Third Person POV
Several days had passed, and Georgie, along with his bandmates, had thrown themselves into practice with intense focus and determination.
They were only preparing to perform four or five songs on stage, but they all knew those few songs could be their stepping stones to something greater. Especially for Georgie — he was already starting to make a name for himself in Houston, but he understood that the real breakthrough would happen on George S.'s stage.
Since the incident, Kayla had been noticeably calmer around Georgie. No more reckless behavior — just affection, clinging to him like he was her anchor. And Georgie couldn't bring himself to be mad at her. He needed her — they all needed each other.
The group had been building a strong bond, working on their chemistry like their future depended on it. They were still performing at a few honky tonk bars, trying to increase their exposure. But no matter where they went, the crowd always called out the same nickname: 'Prince!' It stuck to Georgie like a shadow.
He grumbled about it, tried to shrug it off, but the audience never listened. They just cheered louder, sometimes even tried handing him beers mid-performance.
And no matter how many excuses Georgie came up with to refuse, the crowd just kept trying.
Well, let's not get into whether or not Georgie actually drank any of it — some things are better left unanswered.
What mattered was that they were having fun. Georgie especially — standing on stage, fans dancing to his songs, people getting drunk, strangers making out in the crowd. It was wild, chaotic, and somehow, he loved it.
Still, ever since his infamous night of getting drunk, George and Mary had asked Fenley and Rosie to keep a closer eye on him — no more letting things slide.
Georgie hadn't forgotten to call home. In fact, he'd been phoning Missy and the rest of the family more often. Right now, his priority was clear: focus on rehearsals and deliver an unforgettable performance.
"What? So? What happened?" Georgie said through the phone, his voice relaxed. "I know, he just wanted to see the school. Did he like it?" Georgie asked, waiting for Missy's answer.
"…A zoo? That kid needs a life," Georgie snorted, clearly amused. The person on the other end agreed.
"I mean, if he wants to study in total silence with no human interaction, why not just study in a graveyard? It's quiet all the time!" he added sarcastically.
"…What about Mom and Dad?" Georgie asked, this time more cautiously.
As it turned out, Mary and George had been persuaded by Principal Peterson to visit a school he had arranged for Sheldon — Wilmot Academy, a prestigious institution for gifted children.
Georgie had already made it clear to his parents that he didn't want Sheldon going there.
Sure, it was a great opportunity — maybe even perfect for Sheldon. But Georgie felt he was still too young to leave home, and it would only break Mary's heart.
Even though Georgie had pointed out that the school's generous donation offers were solely because Sheldon would be attending, many of the other teachers still preferred that he study elsewhere.
"Alright… Yeah, I'll be home once all of this is over," Georgie said with an awkward smile, pulling the phone away from his ear just in time to hear Missy yell:
"WHEN?!"
Georgie chuckled nervously, "I did tell you, didn't I? Yes, yes… Are you looking forward to it?" he asked with a smirk.
"Georgie!" a voice — James — called out to him. Georgie turned and waved him off, signaling to wait a little longer.
"Yeah, I miss you too, Princess… You know I have to stay focused, right?" Georgie added, trying to end the call gently.
"Tell Mom and Dad I miss them too! And Memaw! Oh, and let Sheldon know — when I get back, we're playing Dungeons & Dragons with Tam and the others."
"Alright… Bye-bye."
He ended the call and walked over to his bandmates, a bright smile still lingering on his face.
The George S. concert was just around the corner, and everyone could feel the pressure mounting. This was new territory for them — a bigger stage, a bigger crowd. Naturally, they were nervous.
But that didn't stop Georgie from smiling, or from giving everything he had — for himself, and for everyone who had believed in him.
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Third Person POV
"What did Brother say?" Sheldon asked, watching Missy as she ended the call.
"Oh, nothing," Missy replied with a small smile. "He's just disappointed in you." She casually flicked on the TV.
Sheldon's face turned sour. "I knew it! This is Mom's fault for dragging me to that school!" he muttered, then glared at Missy, "Why did you say the school looked like a zoo?!".
"That's what you said!" Missy shot back defensively. "You're the one who said it. I just passed it along to Brother."
"You didn't have to!" Sheldon complained. "I only went to Dallas to look around!"
Truth be told, Sheldon had liked the school. The students were calm, focused, and well-mannered. But the distance bothered him — he didn't want to leave home.
He had even asked Georgie why he didn't want him to go. Georgie's answer was simple: "Because Mom would cry."
While touring the school, Sheldon had quietly watched his mom's face. He noticed the subtle changes — the way her expression shifted when asked if Sheldon wanted to attend.
He had answered with a firm, "No."
And in that moment, he saw her bright, relieved smile. He knew then that he had made the right decision.
Missy glanced at his annoyed face and shrugged. "Well, I told him. What are you gonna do about it?" she said with a smirk.
Sheldon just grumbled and glared at her.
His irritated expression made Missy grin with smug satisfaction.
"Oh yeah, Brother said he's gonna play something with you. Something with dragons." she said, sounding nonchalant.
"Dungeon and Dragons?! Oh boy!" Sheldon's mood instantly flipped. He jumped up and ran out of the room, completely ignoring Veronica, who had just stepped out of Georgie's room.
"Be careful!" Veronica warned, but Sheldon didn't respond, leaving her sighing heavily.
She rolled her eyes and walked over to the couch where Missy sat. "What's wrong with your twin?" she asked, sitting beside her.
"Georgie called and said he'd play something with Sheldon. Something with dragons," Missy replied, eyes still glued to the TV.
"Hmm?" Veronica raised a brow, clearly unfamiliar with the game.
"It's a boys' thing," Missy waved her off, unconcerned.
