Chapter 3- Georgetta
November 4th 1990-
A gurney crashed through the hospital doors, moving at top speed down the corridor.
Lying on the gurney was Julie Wilde, who was struggling to breathe as her head ached. She had been seriously hurt on a mission, which was originally intended to bring foil Drisk's plans once and for all.
One of Drisk's henchmen had been chasing her and pushed her off a tall roof. She fell and hit her head on the cold concrete ground below.
The doctors said that it was a miracle that she hadn't broken her neck, but Julie had enough AVL training to prevent that from happening. However, AVL training wasn't always a guaranteed get-out-of-death card, as she would soon find out.
As the doctors held an oxygen mask against her mouth and nose, Julie was in a daze, everything was a blur other than the amount of pain she was in. No matter how many painkillers she had been given, nothing could distract her from the awful feelings in her head.
She was wheeled into an operation theatre and the world went black.
"What is the name of the patient you are visiting today?" A friendly old woman asked Charlie.
"Juliet Wilde."
The woman nodded slowly, pointing down the corridor.
"The first room on the right, my love," she said, sneaking Isaac and Lucy a lollipop on the way past, Samuel felt that he was too old for that kind of treatment.
There were three seats beside Julie's room, that Charlie asked his children to sit on while he talked to the doctors.
As their father disappeared into their mother's room, Samuel turned to his younger siblings.
"It's going to be alright, Isaac, Lucy, we'll make it work, I promise," Samuel said, trying to be as responsible as he could, despite his harrowing grief. Apparently, his the impact of his mother's fall had caused some major injuries in her head and while she could still talk, there wasn't much she could do.
Lucy didn't respond, and neither did Isaac.
Isaac was just sitting there, not saying anything, his face was red where he had obviously been crying. He had been the closest to Julie out of the three of them and he was about to lose her.
Lucy's face was also red, as a flood of tears leaked from her eyes. She was staring down at her blue patent shoes, as she clutched her ballerina rag doll to her chest.
Samuel was worried that he had said the wrong thing, as his siblings were clearly weren't convinced by his words.
They sat in silence for a while, until their dad came out. His cheeks were damp and tears were still leaking from his eyes. The doctor followed after him, looking worried, however, he tried to hide it when he saw three, wide-eyed children staring at him.
Charlie saw them too and quickly wiped his eyes.
"Come on my darlings, it's time to say goodbye."
Samuel stood up, putting his arm around his brother, as his father took his little sister's petite hand, stroking his thumb across it.
Julie was in there, awake, but only barely. She had an oxygen mask on her face and tubes all over her body.
"Hi, my sweets." She smiled weakly, beckoning them over.
All three of them crowded around her bed, looking at her with teary eyes.
"Samuel, you are the bravest, sweetest boy I've ever met, I hope you achieve that dream of being a biology teacher. You will be an amazing teacher and an excellent young man. I love you."
Samuel wrapped his arms around his mother, giving her a kiss on her pale cheek.
"I love you too, mum." He whispered.
"Isaac, you are also so brave and so kind, I can't believe how much you've grown in the last few years. You are going to be such a mature and kind man when you grow up. I love you."
Isaac burst into tears, making Julie feel slightly guilty, she pulled him into a cuddle and kissed him on his head.
"I...I...love...you, mum..." Stuttered Isaac through his tears.
Julie released him from the weak but loving hug and Isaac ran into his father's arms. Samuel came over stroked his little brother's hair, fighting through his own tears.
Julie turned to her youngest, who was looking at her, fear in her large emerald eyes. Her freckled cheeks were soaked with tears, but she wiped them away and tried to be as brave as her older brother, for her mother's sake.
"Lucy, my darling girl, I want to tell you something," Julie began, "you must be brave and kind, just like your brothers, you'll see that it'll help you through all the terrible events life has to offer. Do you understand?"
"Yes, mother," Lucy replied.
Julie hugged Lucy tightly.
