It was his name that I first found cute, that strange double d's that no one else has, how could a girl not want to know more about someone so different. And now as I'm watching him sign his name, with his perfect hand writing, I can't help but think back to what lead to us in this small office room sitting together.

If I had to say when things started to change, it's when Grandma K came to visit. Lee, May, and I had just broke fourteen and were enjoying the last weeks of summer before we started high school. As always we spent most day tormenting Edd and his friends Ed and Eddy. But when we heard the popping of Grandma K's truck we ditched the Ed's, tied up to the swing set at the park, and ran home.
When we reached the Park n' Flush we saw Mom and Grandma K sitting outside talking.
May being the youngest and always acting it ran over and jumped into her lap. "Grandma K!" She screamed, hugging our grandmother like she was a younger kid.
Lee, the oldest of us three, looked at May, at least I thought she was, it was always hard to tell with her curly red hair in front of her eyes, annoyed. "Kankers never show softness." Is what Lee always said, but nothing could stop or grandmother from enjoying May's affection.
Grandma K hugged May back and gave her a kiss on the cheek before telling her; "It is nice to see you too May, and your sisters."
Lee always wanting to be tough just said; "Hey." Where I gave a more normal greeting. "Hi Grandma K, what brings you to our neck of the woods?"
Grandma K always had an agenda when she drove down to see us, so I was expecting something to be said or happen.
"Isn't it obvious? We have a birthday to celebrate." Grandma K said as she moved May off her lap.
Grandma K got up off the old chair and picked up the three paper packages from the table between her and Mom. "But first you and your sisters need to go put on your birthday gifts Marie."
We were confused at first, but we took the packages with our names on them and went into the trailer. Once in our room we saw that our gift was a dress each. Lee's was a light blue dress with long sleeves and hung just a few inches off the floor. May's dress was white with red stripes that hung just as long as Lee's, but with short sleeves. And then there was my dress. Grandma K must have put the most effort into mine, it was a red and black plaid dress that hung just below my knees and had no sleeves at all, Grandma K knew how much I hated sleeves. One odd thing about our dresses was they were too big on us, safety pins were needed to keep them from getting damaged or falling off, but Grandma K said she made them big so we would have them longer.
We thanked her like the good little girls we pretended to be around her and then she took all of us out to eat at some restaurant as the second part of our gift.

While we were eating the subject of boys was brought up and Grandma K asked us if we had any boys checking our eyes.
"Only if they were looking to get hurt." Was Lee's response.
"Someday Big Ed is going to marry me." Was May's.
I never fully knew how Lee or May really felt about Ed and Eddy, but I had a real thing for Edd. I know I was going about it the wrong way if I wanted his affection, but bullying was all I knew. So I shrugged my shoulders and told her; "I dunno. Maybe."
I guess Grandma K caught wind of something from me because as we were leaving the restaurant she pulled me away to talk.
I wish I could remember her words exactly, with how important they would become to me, but it was something along the lines of; "Marie, I'm telling you this because you're the smartest out of your sisters so maybe you can help them understand. But your Mother's way of treating men will get you girls nothing but men like your father's. Men who won't be around. I have a feeling that there is a boy you got an eye on already. And if you want some grandmotherly advice, don't be mean to the poor boy, show him a little kindness and that he does mean something to you and he might come around."

This was the last time we saw our grandmother before old age took her just two months later, so I felt like I should do my best to honor her memory and take her advice.
So I started to lay off Edd. No more attacking him or creeping on him at school and I even stopped Lee from lobbing a dodge ball at his head once, which he even thanked me for.
Two years of this went by and I was starting to think he would never even say a full sentences to me, but then fall of our eleventh year of school happened.

I was walking home from the drugstore, Mom was always getting sick, or having a bad cough, and me being the most reliable of the three, I was sent to get her some stuff after church.
Mom started making us go after Grandma K passed, I never put much thought into any sort of higher power but I figured that if Grandma K would be watching us it would be at church. So I made sure to wear her dress every week.
Grandma K was right about growing into the dress and I couldn't help but feel pretty in it with my blue dyed hair brushed to a shine as I walked. Walking down the side of the road I saw his car and smiled.
Sure I wasn't stalking him anymore, but I was sure to keep tabs on Edd and know which of the cars was his in the school parking lot. He was parked on the shoulder of the road with his hood open leaning over the engine.
I took a big chance and walked up to him. "Something wrong Double Dee?" I asked.
He jumped at the sound of my voice and almost hit his head. "Oh! Good afternoon... Marie... Yes there does seem to be something wrong with my vehicle." He didn't stutter or run away, which made me finally start to fully believe Grandma K.
"What's wrong with it?"
"There is a very strange rattling sound when I am driving."
I didn't even think of what was, is, or might happen, I just wanted to try and help. So I handed him Mom's paper bag of stuff and said; "Let me take look. Fire it up and we'll see what happens."
I never found out why he did what I told him to do, he just took Mom's bag and went into his car and turned the engine over.
I always liked cars and I had already seen a lot of repair shows on TV, so right away I saw what was wrong. "Ok kill it, I got it." I yelled and the car died.
Edd came back around to the front asking; "So what could be wrong?"
"Did you just get your oil changed?"
"Yes, as a matter of fact that is where I just was."
"Though so, your oil reservoir cap is loose, see." I think it was the first time I heard him laugh when I turned that cap closed.
"Some genius I am."
"No one is perfect." And right there was the first time we smiled at each other like two normal teens. I wanted to stay and just be near him, but Mom needed her stuff. "Well I should get going."
Before I could take a step he asked probably the most important question in the world to me. "Would you care for a ride home Marie? As a thank you for your help."
The words were out of my mouth before I could think them. "Sure, that would be cool."
And just like that, I was inside Edd's old green car traveling down the road. I didn't say anything not wanting to jeopardize this moment. But Edd was always so talkative.
"So… how have you been liking this school year Marie""
"Well I walked to the store to actively avoid doing that stupid science homework, so not a whole lot."
"Are you having trouble with the subject?" I think Edd cared about everyone's schooling one way or another.
"Oh yeah, the D's are a plenty."
"Would... Would you care for some help?"
I didn't believe it. He asked to help me with my homework. "Sure, if you're not doing anything else you can guide this dumb gal through her homework."
Edd stopped at a stop sign and pulled out his phone as he said; "I just need to inform Mother."
I watched his fingers fly across the screen, I was entrenched by how fast he could type out a message to his mother.

I can't remember how we ended up there, but we sat at the kitchen table in the trailer working on homework. Edd turned out to be the best teacher I ever had. He explained everything in ways I understood, and before we knew it happened two and a half hours had gone by.
Once the last problem was done and I closed my book I look at Edd and said; "Thank you for the help Double Dee, you make this stuff seem easy."
He smiled at me again, god do I love that smile. "You are quite welcome Marie. I have to say it was far easier to help you then Ed or Eddy."
"So what you're saying is that if I need it, you'd help me again?"
Edd sat there looking at me, it was a bold question I know, but I seriously wanted to know if he would help me again.
"I... I don't see why I couldn't help you every now and then when needed."
And that is when I knew Grandma K was right. Right at that moment was when friendship, albeit a very little one, started.

Edd helping me with homework was nothing that I had dreamt it would be. When he would help me we'd sometimes be in the school library or, very rarely, at my trailer, but most of the time it was at his house. Hardly ever was it just me and him together working, turns out he was helping most of the kids of the Cul-de-sac with their school work. The other kids HATED that Edd was helping me, especially Eddy, who had it out for me and my sisters well into our twenties. But Edd told the other kids in his tutoring group that everyone who came to him for help would get it, which silenced most of the hate.
Even when it was a group of us doing homework together I still relished in just being in the same room with Edd. It started out as a friendship of homework help and studying, but after we did our homework before Christmas break alone together I knew something was different.
We were in the TV room of his house working, and when we finished Edd sat back on the couch and turned on the TV.
"I think my brain is hurting after that." I said as I closed my book.
"Well… um, you could stay and relax for a bit, before you went home." How I kept everything under control I don't know, but I was able to and we sat there for a few hours watching TV.

