The Golden Child

Old Friends and Familiar Faces

Sitting around a small table at the Independence Inn, Ella Fitzgerald was playing as Sookie was the only one swaying from side to side while the rest of us laid silently hoping the song to be over.

"Sookie you can't walk down the aisle to this song." Mum says once the song ends.

"Why not?" Sookie asks, genuinely confused.

"It's depressing." I respond, lifting my head from the table. 

"It's Ella." Sookie defends.

"It's morbid." Mum quips.

"Are you sure you don't have any other songs?" I ask.

"Well I don't understand why this song is so bad, it's a classic."

"A classic song with lyrics about a woman who can't make her relationship work, whose life is filled with emptiness and regret and pain." Mum says while Rory and I nod our heads in unison.

"Oh who listens to the lyrics."

"Anybody not hanging out with Annie Sullivan by the water pump." Mum quips.

"I think what mum's trying to say is most people if not everyone," I sigh looking into a crate filled with CD's, "What are these?"

"Oh those are just alternative songs, but I really like this one."

"Maybe we can listen to them to get an idea." Rory tries to reason with Sookie.

"Ok let's see, Hey Jude." Mum says pulling a CD out of the crate.

"Paul wrote it for Julian to cheer him up." 

"Seasons in the Sun?" I say, picking up a different CD. 

 "Oh, a sentimental favorite." 

"Cat's in the Cradle?" Rory questions as she picks up a CD.

"Oh, it makes you re-examine your priorities."

"Don't Cry Out Loud? Sookie, do you even like Jackson?" Mum asks Sookie as she puts the CDs back in the crate. 

"Okay, I have a wonderful suggestion." Michael finally chimes in, lifting up his head.

"Great let's hear it." Mum says. 

"I wouldn't hold your breath, do you know Michael." I say, eyeing Michael. 

"Okay here we go, how about I leave?"

"See what did I tell you, all though I might join you, no offence Sookie but these songs are making me re-evaluate my entire decisions I've made, come on Michael we can talk about how great Celine Dion is."

"Lorelai, get you offspring away from me."

"Aww, Michael why do you insist on hurting my feelings."

"Lorelai I mean it."

"Okay, okay everyone just sit down." Mum says as she drags me away from Michael.

"But Michael and I were gonna hang out." I whine mockingly as I sit down. 

"Okay be quiet now before I actually make you hang out with Michael."

"Okay, my lips are sealed." I quip.

"Thank you Belinda, and you." She points to Michael, "I am in the wedding, which means you have to run the wedding all by yourself, something you've never done before."

"I still don't understand why I'm being punished to hang out with that," He says pointing to me, "how hard can it be running a wedding."

"I'll tell you what Sookie, how about Lane, I and maybe Charlie if she's tolerable will try and come up a few more suggestions for you? Still melodic but not so Girl, Interrupted." Rory says, trying to diffuse the tension.