Evermore, Nevermore Forget Me Not

Trying Again

Setting: 1999; Missy is repeating her senior year, Elvira is still in jail, and Georgie and Carly recently got divorced...

"Do you: George Cooper Jr, take this woman to be your wife?" The priest asks him

"Recon I do," he states with a smile

"And do you: Erika Mage, take this man to be your husband?" The priest asks her

"I sure as h-" she starts before remembering that she's in a church, "I mean," she clears her throat and smiles, "I do."

"I now pronounce y'all husband, and wife," the priest announces, "you may now kiss the bride."

     The paperwork for Georgie and Carly's divorce only became legal a month ago, and he didn't waste a time to marry Erika; his mother wasn't pleased with this, but seemed to like Erika a good deal more than Carly. The truth was, he really only fell for Erika because she reminded him a lot of both Taylor and Elvira and a little bit of his sister Bailey too: with her dark brown hair, her green eyes that looked like Elvira's, Bailey's logic and Taylor's laugh; he was hooked on her almost instantly-not that he'd ever admit that to anyone. Erika is only a year older than him, and far more sane than Carly proved to be-Crazy Carly went psychotic: stalked Erika and tried to kill both her and Georgie not long after the divorce. Georgie scoops up is new bride, carries her back down the isle and all the way to car just outside with the 'just hitched' sign on it; with his first store officially up and running, he now has a decent apartment in Dallas that they're moving into. He carefully places his bride in the passengers seat, hurries around to the drivers side, and they drive off to the reception...

"Finally got me my Prince Charmin all ta myself," Erika says looking to him with a beaming smile

     He just smiles back at her as he drives; this had become her nickname for him, ever since they met at the community college: he was in a hurry to get to work and accidentally knocked her and her books to the floor, he stopped to help her out, and the moment their eyes met each other-he became a clumsy doofus. His mother was not a fan of the fact that like his last two wives, Erika isn't baptist; Taylor was Lutheran, Carly was an atheist, and Erika, she is a catholic. He trusted Erika enough to tell her about his sister, but he didn't bother mentioning Elvira, he didn't see a point in ruining their happiness; Erika was fine with having one or two pictures of Taylor out, and she even would go visit her grave with him. Erika smiles happily as she stares out the window at the roaming scenery passing them by as they go, until they finally arrive at the reception.

     The night was filled with drinking, dancing, and eating as everyone enjoyed themselves and had a good time; hours afterwards, Erika and Mary are the only ones not drunk off her ass. She says goodbye to the guests as they leave-politely thanking them for coming-and then drives a wasted Georgie to their new found home together. Erika parks the car in front of the apartment building, and they just sit there all night: Georgie passed out and Erika soon falls asleep herself...

"What happened?" Georgie's groggy, yawning voice wakes Erika from her sleep

"Y'all partied too hard," she mutters, yawning herself as she sits up and stretches a bit

"We're still in the car," he states looking around and rubbing his eyes, "shit," he mutters with a sigh, "I'm so sorry E."

"Georgie it's fine," she reassures him, "now hurry up and carry me across the threshold," she tells him with a slight giggle and a smile

     Georgie leans over to the where she sits in the drivers seat and kisses her right on the lips with a full smile on his face before getting out and coming around to get her. He carries her all the way to the bed before setting her down and going back for their bags...

"What now?" She asks when he comes back

"We could get on with what should've been the wedding night-" he suggests as he puts the bags down

     A smile grows on her face as she shyly nods  and a smirk grows on his own features as he makes his way over, but just as they start kissing, the phone rings. They try to ignore it at first and just keep going, but as soon as the ring stops, it starts all over again...

"Ello?" Georgie says into it, "what; she did what?"

"M. I. S. S. Y?" Erika mouths to him with a confused look on her face

"Is she alright?" He asks as he shakes his head no, "well, yea, that's probably fur the best-"

"..." Erika quietly waits for some sort of clue as to what's going on

"Yea, yea," he says into the phone, "love y'all too Mom, alright bye."

"What'd she say?" Erika asks him quietly

"Apparently MeeMaw ran inta some trouble," he explains with a heavy sigh, "broker hip and is in the hospital-"

"That's terrible," Erika exclaims, "is she alright?"

"She's fine," Georgie tells her, "but Mom's decided that it's time MeeMaw move inta an old folks home-"

"And?" Erika asks expectingly for more

"She wants me ta go with 'er ta help move things," Georgie sighs out

"Go," she sighs heavily after a long pause between them, "we can have our wedding night later tonight," she says quietly as she kisses his shoulder and rests her chin there, "like we shoulda yesterday-"

"I don't know what I did ta deserve y'all," he sigh as he turns his head to look at her, "I swear I'm gonna make last night up ta ya E," he says as he plants a kiss on her temple and stands to leave, "should I pick up anything while I'm out?"

"...condums..." She replies simply

"Pardon?" He asks stopping in his tracks at the door with his hand on the knob as he turns back to her, "what?"

"Condums," she repeats completely serious, "we just got married yesterday Georgie," she sighs out, "we ain't ready fur that kinda obligation just yet."

"I've been taken care of my family fur the past five years since my dad died," Georgie starts, "I think I can handle a kid seein as my sister acts like one half the time-"

"Ya well, y'all ain't the one that's gotta carry it fur nine months and will be stuck with it if-" Erika cuts him off but stops herself short and lets out a sigh, "it takes two ta do a lot a things-especially make a baby, but only one of them gets the option of an easy out later on if they change their minds; abortions are usually frowned upon, and adoption ain't an option in my mind," she tells him simply, "so if y'all change yer mind later on bout been a daddy, y'all can just walk right out that there door and leave a strugglin single young mother-"

"I wouldn't never do that E," he cuts her off

"Don't matter none," she sighs, "I ain't sayin that I don't never wanna be a mama; just that-I ain't ready ta be one yet Georgie."

"Condoms," Georgie sighs heavily as he turns to leave again, "got it."

Erika sighs heavily and flops down backwards on the bed as the door closes on his way out; she sits up again after a moment and looks around her new home. The place is small, but clean and livable-for a starter home at least; it has all the basics: kitchen, bathroom, bedroom and living area. She sighs heavily again as she thinks, she is now Mrs. Tire-metaphorically speaking, she is Mrs. Cooper in reality. She always liked Georgie, from the moment they met; she liked how he calls her E, and how he would always come to her rescue: like a prince in a fairytale. She gets up and looks at her reflection in a mirror, she loved Georgie, but she didn't understand what he saw in her; she found her features to be plain and ordinary compared to most other girls and absolutely nothing unique about her at all...

"Hello?" She says as she answers the phone, "Missy...slow down, you're where...I'm on my way."