feeling comes over him as he gazes into Meryl's looking glass...

Next, he makes a visit to the bathroom. 

Vlad takes a peek into Marie's room as well...

But there isn't much to it. It appears Marie doesn't have a bed, but sleeps on a love-seat in the computer room, a room with no door... Vlad pities her before moving on with his investigation.

Vlad has saved Gene's room for last. He stands at her dresser and wonders if these men are Gene's many lovers...

Suddenly overwhelmed, Vlad throws himself down onto Gene's bed and lingers there in her blankets...

Slowly, he begins to drift off to sleep, the heaviness of his wearied thoughts finally melting away. It's not easy being Vlad. 

Somewhere across town, Meryl decides to turn back. Grenadine wants to get back home and check on Vlad... 

Season 1, Episode 3: Vlad Tries to Get Close to Gene

While Gene is busy "working from home" at the dining room table, little does she know Vlad is studying her from afar... 

Most unexpectedly, there's something about Gene that Vlad finds fascinating... Slowly, he gains the courage to creep a bit closer. 

As he approaches, Gene sends a call on her cell phone to voicemail... She takes a moment to drink in his musk. Then Vlad says, rather boldly, "Ahem... Hello, Gene."

What Vlad doesn't realize is that he isn't alone... Grenadine is watching, and she isn't pleased with what she sees. 

Grenadine has told Vlad in no uncertain terms to stay far away from Gene, and yet here he is, sputtering to her like a fool... 

So angered by her brother's blatant disobedience, Grenadine sees lights flashing behind her eyes. This hasn't happened to her since she was a girl in Belarus, and it doesn't bode well...

Season 1, Episode 2: Vlad Crosses the Line

Gene invites Vlad to sit with her on the couch by the hi-def flat screen plasma TV. Grenadine takes a seat on the other side of them with a watchful eye. In the spirit of sharing, Gene passes the bong over to Vlad. She was hoping they could get "cozy" together...  

But this doesn't fly with Grenadine... She springs from the couch and begins berating Vlad for accepting Gene's "instrument of evil"! She calls him a weakling and an idiot... 

After enduring a few long moments of Grenadine's verbal abuse, Vlad stands up to his sister and says, "Lighten up, will you?"

 Bad move. She attacks him. 

Gene watches helplessly as Grenadine roughly escorts Vlad out of the room while screaming at him in their native tongue. How will she ever get close to him now?

Season 1, Episode 1: The Arrival

Up until now, it's been relatively peaceful for Meryl, her roommate Gene, and their live-in maid, Marie. Aside from the odd scuffle with Gene (who's been known to dabble in opiates) over what record to play next, their home life has consisted mostly of lounging, internet-surfing, and feeding the pets... And then, on a sudden Wednesday, two visitors arrive unannounced.

Cousin Vlad is technically a little person. He stands four foot eight.

He's accompanied by his sister Grenadine, who is quite the opposite of Vlad. At five foot ten, she's a tall and fierce drink of water. They come from a faraway land...  "We are from the Slavic Union," they say.

Vlad and Grenadine claim to be kin to Meryl. "We are your cousins," they announce. Although Meryl has never met or even heard of them before, she does have a vague notion of being a part of a large extended family… So she takes them in, no questions asked. That's just Meryl.

Gene, who, granted, is a little bit high, immediately takes a shine to Vlad. She (unintentionally) glosses over Grenadine and rushes to introduce herself to the regal little man... Grenadine stands behind with a savage look in her eyes.

Uncharacteristic of Gene, a bona fide slacker, she offers to help with Vlad's suitcase and offers to let him room with her.

Then, overcome by sheer whim, Gene wraps her arms around Vlad's waist and lifts him up off of the floor! This is not the drugs... Gene fancies it's something like love... and she's tickled by how light he is.

Meryl steps in quickly and puts Cousin Vlad back on his feet, much to Gene's disappointment. She had rather liked the feel of him.

Meryl comforts her cousin and pats him, "there-there," knowing full well how intense Gene can be.

Grenadine rushes to his side, and together they insist Vlad take a seat to recover from all the excitement. Meryl and Grenadine give him a hoist into the nearest chair.

Marie is left to struggle with the luggage by herself.

And Gene looks on longingly at Vlad. So this is that thing called love at first sight she's heard so much about...