After that night I knew I had to take a chance and risk it all. I spent most of winter break working for tips at the diner with Mom to have the money for what I wanted to do. And then on New Year's Day, the best day for new beginnings, I called Edd and told him I had an extra credit project I needed help with and to meet me downtown.
I wanted everything to be right, so I spent the whole night before going over my plaid dress fixing all the broken seams and loose threads. And that morning, I think it was the longest I'd ever been in front of a mirror that wasn't me dying my hair, I did everything to make myself look good. Blue mascara, lipstick, painted my nails, and brushed my hair to a shine.
I'm sure I looked drop dead good looking in Grandma K's dress as I waited for Edd to show up. And when he did show up I couldn't help but smile as his cheeks had a faint glow to them.
"Hello Marie."
I kept telling myself to keep my cool. "Hey."
"So what did you need my help with?"
I smiled and pointed to the building behind me. "I need your help seeing this movie." I knew this was crazy, that the chances of him saying yes was so small it could almost not even be real. But he looked at the theater and the posters on display. I had done my research and found a theater running old movies and as luck had it, this one was playing War Games. I didn't know it at the time that it's his favorite movie, I just saw it as an old science movie, which is his favorite kind, that I hoped he would like.
"Are you asking me on a-"
I had to cut him off when he started asking about this being a date. "I'm not saying anything like that. I'm just asking, as a friend, to see a movie with me." I was so nervous as he looked at me mulling over seeing a movie with me.
After what must have been several minutes of us standing there saying nothing as Edd thought he finally smiles and says: "Ok Marie, let's see what comes."
I almost didn't believe he said yes to a movie date, but he did and I bought, and still have, the tickets, and snack for us to eat. We sat in that mostly empty theater watching a movie together, he probably didn't believe it was happening either. The two of us seeing a movie together is something that only ever happened in fiction and never in the real world. But when our hands met in the popcorn bucket we looked at each other, he had that silly smile on his face and as I smiled back at him he laced our fingers together.

When the movie ended our hands were still joined in the bucket. We sat there as the other people left.
When everyone else was gone I turned to Edd. "Did you like the movie?"
He squeezed my hand when I asked this, as a sign of reassurance I guessed, and then looked at me. I could tell his head was full of questions and concerns.
"This… this doesn't have to mean anything Double Dee."
"Why?"
"Well you're you and I'm, well I'm your old bully. Life usually doesn't work like that."
"No not that, I guess I should have been more specific sorry, why me? Out of everyone in this town, why me?"
It hit me that he wanted to know why I liked him, why after all this time I still wanted him. "I dunno, I guess you're just a better person then me. I see you and I feel like maybe I could be a better person myself, that you see past the trailer park trash. I don't deserve you and you could do better, but I just… feel whole when you're near."
Now a days I could go on and on about why I love him, but at the time I couldn't put words to this feeling in my chest.
"I do not see you as trash Marie. Yes you are a bit rough around the edges and are very upfront about what you think. But you've grown a substantial amount over the past few years, and I… I would very much like to contribute to your growing as a person in a more deeper connection then what we are now."
I was so glad that I had been spending all that time with him, I was able to understand him perfectly. "People might fight back."
Again that smile came. "Well, I guess it's a good thing I just started a relationship with the toughest girl in school."
"Who's that? I'll shank that witch for taking my title."
Edd laughed at my joke. "I meant you."
"I know, but I couldn't help it, it's who I am."
"Yes, yes it is." And with that Edd and I shared our first kiss, and I would be lying if I said I didn't cry tears of joy as I felt his lips on mine.

Edd took me home after we left the movie theater and we sat on the hood of his car talking for hours. We talked about us and what is going to happen, what people might say, and about us. Personally I wanted to run around screaming to the world that we are a couple, but Edd said we shouldn't go rubbing it in people's faces.
"But I want to make everyone jealous." I said as Edd pulled me closer to him with his arm.
"I know you do, but the more people you tell, the more people that will want to know more about us and how we ended up together."
"Your right, as usual."

We ended up talking about our grandparents after a while. Turned out his grandfather was a very outdoors adventurer kind of person.
"He spent most of his life traveling. But he always found time to come and visit me when I was younger."
"Sounds like we both had some really cool grandparents Edd."
"You just used my name."
"Is it bad that I did?" I'm not sure why I called him Edd and not Double Dee, but I did and I ran with it.
"It's not bad, just none of the other kids have used it."
"Well, we're really not kids anymore."
"Just like you're not a bully anymore."
I liked that Edd was ok with me using the shorten version of his name, and when he said I wasn't a bully anymore I knew I had to do everything I could to keep our relationship alive. "All part of growing up ya know."

I was right about the others fighting back. We decided to wait till the first day back to school to come out as a couple. I remember that day well, we walked into the cafeteria hand in hand together. It was still early, but most of the kids from Edd's social circle were there. And when we were spotted everyone got quiet. I can't remember who all said what, I remember that there was yelling and a lot of questions but the specific are lost to me. What I do remember is Edd didn't back down, he stood up for me.
"I understand your concerns friends, but it is not your place to dictate who I date. Marie is not the same as she once was, she's grown just like all of us."
I wasn't just falling more for Edd, I had tripped down a cliff and was plummeting at max speed as he talked to his friends.
Things were going pretty good as Edd talked to his friends, though Eddy did drag Ed away from the crowd, and then my sisters showed up.
I hadn't told Lee or May anything about me and Edd despite the three of us usually sharing everything. But I didn't want them to do anything before it became public knowledge that Edd and I are a couple.
Lee somehow got behind me without me noticing and practically ripped me away from Edd and had me down the hall and into the bathroom we three spent most of our time at school ditching class before I knew it.
"What the heck are ya thinkin Marie?" Lee had tossed me into the bathroom and I had fallen to the floor, so I had to pick myself up off the floor before I answered her.
"What the hell is your problem?" I knew why she did what she did, Kanker code is to never fall for a man. Never give them an inch because they will steal a mile and leave you crying is what I was raised on.
"I should have known better, like hell you were just trying to get good grade to make mom proud of ya. You did all of that crap just to get him, a MAN, don't you know what they are like? Didn't you listen to Mom at all?"
"Yeah I did, I did listen. I remember every story Mom told about our dads, how they all left her broke and broken. That she tried three times with three different, but the same kind of guys." I remember the look on Lee's face and the anger inside of me, this was building up ever scene I stopped bullying Edd and now the biggest fight I ever had with my sister was coming.
"Yeah, well then why didn't you learn?"
"I did. I learned that Grandma K was right. That Mom fucked up because of who she chose and how she did it. You think Edd would pack up and leave if a kid came into the story? You think I'll lie awake at night listening to the sound of three little girls crying and hungry?" I was poking Lee in the chest, I think she didn't think I would fight back against her.
"Edd is the nicest boy in this whole shit hole of a town and I didn't just change for him. I changed for the better for me. I'm not mad at the world because of the hand I got dealt. I'm working to make my life better. You're the oldest and you're supposed to be the one setting the good example for me and May. But which one of us will go to the store for Mom? Which one of us goes to work with her and actually helps out? Which one of us is trying to get Mom to stop smoking so she won't be sick all the damn time? Huh Lee who? ME. I do everything I can for our mother while you sit on your ass and steal her cigarettes."
"Yes I'm doing my homework, and getting good grade. Yes I have a boyfriend who makes me happy. And you know what Lee. If being a Kanker means that I have to be angry and miserable and lonely, then maybe this is where are trio ends."
May was standing there in silence as I yelled at or sister. But when I said we should break up the gang she started to cry. "But but but we're sisters Marie. You can't…"
"I know we are May, and we'll always be sisters, but if Lee can't accept that this is who I am now, then we stop at sisters. Nothing more."
The next thing I remember is Lee punching me in the head and me falling to the ground, again. "You think I don't do anything? Who the hell do you think is keeping the trailer clean, or doing YOUR laundry? You think I don't know what's going on with Mom? Why do you think I steal her smokes? So she can't smoke them you dumb ass." Lee was standing over me as I was on the ground. For someone so thin she hits like a damn train. "While you were out on your fucking date I was making Mom her first full meal all fucking month. And excuse me if I can't take all this shit and I have to space out, I-"
"STOP IT!" May yelled at the both of us with eyes full of tears, god that was the saddest thing I had ever seen. "Just stop fighting! We're family, we're sisters… we are suppose to be there for each other in the bad, and the good. We should be happy for Marie Lee, if being a nice person and having a boyfriend makes her happy then we are happy for her. And we each can't try and do everything, we all have to help with the chores and with Mom." For actually being almost a full year younger then me, and over two from Lee, May always understood more than we gave her credit for.
"We can't be like this." She dropped to her knees and started to cry more. "I don't want my family to break up."
I can't remember which of us got to her first, but I remember Lee and me on the floor next to May hugging her.
"It's ok May, were not going to break up." My anger at Lee just evaporated as I hugged my little sister.
"Yeah May, you're stuck with us for life whether you like it or not."

