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.

my sweetheart #8: honeymoon

September 2088. Justin and Stephanie Nova are 28. 

The day after their wedding, Justin and Stephanie headed off for their honeymoon in Sulani. The brochure promised a private, secluded beach hut and the thrill of living off the island.

Stephanie especially looked forward to some time unplugged with her new hubby. But when they arrived, they found that the Wi-Fi connection was full strength, outlets powered up to charge their devices, and there was running water and a gas stove.

What’s the first thing they should do here? Skinny dipping in the waterfall? Sandcastles? Snorkeling?

my sweetheart #7: don’t be sorry

August 2088. Jordan Graham is 28, Maria Boone is 26.

previously: Jordan and Colette are not on the same page // Jordan has many admirers, but his mind is elsewhere // Maria kills her own fantasy

warnings: NSFW

The last wedding guests retreated to their cars and hotel rooms, commencing the cleanup shift. Jordan had his hands in warm dishwater when a shapely red figure appeared in the doorway. The dress was unfair. He suspected she chose it on purpose, to highlight the curve of her hips, the fullness of her breasts. To say, Look what you passed on, you stupid boy.

The dress was payback because he said that he would take her on a date and also that he needed to escape this whole life and be alone. Both were true. Both can be true at the same time, he wanted to explain.

“Hey,” Jordan said to her. “I didn’t know you were still here. I thought you would have gone home with everyone.”

my sweetheart #6: carve our names in a heart on a tree

August 2088. Stephanie Nova and Justin Kim are 28. 

wedding song: “Ho Hey,” by The Lumineers

my sweetheart #5: the rocket man

August 2088. Keri Riley is 27, Bentley Booth is 25.

previously: the mythical bunions

Time melted away for Keri because her mind was light years away in her work. Somewhat literally. The Cassiopeia mission charged ahead to its big moment. They had their crew, their pilots, their scientists. They developed flight suits and long range sleep pods. There was so much still to do and get ready, but everything was coming along on schedule. And Keri did what Keri does best. She worked. She was at the helm of this ship and it was going to sail spectacularly.

They finally had a date set for launch. The crew buzzed with excitement over it. It was really happening, after all this time. The next great leap for humankind. June 4th, 2090.

Thankfully, with only twenty-two months left to departure, Keri’s mother had finally stopped nagging her to find an insta-husband and baby.

my sweetheart #4: someone else’s wedding

August 2088. Jordan Graham is 28, Maria Boone is 26.

Maria’s sister came to take Johanna home because Maria was working long tonight. They all were. Tomorrow was the big day. They’ve prepared for plenty of weddings before, but for Stephanie’s big day, it felt more personal. Nobody wanted to make any mistakes.

So Maria and Drake put the finishing touches on the wedding cake and cupcake display. Drake was studying culinary arts at Dresden. He used each kitchen utensil for its intended purpose—never grabbing a fork instead of a whisk just because it was nearby—and he knows the French names for all of his methods. Not only that he knows the French words, but he speaks each one in a pompous French accent, because, of course, he’s also studying French in university.

my sweetheart #3: feral

August 2088. Jordan Graham is 28, Maria Boone is 26, Willow Nova is 7, Johanna Boone is 4.

one day before the wedding…

Jordan balanced six feet off the ground on a step ladder, with wires and electric candles in hand, while outside there were children’s voices counting down from ten, “Ready or not, here I come!” Then, whoosh. A streak of yellow and red and loose brown hair, breezing by with such force that the ladder swayed, even though the tiny girl couldn’t have weighed forty pounds. Maria’s girl, Johanna.

One of these kids would be the death of him. Or might have been, had his days not been numbered here. So, in that regard, he wasn’t mad. Someday he knew he would even remember the chaos of all this with fondness.

But, in any case, it wasn’t safe. “Not in the barn today,” he called out.



“I need to hide,” Johanna hissed from underneath the table, in something between a whisper and a dinosaur growl.

Johanna was the littlest of the bunch. Stephanie’s girls were bigger and should know better, but Johanna was only four. Jordan came down from the ladder.