Chapter 61 - Love Without End

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3rd POV

The church picnic had a lively atmosphere, with children running across the park while parents gathered in groups to gossip. Missy and Bobby were playfully chasing each other, locked in a friendly rivalry.

On the other hand, Sheldon sat on a bench, completely engrossed in his book, ignoring the other kids playing around him.

"Kids." he muttered, sighing as he watched a younger child throw something at another.

Veronica chuckled beside him. "Why don't you go and play with them?" she asked, glancing at the book he was holding—A Brief History of Time.

"No, thanks." Sheldon replied flatly, dismissing her once again.

Mary and Connie sat nearby, sipping their tea and coffee. They watched over the children but didn't join the other parents—Mary wasn't interested in gossip, and Connie had no desire to mingle.

"Do you even understand the book you're reading, Sheldon?" Veronica finally asked the question that had been bothering her. "Stephen Hawking, huh? Isn't he the guy who talks like a robot?"

"Yes, and I am trying to understand it. Would you mind? I'm reading." Sheldon responded, effectively shutting down the conversation.

Veronica wasn't offended—if anything, she found it amusing. "Heh, so you only listen to your big brother, huh?" she teased, hoping to get a reaction.

Sheldon's eye twitched slightly, but he quickly ignored her again.

Veronica caught the subtle movement, her laughter growing. However, she didn't press further, allowing Sheldon to focus on his book.

"Oh yeah," Connie suddenly joined in, smirking. "One time, when Sheldon was reading and Georgie needed help, he immediately shut his book and ran over to him."

Mary chuckled at the memory. "Yeah, all Georgie wanted was for Sheldon to type up some documents for his music label."

Sheldon's face turned red. "MOM! MEMAW!" he protested.

"Haha, it's okay, Shelly! You can love your big brother as much as you want!" Connie teased, making Mary and Veronica laugh along.

"Well, well, well, isn't this a lovely sight for the Cooper family?" a familiar voice interrupted their conversation.

Mary turned toward the voice, smiling. "Hello, Pastor Jeff. Taking a break?"

Pastor Jeff smiled but glanced around as if searching for someone.

Connie smirked. "He's not here. He was afraid if he came, he'd end up devouring the kids here."

Pastor Jeff stared at her with a deadpan expression. "Well, if that happens, I'll just have to perform another exorcism."

Connie burst out laughing, while Mary sighed awkwardly, glaring at her mother for the unnecessary joke.

Veronica, now thoroughly confused, leaned toward Sheldon. "What's going on?"

Sheldon sighed and closed his book, realizing that reading in peace was impossible right now.

"Georgie was acting weird back then," he explained, referring to the reason behind Pastor Jeff's involvement.

Veronica snickered but quickly composed herself, glancing at Pastor Jeff. "Sorry," she mumbled.

"Don't be! Laugh if you want!" Connie encouraged, still chuckling.

"You guys are unbelievable." Mary muttered, shaking her head at Connie and Veronica.

Pastor Jeff gave a polite smile. "It's alright, Mary. I've already forgiven Georgie for… playing around in the name of Satan and other devils. I'm sure God forgives him too." But his awkward reassurance didn't help much.

Just then, Missy ran back from playing with Bobby and spotted Pastor Jeff. "What's up, Demon Slayer?" Missy said nonchalantly.

Connie burst into loud laughter, and Veronica chuckled.

Sheldon shook his head, while Mary… well, Mary was not amused.

Georgie's POV

"Oh, so it was a test? Well, good thing I passed then, right?" I said with a smirk, glancing at Dad, who looked awkwardly amused.

Test or not, I needed this opportunity. Other people might have been frustrated by it, but I didn't care—I still needed him for my debut launch, so I wasn't too bothered by the fact that he tested me.

"I'm sorry about that, kid," George S. said with a grin. "Your dad and I almost got into a fight over it!" he added with a chuckle.

I glanced at Dad, who huffed and looked away from George S.

"Really? Well, you're lucky that didn't happen." I said, my tone dripping with sarcasm.

"Haha, I bet I could've landed a better punch than him." George S. smirked at Dad.

Dad frowned. "Listen here, King of Country," he said, crossing his arms. "Back in my day, I took on 15 guys at once—and still won the fight!"

"Hah! Only 15? I fought 20!" George S. countered smugly.

"Ha! If you actually fought 20 guys, you'd be dead!" Dad scoffed. "I could knock you out with my hands tied!"

