AN: I really wanted a cute fluffy story about Tracy and Link in our times, so yeah. I don't own Hairspray or "Love Like Crazy," but I do own Charlie and Sam.
2016
Tracy watched as her granddaughter talked animatedly with Maybelle. The young girl of 16 had just gotten back from California where she had won American Idol. Maybelle's granddaughter Mandisa had won a few years ago, and was still a big sensation. Actually, Charlotte and Mandisa were pretty close considering their age difference.
This year's family reunion was bigger than the one last year, which had to be canceled due to Maybelle and Edna's health scare. Though today both women were alive and kicking, just waiting to hear Charlie's stories from Cali. Though this reunion wasn't a usual family reunion. When the Larkin's went out for a reunion, it wasn't just their family. The Stubbs and Collins families came too. Even though they weren't related by blood, all of the descendants of the famous families were as close as could be.
All of Link and Tracy's five children showed up, each with their own children. All of Corny and Amber's four children came, each with at least four of their own. Penny and Seaweed's kids came as well. All eight of them. They were all married and had kids of their own who followed just to come and see the family. Even Inez, who eventually got married to another dancer on the show, had made sure her three kids and nine grandkids came. They were all one very big, happy family.
Suddenly Charlie hopped over to give Mandisa a hug, who had just arrived. Tracy giggled at her granddaughter's antics. She was waiting for the moment when the young girl would trip over her two feet just to talk to Sam Bennett, one of Corny and Amber's grandkids. It was quite cute. The families had a joke that someday Charlie Larkin would become Charlie Bennett, and that the kids' wedding had already been planned. They never did tell the two 16 year olds that; they would have died of embarrassment.
"Charlotte come here!" Tracy yelled for the girl. She came bounding over with a smile on her face.
"Hi, Grandma! What can I do for you?" The young girl asked the older woman.
"I was wondering when you were going to talk to Sam. You have realized he's here? Haven't you?" Tracy questioned the blue eyed girl. A blush passed over her face as she quickly shook her head. "Well get to it then." And Charlie was off again, her dress rustling in the breeze. Then the woman felt a pair of arms come around her waist.
"You're not playing matchmaker again, are you?" A voice whispered in the woman's ear. She let a giggle fly loose as the man came around to face her.
"Me? Of course not? Where would you get that idea?" Tracy asked her husband with sarcasm. He smiled a smile that still made her heart flutter, even after 52 years of marriage. It brought her back to the days on The Corny Collins Show. The days of dancing and secret crushes, bad girlfriends and the civil rights movement. Link only rolled his eyes in a joking manner, but his wife still playfully smacked his arm.
"Excuse me family members!" A voice called everyone's attention to the stage. It was none other than Sam Bennett, and standing right behind him was a beat red Charlie. "Yes, I would like to say that the family talent show is going to start right now, and the first person is the incredible American Idol winner, Charlie Larkin!" The families and extended families clapped for the petite girl. Sam took a step down from the stage, but not before earning a glare from Charlotte.
"Well, as my friend said so thoughtfully, I guess the family talent show is gonna start, and it looks like no one else wants to go first," Charlie looked around for anyone in the audience who would want her place on stage. "So yeah, I'm first. I will be singing a song, figures, by Lee Brice called 'Love Like Crazy,' it really reminded me of Grandma and Grandpa Larkin, so yeah…" The girl trailed off. For someone who just finished winning a national singing competition, she was very shy. Charlie grabbed her guitar, and started to strum the first few notes.
"They called them crazy when they started out
Said, "Seventeen's too young to know what loves about"
They've been together fifty-eight years now
That's crazy
He brought home sixty-seven bucks a week
Bought a little 2 bedroom house on Maple Street
Where she blessed him with six more mouths to feed
Now that's crazy
Just ask him how he did it
He'll say, "Pull up a seat
It'll only take a minute
To tell you everything"
Be a best friend, tell the truth
And overuse "I love you"
Go to work, do your best
Don't outsmart your common sense
Never let your prayin' knees get lazy
And love like crazy
They called him crazy when he quit his job
Said them home computers, boy, they'll never take off
Well, he sold his one man shop to Microsoft
And they paid like crazy
Just ask him how he made it
He'll tell you faith and sweat
And the heart of a faithful woman
Who never let him forget
Be a best friend, tell the truth
And overuse "I love you"
Go to work, do your best
Don't outsmart your common sense
Never let your prayin' knees get lazy
And love like crazy
Always treat your woman like a lady
Never get to old to call her baby
Never let your prayin' knees get lazy
And love like crazy
They called him crazy when they started out
They've been together fifty-eight years now
Ain't that crazy?"
Charlie finished her song, and looked up into the audience; however, she wasn't looking at everyone's faces. The only faces she cared about were her grandparents. As everyone clapped and shouted the girl caught a glimpse of her quickly moving grandparents. As she stepped off the stage, Mandisa stepped up to start her song. Then she saw them right by the stairs of the stage. Her grandmother's eyes were filled with tears, so her were grandfather's.
"Charlotte, that was beautiful." Tracy said embracing the girl in a hug.
"The best thing I've ever heard, sweetheart." Link continued wrapping his granddaughter in a hug.
"I love you guys." The 16 year old replied. The smiled and nodded.
"We love you too." Tracy said before shooing her off to talk to Sam. Link wrapped his arms around Tracy.
"We did good, didn't we?" He asked the love of his life.
"Yeah we did, we did great." She smiled back at him. Their family was amazing and complete. Just as they'd always dreamed. And even though they hadn't been married for 58 years, they stilled loved each other like crazy.
