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3rd POV
In the Cooper family kitchen, the girls continued chatting, laughter filling the air. Veronica sipped her coffee—oh yeah, she drank coffee. Hell, she had even tasted beer and alcohol before.
"So? What's the plan for today?" Veronica asked, flashing a smile at Missy. Mary and Veronica were already dressed up for their Girls' Time, and Connie had also arrived to join them. But so far, all they had done was gossip and chat the morning away.
"We're going to the beauty salon for some pampering," Mary said, tapping Missy's nose playfully. "I want to ask again, can I dye my hair?" Missy pleaded, looking at Mary with her best puppy-dog eyes.
"Your brother already said no, and now you're trying a different tactic?" Connie teased, shaking her head. She wasn't in favor of Missy dyeing her hair either—it would damage it in the long run.
Veronica chuckled, glancing at Missy. "Georgie already said no. But why do you even want to change your hair color? You're already beautiful." She gently ran her fingers through Missy's hair.
"I want to dye it orange like Cyndi Lauper!" Missy beamed.
Cyndi Lauper—a pop icon known for her eccentric, colorful fashion, quirky personality, and unique voice. She had left a significant mark on pop culture, inspiring many young women.
"Why pop music? Didn't Georgie choose country as his path?" Connie asked, raising an eyebrow. She loved country music, and Georgie's decision to pursue it aligned with her tastes, so of course, she supported him.
Not that she wouldn't support him if he chose another genre.
"I like Cyndi Lauper! Everyone talks about her all the time!" Missy exclaimed dramatically. "My brother says he likes music. I don't think he meant only country music!"
"What about Madonna?" Mary asked, watching Missy closely. As a housewife and a church woman, she still kept up with the music scene—especially now that her son was part of it.
"Oh, I heard they had a rivalry!" Veronica chimed in, leaning back in her chair. "Who do you think Georgie likes more?" She smirked, glancing at Missy.
She was baiting her, curious to see Georgie's preference—would he lean toward Cyndi Lauper's playful and eccentric style or Madonna's bold and provocative persona?
Missy pondered for a moment, her fork frozen mid-air. Connie and Mary also stared at her, intrigued by Veronica's question.
Missy sighed and shrugged. "I don't know. He likes me more than Cyndi Lauper and Madonna," she said matter-of-factly before taking another bite of her breakfast. "But I think he likes Madonna more than Cyndi Lauper."
"Ha! I knew it!" Connie exclaimed, slapping the table before pointing at Veronica. "He's head over heels for you!"
Mary snorted. "That's a bit much, don't you think?"
Missy nodded in agreement. "yeah, Georgie loves me more!" Then she turned to Veronica. "No offense, but I think you're second place." She shrugged like she had just won an important competition.
Veronica flushed, lowering her gaze. After all, she had styled herself with Madonna's bad-girl vibe—her fashion, attitude, and rebellious aura.
It was a good thing, right? At least Georgie liked her for that, and her recent changes had only made him more drawn to her.
Connie smirked, taking a sip of her coffee. "Well, mystery solved. So, when are we heading to the salon?"
Mary sighed, glancing at Veronica, who still looked flustered. "Alright, let's go."
"But I'm not done eating yet!" Missy groaned, looking at them in exasperation.
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3rd POV – On the Road
"No! You are not making a nuclear bomb like Doctor Oppenheimer!" George barked, side-eyeing Sheldon.
"Yeah, Sheldon, that's really dangerous." Georgie added, also giving him a pointed look.
Sheldon blinked at them, his expression blank. "I said I can't make one—because it's illegal, and I don't have access to the materials!" He exhaled heavily.
George and Georgie sighed in unison before Georgie asked, "So, Shelly, what do you actually know about Doctor Oppenheimer?"
Sheldon straightened in his seat. "Actually, he was a brilliant scientist. He studied at Harvard at the age of 18, then moved to Cambridge and Göttingen in Germany, where he studied quantum mechanics."
"'Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.' Creepy quote, huh?" Georgie mused, leaning back in his seat. "Bhagavad Gita. Doctor Oppenheimer wasn't just interested in physics—he also had a deep love for philosophy and classical literature."
George glanced at him through the rearview mirror, looking perplexed. "What are we talking about? A scientist who made a bomb or a college professor?"
Sheldon also turned to Georgie, frowning. "How do you even know all that?"
Georgie shrugged nonchalantly. "What can I say? I really like that quote."
Sheldon nodded. "Yes, Doctor Oppenheimer loved literature. He was also a polyglot, meaning he spoke multiple languages fluently."
Georgie looked at George, who still seemed confused by the conversation. "Dad, you were a soldier, right? What do you think? Do you agree with Doctor Oppenheimer creating the bomb?"
Sheldon also turned to George, awaiting his answer. "Personally, I don't support it," Sheldon said before George could respond. "If Doctor Oppenheimer had focused on quantum physics and relativity, he might have discovered clean energy instead of a destructive weapon."
George thought for a moment before sighing. "From my perspective, I do support the fact that he created the bomb."
Before Sheldon could argue, George continued. "Because at the time, the entire world was at war. It was better for us to develop that kind of weapon than let our enemies get it first."
Georgie looked at Sheldon, who had his mouth wide open after hearing George's statement. "He's got a point, you know." Georgie remarked.
Sheldon turned to Georgie, frowning. "Why do you agree with Dad? Doctor Oppenheimer wasted his talents creating a nuclear bomb that destroyed two cities!"
Georgie sighed. "No, I don't agree with Dad—I'm just saying he sees things from a soldier's perspective. What would've happened if Germany had made the bomb first? You do know that the first scientists to successfully split the uranium nucleus and trigger a 200-million-volt atomic explosion were Hans and Strassman from Germany, right?"
