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3rd POV
At the Cooper household, mornings usually carried a hush that wrapped around every room, especially on Sundays, when the kids were free from school and the parents from work.
Of course, it was only six a.m. The whole house was still asleep… except for the one person stubborn enough to chase the sunrise.
Mary sat quietly at the kitchen table, her hands curled around a steaming mug of coffee, eyes fixed on the sunlight streaming through the window. She didn't normally wake this early, not on a Sunday. There was no need to rush breakfast or pack lunches for the kids, or send George Sr. off with his thermos. For once, she could take her time in the stillness.
Alright…who was she fooling? She was waiting. Waiting for Georgie.
Her mind was still restless from last night. Sheldon, her little boy who needed her constant protection, was at the heart of it. Sure, she had reluctantly agreed with Georgie's logic about meeting this Libby girl first, but the whole thing still gnawed at her.
It almost felt like Georgie had orchestrated the entire situation, nudging Sheldon into befriending Libby, and now leaving Mary caught in the middle.
Her instincts, both as a mother and as a woman, told her something was off.
If she were to lay out the facts, Georgie had been the one encouraging Sheldon to 'befriend' Libby in the first place. She wasn't about to call it 'rizzing her up' like that kid might say, but she knew exactly what she'd seen: Sheldon's interested, his curiosity, the spark with this girl Libby is a fact.
Did Georgie know this would happen? Or had he predicted it from the start?
Mary absolutely hated the thought. It felt like he was playing her, just like that ridiculous first 'exorcism' she'd sat through with Pastor Jeff.
She tapped her mug with her fingers, her mind swirling. Her eyes drifted toward the front door, waiting, imagining Georgie out there in the cool air. She could imagined his sneakers pounding the pavement, his breath steady and strong as he circled the neighborhood. Running had become his ritual, one he stuck to no matter how late he got home the night before.
He'd even tried roping Sheldon and his father into it. Yesterday, though, Mary had insisted Sheldon take the day off—after all, he'd already 'exercised' for hours, scrubbing the house in a fit of cleaning fury. Naturally, Sheldon had whined, insisting that morning runs were now part of his schedule and couldn't be skipped.
But Georgie always had a way with him. A few calm words, a simple explanation, and Sheldon had reluctantly nodded, conceding.
George Sr., of course, saw his chance. If Sheldon wasn't running, then neither was he. He'd flat-out told Georgie he was taking the day off too. Mary had only shaken her head, her husband avoiding exercise while her eldest stood firm in his discipline. The funniest is her Husband is a Highschool football coach!.
And sure enough, when she woke early this morning, Georgie was gone. For a brief, unsettling second, she'd half expected to find him tangled up with Veronica in his room, but no. He was out there, doing what he always did, pushing himself further.
Her thoughts broke when the front door creaked open. Footsteps crossed the hall.
That was her eldest. Her Little Man.
Sweat clung to him, his workout shirt damp and sticking to his skin, outlining the muscle in his arms, the defined posture of his frame, the pack of his abs pressing against the fabric. Mary's eyes lingered for a second, a quiet warmth blooming in her chest. Georgie had changed so much.
He wasn't just her boy anymore. He was becoming a Man.
"That's early, even for you, Mom." Georgie's voice broke her reverie as he stepped into the kitchen, giving her a puzzled look. He made straight for the fridge, pulling out a cold bottle of water, one of the few things he insisted on keeping stocked after his morning runs.
"Well," Mary said, lifting her mug with a faint smile, "I woke up early and decided to enjoy my coffee."
Georgie raised a brow, pouring the water into a glass before walking over to her. He set it down, then pulled out a chair.
"Something on your mind?" he asked, his tone easy but his eyes sharp as he settled across from her.
Mary studied his face for a long moment before exhaling sharply, her brow furrowing.
"…What exactly are you trying to do with your little brother, Georgie?"
Georgie leaned back in his chair, genuinely puzzled. "Uhmm… maybe you'll have to be more specific, Mom. What did I supposedly do?"
Mary frowned deeper. "I don't like this one bit, Georgie. Do you actually want Sheldon to feel… 'love' for this Libby girl? For the love of Jesus, he's nine years old, Georgie." Her voice wasn't loud, but it was firm, cutting straight into him.
"Ahh… so you think I'm the 'mastermind' behind all this?" Georgie asked casually, sipping his water without breaking eye contact.
"Are you?" Mary challenged, tapping her fingers sharply against the table. She wanted a clear answer and she wanted it now.
"Yes." Georgie grinned, completely unapologetic. "Well, technically… I had a goal in mind. But I didn't know Sheldon would actually start actually catching feelings for Libby."
Mary's jaw dropped. The nerve of him admitting it so easily, without the faintest trace of guilt.
"What are you saying?! He's just a child, Georgie!" she snapped, her voice climbing an octave. She was about to launch into another scolding when Georgie calmly lifted a hand to stop her.
"Let me explain this. I'm doing it for Sheldon's own good," he said evenly. "I want him to grow stronger as a man, not just whiny little kid he's on track to be. You see, Sheldon's a genius. He runs his whole life on logic. He uses his brain for everything, but barely ever his heart. Now tell me, do you really think that's such a great thing?"
Mary grimaced at that. Unlike Sheldon, she'd always led with her heart…especially as a woman of faith.
