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The issue was way too sensitive. Even though the Coopers had made their stance clear, the reporters—desperate for a headline—stuck around until nightfall before finally scattering.
Back inside the house, the Coopers were all pretty drained after the whole ordeal. The mood was definitely low.
Sure, Sheldon had dodged a bullet for now, but the controversy surrounding the Cooper family wasn't over by a long shot.
If there's one thing you can always count on, it's a pack of reporters trying to stir up trouble for a big story.
"Alright, Shelly. Let's eat," Mary said gently.
What's done is done. Seeing her son's pale face, Mary didn't have the heart to scold him anymore. Her maternal instincts took over, and her voice softened.
"Bless us, O Lord, and these thy gifts... and please guide us through this difficult time..."
Once everyone was seated, they began their daily grace before the meal.
"Okay, everyone, dig in," Mary said after the prayer, forcing a smile to encourage the family.
"Wait."
Just as everyone was about to start, Sheldon suddenly stood up.
Under the confused gazes of his family, he ran into the kitchen and retrieved the sandwich he had left over from lunch.
Returning to the table with the sandwich in hand, he took a big bite. He chewed for a while, and then, with everyone staring at him in surprise, he said earnestly, "I think the taste of sweet bread is actually quite acceptable."
It turns out Sheldon's stubbornness wasn't completely unchangeable.
At least, realizing the massive trouble he'd caused this time, he'd managed to accept the taste of sweet bread.
"Thank the Lord!"
Seeing her youngest son being so sensible brought Mary a little comfort.
One piece of good news: she wouldn't have to worry about his lunch anymore.
Over the next few days, just as everyone feared, some reporters hinted at Sheldon's previous comments in the papers to drum up controversy.
The result? More reporters swarmed the Cooper house like flies you couldn't shoo away.
Obviously, they had an agenda. They wanted to blow things up further to gain fame and profit for themselves.
But the Coopers were ready. After that first day, they absolutely refused to mention the sensitive topic again.
To handle the crisis, Meemaw even hung a Star-Spangled Banner right on her front porch.
---
As for Sheldon, the eye of the storm, an Uncle Sam costume became his daily outfit for a while.
And having learned his lesson, when reporters stopped him, he didn't blab like before.
His new strategy? Standing right there and singing the "Star-Spangled Banner." It became his go-to move.
After about a week of this back-and-forth, the reporters who arrived late finally realized there was no big scoop to be had.
Though frustrated, they couldn't crack the Coopers' defense and eventually had no choice but to leave.
Meanwhile, the first wave of reporters—taking advantage of the lingering buzz from the "Bombshells" performance on the Spring Special—shifted their focus back to digging up gossip on Regina and the girls.
So, the students and teachers at Medford High got to experience the reporters' "enthusiasm" firsthand at the school gates.
The girls' classmates and teachers, in particular, received special attention from the press.
Another week passed. As the hype around the group faded, the first batch of reporters finally trickled out of Medford.
By late February, after more than half a month of torment, the Coopers finally found peace as the last of the reporters left town.
"Happy birthday to you!"
On February 26th, Sheldon celebrated his eleventh birthday.
"Make a wish, Shelly," Mary said, bringing out a small cake with eleven candles.
"I wish to grow up faster..."
Sheldon kept his eyes closed and continued, "And I also wish for my family, and for Mike and Paige, to always be healthy."
As he blew out the candles, everyone who heard his wish smiled warmly.
Clearly, after the recent storm, Sheldon had finally realized the importance of family.
That counts as growth.
"Okay, Shelly. Time to cut the cake," Mary said. If anyone was the happiest today, it was definitely her.
With her help, Sheldon cut the cake into eight equal slices and handed them out.
"Sheldon, I've got good news. Want to hear it?" Georgie asked mischievously, holding his slice of cake.
"What is the good news?" Sheldon, still a kid at heart, showed his curious side.
"The good news is..."
Georgie paused for dramatic effect before grinning. "You don't have to wear that weird outfit tomorrow. How about that? Happy?"
Just like Captain America's spandex suit, Sheldon's Uncle Sam costume looked pretty bizarre to normal people.
Let's just say "eccentric dresser" isn't exactly a compliment in high school.
Getting labeled like that at school could easily lead to being ostracized.
Although Sheldon didn't care much about others' opinions, the frequent, judgmental stares from his classmates still made him uncomfortable.
And for Georgie, having a weird brother at school was stressful.
So, Sheldon ditching the costume was indeed good news.
"See? Pretty great birthday present, right?" Georgie laughed at his own joke, trying to lighten the mood.
"Enough, Georgie," Mary interjected, noticing Sheldon's stiff expression. She put a stop to her eldest son's forced humor.
It goes to show that even brothers don't always share the same sense of humor.
What Georgie thought was good news probably felt like rubbing salt in Sheldon's wounds.
After all, the whole experience hadn't exactly been fun for Sheldon.
Everyone's eyes turned to the birthday boy.
"Georgie is correct. That is indeed good news," Sheldon said. His expression didn't change much, but his tone was much lighter.
With his approval, the birthday atmosphere relaxed again.
---
"What's wrong? Something on your mind?"
Mike, sitting next to Paige and eating cake, noticed the envious look she cast toward Sheldon.
"No," Paige shook her head sensibly.
"Don't worry. In a few days, when it's your birthday, I guarantee you'll have your own cake, too," Mike said, reading her mind.
Paige's birthday was in March, right on the heels of Sheldon's.
It's natural for a kid to look forward to their birthday.
Especially for Paige—the past year had been like a rebirth for her.
So, this upcoming birthday held special meaning.
"Thanks," Paige said, flashing a sweet smile as she realized someone cared about her, too. She happily accepted Mike's kindness.