"I love you."
"I love you, too," Lucy replied, burying her head in her mother's wavy hair.
This time the whole family joined in with the hug, sobbing their hearts out as Julie slipped away.
Three years came to pass and Samuel moved out.
Isaac, who was now seventeen, became the responsible one, who helped his father look after the house and his younger sister, who was now ten.
Charlie still worked for AVL, determined to catch Drisk and avenge his poor wife.
The family were still very well off, so Charlie had spoiled his three children throughout the painful years after his wife's passing. He had bought the equipment that Samuel needed for his job as a biology teacher, as well as, paid his college and university tuition, he had given Isaac many video games and bikes, since he wasn't showing much interest in anything else at that time, Charlie assumed that he was using them to distract himself from reality. Finally, Charlie had bought Lucy many news dolls and a massive canopy princess bed, with blue bedding. Lucy had loved it.
Despite the tuition, the video games and the princess bed, there was still a dark hue over the family's life and yet again, it had been caused by Drisk.
Samuel had tried to be responsible as he could when it first happened and for a long time afterwards, but he began to miss out on things his friends were doing and became bored and stressed. Isaac refused to speak much throughout the last couple of years, he just wanted to be left alone, however, he had pulled out of the shadows a bit since Samuel left, knowing that he had to help support his father and sister.
However, Charlie was determined to get rid of that hue, by not only defeating Drisk and his army but also to remarry and give his kids another mother figure to look up to.
He had fallen in love with a divorced woman, named Georgetta Adley, who had two children of her own, two twelve-year-old girls, Aubrey and Geneva. Georgetta seemed like such a kind, polite, loving woman with a good heart. He couldn't wait for Isaac and Lucy to meet her.
"Lucy, I'm so sorry about yoor mother, I'm sorry that you had to go through that." Gru said, softly, resting his hand on hers.
"Thank you, it's ok though, I know that she and my father are looking down on us, hopefully, proud of us." Lucy chuckled.
"So, vhat was Georgetta like?" Dru butted in.
"Georgetta's the reason why I have so much trouble figuring out the mum thing," Lucy muttered, "she didn't really like me all that much, so she wasn't the best mother figure to me, so, as I couldn't remember my own mother all that well because I was so young when she passed, I sometimes struggle to remember how a mother is supposed to act."
Gru and Dru looked at her sympathetically, they had no idea.
"Lu, I think you're a great mum, you're really getting the hang of it now, and I know that your parents are very proud."
"Thank you," Lucy smiled, "now, it wasn't long until we met Georgetta, my father was going to be marrying her soon. It was at that first meeting when she and her daughters began to reveal their true colours, but I was too young to notice it."
Lucy and Isaac looked out of the bay-window in Lucy's bedroom, watching as a black Volvo pulled up outside.
"I'm guessing that's their car," Isaac said, "come on, let's go and meet them."
Isaac took his younger sister by the hand and walked down the large staircase, into the main hallway.
Lucy was holding one of her dolls close to her, feeling slightly nervous but excited. She had dressed in her favourite blue frock and white flat shoes, with a blue shiny hairband tucked behind her fringe. She wanted to look her best, wanting her new mother to like her.
Isaac led her outside, where their father was, opening the doors for Georgetta and her daughters.
"Hello again, Charlie, how lovely to see you," Georgetta said, giving him a kiss on the cheek.
"Lovely to see you too, sweetie." He replied, returning the kiss.
Georgetta had a very sophisticated sense of style, she was dressed in a brown, V-neck dress, that just touched her knees, that was covered by a fluffy, orange coat, she had a large, orange, Channel handbag to match and her long, curly, brown hair was pulled back in a high ponytail. She wore bright red lipstick and dark brown eyeshadow. Lucy thought she looked very pretty.