Sheldon nodded, while George—who had no idea who Hans and Strassman were—remained silent, listening intently.
"Yes, December 1938—Otto Hahn and Fritz Strassman conducted an experiment proving that the uranium-235 nucleus could be split into smaller elements when struck by neutrons. This was the first discovery of nuclear fission, fundamentally different from other energy sources," Sheldon explained, as if giving a lecture.
George, now understanding the gravity of the situation, went slightly pale. "So, you're saying Germany was the first to discover nuclear bombs? God bless Oppenheimer!" George muttered, glancing at Georgie through the rearview mirror.
Sheldon finally grasped their discussion. "I see. So, it was a good thing that Doctor Oppenheimer was the first to develop the nuclear bomb and not Germany, which started World War II."
"Yes. Doctor Oppenheimer later regretted creating the nuclear bomb," Georgie added, looking at both Sheldon and George. "I also don't agree with America dropping it on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. But what if Germany had developed it first? What if Hitler had used it on other countries? I can't even imagine how terrifying that would be."
Silence filled the car as both George and Sheldon contemplated the alternate reality. "Germany would have dropped the bomb on London or Moscow," Sheldon theorized. "The Allies would have been forced to surrender early. Hitler would have taken over England and the Soviet Union, and Germany would have dominated Europe."
"Whoa, hold on a second." George, now fully engaged in the conversation, turned to Sheldon. "So, you're saying Germany would've started a nuclear war? That would've been the end of the world."
Sheldon nodded. "Yes. If Hitler had fully supported the nuclear project, everything would have ended. America would have retaliated by bombing Berlin when the Manhattan Project succeeded—but by then, it would've been too late. The probability of America losing the war would have been significantly higher if Hitler hadn't been an anti-Semite."
Georgie nodded in agreement. "Well, Hitler was an anti-Semite, and he considered quantum physics is 'Jewish science.' God bless America for that!"
George exhaled deeply, glancing between his sons. "So, if Hitler hadn't been anti-Semitic, he could have ruled the world?"
Sheldon nodded again. "Yes. If he had fully funded Germany's nuclear bomb project, the probability of him taking over Europe would have been much higher. But the chances of world destruction would have also skyrocketed, as America and other nations would have retaliated with nuclear bombs of their own."
Georgie leaned back. "Yeah, that's why, ironically, it's a good thing that Hitler was a racist lunatic."
George let out another sigh. "Well, yeah, God bless America for that." He then extended his fist toward Sheldon for a fist bump.
Sheldon stared at it blankly. "I'd rather not touch that."
George awkwardly retracted his hand while Georgie burst out laughing, making the moment even more uncomfortable.
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3rd POV – Back at the Cooper House
Missy, having finished her breakfast, looked at Mary. "So, I really can't dye my hair?"
She was hoping their earlier conversation would change the answer.
Veronica chuckled, watching Missy try her best to get what she wanted. "Well, if you keep insisting," Veronica teased with a sly grin, "then I guess I'll officially be number one on Georgie's favorites list!"
Mary, who had initially been about to scold Missy, sighed instead when Veronica twisted the argument in her favor. "No, you cannot dye your hair!" Mary firmly repeated.
Missy turned to Veronica, narrowing her eyes. "Even if I change my hair color, Georgie still loves me the most!"
"Oh yeah? Want to bet on it?" Veronica smirked, challenging her.
Connie chuckled at their antics, while Mary let out an exaggerated sigh at their childish competitiveness.
Missy, not backing down, squinted back at Veronica. "What kind of bet are we talking about?"
Before Veronica could reply, Mary shut it down immediately. "No one is betting anything because Missy is NOT dyeing her hair!" she declared, glaring at both of them.
Connie burst into laughter, shaking her head. "Haha! I was really curious about what kind of bet you two were planning! But sorry, kid," she added, lowering her voice slightly, "your mom's not fun."
Mary's eye twitched. "Excuse me?! I am fun! You, on the other hand, should be stopping them from gambling—not encouraging it! Oh yeah, because gambling's your favorite thing, right?" Mary snorted, clearly riled up.
Connie just laughed. She had survived far worse insults in her lifetime. Hell, Georgie even used her as an example of why not to gamble.
"What? They were just playing around. But sure, whatever you say, Mein Führer," Connie added, her sarcasm razor-sharp.
Veronica and Missy immediately stopped talking, wisely deciding not to get caught in the crossfire between Connie and Mary.
Mary, now fuming, scowled at Connie.
Connie simply chuckled again, waving off the argument. "Well, let's go, girls—before the salon closes or someone blows up the kitchen." She threw another jab at Mary before standing up.
Mary huffed loudly, rising from her chair while Missy trailed behind her toward the door.
Veronica, however, stood up more slowly, which immediately caught Connie's attention.
"What's up with you?" Connie asked, eyeing her closely.
Veronica forced an awkward smile. "It's nothing, Memaw. Just a little cramp." She waved her hand dismissively.
Connie helped her stand, watching her closely. Then, lowering her voice, she asked, "Did he use protection?"
Veronica stiffened slightly, looking a little nervous. "…Please don't tell Mary…." she whispered, her eyes pleading.
"I'm not," Connie assured her. Then she studied Veronica again, her voice filled with concern. "Was this your first time? Do you want to rest at home instead?"
"No, no! I want to go with you all," Veronica quickly reassured her.
Connie sighed but nodded. "Alright."
Helping Veronica walk carefully to the car, Connie then made an executive decision. "We're stopping by the drugstore first. You're getting some pills."
Veronica's face turned beet red. "I'm sorry…"
Connie waved her off. "Don't be silly. It's Georgie's fault for not holding back. But girl, you have to take care of yourself."
Veronica nodded, still embarrassed, but grateful.
And with that, she followed Connie to the car.