12:00 PM PST
Nicole O'Malley was still rather stunned by what she got herself into - as she sat in the passenger seat next to her husband, Ryan. Their children were both in the back seat. Erin and Eric were both six years old, and both were just so quiet. They were going to spend Christmas Eve with the extended family of the O'Malleys and the Noguras.
Granted, a rather sizeable majority of the extended family was actually comprised of decent people. She was quite concerned about her two sisters, however. There was her older sister, Kimberly - who just used to be the leader of her own gang, with five lackeys. There was also her younger sister, Leslie, who was in Griff Tannen's gang.
Leslie, who was also known as "Spike", was quite as mean as the male members of the gang. Chester Nogura, who was also known as "Whitey", was also in Griff's gang. The two of them were close friends - and they shared a half-brother, called Bruce Nogura.
Nicole then thought of how Leslie was engaged to be married to Chester. The two of them weren't technically related. Their mother, Catherine, just used to be married to Charlie Nogura - until Catherine had decided to file for divorce over marital infidelity.
Soon afterward, Catherine married Ryan O'Malley - while Charlie went on to marry a Japanese woman named Emiko. However, the family relations sure went about sixty years back. Catherine's mother and Charlie's mother became stepsisters, when they were twelve. In fact, their parents were the ones who decided to host this party.
"How are you feeling, honey," asked Nicole's husband, as he reached out to gently squeeze her arm. "I still can't get over the fact that I quite have the same name as your father. You know, in a few ways, I sometimes do miss being Ryan Nelson."
"You really have no idea what it was like," Nicole said, softly, "for me to grow up in a family of bullies. The thing is, I really used to always dream of the day - that I would get married - and change my name. Once I really began to appreciate the beauty of my last name, though - then I decided it really was up to me to protect the name."
"Yeah, I understand how you feel," Ryan commented, softly. "It was very good that Kimberly changed her name upon marriage. Although, she doesn't seem to as bad as used to be - and her kids seem remarkably well-behaved. So it might be possible..."
"... that she's beginning to mellow out?" finished Nicole. "I suppose it might very well be possible. I do understand she and her husband are currently planning to move to Green Valley. I guess, having to grow up with her and Leslie, it's really just that..."
"It's real hard to imagine them being anything else but bullies?" suggested Ryan. "I'm certainly not going to pretend that I quite know exactly what growing up was like for you, although I could imagine it was very hard for you. I always thought it was quite nice how you ended up being so different from them, in spite of the resemblances."
"That was hard for me, at times," Nicole commented, sighing, "to actually resemble my sisters that much, that some people were quite afraid that I'd act just like them. Bruce was a very bad influence on them, and Leslie was always best friends with Chester."
"Yeah, and now the two of them are engaged," Ryan commented, sighing. "We did run into Marty McFly Jr and Harmony Brown earlier today. I guess they are quite in love, now. I always had a good feeling they'd end up together, and so did Aaron."
"I'm still real amazed by how much history can repeat itself," commented Nicole. "Your father was the bassist of The Pinheads, which Marty Sr had fronted. I kind of wonder if Marty Jr might become famous with Machinehead - or if he might end up taking on a solo music career, like his father did. It's quite amazing how much he's like his father."
"I know Marty Sr was always very close to Dr. Emmett Brown," Ryan pointed out, "so I guess it's only fitting for Marty Jr to tie the knot with Dr. Brown's granddaughter. In fact, I would imagine it might be real symbolic. It also seems like his sister, Marlene, is very much in love wih Mike Hartford. Things are simply going great for that family."
"I would've loved to have Marty Sr for a father," Nicole commented, dreamily. "Well, I guess we're arriving in Elmdale, now. Even though he was a rock star, he's simply just a real approachable type of person. He's so friendly, and can really put one at ease."
"Yeah, he's real easy to talk to," agreed Ryan. "Gee, could you imagine if things didn't go out so well for the McFlys? Could you imagine them actually living in Hilldale. I know Marty Sr used to have problems with people calling him a 'chicken', and if he never..."
"Let's not worry about what-ifs, honey," Nicole gently chided her husband. "Anyway, it's so ironic that our kids are twice the age of Kimberly's kids. Kyle is only three, while Karen is really only two. I know, we sure did kind of a foolish thing - when we weren't quite eighteen. Still, we did quite end up having two beautiful kids nine months later."