Her daughters Aubrey and Geneva were also dressed in a sophisticated fashion. Aubrey was dressed in a red dress with yellow and red tights and yellow patent shoes. Her sister, Geneva was dressed in a similar fashion, but with the colours purple and green instead. They both had long, curly, blonde hair that flowed down their backs and piercing blue eyes.
"This must be Isaac!" Cried Georgetta, walking up to him, "what a fine young man."
"Nice to meet you." He said, extending his hand out for her to shake, with her gloved one.
"Yes." Georgetta nodded before her eyes lay on Charlie's youngest.
"This is my sister, Lucianne, mostly known as Lucy," Isaac explained.
"Hello Lucianne, you look beautiful in that expensive dress." She said bitterly, but Lucy didn't pick up on her tone.
"Thank you very much." Lucy giggled.
"These are my daughters, Aubrey and Geneva." Georgetta continued as if Lucy had never spoken.
Aubrey and Geneva stood beside their mother, sour expressions plastered across their faces.
"Hi, nice to meet you," Lucy said, smiling at the girls.
"You have really pretty hair," Aubrey said, running her fingers through Lucy's red strands, "shame it's ginger though."
Lucy looked slightly hurt by the back-handed compliment, but she shook it off quite quickly, trying not to let it get to her.
"I don't mind it being ginger, it reminds me of my mother, she had hair like mine."
"Oh, poor her," Aubrey sniggered.
"Would you like me to show you around the house?" Lucy asked, changing the subject, feeling uncomfortable.
"Did you hear that Geneva, she wants to show us around this ancient dump."
"I think she's proud of it." Sniffed Geneva.
"Maybe a little too proud."
"Mm." Geneva agreed, smirking at Lucy.
Lucy looked at the sisters awkwardly, biting her lip, unsure of what to say. Thankfully, Isaac came to her rescue.
"So, would you like us to show you around, girls? You can look at where your bedrooms will be if you'd like."
The girls nodded, following him and Lucy, who was clinging onto his hand, into the house. Georgetta and Charlie followed shortly after.
Georgetta glanced around the house, judgementally, raising an eyebrow.
"Not as modern as my house, but I suppose it's cosy and charming." She muttered.
"I'm sure we can change bits and pieces to make it more modern if that would make you more comfortable," Charlie reassured her.
Isaac and Lucy glared crossly at their father. The charm of the home was that it was old-fashioned and almost like a castle, that was the way their mother had always loved it, they didn't want Georgetta to change anything.
Their father didn't notice his children's reaction to his words and carried on chatting to Georgetta.
The tour dragged on for a while, with Georgetta and the girls complaining about almost everything, if something was slightly out of place they would notice. The worst reaction out of them was when the girls saw their bedrooms.
"It's too small! My bedroom at home was much bigger than that tight space!" Moaned Geneva, stamping her foot.
"Yes, I know that your bedroom in our old home was bigger, but I'm sure you'll love it once you get used to it," Georgetta told her, a fake sense of sickly sweetness in her voice.
"Hm." She sighed, stubbornly.
Aubrey's reaction was even worse.
"Ugh! The ceiling is damp, the floor is dusty and there's mould on my window!" She whined, "and it's way too small!"
These were all lies, of course, the ceiling barely had any damp, it was just old, the floor barely had a speck of dust on it, as it had been hoovered that morning and the window was as clean as a whistle, Isaac knew she was just looking for attention.
"Aubrey, hush, we'll get it all sorted, don't worry." Georgetta cooed, placing a hand on her daughter's shoulder.
Lucy and Isaac shared a worried look.
"How do I look?" Asked Georgetta, as her wedding stylist placed a veil on her head.
"You look beautiful, mum." Aubrey and Geneva said in unison.
"Good. You two look lovely, perfect little bridesmaids."
Aubrey and Geneva were dressed in matching white, bridesmaids dresses, with small white heels. Their hair was done in a topknot with matching bows, pushing the front of their hair away from their faces.
Georgetta's dress was a cream one, that hugged her slim figure. Her hair had been let down so that it flowed down to her waist. She wore silver high heels that were studded with small plastic diamonds.
