@doctordisco, @Clara2205: He just found out cold turkey that she's the daughter of the woman who ruined his, and his whole family's, entire life. And it's distinctly possible his dad was the fall guy--it sounds a bit like he was the lower-status person taking most of the rap so the higher-status people could ooze out of it, and if so the mom's totally on side with it. Cut him some slack! Most people would be rude.