"No." Georgie pressed on. "I want Sheldon to feel alive."
Mary let out a breath, reluctantly nodding. That much, at least, she agreed with. "…But what if Libby doesn't like him back?"
"Of course Libby doesn't like Sheldon," Georgie shot back immediately, his expression practically spelling out 'Are you seriously considering that?'
Mary's lips tightened, anger rising. Her hand twitched on the mug of coffee in front of her. She wanted to fling it at his smug face…but restrained herself. He was still her son, not some random fool off the street.
"Explain." she demanded, gripping the mug tighter.
Georgie's mouth twitched. "Alright, alright. This is… experimental—WAIT, stop!" he blurted, throwing his hands up the second he saw Mary lift the mug threateningly in his direction. "Calm down, Mom! No need for violence!"
Mary huffed, lowering the mug but crossing her arms tightly, her glare burning into him.
"If you're using Sheldon's feelings like some experiment," she said, her voice low but deadly serious, "then I swear to Jesus, George Cooper Jr., I'll spank you so hard you won't be able to sit for a week."
Georgie still had his hands raised, and his body trembling at Mary's threat. "Alright! But what I said is true, Mom. Sheldon's only nine, but he's a genius. You can't compare him to other kids his age." He slowly lowered his hands, his tone calmer now. "…And I meant what I said. I don't see any sparks from Libby. She's only interested because Sheldon's a wonder kid."
Mary let out a long sigh. What was done was done—Sheldon was already close to this Libby girl. The only question left gnawing at her was: what exactly was Georgie planning?
"What is it you're trying to do with your brother?" she finally asked, her voice taut. Then her worst suspicion crept in, and she said it out loud, but her words tasted bitter, "…Do you want Sheldon to get his heart broken?"
Georgie didn't answer. But the faint grin tugging at his lips told Mary everything.
Her stomach turned, "Why would you do that?!" Mary shouted, rising from her chair. Strangely, her voice didn't rouse the rest of the house.
"Like I said," Georgie answered evenly, "I want him stronger. A little heartbreak will show him what life really is…and maybe, what he wants out of it." He gestured for her to sit, but Mary stood firm, glaring daggers at him.
"There's more than science in this world. I want Sheldon to see it, to feel it." Georgie's words stumbled a bit under her gaze. "…Besides, you raised him to be a gentleman, right? Well, before he can be a gentleman, he needs to be 'a man' first, Mom."
Mary's eyes narrowed even further. Since the beginning of this talk, Georgie had been dropping hints, subtle nudges she kept shoving to the back of her mind. But now he had said it outright. He wanted Sheldon to be 'A Man'.
"Georgie!" she snapped, her voice sharp with disapproval. She hadn't liked a single word out of his mouth since this started.
Georgie stood quickly, stepping out of her reach. "Like I said! it's an experiment!" he called out, backing away as Mary advanced.
"Let him have his own heartbreak, Mom! Let him face it!" Georgie dodged her around the kitchen table, smirking even as she lunged. "Sheldon the Stud! Yeah, I like the sound of that—oops!" He slipped just out of her grasp again, his body quick and limber.
"What's going on in here?" Sheldon's voice cut through the chaos, freezing Mary mid-step. Her hair was a mess from chasing Georgie around the table, while Georgie kept his distance with that infuriating grin plastered on his face.
"....It's too early for this." George Sr. muttered, shuffling into the kitchen with bleary eyes. He glanced at Mary, baffled, looking every bit the tired husband who'd just been dragged out of bed.
"Ughhh… noisy…" Missy groaned, stumbling in like a zombie before thunking her forehead down against the table.
"Georgie?" Veronica's voice followed as she entered, eyes widening at the sight of the whole Cooper Family crammed into the kitchen. She certainly hadn't expected a full-blown argument at this morning.
And so, Sunday morning was full of chaos, making everyone awake now—thanks to Georgie and Mary's shouting match.
"What a nice morning, huh?" Georgie said cheekily, raising his glass of water like a toast in Mary's direction.
Mary only glared back, her scowl sharp enough to cut. At that moment, she would've traded her warm coffee for an ice-cold beer—even if it was barely past sunrise.
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Georgie POV
Of course Mom doesn't agree with any of this. She doesn't see what I see because she can't know what's waiting for Sheldon in the future.
Sure, he's gonna get hurt. Libby's words will sting, no doubt about it. But in that heartbreak, he'll learn something. He'll be forced to look at himself and realize why Libby saw him as a child instead of as her peer, her equal.
Well… he is a child, but Sheldon refuses to accept that. He likes Libby because he thinks her intelligence is on his level, because she can talk science with him like nobody else can.
That's why he's drawn to her. That's why he likes her.
And I want him to hold onto that feeling. To face it head-on, not run from it. So when he gets his heart broken a second time, or the hundredth time, it won't just hurt, he'll learn to survive it. To keep going.
That's what makes him human.
That's what I want for him.
I don't want Sheldon growing up thinking love is messy, complicated, or something to avoid. I want him to learn how to love someone else, even if it hurts. I don't want him waiting around for Amy Farrah Fowler to be the only chance he ever gets.
No. My choice is the right one. I'm not protecting him. I'm pushing him to become more than he is.