[ CW ] End your story with the words `` Where did you come from , where did you go ? Where did you come from , Cotton-Eye Joe ? ''

I wonder if all those protesters marching for marriage equality 50 years ago could have imagined a day like this. Way back in the'00s or the'10s would anyone ever believe that a pair of lesbians, neither of whom were old enough to make a trip the liquor store would be married in a shot gun wedding? 
 
 Maggie was the first friend I'd made when my mom moved me to her podunk hole in the wall hometown. For all her talk about wanting to go back to her roots after the divorce with dad, I think she really just missed her old stomping grounds. It sucked moving to a place with only one movie theater and where everything that was n't a bar closed up at 9pm ( 11 on weekends! ). 
 
 I'd been bored off my ass when I saw her on a park bench. Maggie smiled and waived `` Hey, you new in town or jus' passin' through?'' I introduced myself and as soon as I told her my last name she said `` Oh, your mom's Tracy Michel right?'' I nodded and I guess my confusion was plain on my face. `` My mom and her were best buds in high school. Ma said Tracy was movin' back and would have a daughter round my age. She did n't say you'd be such a cutie though.'' 
 
 The warm smile she gave me set my heart racing. I've been called many things in my life, and not counting family or friends of my parents `` cutie'' has never been one of them. `` I'm Maggie Sawyer. Say, Jolene... do you like to smoke wacky tabacky?'' I stared at her blankly. `` Ya know... refer?'' 
 
 I smiled `` Are you asking if I wan na smoke weed?'' She nodded. `` Are you offering, or asking if I've got some?'' 
 
 She smiled back `` If you wan na get some, I can help ya out... I can also hook you up with some marijuana too.'' She giggled. `` If you have some on ya, we can match bowls.'' I nodded and we started walking. 
 
 After about an hour of going down a trail through some trees into a thick wooded area that was n't quite a forest and then out into a clearing we came across a tin shack. We went inside and she pulled out a baggie of cheap dirt weed. We passed her pip back and forth, then I pulled out my bag and had her smell it. Her eyes lit up. `` Where you get this from?'' 
 
 `` A guy I know in Portland. This here's is some grade C, middle of the road west coast kind. It's all he could spare, but it made for a helluva going away present.'' A loaded up a bowl in my own pipe and passed it to her. 
 
 She exhaled and coughed for a full minute or more. `` Damn... that may be a'helluva going away present' but it's also an'awesome coming around present' to.'' I nodded. She nodded... looked me in the eyes and said ever so timidly `` Do you like... coming around?'' I stared into her eyes... and then I kissed her. 
 
 That was the beginning of what ended two days later. Her parents were supposed to be gone for the weekend. I went over to Maggie's house an hour after they'd left and we headed up to her bedroom. We were right in the middle of... well you can guess what we were doing, but I do n't wan na go into detail. We were in the middle of it when I heard a shout from the door way. 
 
 `` WHAT IN THE HELL ARE YOU DOIN' WITH MY DAUGHTER!'' 
 
 5 minutes later after getting dressed in front of Maggie's mom, we were in the kitchen talking to her and her husband. He looked me in the eye `` Lil' missy, I got ta ask right no. How the hell old are you?'' 
 
 `` 19 sir.'' 
 
 `` And do you know how old my daughter is?'' 
 
 I stared blankly for a moment and realized that I'd never even thought to ask. `` No sir.'' 
 
 He glared at Maggie until she spoke up. `` I'm 15.'' 
 
 My jaw hit the floor and he nodded. `` I think you're starting to see that trouble you're in little lady. Now what's your name.'' I told him and his glare deepened. He looked at Maggie's mom. `` Karen, get on the phone and tell Tracy to get her ass over her ASAP!'' 
 
 Things seemed to get worse when mom showed up. At least they did at first. I was sent out to the front porch while Maggie was sent to the back porch. After an hour or so, mom stuck her head out the front door and told me to come into the living room. Maggie came in through the kitchen and they all told us that it'd been decided that there was gon na be a wedding in two weeks. 
 