"What the hell are you talking about?! How would you even hit me with your hands tied?!" George S. challenged, smirking. "Are you stupid?"

Dad gritted his teeth and leaned in. "I'd knocked you, shoving my foot right up your ass!"

"That's called kicking, you idiot!" George S. burst out laughing.

I let out an exhausted sigh. These two were like children, arguing back and forth.

"Can you guys knock it off? You both served in the army, right? Shouldn't you be brothers in arms or something?" I cut in, finally putting an end to their childish banter.

George S. blinked, looking at me. "How do you know that?" he asked. But then, his gaze shifted toward Dad. "Wait—you served?"

"Vietnam War," Dad answered, huffing. "Where'd you serve?"

For the first time, George S. looked genuinely surprised. He had never publicly talked about his military past, but the records were still there.

"Schofield Barracks, Hawaii." George S. admitted, taking a sip of his whiskey. I watched as his posture relaxed slightly, knowing that Dad had served in Vietnam.

For the first time that night, George S. seemed to respect my dad—not as some random country bumpkin, but as a fellow veteran.

"Sergeant Cooper." George Sr. said, extending his hand toward George S.

"Corporal Strait." George S. replied, grinning as he shook George Sr.'s hand.

Fenley and Rosie, standing beside Georgie, exchanged glances. They had been on edge, trying to stop the tension between these two stubborn men, but they never got the chance.

Now, watching George S. and George C. shaking hands and laughing together left them completely speechless.

Even Georgie let out a nervous chuckle. The argument had started with them bragging about their fighting skills, only to end with them acknowledging each other's military ranks.

Maybe it was still bragging, but this time, Georgie didn't hear any sarcasm between them.

"How was it, serving over there?" George S. asked, leaning back on the couch, finally trying to relax.

"It was tough," George Sr. admitted. "Ugh… it's not really appropriate to talk about here, but trust me, it was really hard." His voice grew somber.

"I know…" George S. muttered, then turned toward Georgie. "Your old man's a war hero."

I blinked and replied casually, "I didn't know that." And shrugged my shoulder. "Not that it matters to me."

Everyone in the room raised their eyebrows at his bluntness.

"I love him because he's my dad," I said again before anyone could criticize my words. "I don't care if he's a war hero or a five-star general. I just love him because he's my father."

George S. stared at me, eyes widening slightly.

I could feel everyone's gaze on me now.

"I'm just glad he became my dad… and not a dead soldier in someone else's country," I added, and my head slightly lowered.

That's why I'm just glad for that.

"He could've been a sergeant or a high school football coach… but I'm just happy he's a loving father at home."

I wasn't interested in hearing war stories.

"I'm just happy he's there, sitting at the head of the table during dinner."

I didn't need tales of his heroism.

"I'm just happy he gives his attention to Missy and Sheldon."

It didn't matter if we were poor.

"I'm just happy he comes home, even when he has a bad day outside."

Yeah.

"I'm just happy he came home to his family."

The room fell silent.

I glanced at my father, who had turned away from me.

I could hear quiet sniffles from beside me. When i looked over, i saw Fenley and Rosie wiping their tears.

George S. swirled his drink in his glass, his expression distant. "…Salute to you, George." George S. said, raising his whiskey glass. But George C. didn't Respon to him. He still wouldn't look at Georgie.

George S., he exhaled deeply and grinned. "We're musicians. We talk like this through music," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "Play your song."

Georgie hadn't expected his words to hit this hard.

He had only said what he felt—what he never had the chance to feel in his past life.

He hadn't realized how deep an impact it would leave on everyone.

His gaze shifted between his father and George S.

"…Dad, are you crying?" Georgie asked, grinning playfully. "But I haven't even played my song yet."

George S. chuckled and turned to Georgie. "Play it! I want to see him cry even harder!" he teased, making George Sr. glare at him.

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3rd POV

George S. grinned as he looked at Georgie.

A stubborn father like himself probably would've teared up, too, if his own kid had said something like that.

No matter how many medals a man won, no matter how much applause he received, the greatest achievement for a father was hearing their child say:

'I love him because he's my dad.'

Thank God Georgie wasn't his son—otherwise, he'd have lost all his dignity as a man, just like George Sr. sitting in front of him.

Fenley and Rosie silently wiped away their tears.

'I love him more than any heroic story he could ever tell me.'

They could feel the weight of those words.

