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3rd POV
{The average American consumes about 55 pounds of beef per year. Then there's Texas—we surpass that in a matter of months. Maybe even faster when we're talking about smoked brisket.} — Adult Sheldon
Connie proudly carried her smoked brisket to the dining table, where the Cooper family and Veronica were seated. Veronica sat beside Georgie, her smile growing wider at the sight of the Cooper family embracing her presence.
George held onto his beer, waiting patiently for the evening meal. He had specifically saved it for tonight—because he knew Connie was making brisket, and that alone was an event worth waiting for.
The smoked brisket sat gloriously on the table, its rich aroma filling the room. As Connie sliced into it, the knife effortlessly glided through the tender meat. The juices glistened under the warm lighting, revealing the perfect pink smoke ring beneath the bark.
George clenched his jaw, resisting the urge to grab a piece before it was officially served.
"Prepare yourself," Georgie whispered to Veronica. "Just by looking at it, I know this is a perfect brisket."
Veronica nodded eagerly. While she was excited to taste Connie's famous brisket, what she loved even more was the warmth of this family dinner—everyone gathered together, waiting for their plates to be filled.
{Strangely enough, this single cut of beef is beloved by both Texans and Jewish people alike.} — Adult Sheldon
"Connie," George finally spoke up, staring at the slice of brisket on his plate. "One day, you have to tell me your recipe."
Despite everyone's eagerness to eat, not a single person touched their fork or knife yet. Even Veronica hesitated, waiting for someone to start.
"You bet… someday." Connie smirked, taunting George.
He grumbled under his breath, frustrated that she was still withholding the secret after all these years.
Before the teasing could escalate further, Mary stepped in. "Alright, let's pray." she said, taking Missy and George's hands.
Veronica gently held Georgie's hand and Connie's hand, smiling at the family as they bowed their heads.
"Lord, thank you for this food on our table, for the nourishment of our bodies, and bless the hands that prepared it. And thank you for the new company we have today," Mary said, her warm gaze landing on Veronica. "Amen."
"Amen." everyone echoed.
And with that, George wasted no time digging in.
The moment he took a bite, his eyes widened, and he let out an involuntary moan of approval.
"Mm!"
Veronica took her first bite and practically melted in her seat. "Oh my…" she murmured as she chewed. Swallowing, she turned to Connie, wide-eyed. "This is incredible!"
Connie chuckled. She knew Veronica wasn't just flattering her—this was an authentic reaction. "Heh, you just had the best brisket in all of Texas."
Veronica nodded enthusiastically before taking another bite.
George, meanwhile, watched Veronica and then shifted his gaze to Georgie.
"I tell you, Mary and I were dating for about a month when she brought me home for dinner. I took one bite of this brisket, and I knew right then that I loved your daughter."
Mary chuckled, then turned her attention to Veronica.
"So, Veronica… since when did you start liking this stupid son of mine?"
Georgie scoffed, while Veronica laughed softly.
"It's been a while, I guess," she admitted, glancing at Georgie.
"Pfft, you guess?" Georgie smirked. "You fell for me the moment I called you Beauty."
"He called you Beauty and you immediately fell for him?" Connie asked Veronica teasingly.
Missy let out an exaggerated sigh. "Women…" she muttered under her breath.
Annoyed, Veronica pinched Georgie's arm. "Of course it wasn't that simple!" she huffed.
She hesitated for a moment, then lowered her gaze to her plate. "...You know… there were already bad rumors about me."
The mood at the table shifted slightly.
"When the rumors spread, people started looking at me as if I was the rumor itself. But then Georgie… he came to me, called me nice and beautiful… and that meant a lot to me."
"See?" Georgie grinned. "I did grab your heart the first time I called you Beauty."
Mary glanced at George, exchanging a silent question between them—was the rumor true?
Connie, however, simply smiled at Veronica and patted her hand.
"What rumor?" Sheldon asked, completely unaware of any school gossip.
"Bad rumors," Georgie said firmly. "I didn't believe them." His voice was unwavering, leaving no room for doubt.
"So, I chose to believe in her. No one likes rumors, but it's high school—gossip and rumors will always be in the hallways. Whether you believe them or not… that's your choice."
"I chose not to believe in any rumor and judge for myself."
The table went quiet.
Mary and George exchanged knowing looks. They had both been in high school once—they knew how cruel rumors could be. Hell, George himself had been a bully back in his day. He understood all too well how the school system worked.
Connie took another sip of her beer and smirked at Georgie.
"See? Old man." she teased.
Veronica kept her head down, feeling overwhelmed again. Georgie always did this—saying whatever was on his mind, but his words carried a weight that struck deep.
"Well," George finally spoke, turning to Veronica. "If Georgie ever hurts you, you tell me. I'll knock some sense into him myself."
Mary playfully smacked George's arm, though she knew he meant what he said.
"A man should stand by his word." George added with a smirk.
"Another grandpa in the house!" Connie teased, causing George to grumble.
Veronica let out a soft laugh, only to realize—her vision had blurred slightly.
She blinked rapidly, trying to hold back the sudden sting of tears.
She wasn't sure why she felt so emotional.
Maybe it was the warmth of this family.
Maybe it was Georgie's unwavering support.
Maybe… it was the realization that, for the first time in a long while, she belonged.