postcards from grad school

September, October 2088. Justin Nova is 28, Calvin Banks is 21, Amy Jones is 22, Natalia Deppiesse is 23, Andre Sylvester is 23. Cynthia Kim is 52. Selena Sosa is 25. April Hutchins is 25, Beau Jackson is 24.

#1: welcome to grad school

Grad school is happening at Magnolia Graduate College. 

Leading our group is Dr. Heather Thompson, Dean of Students. She specializes in biology. (Hi, Ingrid’s mom!)

Our students this year: 

Andre, Calvin, and Steven are all working on their medical degrees. 

The others are non-medical graduate programs. Justin (architecture), Amy (nursing), and Natty, (teaching).

graduation 2088

June 2088. 

This evening is presented by April Harris, Education Minister. 

AH: “Welcome, friends, family, and esteemed graduates! Tonight we gather in San Catalina, California, to congratulate our graduating class of 2088! This year’s graduating class was brimming with talent, but one student inched out ahead with her dedication to service and community as Class President and National Merit Kindness Ambassador. Please enjoy a speech by this year’s valedictorian, Delphie Deppiesse, from Fort Palms High School.”

Drown #14: we go on, part 3

September 2086. Stephanie and Justin are 26. Willow is 5, Lily is 4, Benji is 3 weeks old. George McCarthy is 32.


Stephanie was terrified when Cynthia suggested that they take the girls out for the day. "Willow needs the distraction. She needs to feel like things are normal again."

But was that wise? Jeremiah could be anywhere. That was how this all happened. They let their guard down for just a moment and he showed up and tried to destroy everything.

"But you can’t lock yourself inside a hospital for the rest of your life," Cynthia said.

"I guess you're right," Stephanie agreed.

So the girls went out with their grandparents and they had a nice day.

Drown #14: we go on, part 2

September 2086. Stephanie and Justin are 26. Willow is 5, Lily is 4, Benji is 3 weeks old. Robert is 52. Jeremy is 70. Bryson is 64.  


Stephanie spent hours going through a cycle of hope and disappointment and hope again. She called out to his nurses, "I think he blinked!" But it wasn’t a blink so much as a muscle spasm of the eyeball or maybe even a burst of REM dreaming. Then she thought she saw him move his finger. A twitch. The nurse wouldn’t say yes or no, just, "It could be." Then she went on with her work. Stephanie wasn't sure whether she was hearing grunts or exhales or perhaps just a tummy rumble.

"Do you think he's hungry? How can he be getting enough nutrients through that little tube for this many days?"

She was driving herself a little bit crazy.

Her mother demanded that she step outside to watch the sunset. "Come get some air with me, sweetheart. If it was a blink, then he’ll still be doing it when you get back."

little love

August 2086. Stephanie Nova and Justin Kim are 26. Willow is 5, Lily is 4. Welcome, baby Benji. 


In Stephanie's condition, a natural birth would be more taxing on her body than a c-section, but Stephanie insisted that she wanted to try. Her doctor wouldn't have let her do it if she didn't stand a good chance. So they did it. Her doctor ordered the induction at 38 weeks, estimating the baby's weight at a healthy seven pounds. Stephanie's blood pressure remained stable throughout the labor and her spirits were strong.

Calvin

Calvin Reginald Banks

age: 19
born: November 30, 2066—Sagittarius
parents: Reginald Banks and Dorothy Banks
siblings: Desmond Banks
children: none

education:
- high school, Potomac Heights class of 2082
- undergraduate: NYU class of 2086, Pre-Med/Exercise Science
- graduate: Magnolia Park Medical College, focus: Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine
career:
- Magnolia Park Wellness Clinic, level 1, intern
work history: none

child aspiration: mental, achieved
aspiration 1: fitness, bodybuilder
aspiration 2: knowledge, renaissance sim
traits: high metabolism, outgoing, bro, neat, sarcastic, mentally gifted
loves:
hates:

orientation: mostly gay
IFS = 2

romance: single
romantic history: --
romantic future: Alexander Trudgen, dating December 2091

friendships: Shannon Brett, Tyler Jackson
enemies: none

DNA: hair, brown; eyes, brown; adult height, 5'10"