Georgia

SEP 11, 2022 

Thunderbird

Georgia loved the sweet stickiness that embalmed itself into the thick air. Unlike her sister, Georgia was a summer girl. Georgia never understood why anyone would ever want to frolic in the winter. She watched her beloved Stan playing with Fenton, their retriever, in the yard, while the cobbler slowly cooled next to the window on the counter.

Her dreams were slowly coming true. With his engineering job in the exploding aeronautics industry, Stan had made her dream of owning a maroon Thunderbird real, and it proudly sat on their driveway, gleaming in the sun. She knew he loved it too, loved the weekend drives together, exploring California.

The walk up to the Harrison's duplex would be short. Georgia was keen to meet their new neighbors, who had surprised them with a quick invite, barely a week after they had moved in. Puzzled, she figured that if it went awry, she could hint to Stan to bring her home, maybe even feigning a headache if necessary.

“Georgia, let's go,” Stan called to her.

She stuck her head out of the window to see Stan pointing to his watch.

“2 PM.” She knew.

They were almost late, but to Georgia, a few minutes late was not the worst thing that could happen. Despite the stirring excitement of having new friends, she did not want to seem too eager. Her prudent mind warned her of setting off a bad tone. Stan, however, was enthusiastic. A new friend was not a bad thing. He thought he had seen a set of clubs being unloaded as the Harrisons moved in. A fellow handicapper was always an inviting prospect.

As she had seen her own mother do countless times, she gingerly laid the Metlox with the cobbler into the basket. She walked into her bedroom, and checked herself in the mirror one last time, her deep red lipstick, her well-manicured hair wrapped in a bow, her dirndl, everything had to be perfect. She wanted to be perfect for Stan, and for the Harrisons. Good impressions were key to Georgia. With one last glance and a light spritz of her 'Forbidden' perfume, she walked back out, picked the basket, and went out to her beloved Stan.

He was waiting impatiently by the gate. He slowly exhaled, furtively concealing his excitement. Though he felt slightly foolish for being so eager, the Harrisons would be long-term neighbors for a long while, so, he would make the best of it.

Georgia, however. . . he couldn't help but smile. Everything about her amazed him. Her flair for making a stunning entrance, or, in this case, exit, always caught him off guard. Her scent always arrived before her. He sweetly grabbed her hand, and she could feel his excitement. He was eager, something she secretly admired, but would never admit. Hand in hand, as they had done on their walk down the altar, they walked up to honor their invite, as the summer sun glistened over them. This indeed would be their summer after all.

Cora