Veronica chuckled at Missy's grown-up attitude and leaned back to watch TV with her.
"Are you planning to live here forever?" Missy suddenly asked, glancing sideways at her.
Veronica hesitated, then smiled awkwardly. "…You don't want me to stay?"
Missy shrugged. "Don't worry about it. I'd rather have you around than be stuck here with just Sheldon." She leaned against Veronica's shoulder.
Veronica smiled and hugged her.
"You smell good! What perfume is that?" Missy asked, sniffing curiously.
"Glad you asked!" Veronica replied, and the two of them began chatting and gossiping like sisters.
Meanwhile, Sheldon was still in his room, unfazed by the women in the house, fully focused on preparing the upcoming Dungeons & Dragons game.
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3rd Person POV
Although the Cooper family appeared to be doing just fine, an undercurrent of worry lingered in everyone's mind.
Especially for Mary and George. Sure, they had seen Georgie on stage before—but this time was different. He wasn't just singing at a bar in front of drunk patrons. No, this time, Georgie would be performing on a real stage, with thousands of eyes watching his every move.
{For the record, I'm not waiting for my brother's concert out of excitement. It's a family obligation to support each other—no matter what they do or accomplish. That's what my brother once said.} – Adult Sheldon said while sighing deeply.
Dinner that evening was filled with quiet anxiety. The only sounds came from forks and knives scraping against plates, echoing awkwardly in the silence.
George and Mary exchanged glances, as did Connie and Veronica. Everyone understood the gravity of the moment.
"…Should we go to Houston?" George asked quietly, his voice barely above a whisper.
Missy's eyes widened with excitement as she heard that, "Let's go!" she shouted enthusiastically.
"But what about school?" Sheldon chimed in, clearly displeased with the idea of missing any academic activities.
"Who cares!" Missy snapped, shooting a sharp glare at Sheldon. "Our brother is more important than school!" she added, dramatically pointing her fork at him, daring him to disagree.
Sheldon glared back, "I never said he wasn't important! Stop twisting my words!" he retorted, stabbing the air with his fork in return.
He was already annoyed from being misrepresented by Missy before, and he wasn't about to let it happen again. "I'm just saying school is important too! Georgie would agree with me!" Sheldon insisted, cleverly trying to use Georgie's name to support his argument.
"That's true…" Veronica said, chewing thoughtfully before swallowing her food. "Maybe I should go alone—to calm him down." She smirked at Missy, who grumbled in response.
"So you can make out with my brother again? Hell no!" Missy blurted out, glaring accusingly at Veronica, who was taken aback and left speechless.
"Language, young lady!" Mary snapped at Missy. "But Sheldon is right. We don't need to go—and that includes you, Veronica," she added, trying to calm herself and trust that Georgie would be fine. "We can't disturb him while he's rehearsing for the next few days," Mary said with a small smile. "We'll just wait and watch him shine on stage!"
George chuckled and took a slow sip of his beer. "Boy, I still can't believe this is happening!" he said, shaking his head.
Connie laughed warmly, proud of Georgie's progress. "Yeah, I thought he'd end up dropping out of high school and knocking up some girl like his—"
"LET'S NOT TALK ABOUT THAT!" Mary interrupted sharply, shooting her a death glare.
Connie raised her hands in surrender. "All I'm saying is—I can't believe it either."
George frowned at her, visibly annoyed. "Yeah, just say that. No need for the extra commentary." he muttered and took another sip of beer.
"I want to see Tom Cruise!" Missy said dreamily, clearly tuned out of the conversation and lost in her own imagination—one probably not age-appropriate.
Connie laughed and glanced around the table, her gaze settling on Mary. She raised an eyebrow, picking up on something Mary was subtly trying to communicate by moving her eyebrow and eyes.
"Why are you moving your eyebrows like that?" Sheldon asked, confused by Mary's facial expression.
Missy and Veronica suddenly realized something and turned to Mary and Connie. Missy squinted suspiciously. "…I smell something fishy…" she muttered. "….You two are planning to see my brother, aren't you?!" she said and accusing Mary and Connie with her fork.
Mary straightened up in her seat. "No one is going to see Georgie before he performs!" she said firmly, scanning the room to emphasize her words.
George kept quiet, wanting no part in this particular drama.
Connie tried to calm Missy, who was now throwing an uncharacteristic tantrum. "Yes, we really can't disturb him. And I mean it this time." Connie said.
Missy glanced back and forth between Mary and Connie, trying to spot a crack in their poker faces. "Alright…" she finally said, giving up. "…If I can't go, then nobody gets to go!" she declared, aiming her ultimatum especially at Veronica, who now seemed to be her sworn rival.
Veronica raised her hands and chuckled, "Of course. I wouldn't want to disturb Georgie during such an important time. Not like someone who keeps calling and interrupting him every chance she get." she said, taking a jab at Missy.
Missy caught the jab but responded shamelessly, flashing a sweet smile and puffing her chest proudly. "My brother's happy because I call him more often than you do!" she said.
Sheldon looked at her, puzzled. "Wouldn't that make you more annoying?" he mumbled.
Veronica was about to fire back when George finally cut in, "Alright, that's enough. We need to give Georgie time to focus on his rehearsal and stop bothering him." He nodded to everyone at the table.
Missy and Veronica exchanged narrowed eyes, clearly not finished with their little cold war.
"We'll just wait until he's on stage—and then we'll cheer him on!" George said firmly, putting an end to the petty bickering.
Connie chuckled at the sight, but glanced once again at Mary, clearly still curious about what she had meant earlier.
This time, Mary gave her the faintest nod—subtle and secretive, hoping no one else would notice.
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