"Unfortunately, I have to have that little brat as a bridesmaid too." Groaned Georgetta.
"Yeah, I don't like her," Sulked Aubrey, "she's weird, she keeps talking about these crazy things called, krav maga and krumping."
"Hm. I think it'll be in your best interests to just stay out of her way." Georgetta replied.
A few moments later, Lucy, Isaac and Samuel, who had come down especially for the occasion, walked in.
Samuel and Isaac were dressed in black tuxedos. Samuel had a green tie and Isaac had an orange tie. Their hair had been neatly combed and their shoes polished.
Lucy was wearing a long white dress that reached down to her ankles, she wore white flat shoes and her hair was pinned into a half up half down style with some sparkly clips.
"Whoa, you look really pretty," Lucy said to Georgetta, giving her a sweet smile.
"I'm glad you think so," Georgetta replied, not returning the compliment or even thanking her, "Is the car here yet?"
"Yes, we came to tell you that it's outside," Samuel said.
"Good," Georgetta said, coldly.
Lucy strolled up the mansion stairs, not really caring about the wedding after-party going on in the living room.
Georgetta had arranged a huge party that was a bit over the top. She had invited nearly everybody she and Lucy's father knew, decorated the house to the max and had ordered a DJ, whose music was so loud that it echoed around the rest of the house. Lucy decided that she'd much rather go and play in her bedroom than join in with the chaos.
When she walked into her room she started to pretend to be a secret agent. She ran around her bedroom, throwing punches at her teddies, who she named "the bad guys" and rescuing all her rag and Barbie dolls, who were the "innocent civilians". She had been playing this game since she was very young, wanting to practice for her dream job, working for the AVL.
It was still her dream to work there, despite what had happened to her mother. She wanted to make her parents proud and catch as many bad guys as she could. The bad guy she really wanted to catch was Felonious Gru, who was known for his notorious heists that he had carried out since he was only a child. Apparently, he really wanted to steal the moon, but Lucy generally wondered how or if he was going to carry that one out without being crushed from how heavy it would be.
Lucy was distracted from her game by the friendly voice of her oldest brother.
"What are you up to in here?" He chuckled, stepping over various books and toys that where spread all over the floor.
"I'm trying to save the innocent civilians from the evil Dr Fart!"
"Well good luck with that," Samuel quipped, "I'll need to be making tracks in a minute."
Lucy gave her brother a quizzing look.
"What? You said that you were staying the night!" Lucy whined, wrapping her arms around her brother's waist.
Samuel winced at her crushing embrace.
"I know but, it turns out I can't, work just called and I have a shift tomorrow."
Lucy pouted, but she didn't argue any further, knowing from her father's experience that work was very important.
"Ok, promise you'll come back soon though."
"I promise, only if you promise to be a good girl for Georgetta and at least try to get on with Aubrey and Geneva. It would help dad out so much."
"I promise." Lucy lisped, giving her brother another bone-crushing hug. She was surprisingly very strong for a ten-year-old, little girl.
Months turned into years, Isaac moved back to France to work as a surgeon and Lucy's sixteenth birthday was soon approaching.
Aubrey and Geneva had not changed much from their bratty selves, they were always hankering after something, and they were very rude to Charlie when they wanted to be. Despite her promise to her brother, six years prior, Lucy was really struggling to get along with them. She was also struggling with Georgetta, she was really strict and rude to her most of the time, demanded a lot from her father and always sided with Aubrey and Geneva no matter what.
Lucy still had a healthy bond with her father, but he was away on missions an awful lot more than he was when she was little, so she saw less and less of him. She missed him terribly.
Despite all the problems she was having, Lucy remained optimistic and kind, as she knew that was what her mother would've wanted her to be. She worked hard at school and tried to help out around the house, which was more than what her stepmother and stepsisters did, they normally just sat around all day, waiting for everything to be delivered to them on a plate, meaning that Lucy and her father would have to run around for them.