After that, things started to get better for us, all three of us were helping Mom out with chores and stuff around the trailer, and eventually we'd get her to quit smoking.
Lee still wouldn't trust Edd for almost two years, and she almost killed him our Senior year at Peach Creek High when we got stranded out in the snow and had to spend the night in Edd's car.
We were on our way back from this kind of formal dinner and a movie restaurant and a snow storm had blown in making it a challenge for Edd to drive in. But despite how amazing of a driver he is, some jack off clipped us and we ended up stuck in a big snow bank.
Edd was frantic when we crashed. "Oh my lord! Marie are you ok? Did anything get hurt? Do you feel any pain in your head?"
I was a bit dizzy, but that was just from being a bit sleepy and getting shocked awake. "I'm ok Edd, what about you? Everything ok on your end?"
"A small pain from my seatbelt, but other than that I am unscaved."
"Think your car is ok?" I was trying to look out the front window, but all I saw was snow.
"I'll take a look." Edd opened his door, but he quickly pulled it back closed when snow started blowing in. "Well, not going back out there."
"Call Triple A?"
"Probably best." Edd reached into his dress jacket pocket and the color ran from his face. "Where is it?" He started looking in all of his pockets.
"Did you lose your phone?"
He put his head in his hands and fell back into his seat. "I must have left it at the restaurant."
"Well I guess there is only one thing we can do now."
"Get out and walk?" Sometimes Edd over thinks the situation.
"No silly." I leaned over and kissed him on the cheek as I turned off the car. "We just have to camp out in your car until morning." I then climbed into the back seat. "You coming?"
When Edd joined me in the back I started to regret turning off the car. I was wearing my plaid dress, it being the most formal thing I owned, and the cold was starting to seep into the car.
Edd saw me shiver and quickly took off his jacket and wrapped it around me.
"Thanks Edd." I moved to rest against him and he put his arm around me.
"You're welcome Marie."
I yawned and closed my eyes. I never felt as safe as I do when Edd is holding me. "If you want to lie down Marie, I can go back up to the front." Edd is always willing to put me ahead of himself, it's one of the many things I love about him.
I looked up at him and smiled. "You're not going anywhere." I grabbed him and pulled him down. I can't remember how, but Edd ended up on his back and me sitting on top of him. I shrugged off his jacked and leaned down to him. "You know something Edd." It was barely a whisper.
"What Marie?" his face was starting to turn red and I think he knew what I was wanting to do.
"I love you Edd. With all my heart and soul I love you. You mean everything to me."
By this point, Edd's face was burning red and I could tell that he was getting excited. "I love you too Marie, and you mean the world to me as well. You have filled my life with so much joy and I never want to lose that joy."
I never intended for what happened in Edd's car that night to happen that way, but our love is anything but normal so it's really no surprise that what happened happened.

When morning came we didn't get up for a while, we just laid on the back seat in each other's arms.
I had put his jacket back on during the night, but it wasn't enough to fight off the cold of that morning. I shivered which Edd must have noticed. "We should probably get up Marie."
"I guess we should." I sat up to let Edd sit up himself.
He sat up and adjusted his dress shirt, his tie was on the floor along with his hat. I knew about the scar he hid under it, my hands may have ventured up there one night when kissy times were happening, but I've never seen it in the day light.
"Hey Edd." I said as I put my dress flats on.
"Yes Marie?" His hair is a mess, his shirt is wrinkled, and my lipstick is smudged on his neck. This is the most unkempt I've ever seen Edd, but he was still the boy I fell in love with.
I didn't think there any, but I still wanted to ask. "No regrets?"
Without a warning he grabbed me and pulled me into a kiss. "Never My Love."

Life was going great for Edd and me as we finished high school. My mom like Edd, despite her distrust for most men in the world, and his folks really liked me. It was no surprise that Edd graduated top of our class, but what was surprising was how good my grades were. With all of Edd's help I graduated with all B's and C's, and opposed to the D's and F's I probably would have gotten. My mom couldn't be happier for all the hard work I'd put in to get those grades.
I'm sure with my grades I could have gotten into the local community college, but Mom had gotten really sick and she needed me in Peach Creek so I didn't even apply to any. Edd however did apply, and he got into a school four hours away by car.
We were sitting in the park the night before Edd and his parents drove him to his dorm.
"These swings sure have seen a lot." I said as we slowly swung on the swings.
"That they have. Remember when you and your sisters left Ed, Eddy and I tied up to them?"
"I hadn't thought about that in forever. Sorry about doing that sweetie." It had only been a couple of years since I stopped bullying Edd, but it felt like a lifetime ago.
"It's quite alright Marie, life was a lot different back then."
I leaned over and gave him a quick kiss. "Yeah, but it was still fun."
Edd let out his laugh that I do love. "For you maybe."
"It was a little bit at the time. But being nicer seems to be an even more fun way to do things."
"I have to say, I do enjoy you being nice, I got to fall in love with a really amazing girl."
I was going to miss him a lot as he was gone. But I couldn't make him stay because of me, he earned his free ride and he more than anyone I know deserves it. "I'm going to miss you Edd."
"I'm going to miss you too Marie." Edd then got off the swing and walked over to me. I was confused as he pulled me up from my swing. "I know the next four years will not be easy, but I want you to have this as a promise that I will always come back to you."
He took a silver ring out of his pocket and held it out to me.
"A promise ring?" I asked as I took the ring from him, I saw that it had "I Love you" engraved into it.
"Yes, it is traditional to give your girlfriend a promise ring when you are about to start a long distance relationship."
I slipped the ring onto my finger. "You are so damn cute Edd. I promise to never take it off." I don't wear the ring on my finger anymore, having a more important one in its place, but I keep it on a chain around my neck.

Those four years were the hardest test for our relationship, but we made it through. We'd talked on the phone several times a week, and would text each other every day, my sisters and I pooled our money and got a cell plan for the four of us to share. And during the summer break we would spend every day together when I wasn't working at the local grocery store, which I hated. But having Edd pick me up from work when he was in town made everything I hated about that job fade away.
Mom's medical bills were crazy, but May, Lee and I were able to manage the bills and Mom was finally able to stop working and focus on getting better.

Whenever I could I would borrow Mom's truck and take the four hour drive to visit Edd at school. I didn't see much of Edd's campus when I would be there because when I would visit him we would spend most of our short time together in his dorm room either cuddling, sleeping, watching movies, or eating pizza, we do love our pizza. Edd's roommate was really cool about me visiting, whenever I came over Dexter would take off and let us have the room.

