bad girlfriend (B&S intermission book 5.5), part 1 of 7

19 years ago // 14 years ago // Lou, Maria.  

It was the spring of 2068, the year Maria was six and Lou was nine, the year they both decided they would drag their over-sized stuffie everywhere. Even, to their parents dismay, all the way to North Carolina on the family’s spring break trip to the Smokey Mountains.

Neither of them knew a lot about love that year, but they knew they loved Pixel. Lou hugged it enthusiastically, then kissed its furry head.

Maria was confused. “Did you just kiss a bear? Are you gonna marry him?”

“Pixel is a girl, and she’s not a bear,” Lou said.

“What is she then?”

“I don’t know, maybe a goat. Or a monster. She has a tree growing out of her head.”

Maria pursed her lips. “I don’t think you can marry a monster.”

“Duh, you can’t marry a goat, either!” Lou shrugged. “Then maybe I won’t marry anybody.”

boxes and squares #3: what dreams?

October 2088. Jordan Graham is 28, Maria Boone is 26, Lou Corelli is 29.

Soundtrack: “Dreams” by The Cranberries

previously: what happened after Stephanie’s wedding // meet Lou

* briefly NSFW 😇

Before he headed out into the wilderness, while still in San Sequoia, Jordan stopped into a tattoo parlor in a quiet suburban shopping strip. Colette was never a fan of his only tattoo and forbade him from getting more. Why did he ever let her decide that for him? They weren’t married, and half the time they hardly liked each other.

Now, they weren’t together at all anymore and he wasn’t asking permission.

He wasn’t asking Maria, either, to be honest, though her opinion he absolutely cared about. This journey for him meant not letting women control his life anymore, and that had to include Maria, as well.

So, with a sizable chunk of his travel fund and a couple of ibuprofen, he settled in to commit vision to flesh. And he said a small prayer that Maria wouldn’t mind this one on him, because it wasn’t exactly small.



His travels would next take him up the coast and into the Cascade Mountains where he looked forward to being truly off-grid and out of cell reception for a few days.

Now it was time to go get lost and see what epiphanies he might find.

boxes and squares #1: go your own way

September 2088. Jordan Graham is 28, Ingrid Thompson is 25, Maria Boone is 26, Colette Marin is 31.

previously: Jordan had plans to shake up his life // then Maria kissed him in the kitchen at work // he's not letting Colette tell him what to do anymore // and Ingrid conned convinced Jordan to drive her out to California



Ian and Ingrid have done everything together, every moment of their lives since they were born. Until September 14th, 2088, when Ingrid asked if he wanted to tag along on their epic adventure out to the Pacific coast, and Ian said. “Nah, I’m good.”



And Ingrid said, “Oh! Really? Right on, brother! Go your own way!”

why are you here? #2: little sparks catch fire (1/2)

Spring 2088. Jordan Graham is 28, Maria Boone is 26, Felix and Milo Graham are 8. 



You can know what you need to do on a logical level, but the courage to bring down that hatchet and chop a whole family in half? These boys knew nothing else but the four of them, together. It had been that way since they were toddlers. They fashioned this beautiful lie for them that looked like a family on the outside and was a festering wound on the inside, and now what could they do about it?

Leaving Colette, legally, wouldn’t be any more difficult than walking out the door. But to the boys, it would feel as much like a divorce as any. But that also wasn’t a reason to stay with their mom for another ten years. The idea of marrying her gave him hives. Staying in her house on her couch like a random cousin who came to visit made him bitter. He was a grown man who paid rent here, and he wanted to sleep in a bed. Was that too much to ask?

postcards from your Valentine

February 2088.

* briefly NSFW

Here’s what a few special couples are doing on this romantic day.

—

Vale & Vicky, together 6 weeks – officially moving in together


“So it looks like your neighbor didn’t water the plants then,” he said.

the best you can do

October 2087, Laney Thompson is 28, Ingrid and Ian Thompson are 24, Wesley Grant is 30, Odin Grant is 27, Evie Bachman is 23, Jessica Pendleton is 25.

*previously: when Ian and Ingrid got kicked out // when Laney met Andreas // where Andreas went // Jessica’s disappointing birthday

Laney was finally ready to date. She had spent two prime years of her life longing for an impossibility. She had built up Andreas in her mind as her ideal, her one and only, when in reality, they were only close for a couple of months. It sounded so silly when she thought about it that way. 

So she would try to date. She’d already struck out with the local dating pool, which was full of married men and eighteen-year-old college students. No thanks. Next step, online dating.  

Laney made herself a profile and sent it out into the world. She discovered that even a moderately attractive, bumbling woman would be flooded with responses within minutes. At first she was flattered until she read some of the messages and soon became annoyed. Ranging from the mildly lame, “Damn, you fine! Hit me up girl!” to a very detailed account of what exactly some Romeo would like to slide between her milky jugs. 

Beyond that, Laney found three eligible bachelors. Ronnie messaged her first, but she thought him too forward and a bit smarmy. Darwin sounded nice, but came with a dead wife and nine-year-old daughter—Laney felt guilty for passing. Wesley was educated, well spoken, career-minded, and interesting, if maybe a little snobbish. Laney would rather deal with snobbish than vulgar. 

So she wrote back to Wesley. 

September/October birthdays

September-October 2087

The Pendleton sisters are delightful young ladies, treasures to anyone who ever knew them. They are charming, generous, and friendly with everyone. But some of their closest friends and favorite bar buddies would have to be the Thompson siblings.

Who are, unfortunately, not as universally delightful. Each has their strong points, mind you. And as friends, they make a solid pack. Laney is a reliable, compassionate, good listener. Ingrid is daring and fun, up for anything at any time. Ian is very clever, and can hold his own in conversation about most any topic. Beyond friendship, though, these three are a hot hot mess. Jamie knows better than to mix friendship and romance, after being on and off for over a decade with her ex. She tried to warn Jessica that she would be wise to steer her efforts elsewhere.

postcards from the new management

March 2087.


It should be noted that around the time the fires started, midnight, long after the cafe had closed, Ian Thompson was spotted eating a bowl of Fruit Loops at the counter. He claims to have had nothing to do with the fires, but nobody else could be placed at the scene of the crime accident at that time. The owner has graciously decided not to press charges.

hi ho, hi ho: Steffie's first day working at Coolidge House

February 2086. 


Off to work she goes.

In game, Stephanie is working in the part-time manual labor career. That career actually pays a TON of money. Like nearly $50-something an hour at entry level which is much higher than most of the adult entry-level careers, so I'm rather restrictive about who can enter that career. But Stephanie's quarterly wages will be deducted from Sharon's business account, and she did say that she paid well! Mostly I liked the hours, weekend mornings, so that Justin can stay home with the girls.