Charlie never complained, worried that he would hurt Georgetta and the girl's feelings and risk losing them. He advised Lucy to do the same as he was desperate for her to become friends with Aubrey and Geneva, as he wanted his daughter to have someone close to her age to keep her company when he was away. She hadn't really made any lasting friendships at secondary school, despite being in the last year now, everyone thought that she was weird because she daydreamed and cared more about schoolwork than the latest trends. She was aiming to get high grades on her GCSES so that maybe one day she could work at the AVL.
While proud of his daughter's determination, Charlie did worry about Lucy becoming an agent, especially with criminals like Drisk still on the scene, he was scared that she might end up like her mother, but didn't want to crush his daughter's dreams.
On the night before her birthday, Lucy went down to her father's study. He had been on the phone to Silas all day and apparently needed to rush off on a mission early the next morning and Lucy really wanted to see him before he left. Secretly, she was really upset that her father was missing her sixteenth but didn't want to tell him, fearing that she might upset him and make him feel bad.
"Hey, dad." She said, walking through the study door.
Charlie lifted his head and smiled at his daughter, "Hey, honey," he said, inviting her to sit down, "I'm so sorry that I'm going to miss tomorrow."
"It's ok, dad" Lucy whispered.
There was a long silence between the two, as they embraced until Charlie's voice broke the silence.
"Lucy, I want you to do something for me." He said, his voice cracking a bit.
"Yeah?" Lucy asked, lifting her head up so that she was looking straight into her dad's eyes. They looked serious, with a touch of worry.
"I want you to take care of your stepmother and sisters while I'm gone."
"I will, I promise."
"Thank you, I'll make sure that the mission won't last too long, I promise." Charlie said "Now, changing the subject a little bit, do you want me to bring you anything back, like a new dress or an item of makeup, because that's the kind of thing that Aubrey and Geneva have asked for?"
"No thank you, but there is something else I'd like if it's not too much trouble."
"What's that?" Asked Charlie.
"I'd really like a rose because that was the flower that you picked for mum on your first date, which means I'll think of you both when I look at it and it'll give me hope that you'll come back safely, that's all," Lucy replied.
Charlie smiled, warmly and stroked Lucy's hair.
"Bless you." He said, pulling her close again.
"I love you," Lucy whispered.
"I love you too."
"Goodnight," Lucy said, opening the door.
"Goodnight, honey, see you in the morning."
As Lucy left the room, Charlie leaned back in his chair and put his hands on his sweaty face. He had no idea if he'd ever see his daughter's beautiful face again after tomorrow morning.
Lucy stood on the porch, kissing her father goodbye.
"I'll be back soon, I promise." Charlie tried to reassure her.
"Remember my dress!" Cried Aubrey over the top of Charlie.
"I will!" Charlie responded, "bye everyone!" he said, before getting into his car.
Lucy waved frantically as the car pulled away.
"Goodbye!" She yelled.
Lucy watched as the car turned into a red dot in the distance. She wiped away her tears with the back of her palm and turned to look at her stepmother, who had already walked back inside with her daughters. Lucy went into the hallway, closing the door behind her and lay her hand on it, leaning her head against its wood finish, allowing tears to pour down her face like a fountain.
Wiping her tears away, she climbed upstairs to her brightly coloured bedroom, which usually was a comfort to her, but at that moment, it just made her feel sad and quite scared.
"You're going to be orphaned and you know it." A voice hissed in her head, over and over, like a foul tapeworm, "you will be stuck with Georgetta forever and she hates you!"
"Shut up!" She screamed, flopping onto her bed and burying her head in her pillow. "My dad will be fine!"
Just thought you'd like to know where I got the name Dr Fart from: in an interview with Steve Carell and Kristen Wiig, they had to come up with villain names and Kristen came up with Dr Fart. I just thought I would throw it in somewhere, lol.