Finally after four long years Edd finished college and was ready to come home. It took some convincing, but I was able to convince Edd's parents to let me take his car and bring him home.
I knew the fastest way up to his room in the dorm building, but it took me longer then I would have liked because of everyone moving out. So dodging other people, boxes, and furniture I finally found Edd's room.
He was distracted by packing up his books into boxes, so I lean against the door frame and said; "Hey mister, mind helping me find my boyfriend?"
The sound of my voice made him jump. "Marie?" He was clearly surprised to see me and jumped off his bed and ran over to me.
He hugged me, kissed me, and then picked me up and spun me around causing the skirt of my plaid dress to spin around. I wanted to look my best for him, so of course I wore my favorite dress.
"Happy to see me I take it?" I asked once he set me down.
"Yes I am, are my Mother and Father with you?"
"Nope, your folks let me come get you all by myself."
"It makes me happy to see that my parents have grown to like you Marie."
"It took them a bit, but it's cool having Jake and Pam like me." At first Edd's parents did not like me, they had heard the stories of my sisters and I, and of all the evil deeds we've done. Though once they saw that I can be a somewhat decent person they started changing their option on me.

After little over an hour we had all of Edd's stuff loaded into his car, it wouldn't have taken as long had we not got drawn into a few moments of passion between us.
"Ya going to miss your room?" I asked as I shut the back door of Edd's car.
He looked up at the red brick building. "I think I will. I learned a great deal while I lived here."
"One more chapter of your life comes to an end." I said smiling at him across the car.
"Well worded Marie."
It was his influence that lead to my vocabulary growing. "Thanks, I try. Do you need to do anything before we take off?"
"I said my farewells to Dexter this morning, turned in my key to the room, and we took out the trash on the way down. I think we are good." He counted each of these off on his fingers.
I open the driver's door. "Good. Then ready to go home?"
"I don't get to drive?"
I grin at him as I get into the car. "I borrowed the car, I get to drive."

Things were going great for us, but it just didn't feel like we were the adults we were. After two months of Edd being back from college not much changed, he'd gotten a job at his father's accounting firm, which is when he finally had to retire his black ski cap and grew his hair out to cover his scar. Mom's insurance finally kicked in and most of her medical bills were no longer our financial problem, but other than that it was still like we were still in our teens living at home with our parents.
I can't remember what we started fighting about now, but it was something about Edd always being ok with whatever I wanted us to do.
"You never object to anything Edd, you're always cool with doing my thing. I get that you want to be a gentlemen and go along, but for once just say no, say you want to do something you want to do. I feel like nothing in this world bothers you." I don't recall ever getting into a fight with Edd over anything before this, but I think it's a good thing that we had this fight in the end.
"You want to know what bothers me Marie?"He started pacing back and forth in front of his car as the sun went down behind the trailer park. "Eddy, my child hood friend, just up and leaving without a word to anyone. Your mother's illness and not having a way to take away that stress from you. The fact that Kevin still calls me a dork at the age of twenty three. I could go on and on about what bothers me, but they mean nothing against the one thing I can not stand and I hate. I hate that I don't see you first thing in the morning when I wake up. That I don't see you every night as I fall asleep. Not having you in my life more is what I cannot stand Marie."
The fight had ended with Edd's words. "Are you saying, we should live together?"
"I… I guess I am."
"You know my mom still needs my help." Of cores I had thought of living with Edd, but I had to be realistic about my life at the time. Which is why I hadn't brought the idea of us living together up before.
"I understand Marie, but… I really want this." The look on Edd's face showed me how much he wanted this. I don't think I've ever seen this kind of desire from him before.
"I want this too Edd. And you know what, fuck it let's give it a try."

It took an insane amount of convincing my mom and Edd's parents, he had to make a detailed business proposal for them, but in the end they let us try.
Our apartment was a tiny one bedroom with a kitchenette and a living room dining room combo. We probably could have gotten something better, but we wanted to keep our expenses at a minimal.
Getting use to sharing everything with Edd was a bit odd at first, but every day was fun in one way or another.
Like this one day during the hottest time of the summer where I had chosen to forgo pants for the day and lay on the floor trying to survive the heat, we didn't have any AC in that apartment and the fan just wasn't cutting it.
I was laying on my stomach on the floor reading and chugging water trying to keep cool when the door opened. I knew it was Edd coming in so I didn't worry. "Marie, are you… home, why are you laying on the floor with no pants on?"
It didn't occur to me as I heard the door open that I was lying with my feet pointing at the door and thus I gave Edd a good view of my backside as he came in. I rolled over and sat up leaning against my arms behind me. "It's really freaking hot in here."
The years of us being together had made him used to my more inappropriate ways, but that still didn't stop his face from turning red at the site of me half naked. "I understand that it is, it's why I brought you some ice cream, but why are you half dressed."
"I had pants on earlier, but they were just cooking me so I ditched them." I said this as I got up off the floor to great Edd properly. "I'm not making you uncomfortable am I?" I asked as I pulled his tie off after kissing him.
"Not really, it was a bit of a surprise to see at first. Not many people would expect a view like that after being at work all day."
"Well I'm glad you liked it, but don't go thinking too much on it cause nothing's going to happen as long as it is hot as hell in this apartment."
Edd chuckled, I still loved that laugh. "I love you and your silly nature Marie."
"I love you too Edd." I gave him another kiss. "Now about that ice cream."

Shortly after we hit the one year mark of living in our apartment I decided that I had enough of the grocery store life and needed to get out. I had always been artistic in school, but past getting straight A's in art and doodling cars on everything I hadn't done anything major. After playing around for several days with this graphic design software Edd found at work I thought that maybe it was something I could be good at.
Art school was nothing like high school, nothing there was boring to me, every class I took I was excited for. It also helped that Edd was supportive of me the whole way through, he even bought a brand new computer just for school work.
I had to cut back my hours at the store to have the time to go to school, and it was then that Edd's help with my homework all those years ago really paid off. My grades from high school had helped land me some financial aid to cover the cost of going to school and then some.
The work was hard, but I didn't let it stop me. This was my goal in life, to do something I enjoy and make a good living off of it. And nothing was going to stand in my way. Nights of sleep were lost and words of anger were yelled when things started to get to be too much, but Edd, my amazing Edd, kept me going with simple acts of love.
He'd make me coffee on those long nights and would take me away from my school work and we'd go on late night walks to help me cool down. I don't think I can ever tell him enough thank you or I love you's for all that he did for me.
Despite the odds of a Kanker going to college stacked against me, I pulled it off. I got that diploma to hang right next to Edd's, and on my graduation day my love for him and the happiness he gives me skyrocketed.

He was waiting for me after the diplomas' were handed out at the end of the stairs off the stage in his best suite with a big smile on his face and a box in his hands. "Congratulations again Marie." He said when I reached him at the bottom of the stairs.
"Thank you Edd, I couldn't have done it without you." I kissed and hugged him.
"You will always be most welcome Marie. I have a graduation present for you."
"Hold on, this damn gown is itchy. Let me take it off first." I didn't wait for a response, I pulled the dark blue graduation gown off over my head revealing my plaid dress. Of course I had it on, after all these years it still fists like a glove, showing off all the right curves, and is still the most formal thing I have.
Edd laughed as I freed myself from the garment. "Here, I'll hold that, while you open your gift." He took the gown from me as he handed me the box.
Inside the box was a bunch of small rectangular pieces of paper all mixed up. "Oh dear, they must have broken loose." He said as I looked at the contents of the box confused.
I picked one up as saw that they were business cards with all my information on them and an email address, he had gone and made me a business email account for me. "You got business cards made for me, that is so sweet Edd." I gave him another kiss.
As I kissed him all the cards shifted in the box like something was under them. "Is there something else in the box too?" I asked looking at the cards confused.
"There shouldn't be." I was so caught up in wondering what was in the box that I didn't see what Edd was doing.
I move the cards around until I got to the bottom and saw a ring in the box. "Edd wha-." I lost my words. When I looked up from the box with the ring in-between my fingers I finally saw Edd. He was kneeling on the ground in front of me.
He took my right hand, I almost dropped the ring out of shock, and took the ring from me. "Marie Kanker, will you mar-"
"Yes, a thousand times yes." I couldn't wait for him to finish his question before answering him. I grabbed him up off the floor and kissed and hugged him and then kissed him again.
The rest of the people at the graduation ceremony saw Edd purpose to me and we were getting applause and words of congratulations. But all I saw was the love of my life in front of me, all I heard was the beat of his heart as he held me tight in his arms.
I don't think I would have believed that my childhood dream of Edd wanting to marry me would come true had I not been there. But it did, Edd and I were going to get married.

