my sweetheart #9: uprooted

September 2088. Jordan Graham is 28, Felix and Milo are 9, Colette Marin is 31, Ingrid Thompson is 24, Maria Boone is 26.

“Find the only broken camper on Brindleton Main Street, parked next to a duplex. You really can’t miss it.”

Jordan found Ingrid’s camper, and hopefully it would mean a quick buck. Having spent half his savings on the climbing class, he needed more money. And fast. Ingrid said that she would pay him for the work, and he hoped she meant in actual money. He had nowhere else to go, and this was as good a place to park as any.

why are you here? #4: then go

August 2088. Jordan Graham is 28, Maria Boone is 26, Colette Marin is 31, Felix and Milo are 9.

previously: the last time she tried to hug him was a little awkward // Colette crushed all his hopes and dreams

There were two weeks left before the revised date of Stephanie’s wedding, which had Jordan occupied outside, much to Maria’s disappointment. She’d missed him while he was away with his boys. For the kitchen staff, it was still too early to start food preparations for the wedding, so their workload was the regular fare—catering orders and supper club prep. She wasn’t too busy to steal five minutes to go find him.

The weather couldn’t be more perfect, and everyone hoped it would hold for the wedding, but it was still too far out to know for certain. The barn was scented with the light fumes of fresh paint. Those would dissipate in the next two weeks. Banners of gauzy ivory chiffon draped the ceiling between hanging pendant lights. The lights weren’t turned on yet, but Maria knew when they were, it would be breathtaking in here.

Jordan stood at the back door, gazing out, absently, somewhere beyond the trees.

She stood next to him. God, I missed you, she wanted to say. Did you miss me, too? Did you remember me at all?



Instead, she booped his pink nose and said, “You’re sunburned.”

Oh, god, Maria, she said to herself, did you actually just boop that man on the nose?

Yes, she did. Thankfully, he didn’t look unamused by it.

make a wish

June 2088. Lucy Deppiesse is 22, Cassie is 2, Eris is 6 months. Delphie and Dakota are 18. Shannon Brett is 17, Jacob Collins is 16.

Previously: Dallas is sent to Fort Hollow to build rockets // Shannon struggles to break up with Jake 

Lucy once said she wanted seven children, but the truth was, she could barely handle two. 

It rained far too much here in Washington. Cassie didn’t mind the rain. And maybe Lucy promised they would play outside one last time before bed. But then Eris needed to nurse, again. Growth spurt. She needed a bounce and a burp, and then she spit up. The little squirt aimed straight for Lucy’s cleavage and soaked her all the way down to the underboob. They both needed a change of clothes. Then the rain started. The downpour was too intense to bring the baby out. Too intense for a strong-willed, toddler, too, but try telling that to Cassie. “Why? Mama, you said. You said.” 

And Cassie wasn’t wrong. Lucy did say, didn’t she? 

There was no one to help. They worked Dallas to the bone here, twelve-hour shifts most days of the week. Her neighbor, Marlie, was eight months pregnant and ready to pop. It should have been so lucky to have a teenager next door, but Marlie’s moody teenage son scared Lucy and she would never ask for his help. Everyone else on base had somewhere to be and something to do.

So, sorry, teary little one, so it seems sometimes life doesn’t turn out the way you thought it would. So it seems, sometimes, you don’t get to play outside one more time before bed even though you were given a promise. 

But they were so blessed to be here, together, after everything they’d been through. So blessed. 

the truth, for once

April 2088. Gwen Palmer is 35. Andreas Tsoukalos is 33.

previously: terrible love // but Gwen miscarried

warnings: miscarriage

You can have everything you deserve if you work hard enough, if you fight for it. The career, the man, the family. Just be smart enough, fierce enough, dedicated enough, sexy enough, and you can have it all.

Except that it’s not true. 

Gwen must have known it wasn’t true or realistic, especially for everyone else. Maybe, deep down, she even knew it wasn’t true for herself. But who cared as long as she was winning? For a long time, she thought she could bend the universe to her will. For a long time, she actually did. 

it's your day: Selena

August 4, 2087. Selena Sosa is 24. Luis Talbot is 23.

previously: Andre's confession at graduation // gossip floating around about Luis

 

He bought her a necklace for her birthday. She could tell immediately from the shape of the box that it wasn’t a ring. 

postcards from a bug on the wall

July 2087.

In Fort Palmetto, half of the high school class gathers at the Collins residence to celebrate Jacob Collins' 15th birthday. The shady yard and chilly pool make the perfect place to ride out this mid-summer heat wave.