 My soon to be mother in law looked me in the eye `` During that two weeks, there aint gon na be no hanky panky neither. You can come over for supper if ya like, but you and your fiance aint gon na have no alone time until you've made an honest woman of her. Oh, and one more thing I'm laying the law down with Maggie that she ca n't wear no white dress. You aint no kin of mine, but I'd really appreciate it if you did n't wear white either. I'd like to keep some honesty in the ceremony is all.'' 
 
 On the ride home I asked mom what Maggie's mom had meant about the dress. Turns out the whole white dress tradition had originally started as a way of declaring that the bride was a virgin. People had mostly forgotten or ignored it over time though. Mom said it was up to me if I wanted to wear white or not, but she'd prefer it if I offered an olive branch by picking another color. 
 
 In the end, Maggie wore green and I wore blue. I did insist on one thing though. `` No, and I mean absolutely NO Dolly Parton songs, or covers of any songs she's ever sung.'' It seemed kind of petty and odd to pick an antiquated singer that most people have barely heard of, but one of her songs was used to make fun of me as a kid when some music nerd discovered it online. It had somehow started this weird retro trend around the middle school I went to in Portland with women singers from the past century. People like Tanya Tucker, Reba McIntire, Natalie Maines, Leanne Womack plus a bunch of others had become all the rage. 
 
 Most of them I did n't mind, and a few of em like Womack were kinda alright, but I could n't stand Parton. All of her songs reminded me of the one that kids teased me with, so I hated each and every one of her songs. 
 
 Maggie's older brother managed to find a song almost as annoying though. Bad enough that we were getting tied down so young when we did n't even know if we were ready for such a big step. Bad enough that young love had been turned into some kind of obligation to save face for parents that could n't handle the idea of young love. Bad enough that I was now expected to spend the rest of my life with someone that I barely knew and was n't sure if I was in love with her or just in lust with her. Bad enough that I kept wondering if I might have one day popped the question to Maggie on my own without having to be forced into with the unspoken threat of a criminal record hanging over my head. 
 
 On top of all that, having the same damn song played over and over as some kind of subtle `` fuck you city slicker'' on what was supposed to be a happy and joyous day was too goddamned much. After the 3rd time of politely asking Roy to stop playing that stupid song and the thirtieth time of him starting it up, I lost my shit. I smashed a bottle of wine into the table. I smashed all of his DJ equipment. 
 
 As Roy rushed forward his dad came out of nowhere and wrapped an arm around him. We were screaming at each other until Mrs. Sawyer gave a high pitched whistle and demanded to know what the hell was going on. Roy told them I'd flipped out and smashed his stuff. Then I told everyone why. 
 
 Mr. Sawyer looked at his son for a long moment. `` Roy. Is she tellin' the truth?'' 
 
 `` yes sir.'' 
 
 `` Including the part about her asking you to stop playing that song damn times and you playing it again?'' 
 
 `` yes sir.'' 
 
 The back of Mr. Sawyer's hand shot out and Roy landed on the floor with a thud. `` You're gon na pay to either get this stuff fixed or replaced. Every penny that goes to the rental store is comin' outta yer pocket and that includes any penalties for being late on paying em back. You hear me boy?'' Roy nodded. 
 
 Mr. Sawyer turned to me, `` I'm so sorry my dear daughter in law. That was uncalled for on Roy's part, and you did n't do nothin' wrong. Give me a moment and I'm gon na roll out a piana and play something fer ya.'' 
 
 15 minutes later I was gliding across the dance floor looking into Maggie's eyes. She was shaken up more than I was. I could see her on the verge of tears. She laid her head on my shoulder and whispered to me `` I'm not ready for this Jo. I'm sorry but, I do n't love you. I just wanted to have some fun and now...'' 
 
 I hugged her tightly. `` It's okay Maggie, it's okay. Let's stick this out for three years, and once you're 18 we can run off to Portland and get a divorce if you want.'' 
 
 As the notes of Moonlight Sonata wafted through the room, Maggie softly wept onto my shoulder. All the while, the words to that stupid song ran through my head like a broken record. 
 
 *'' Where did you come from? Where did you go? Where did you come from, Cotton eye Jo? `` *