We got many more congratulations from our friends and family when we told them the good news, but it was Nazz, pregnant with her and Kevin's second kid, that asked the biggest question of us; "So when are you two going to finish growing up and move into a proper home?"
The thought of moving had always been in the back of my mind, but it was never that big of a deal. "We just got engaged and I just finished school. Let us enjoy the moment for now before we go and grow up." I had said to her, causing a few laughs out of the group.
It always felt odd to me, being in the group of adults that once were the kids I bullied from the Cul-de-sac.
But we weren't kids anymore, and I hadn't bullied anyone in years. And as we sat there at that coffee shop talking I finally realized that these people weren't just Edd's friends, they were mine too.

I put a résumé in everywhere I could, but no place was willing to give someone with no experience anything other than temporary employment. I was spending most of my time trying to get people to take me serious that I was starting to lose hope that I could make it as a graphic designer, but then like he always does, Edd came through for me.
I was lying on our couch looking threw the this help wanted site on my phone hoping to see a listing for graphic design when Edd came home from work.
The door opened and I sat up, after all this time together I still felt my heart race just from seeing him. "Hey good looking, how was work?"
He smiled back, obviously happy to see me too. "It was an uneventful day, how was yours?"
"Well I got that project done early and surprise surprise, they didn't have a need of my services anymore and will be in touch if anything comes up." I dropped back down onto the couch, getting let go again ticked me off but I was starting to become jaded from it happening so many times.
Edd walked around the couch and sat down next to me. He leaned down and gave me a kiss and a hug, all I needed to feel better. "I'm sorry to hear that Marie."
"Eh at least I saw it coming this time and got a little more out of them."
After the hug and kiss Edd opened up his messenger bag. "I know you wanted to do this on your own without my help, but Father brought this to me and asked me to give it to you." He took out a manila folder and handed it to me.
Curiosity got me and I sat up and took the folder from him. Inside the folder was what I now like to call a "Work Order", a rough outline of what needs to be made and a list of what needs to be in it. "Your dad wants me to do some work for him?"
"Last week when I was having lunch with my parents we were talking about us and the topic of the struggle of places wanting to keep you after a job was finished came up, I think this is him wanting to help you build your work experience."
Supportive male figures was usually limited to Edd, so it was a bit odd to have his dad help me out. But that wasn't going to stop me from taking this opportunity for some work, we were trying to save up for a wedding after all.
With a kiss I said; "Thank you Edd, and tell your dad I said thanks too."

It was a simple project needed to be done, but I made sure to put my best effort into it and gave my eventual father-in-law, to this day it still feels weird calling Edd's dad that, the best I could do.
I guess my work made a good impression at Edd and his dad's firm because I would eventually be their go to person for graphic design work. I did all of my work from home so it was the logical next step to become an official freelance designer. Peach Creek isn't that big of a city so I didn't have much in terms of competition as a freelancer. It also helped that Edd's mom, a marketing consultant, was sending people to me for work too.
I remember sitting at my desk one day looking at the project in front of me and thinking; 'Shit, I really am an adult now.'

Things were going great for Edd and me, we were still saving up for our wedding, but we were also taking care of ourselves. Like getting Edd a new silver car, brand new cell phones for the both of us, and not living off of the bare minimal food.
Despite how good things were going, my mom and her health was always on my mind. Her health was stabling, but May and Lee had gone off to do their own thing leaving Mom alone in the trailer park.
We were sitting at our table putting together our taxes for the year when a thought came to me.
"Ya know Edd, this apartment is getting to be a bit small." I said as I looked around our apartment. And it was getting too small, with me working from home the place was mostly clean but we had just accumulated too much junk for the little place.
"It is under our needs for a home. Maybe we should start looking for a bigger apartment."
"Yeah, let someone without much have this little… place." A second thought hit me then, my mom didn't have much and I can't always get the time to go see her. "Ya know my mom has been getting lonely lately."
"We should go see her tomorrow then. It would be nice to visit with her." Edd had taken a liking to my mom right away and I'm sure he sees her as a second mom.
"I was think, what if she didn't have to be alone?"
"Do you want to try and talk her into moving into an assisted living place?"
"Not exactly…"
Edd and I had a long talk that night about what we wanted and where our life together was leading. The idea of a wedding was always more of a way to show off to people, and as far as I was concerned I was already Mrs. Vincent to Edd, we just hadn't made it official.

"Are you sure this is what you want to do?" Edd asked as we got out of his car.
"Yes Edd, we can always have a proper ceremony later. You know all I've ever wanted and needed was you."

The wait at the courthouse was not as long as I thought it was going to be. "So we have little over an hour till our meeting with the realtor, what would you like to do until then?" Edd asked me as we walked out of the downtown office building hand in hand.
I was looking at the new ring on my finger, we had picked them out months ago in an attempt to start getting things together for the wedding, but now we are wearing them instead of keeping them stored away. "Well, I know what I think we should do."
"Oh what is that?"
A smile came to my face. "Let me drive and I'll show you."
Edd looked confused, but he handed me the keys to his car and we got in.

I made him cover his eyes as we got closer to where I wanted to take him. I couldn't help but smile wide as we drove down the road getting close to where I wanted to take Edd.
When the car stopped Edd turned to me, still with his eyes covered, and asked; "May I uncover my eyes?"
"Not yet." I took out my phone and started looking through the songs I had on it. I found the song and got it ready to play. Quickly I got out of the car, made sure my plaid dress was straight, we wanted to look our best for the day so I wore my plaid dress and Edd was in a dress shirt and tie. I set my phone down on the hood and then ran over to Edd's door. "Ok, out of the car but keep your eyes closed." I said as I helped him out of the car.
I walked Edd over to the front of the car and pulled his hands off of his eyes. "Ok, you can open your eyes."
He opened his eyes and looked around. "Is… is this where we crashed into the snow years ago?"
"Yep."
"Why did you bring me here?"
"Because." I took his hands in mine. "This is where we said I love you to each other for the first time. This is the place where our love officially started, and I thought we should have our first dance here."
"This, is so… you Marie. It's a little silly, different and not what other people would do."
"So is that a yes to my idea?"
He smiled that smile I love. "Of course, I couldn't think of a better place for us to have our first dance."
I didn't respond back, I just leaned up and kissed him before pushing the play button on my phone.
I have to admit that this is the song that I wanted us to have as our first dance since we started planning our wedding.
"Look into my eyes, you will see, what you mean to me…"
The only dancing we've ever done was the few school dances we went to and goofing around in our apartment, so we just held each other in our arms rocking side to side as we slowly moved in a circle in front of the car.
"You know it's true. Everything I do, I do it for you…"
This song was the best song to me that described our relationship and my love for Edd.
"There's no love, like your love, and no other could give more love. There's nowhere, unless you're there…"
"I love you Marie. With all my heart I love you." Edd said kissing the top of my head.
I looked up at him. "I love you too Edd, with all my heart as well."
I'm sure we looked a bit silly to the people passing us on the road, but we didn't care.

We had already met with our bank about our fiancés so when we met our realtor later that day to disused what we could afford and what we wanted in a house we had realistic ideas. We didn't care too much about what the house had, only that it had at least one room on the ground floor.
Our realtor took down all we talked about and said she'd look threw her listings and get back to us in a few days.
"What would you like to do now Marie? We got everything done early today."
"I would love some pizza and Netflix."

