My Love; My Life: Slipping Through My Fingers

March 17, 1975

Setting: date given above; Cooper House in Gavelston Texas, some time after Mary's given birth...

"They're perfect," Mary says holding her children for the first time

"They're so small-"

"Y'all say that like ya ain't never seen a baby befere."

"I ave," he replies, "it's just been a while."

"We can do this," Mary states, then looks to George, "right George?"

"Well Uh-" he starts before clearing his throat, "lil late now ta ave second thoughts," he says awkwardly & then jokes, "ain't like we can return em."

"George," she scolds lightly

"What?" He says in return, "we can't-can we?"

"That ain't how it works," she states unenthused

"It was a joke."

"We'll it ain't a very funny one."

     The reveal of delivering twins came as a shock the whole family, along with the death of George's father & the announcement of his sister Ruth's engagement to her bow Roger. George & Mary found a fine place to live in Galveston, not too far from either of their family's places; George, & the other men in the family painted the nursery purple in order to stop the argument between Helen & Charlene over whether the room should be pink or blue. They also did it to stop Ruth & Mary's argument on the cost of painting it two colors instead of just one, as a result, only one of the females were happy. The only female that seemed to like the room was the one that has to sleep in it; from the moment Mary put the newborn twin in their shared crib, they became inseparable. They baby babble together, cry almost at the same time & seem to hate being separated from each other; the baby boy the named after his father with the exception of his middle name: George Frankincense Cooper & the girl they named: Bailey Endora Cooper...

"Frankincense n Endora really?" George says to her, "seriously Mary?-they're gonna made fun with names like those."

"They're perfectly fine biblical names George," she tells him, "n besides, it ain't like they're their first names."

"Still-"

"They ain't gotta tell people their middle names George," she sighs out as she continues knitting while they sit on the couch with a football game on

"A-a-aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" Cries come from the monitor

"Bay or Jr?"

"A-a-aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" Another cry comes through the monitor & mingles with the first

"Both," Mary sigh out, "n we just brought brought em home too."

"We ain't gonna be gettin much sleep tonight-are we?"

"Probably not," she sighs again as she gets up

"Mind gettin me another beer while yer up?"

"Yes I do mind," she tells him

"Oh come on Mary," he laughs slightly, "ain't nothin wrong with a drink ere n there," he goes on, "n if memory serves me right, Y'all were a drinker n much more wild when we first met-what changed?"

"Someone got me pregnant," she tells him flatly, "remember?"

"..." he almost chokes on his beer, "yyyeah."

"I'm gonna go check on the twins," she says as she continues to go, "get another beer yerself."

Mary goes to the nursery to soothe the twins of whatever could've woken them from their naps; she changes Georgie's diaper, & sits with Bay until she falls asleep again. Just as predicted, she spends at least half the night getting up from bed to take care of Bailey & Georgie's cries-mostly Bailey, who then wakes Georgie. The stress eventually starts to get to her after the first night alone...

"Pplease, please, PLEASE STO-HOOOP cryin," Mary begs, fully ready to breakdown crying herself, "I wish I knew what ya wanted," Mary sobs as she rocks Bailey, "ya ain't need a changin or a bottle," she heaves, "nor do ya really need anythin I check ya fer or offer ya. What?-what is it ya want?"

"Aaaaaaaaaaa!" Bailey keeps wailing as does Georgie

"Mary?" George asks with a yawn

"I can't soothe em," Mary cries right along with their new borns, "Georgie starts cryin when Bay does," she sobs, "n e won't stop till she does, but I ain't able ta get 'er ta!" She cries harder, "n no matter what I try, she ain't need nothin I can think of," she cries further, "I ain't know what ta do!"

"Uh-"

"Taker, taker!" Mary cries as she forces their daughter into his arms, "I'm losin my wits end!"

"Bu-" George starts as Bay is practically shoved into his arms & Mary leaves the nursery crying & exhausted, "Uh-" he sputters for a moment as he looks between the doorway Mary left through & his crying daughter, "Huh," he sighs out as he takes a seat in the rocking chair with Bay in his arms & starts rocking, "I ain't know much on what ya do," he tells his daughter through her wails, "but yer great grandma Cooper use ta sing yer aunts Ruth, Helen n I at sleep with this one...fergive my voice darlin," he tells her, "I ain't that great a singer."

"Aaaaaaaaaaaa!" Bay continues to wail in her father's arms while Georgie cries from the crib

Soft kitty, warm kitty
Lil ball of fur
Happy kitty, sleepy kitty
Purr, purr, purr

Both Bay & Georgie slowly seem to calm down the more George sings them to sleep; Mary returns more calmed, she becomes stunned at the sight of the twins silenced & sleeping. George easily teaches Mary the song sung to him in his youth as they both settle the twins into the singular crib & watch as the two seem to cling to each other. They both stay & watch the twins for a moment longer to make sure they remain asleep; after that moment, they quietly make their way out & back to their own room...

"I still can't believe I couldn't soothe them," Mary mutters in disappointment, "I'm their mother, I'm supposed to be able ta soothe em."

"It's only the first night Mary," he tells her, "there's plenty of time ta learn n get better at it," he adds in, "ain't like anyone's perfect at bein a parent."

"Lord knows we both know that," she sighs out as they climb into bed, "just hope we ain't end up down the same path as-"

"That I can agree with," he tells her as he turns out the light