thank you, part 1

November 2087. Blossom McCarthy is 28, George is 33, Abe is 9 months. Vicky Garth is 23. Amy Jones is 21, Blair is 20. Nobuo Akiyama is 55, Mayumi is 53, Vale is 27. 

previously: the dirty French song // what would you do with it if it happened?

Thanksgiving for the McCarthy and Akiyama families was a cheerful time. This was Blossom’s first year hosting the holiday as a mother—baby Abe’s first Thanksgiving. They couldn’t be more thankful. Both sides of the family were expected in full attendance. The feast would be delicious. Blossom’s mother was the star chef today, although Vicky and Amy helped, too. Blossom wasn’t much of a cook, so she put herself in charge of refilling drinks and lifting spirits. 

This blend of blood-family and friend-family had grown together so beautifully. Blossom's parents loved George and his siblings. The McCarthy clan all adored Blossom's parents and even her unruly little brother, Vale. In-laws became friends. Friends became family.  

And there were three vegetarians in one family, so it was decidedly a convincing tofu roast on their menu. The meat-eaters didn't dare complain. 

The day couldn’t have been more perfect. 

anywhere but here (DAC, Fall 2087)

October 2087. Amy Jones is 21, Josie Booth is 20, Ariel Beech is 19, Drake Cannon is 19, Marcus Sylvester is 19, Liza Hathe is 18. 

previously: Liza didn't want to go to SNU // last year at DAC // Drake & Josie make it work and Ariel's boyfriend is a dud // the festival got rained out

Liza didn’t want to admit to her mother that this quiet arts college had been a bad choice. Who ever wanted to tell their mother that she was right? But the truth was, the reputable science college would have been a bad choice as well. So would the modern tech college, the historic ivy league college, and even the local community college. Liza did not want to attend college at all.

How absurd, right? Liza was so smart. Of course she would go to college. That was what everyone expected of her. What else would she do? Certainly not pocket all of her scholarship money and buy two plane tickets to anywhere. Crazy idea—Robbie was still in high school for eight more months.

Campus was busy and full of strangers. She was a country girl, a forest girl, a long babbling creek girl. All these loud, smelly, strange young people made her feel anxious. 

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.

labor day

August 2087. Madison Riley is 64, Bryson is 65, Keri is 26, Willow is 6, Lily is 5. 

previously: the adoption // which Madison does not support // Keri goes alone // Madison's new house

 

Madison was disappointed in her retirement. She hated the way her body had changed. She hated having all this time and no hobbies to fill it with. She hated that her daughter was gone constantly, and would soon be gone for years. She hated that her husband was still working, because it reminded her that she was not. She hated that her only granddaughter had a new "mother" now. There was a lot to be disappointed in. 

Keri was stationed out in Washington now, deep in the snowy mountain forests on some military base. No cell signal, but she returned Madison's calls a couple times a week. She made a trip back home whenever she could, while she still could. But Madison might as well get used to her being gone. The big mission across the cosmos was always looming out there on the horizon, two or three years away. Like a mother given her child’s terminal diagnosis. 

No, it wasn't that dramatic. Keri would be home alive again some day. Probably—an adventure like that was far from risk-free. She could only hope that she and Bryson were still alive to meet her when she came back. Five years was a long time at their age. 

Madison just received the sad news that Micah Phoenix was dying—they went to high school and college together, they were in each other’s weddings. It was apparently that season of their lives now that their close friends would start to die off. Meanwhile, Madison's doctor told her that she was healthy as a horse—You have the heart and joints of a 25-year-old, you’ll outlive them all. 

Sometimes that felt like a curse. So much time. What would she even do with it all? 

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. 

empire

February - July 2087. Justin Kim is 27, Stephanie Nova is 27, Willow is 5, Lily is 5, Benji is 11 months. 

previously: the damage, part 1 // the damage, part 2 // there you are // his parents moved up north

Justin wanted to believe that he might look back on this time, years from now, and recognize it as the launching point of the best part of his life. Doesn't every great success story have an absolute low from which a person can only rise? In twenty years, when he’d made himself a successful career as CEO of several companies and holdings, when he gazed out over the landscape of his success—a warm and spacious home, happy children, spoiled wife, a yacht, a vintage Ferrari 250 convertible in red, and another one in yellow just for good measure—he’d look back on this moment and feel humbled and proud that he made it so far. So much treasure built with his own two hands. That moment, if it ever happened, felt so very far away right now. 

Justin sat in front of his former boss, uneasy about the look of remorse on his face. “I’m so glad to hear that you’ve recovered,” Adam said. “But I’m so sorry to say, the job you had before doesn’t exist anymore.”