A few days later we met up with our realtor and she took us out to look at some houses. All the houses had enough bedrooms, but they just didn't feel right.
Eventually we came to a cul-de-sac almost clear across town from the one Edd grew up in. the house here was the last one our realtor was going to show us. It was a newer house with a pair of bedrooms and a small bathroom on the second floor, a nice kitchen and dining area, a nice family room with a sliding glass door leading into the back yard, and most importantly a den with a door to the backyard and was right next to the downstairs bathroom.
"I think this is the one Edd." I said as we looked at the house from the back yard.
"It is a nice house, and it is not too far from my office."
"So if you think this is the one folks, we can head back to my office and get the paperwork going." Our realtor said from behind us.
"We like the place, but we need to talk it over with someone before we say the official yes." Edd said.

I wasn't sure how to pitch the idea to my mom, but I knew it was a good idea so I did my best to think of how best to word what I was going to ask my mom.
We hadn't called ahead to let her know we were coming so she couldn't say no. As we pulled up to the old sky blue trailer I saw how badly its condition was. The paint was chipped all over, windows were cracked and most definitely leaking and the door was hanging slightly off its hinges.
"I think we should have done this sooner Marie."
"I think you're right, but we're doing it now so let's stick to our guns and not take a no from her."
I got out of the car and the smell of the trailer park hit me. 'God, did it always smell like this?' I wondered as I walked over to my old home.
I knocked on the door, worried that I was going to knock it off.
"Go away." I heard come through the door.
I looked behind me at Edd. "Best let me go in alone."
Inside the trailer there were signs of mom's struggle of living by herself. Trash half taken out, carpet black and sticky, dishes needing to be washed, and the walls covered in dirt. "Mom?" I yelled looking into the kitchen.
"Marie?" I heard my mom say from the living room. "What are you doing here?"
I walked into the living room, this must have been where mom spent most of her time as it was the dirtiest room of the trailer. "Edd and I thought you'd like to come out to dinner with us."
"I don't feel up to it Marie." I knew it wouldn't be easy.
"Please Mom, were celebrating a big milestone and we want you to come. I'm not going to take no for an answer either, so ya better just agree."
"Where did you learn to talk to your elders' like that young lady? Making demands of your Mother."
I smiled "From my mom."
Mom looked at me and then started to laugh. "I forgot how much of a smart mouth you are Marie. Ok just let me get up."
Seeing mom walk with a cane made me sad, she's a tough lady but age was starting to creep up on her. She'll tell me later that day that seeing me and Edd was the best thing that happen to her all month and that she is proud of all I have accomplished.

Once mom was in the car we quickly drove back to the house. "Where are we going to eat anyways?" Mom had asked as Edd turned into the cul-de-sac.
"We wanted to show you something first." I said as Edd pulled into the driveway of the house we'd just seen.
The three of us got out of the car, Mom needed a little help which Edd gave her.
"What do you think of this place Mom? Two bed one and a half bath with a den." I asked as we stood in front of the house.
"It looks nice Marie, but why are you showing it to me? Are you and Edd thinking of buying it?"
The look in Mom's eyes said she liked it and I'm sure we would have gotten a comment about grandchildren if I hadn't spoke up and said; "We want too, but we also want you to come live with us too Mom."
Mom almost dropped her cane. "What?"
"Ms. Kanker, we know that your health has gotten better, but we both still worry about you living on your own." Edd never used my mom's name. It was always Ms. Kanker for him.
"You did the best job possible for Lee, May, and me, now let one of us do it for you Mom. The den would be yours. It has its own door to the backyard and It's right next to the downstairs bathroom. I work from home so I'll always be around if you need anything Mom."
"Please Ms. Kanker, Mom." Hearing Edd call my mom mom shocked us both. "You raised the love of my life, you took great care of her. And now we want you to do the same for you." With Edd's words I knew the deal was sealed, but she wouldn't be a Kanker if she didn't still try and fight it.
"But how would you pay for it? You have a wedding that you two are saving up for."
Edd and I looked at each other and then to my mom. "We kinda took care of that already." I held up my hand showing the new ring on my finger to Mom. "Edd and I talked it over and we decided we didn't need a big fancy ceremony. So last week we went to the courthouse and got married. We still want to have a ceremony with our friends and family, but a down payment on a house to get you out of the trailer park is more important to us."
Mom looked from me to Edd and then back to me. "When did you grow up into this responsible and caring woman Marie? When did that little girl who bullied other kids leave and this Marie take over?"
"I'm not sure when exactly when Mom, but I do like being a responsible adult at times."

So Mom agreed and as we waited for the paperwork to finalize May, Lee, and big surprise Lee's girlfriend, came back to Peach Creek to help me get Mom moved out of the trailer.
The story of Lee and Vicky is a tale she refuses to share with May and me, but if that is what makes my sister happy then I'm happy for her. Vicky was almost the exact opposite from the Lee I knew years ago before she moved away to "find who she is". Vicky is polite. Most of the time, and well kept. Her clothing straight and unwrinkled and everyone of her blond hairs were in place, she does have a tendency to get over excited and act almost childlike sometimes. She even demanded to be my flower girl when Edd and I had our ceremony. What I found to be the oddest thing is that every time she acted in a way that Lee would have punished May or me when we were kids, Lee just laughed at her.
"I guess she just needed the right person in her life." May said as we carried the old couch over to the dumpster, Edd and I already planned on getting Mom new stuff for the house so almost everything was getting thrown out.
"I think you're right May." I said as we walked back to the trailer watching Lee blush from getting a kiss on the cheek from Vicky.

Once the trailer was emptied, cleaned up and ready to be sold the four of us sat on the hood of formerly Edd's, now mine, green car. "Well ladies, it's all done." I said exhausted and ready for a shower.
"I guess there is only one thing left to do." May said getting off of the hood. She walked over to the back seat door and opened it.
"What's that?" Lee asked looking back at our sister.
May pulled a six pack of glass bottle beers from the back of my car. "A toast to this old place."
She handed each of us a bottle and set the last two on the roof of the car. "To the Park n' Flush." She said as she opened her bottle.
"To Grandma K." I said raising my bottle to the sky.
"To Kanker Life." Lee said.
"Kanker Life." May and I said together as we clinked our bottles together.
"Can you still say that Marie? Seeing as you're a Vincent now." May asked with a grin as she took a drink from her beer.
"Just cause my last name changed doesn't mean I'm still not a Kanker."
"I have to agree with May Marie, you walk the path of a wife now, not a Kanker."
"And what about you Lee?" Vicky asked wrapping her arms around Lee's shoulders from behind her. "If what you're saying is true, then only single ladies are true Kankers."
I don't recall ever seeing Lee act how she does with Vicky with anyone else. "We're different, Marie is married."
Vicky started to pout, but I had a feeling it was fake. "Well... I guess I understand where you see us going..."
"Wait, I never said, you can't be think, I-"
Vicky jumped off the car. "No it is perfectly clear Lee." The tone of her voice was full of false drama. "Our love is not forever."
"Vicky." Lee jumped off the car and started to follow her girlfriend. "You know I'm not good with this kind of stuff." Vicky started to walk faster away. "Please come back, you… you know I love you."
Vicky stopped and turned around with a big grin on her face. "I know, I just wanted to embarrass you in front of your sisters."
Lee looked back at May and me still on the hood of my car, but now we were laughing. Lee's face was burning bright red, she turned back to Vicky who was holding back her own giggles. "You, get over here." Lee demanded.
"Nope." She said playfully and then started to run.
Lee started to chase after Vicky, but Vicky was just too quick for my sister.
Vicky ran around the car and jumped between May and me. "Don't worry girls, this happens more often than you'd think. Our neighbor below us has complained so many times." Vicky said as Lee finally caught up to her.
Lee was more winded then Vicky. "You... little... jackrabbit..."
"Did I wear you out Lee?"
Lighting fast Lee grabbed Vicky and pulled her off the car. "You did, but luckily I don't hurt the people I love."
Vicky wrapped her arms around Lee. "I love you too Lee." She said before kissing Lee.
This woman clearly did something for Lee that she desperately needed, I couldn't tell what that is, only that it made my sister happy.

