Chapter Text
"You're gettin' married? You're gettin' married! To who?"
"Mike!" Shirley yelled back, indignantly.
"Mike? Who's Mike? And what happened to Walter?"
"Pft, Walter."
"Whaddoya mean, 'Pft Walter'? You said he's a handsome young doctor."
"Well, an Army medic. But, well, he didn't give me goose pimples."
Laverne nodded. She went through that with Sal, twice. "But Mike does?"
Shirley blushed. "He's very attractive."
"It's not just a physical thing, is it?"
"Laverne!" Shirley said indignantly. "Of course not! He's very artistic, but also very rational. He's an architect."
"A professional man." It figured. Not a doctor, but maybe even better.
"Yes, and he works from home sometimes. It helps him keep an eye on his little boys, although he does have a live-in maid."
"Wait, slow down! He's got kids? And a maid?"
"Yes, he's a widower."
At least that was better than when Shirley dated Mark McKenzie, who was separated and then reunited with his estranged wife, who looked like an older, blonde version of Shirley. "You're gonna be a stepmom?" Shirley had hardly interacted with Mark's son Bobby, although Laverne babysat him a few times.
Shirley beamed. "Yes, I'm going to have a ready-made family."
"Uh, how old are these boys?"
"Well, Greg is eleven, Peter is eight, and Bobby is five."
"Another Bobby," Laverne murmured.
"This is a completely different situation."
"Yeah, this time you get a live-in maid."
"Alice is very nice."
"Like Hazel?"
"Not exactly."
"Wow, this is a lot to take in. When did you start seeing Mike?"
"Well, I started seeing him and Walter at the same time, but then Walter got more serious, so I stopped seeing Mike. Then when I broke up with Walter, I started seeing Mike again and we realized how intense our feelings were."
"Where was I when all this was happening?"
"Dating that pilot."
"Oh." Steve Austin was gorgeous and athletic, but, like all of Laverne's romances, things eventually fizzled out.
"You'll be my maid of honor of course."
"Awww, Shirl!" They hugged sideways in the kitchen.
When they let go, Laverne asked, "When's the wedding?"
"Next Saturday."
Laverne stared at her. "As in a week from tomorrow?"
Shirley laughed. "Well, we could hardly get married tomorrow."
Laverne thought of how quickly her pop married Edna once he made up his mind. "Is your dad gonna be able to get here in time for your wedding?"
Shirley frowned. "No, and I don't think my brothers could make it in time either."
"Well, at least your mother is in California."
Shirley nodded. She was on better terms with her mother than ten years ago, but they still didn't visit often. "Mama will be happy that I'm getting married to such a good man."
Laverne thought Barb would be happy that Shirley was getting married at all. Then again, she'd never approved of any of the men Shirley dated, including Carmine.
"Uh, Shirl, have you told Carmine?"
"He's been out of town for three weeks."
"Yeah, but he's comin' back today. And he thinks you're still seein' Walter."
"Yes, I suppose I'll have to have a talk with him soon."
"Before next Saturday."
"Well, yes. But I'm sure it'll be fine."
"Shirl, you two have been dating off and on for fifteen years! You're his Angel Face."
Shirley sighed. "I know. He'll always be special to me, and I don't want to break his heart, but I think he'll understand that it was not meant to be for us."
Laverne was about to say more, but then she heard the distinctive Big Ragoo knock on their front door.