George S. looked at George C., whose tears had already fallen.

He lifted his glass in another salute—this time, not as a veteran, not as a musician, but as a father, respecting another father.

This was a recognition far greater than meeting a president or receiving a Medal of Honor.

Loving his family was hard.

George S. knew that feeling too—he was a husband and a father himself.

What Georgie had said was exactly what he wished to hear from his own child one day.

"We're both musicians," George S. said, smirking. "We talk like this through music. Play your song."

Georgie met his gaze. "I haven't even played my song yet," he said with a small grin.

George S. laughed and teased George C, but deep down, he didn't expect Georgie to strike a nerve this hard.

This wasn't the first time Georgie had made his father cry.

George S. had already heard about Georgie's song The Man I Want to Be—a song that once moved George C. to tears. "That's a great song. I liked that one too," George S. admitted, leaning forward eagerly.

He wanted to hear the song that Georgie claimed he would like even more.

"Alright…" Georgie took a deep breath, his fingers gently strumming his guitar, creating a soft, soothing melody.

(George Strait – Love Without End, Amen) {Change a little bit}

🎵 I got sent home from school one day with a shiner on my eye

Fighting was against the rules and it didn't matter why 🎵

George C. closed his eyes and wiped away his lingering tears. he was completely focused on the sound of his son's voice.

🎵 When Dad got home, I told that story just like I'd rehearsed

Then stood there on those trembling knees and waited for the worst 🎵

George S. listened intently, his breathing slow and steady, careful not to disrupt the performance.

He could feel the emotions in Georgie's voice.

🎵 And he said, "Let me tell you a secret about a father's love

A secret that my daddy said was just between us" 🎵

Georgie sang with a warm smile, looking directly at his father.

🎵 He said, "Daddies don't just love their children every now and then

It's a love without end, amen"

It's a love without end, amen 🎵

George S. glanced at George C.

For the first time, he saw pure happiness on the man's face—tears still running down, but smiling so brightly.

🎵 When I became a father in the spring of '75

There was no doubt that stubborn boy was just like my father's son 🎵

Fenley gazed at Georgie, watching the way he looked at his father.

"He really loves his family."

🎵 And when I thought my patience had been tested to the end

I took my daddy's secret and I passed it on to him 🎵

Rosie, mesmerized, tapped her foot to the rhythm.

She already knew Georgie was talented.

But seeing George S.—THE George S.—be this captivated?

That made her realize Georgie wasn't just talented.

He was special.

🎵 "Daddies don't just love their children every now and then

It's a love without end, amen"

It's a love without end, amen 🎵

Georgie stopped playing his guitar, his gaze locking deeply onto George Sr.

George Sr. looked back at him, his face already stained with tears.

🎵 Last night I dreamed I died and stood outside those pearly gates

When suddenly I realized there must be some mistake

If they knew half the things I'd done, they'd never let me in

And then somewhere from the other side, I heard these words again 🎵

George C. froze, completely speechless.

George S. listened intently, his expression turning serious.

Fenley and Rosie felt it too—there was something behind those lyrics, something Georgie was trying to say.

But before the weight of the moment could fully settle, Georgie smiled softly, his warmth shattering the tension in the room.

Then, he began strumming again.

🎵 And they said, "Let me tell you a secret about a father's love

A secret that my daddy said was just between us"

"You see, daddies don't just love their children every now and then

It's a love without end, amen"

It's a love without end, amen 🎵

As Georgie finished, he looked back at George S., who leaned into the sofa, completely absorbed.

"…That was a great song," George S. murmured, taking another sip of whiskey.

"…I need to go to the bathroom," George C. mumbled, standing up and walking away—clearly needing a moment to collect himself.

Fenley and Rosie wiped their eyes and clapped for Georgie.

"As always, Georgie, it's a beautiful song," Rosie said, patting his shoulder.

"…Well, it's alright…" Georgie muttered, feeling a little flustered by the intensity of their reactions.

Even though there were only four people in the room listening to him, the song he had played carried such a deep emotional weight that it left him slightly shaken.

George S. observed Georgie's shy reaction and chuckled. "…You should be my Godson…." he said casually, dropping a bombshell on everyone in the room.

"..."

Just as George C. returned from the bathroom, he overheard the remark. His expression immediately darkened.

"Now you're trying to steal my son too?!" George C. barked, clearly irritated.

Georgie could only smile awkwardly as the two men started bickering again.