"Marie. Hello Marie?"
"Hu what?" Marie asked, finally snapping out of her day dream.
Concerned Edd asked; "Is everything ok Marie?"
"Yeah sorry, got lost in my memories for a bit there." Marie was so lost in her thoughts that she had forgotten where she and Edd were. They are in the office of their realtor signing the finally paperwork on their new home.
Edd smiled. "It's quite alright Marie, but it's your turn to sign the documents."
Marie took the pen from Edd. "Right sorry. My brain is a little bit off from helping with the trailer the past few days."
Marie signs the papers right next to each of Edd's signatures, and she couldn't help but smile a little bit wider every time she wrote out; "Marie Vincent" with the pen in her hand.
"Alright Mr. and Mrs. Vincent, you two are officially homeowners. Do remember to contact your insurance provider to get your home insured and everything."
Edd and Marie stood up. "Thank you for all that you have done Mrs. Hill." Edd says holding his right hand out to shake Mrs. Hill's
"You are most welcome Mr. Vincent."

As Edd and Marie walked to Edd's silver car Marie remembered a question she meant to ask. "Hey Edd."
"Yes Marie?"
"So I was thinking, it could be fun if we let my sisters crash at the house tonight."
"You know there is no power in the house."
"I know, but Lee and Vicky are leaving in the morning and who knows when the next time the three of us will be together." Marie says getting into Edd's car.
Edd turned the engine on. "Of cores you can have a family night at the house."

It was only meant to be Marie, May, and Lee in the house for the night, but Lee wasn't going to make Vicky stay in their hotel room alone and Vicky said Edd and the girl's mother should be their too. Edd agreed to join but Ms. Kanker declined, she was enjoying the hotel room her and May were sharing as the trailer was cleaned out.
Edd and Marie brought a few pizzas for them to eat, Lee and Vicky brought a few six packs of beers for them to drink, and May brought a picture album that their mother had of the sisters.
Lee and Marie sat around May, with their significant others next to them, as they looked through the old photos of the sisters.
"How long did you keep your blue hair Marie?" Vicky asked as the group looked at old school pictures of the girls.
"I stopped dying my hair when I started art school, I was bored of it and the number of people with blue hair in the school killed my mojo." Marie says looking across her sisters to Vicky. As she looked past them, Marie couldn't help but see how much her sisters have changed.
May's blond hair is cut short and hangs above her shoulders, easier to manage in the kitchen of the restaurant she works in. She also got her buck teeth fixed a few years after she moved away to Lemon Brook, a neighboring city to Peach Creek.
Lee had forgone the curls she once had in her red hair for short intentionally messy hair. She was keeping most of her personal life to herself, her journey that lead her to Vicky was something she wanted to keep to herself. She isn't ashamed of her girlfriend, she just wanted to keep Vicky all to herself.
May turned the page on the photo album to a picture the sisters had forgotten was taken. "Holy crap, I forgot that Mom took a picture of us in those dresses." Lee says looking at the picture of the three sisters on the day their grandmother came to visit them for their birthday.
"I can't remember what happened to mine, I think it got lost in a move." May says as she looked envious at the dress her grandmother gave her.
"Mine got ripped a few years ago." Lee added.
"Wow, you two suck. I still have mine and I still wear it." Marie felt proud that she still has the dress Grandma K gave her.
"And it still fits?" Vicky was clearly impressed that Marie still has her dress and still wears it after all these years.
"It does, I take very good care of it."
Vicky's eyes grew wide. "Damn girl. Edd, you got yourself a lady that cares."
Edd wrapped his arm around Marie. "Trust me I know."

Edd and Marie didn't own any sort of camping gear, so they brought all the blankets and pillows they owned for the five adults to use to sleep with. "I do apologies for the lack of proper sleeping equipment." Edd says as he carried in a stack of blankets from his car. He had offered to retrieve the blankets and pillows to allow the women some privacy to change.
"No need to apologies Edd, we Kankers know how to rough it." Marie says talking some of the bedding from her husband.

Edd and Marie divided out the blankets and pillows and the five adults lay down on the floor of the living room. Vicky and Lee are on one side with May a foot away from them and then Marie and Edd about the same distance away. The sisters then did something they haven't done in a very long time, say goodnight to each other.
"Good night Marie, goodnight Lee." May says.
Marie follows. "Good night May, good night Lee."
Lee chuckled, while her sisters always said good night, she would say something different when they were younger. "Can it you chumps, I'm trying to sleep here."
The three sisters broke out in laughter. "That sure brings me back." Marie says as she snuggles up to Edd as he turned off the battery powered lap they had brought to light the house for the night.
"Yeah it does. This was a great weekend Marie." May says as the room filled with darkness.
"Yeah, thanks for letting us come help." Lee added.
"I wasn't going to do all the damn work myself ya know."

The next morning Marie awoke to find that Edd was already awake and off the floor. She stands up and stretches and looks over at her sisters, who are still sleeping. May was lying on her stomach with her head turned to her left, just like she did when the sisters shared a bed.
The sight of how Lee and Vicky slept surprised her, but made her feel even happier for her sister. Vicky has her arms around Lee and Lee is holding her girlfriend's hand with her own. 'Vicky must make Lee feel safe or something. At the rate this chick is going she is going to be a shoo-in for the next addition to our family.'
Marie turns around and walks out of the carpeted living room into the tiled entryway. She had imagined the inside of house for the weeks leading up to the finalization of the sale, and now that the house was officially her and Edd's she didn't have to imagine anything. "I hope you're proud of me Grandma K." she says as the front door opened.
Edd came in the door with a pink box and a several paper cups of coffee on top of the box. "Good morning Marie." He says smiling at his wife.
Smiling herself Marie walks over and kisses Edd. "Good morning, Husband" she says taking two of the cups off of the box to help him out.
"Someone is in a good mood."
"I am. We just spent the first night in our new home and my sisters are here too." Marie says as her and Edd walk into the kitchen.
"It feels odd doesn't it, being home owners." Edd says setting the box down on the island counter. Edd takes the last few cups off of the pink box and opened it to reveal it was full of donuts.
"Ooo donuts!" Marie grabs one out of the box. "It does, but it's really freaking cool. This house, our life together, its perfect Edd."
Edd smiles at Marie, to him she was right. The life they have made together and then buying a house together makes him extremely happy every time he thinks about it. "Life is perfect Marie."
Marie hugs Edd, keeping her donut away from accidently getting into his hair.
"Did you see those two? I don't think Lee has ever looked that cute." May walked into the kitchen rubbing the sleep out of her eye.
Marie didn't let go of Edd, but she did turn her head around to talk to her sister. "I know right? Lee isn't the Lee we knew when she left, she clearly is happy now."
"It is nice to see Lee happy, she always seem to be stressing about something before she left." Edd adds picking up his own donut.
"Lee deserves to be happy, hell she put us with all our crap growing up May."

Edd, Marie, and May couldn't bring themselves to wake Lee or Vicky, so they let them sleep and went out into the backyard. The back yard has a tall wooden fence around it and a gate leading into the front yard.
"You got a nice place Marie, besides Mom getting the den, what else you going to do with the place?" May asks as she sits on the small concrete porch by the sliding glass door.
Marie took a drink from her coffee before answering; "Well the smaller room upstairs is going to be an office room for me to work, but other then that nothing really."
"Well, you need a fire pit. Fire pits are great."
"I'll look into it May, see if it's allowed in the neighborhood." Edd says as the glass door slides open.
Edd, Marie, and May look over at the door to see Lee walking out. "Morning."
Edd was the first to reply. "Good morning Lee, I hope you had a good sleep."
Followed by May. "Morning sis."
And lastly Marie. "There is some coffee in the kitchen."
Lee cracked her neck and turned back around to walk back into the house.
"I guess she wanted the coffee." Marie says, getting a laugh out of Edd and May.