"You're very right about that," Ryan agreed, as he smiled fondly at his wife. "Here we are, now. We're at Grandpa Chad's and Grandma Ellie's house. It was quite wonderful of them to organize this gathering. I suppose what I just fear now, though, are those horrid boys of Bruce Nogura. Just what possessed him to name them Bert and Ernie?"
"I have no such idea," Nicole replied, as Ryan turned off the engine. "I know, Bruce is a common half-brother to Chester and to us girls - but he and Leslie are simply hot for each other. It just feels so creepy - like it's dangerous close to incest, or something."
"They aren't technically blood related," Ryan quickly pointed out. "It didn't exactly stop your mother from marrying Chester's father - even though their mothers had become step-sisters at twelve, and later had a half-brother and a half-sister."
"Well, I suppose you're right," Nicole commented, as she opened the door. "All right, Eric and Erin, we're here!" As she opened the back door, and then let Erin out of her car seat, she added, "You and your brother were quite quiet on the trip over here. I guess it was a little scary for you - knowing that Bert and Ernie will be here, eh?"
"Yeah, they're just so..." Erin began to say. Then her eyes grew quite wide, as she gasped, "Hey, Mom, speak of the devil! There they are, right over there! I wish we weren't related to them. We're not really related to those boys - are we, Mommy?"
"Related to you freaks?" Bert asked, laughing - just as he and Ernie approached the group. "Ha! Ha! No way! In fact, we were just wondering if you might even be from the same planet as us! We really wouldn't want to be related to you freaks!"
"Bert and Ernie!" scolded Ellie Elmer, as she and Chad came up. "Shame on you! You boys behave yourselves, and don't torment your fellow guests." She then turned to Nicole's family, she gushed, "It's just so wonderful that you folks could make it!" She then turned to Eric and Erin, and added, "How are you sweeties doing? What's up?"
"Hi, Grandma Ellie," Eric replied, as Ellie scopped her up. He watched Bert and Ernie run away, just before he added, "Thank you so much for rescuing us. We do enjoy school very much. Erin and I are in the same class, and our teacher is very nice."
"Aw, honey, that must be wonderful," Ellie replied, as she kissed Eric on the top of his head. After very gently setting Eric on the ground, she then scooped up Erin - just as she added, "How about you, Erin? Have the two of you been behaving yourselves?"
"Hi, everyone," called out Kimberly, as she and her husband walked up. "So Bert and Ernie are still just causing lots of trouble, I see? Of course, I wasn't that much better myself - when I was younger. You know, I just feel rather ashamed - when I think of my youth. It's just so amazing that Haven Brown was able to forgive, even after..."
"... trying to make money are on her card collection?" added John Lockwood. After Kimberly nodded, he added, "There are things from my youth that I'm ashamed of, also. There was a time when I drank and did drugs, and it almost ruined my life."
"I believe Bert and Ernie are perfectly fine young boys!" called out Leslie, as she and Chester walked up. "Anyway, Kimberly, what exactly happened to you? I mean, you used to be so cool - and you weren't afraid to show people who was the boss..."
"Shut up, Leslie!" snapped Kimberly. "I was young and foolish, okay? I've grown up, Les! I really don't feel the need to put people down anymore, simply to make myself feel good. You and Ches might also come to realize the error of your ways, too!"
"I see you've turned into such a freak, Kimmy," Chester commented, snorting. "Well, you can just dreaming on - because Les and I have no such intention to change. You really can call it whatever you want it. Go ahead and tell us that we're being childish, immature, or what other labels you want to spout off. We really don't give a damn!"
"Yeah, Kimmy, your opinion sure no longer means shit to us," added Leslie. Turning to Chester, she added, "Come on, Ches, let's get away from these freaks of nature. I'm in no mood to argue with you about 'ethics', or any other wackass terms you use."
"I can't quite believe this," Chad commented, wearily. "When Ellie and I decided to get married, I actually had no idea we'd end up raising monsters in our family. So much for familial harmony." Turning to his wife, he added, "Well, honey, let's put the ham in the oven. I'm really beginning to wish I never thoiught to organize this family gathering."
"Now, honey, let's not be that quick to lose all hope," Ellie replied, gently. "Anyway, it's not going to be all bad. I'm really sure we'll be able to manage a pleasant dinner. It's great meeting all of our great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren."
Nicole smiled encouraging at her great-grandparents. With the amount of "bad seeds" actually being in the minority, she just had a feeling that the family gathering wouldn't be all bad. She decided that she really might as well make the best of the situation.