A few minutes later Edd, Marie, and May were rejoined by Lee, with the last two coffees in hand. "Thanks for the coffee." She says sitting down on the ground a few feet away from her sisters.
Marie holds the box of donuts out to Lee. "Thank you for your and Vicky's help over the weekend."
At the mention of her girlfriend Lee looked at the open door and a small smile crossed her face.
Marie sees the smile on Lee's face. "She seems like a really nice lady Lee, and we're all happy for you sis."
Lee never needed anyone's approval with what she's done with her life, but it made her feel happy that her sisters, and brother-in-law like her girlfriend.
"No problem for the help, I should be the one saying something to you and Edd for taking care of Mom."
"Um Edd, turns out you don't have any running water in this place…" Vicky says as she walks outside of the house.
"I guess I should have said that the utilities are off until tomorrow."
Vicky sits down next to Lee and took the cup of coffee offered to her by Lee. "Yeah… that would have helped, sorry. Lee I hope I didn't embarrass you in front of your family, I've done that enough in my life already."
"Embarrassing each other is what we did all the time growing up." Marie says as she leans against Edd's shoulder.
"Especially after you two started dating." May pointes at Edd and Marie.
"Oh god, you two were horrible!" Marie turned to Vicky. "I stopped bringing Edd over to the trailer after I caught this one spying on us." Marie pointed at May as she talked.
"I was only spying on you cause Lee told me too." May tried to defend herself.
Lee pointed at Marie. "I was keeping an eye on you two so you wouldn't be getting up to any funny business."
"Our business was our business Lee. And for your information, all we were doing was working on homework." Marie crossed her arms, it has been a very long time since the sisters had an argument, and she was enjoying the one that was going on.
May raised her eyebrows. "Then why did I catch you without your shirt on?"
Marie and Edd's face start to burn red as May, Lee, and Vicky start to laugh.
May wipes away a tear that formed from her laughter. "Oh I have missed you guys."
"I've missed you gals too." Marie adds.
Lee smiles. "I haven't."
"Hay!" May says.
Vicky pokes Lee in the shoulder. "Lee, you are a horrible liar. All she talked about all week was coming back to see you two."
Marie smiles wider. "I knew it."

After their coffee was drunk and the donuts were eaten the five adults were getting ready to leave the house. Lee and Vicky needed to get onto the road back home, but May still had a few more days left in Peach Creek.
"You have to remember to invite us when you have your ceremony." Vicky says as Lee and her open the doors on their car.
"We will most certainly do so Vicky, but it may take us a while to build up the funds again." Edd says as he locks the front door of the house.
"Um question Marie, why do you want to have a ceremony still? You already got married why spend the money?" May asks from besides Edd's car.
"To get everyone together and to celebrate the marriage, it's what your suppose to do." Marie says.
"Ok, but why do you need a big event? Why not just call up all your friends and family and tell them you're having a potluck house warming party and use that as your ceremony?" Vicky asks.
Marie and Edd look at each other. "Well it would save quite a lot of money." Marie says, liking the idea.
"And we already agreed that we didn't need a big ceremony." Edd adds, also like the idea.

A month and a half after they moved into the house the backyard was full of Edd and Marie's friends and their family.
Nazz and Kevin with their kids, Ms. Kanker, Edd parents Pam and Jake, Ed, who is still quite slow and only brought gravy, Jimmy and Ed's sister Sarah, a few of Edd's coworkers and some of the people Marie befriended in art school, and most shockingly Eddy came with his parents. Eddy apologized to Edd for how he acted and for not being a good friend to Edd. Without a second thought Edd accepted his apology and the three Ed's were rejoined once again.
Only the sister, their mother, Edd, and Vicky knew the real reason behind the potluck, and thus were the only ones dress formally.
"I don't see why you didn't at least buy a new dress instead of wearing this old one Marie." Ms. Kanker says commenting on the fact that Marie is dressed in her plaid dress.
"Because Mom." Marie says adjusting her dress. "This dress has been with me ever since me and Edd started dating, and I have worn it at every big moment. Plus you think Grandma K wouldn't want me to wear it today?"

When Edd and Marie told everyone at the housewarming party that it was also a wedding ceremony everyone was shocked. Edd's parents tried to convince them to have a proper ceremony, but they were unsuccessful.
After exchanging their vows to each other Marie prepared to toss her bouquet of flowers at her friends, but as she surveyed the small group she saw Lee standing within catching distance.
Marie aims and tosses the bouquet. "Hey Lee!" She yelled as the flowers flew through the air.
Lee looks up just as the bouquet land on her plate of food. "The hell Marie!" She yells picking the flowers off of her hamburger and chips.
"That's not fair Marie!" one of the ladies yells.
"Yeah, that's against the rules." Another one yelled.
"My house, my rules." Marie says back. She wasn't trying to imply anything to her sister, she just saw an opening to pick on her sister, and maybe subconsciously she was trying to hint that she is ok with Vicky and Lee's relationship with her.
Some of the women tried to get Marie to rethrow the bouquet of flowers, but Marie didn't want too and Lee refused to give them up.

Lee and Vicky were the last of their guests to leave. May and her boyfriend, a dentist she happened to meet when she was getting her teeth fixed, had left just before them.
"Thanks for having us, and for letting me throw flower petals around your back yard." Vicky says as her and Lee gather up their things.
"We enjoyed having you both." Edd says as he opens the door for Vicky and Lee.
"Yeah, you're always welcome here." Marie adds.
As she was walking out the door Lee remembers that Vicky and her brought something for Edd and Marie. "Oh Marie, we have something for you and Edd."
Excited Marie follows her older sister out of the house and over to the car Vicky and Lee came in.
"It's been really nice getting to know Lee's family. Her sisters and mother are all really cool people." Vicky says as she watches her girlfriend and Marie walk to the car.
"Speaking as another outsider of the Kanker family, they have walls that they put up, and it takes some work to get past, but they are really nice people once you get to know them."
"Oh I know. Not to brag, but I probably understand Lee better then anyone."

The gift from Lee and Vicky was a new coffee maker that could make a whole pot or just one cup of coffee, for when "you're pulling an all nighter and need the fuel" according to Lee.
With the door closed Marie turned to Edd, stretched her arms above her head and fell into Edd's arms.
"Tired I take it Marie?" Edd asks doing his best to keep the limp form of his wife from falling out of his arms.
"Very, and we still have to clean up the back yard."
"Well, how about you go and get into bed and I'll clean up the back yard?" Edd asks as he sets Marie back up on her feet.
It's been over ten years since Edd agreed to see that movie with Marie that started their relationship, and he still does things that make her heart sing with love. She leaned up and kissed Edd, and a question came to her as their lips touched.
"Edd, I have to ask. What made you fall for me all those years ago?"
Edd knew the answer to her question, it's one of the best moments in his life. "Remember that Sunday afternoon where you helped me with the oil cap of my car?"
"Yeah, and you helped me with my homework for the first time that day."
"It was then, seeing you in your dress that I started to fall for you. When I saw you behind me with the light breeze and the look of concern in her eyes, I knew that you weren't the same. That you had grown quite a lot, and quite pretty. And then you asked me out on a date, you never did anything like a normal person would have. I saw a young woman who I wanted to get to know, not a bully."
"All it took was a nice dress, the wind and me wanting to help you to fall in love with me?"
Edd laughs. "It was more than just that that caused me to fall in love with you Marie. But that was when I believe I started."

End.

AN: Hello again, another short story from me, hope you liked it. With this one I wanted to try a different style of writing, hence the majority of it being Marie remembering the past. Working on my writing skills and it was fun writing this one.
Someone mentioned that Marie gets out of character in my stories, and I think that is part of why I love to write about her. We have very little facts about her from the show, which gives away for room to do some interesting stuff with her character.
I use to do all my planning and storyboarding on my phone (using a notepad app to), but I finally had to upgrade from one with a full keyboard to a new model so I didn't plant this one out as much as I have in the past. Which is where the whole Vicky and Lee idea came from. I wasn't going to have Lee turn out this way, it just happened as I was writing and ran with it.
I have a whole little mini chapter for how that happened and I think I did her justice. And as I'm typing this out it occurs to me that I have done a lot of odd stuff with Lee in my stories, and she is a side character too. Not sure when Lee's chapter will come out, but I have it mostly planned out.

Until next time, keep being awesome.
Linken88.