I’m Getting There

Fall 2011: Samuel Heredon (33), Chance Heredon (7), Sofia Heredon (4), Abigail Heredon (67), Andrew Heredon (70), Gregory Wright (32), Nina Wright (30), Olivia Wright (2.5 weeks) and Teresa Gould (29). Last update: Fall 2010

Soundtrack: “In Repair” by John Mayer

It’s late when Sam pulls out his notebook, the children put to bed hours ago and the lights dim. He’s put it off to the point where he can’t anymore. Tomorrow is the day whether he wants it to be or not. Despite his hesitation it feels easier this year.

Sam stares at the blank paper imagining he can see the letters that have come before it, small echoes of all his stops and starts. The winding of gears cuts through the quiet and he watches the clock count down the last few seconds of the day. 57…58…59…60. It’s with the chiming of the old clock that he writes her name for the first time in a year, unable to prevent the tremor in his hand.

Dear Charlotte

 

Fall Annoucement (2011)

Severin has celebrated an important birthday this fall. Happy 4th birthday!

Nina is home alone with the children one chilly weekend when she feels the first signs that her new baby is coming into the world.

 

This Old World Is A New World

Summer 2011: Dina Caliente and Nina Wright are 30, Gregory Wright is 32, Alexa Wright is 5 and Reagan Wright is 2. Last update: Summer 2011

Soundtrack: “Feeling Good” by Nina Simone.

A.N: Long, almost 4,000 words long but I added pages so it should make it easier to read.

Dina hadn’t expected him to believe her, not simply on her word alone. She expected him to stutter and stumble his way through questions before dismissing her from his office to make a hasty phone call to Nina. She hadn’t expected his eyes to narrow in concentration and to feel the heavy weight of his gaze assessing her, taking in the shape of her face, the curve of her lips and the arch of her brow. He nodded his head, stood taller and Dina had thought maybe there was something to this man her sister had married. He hesitated only once before settling on whatever decision he’d made. “Do you have dinner plans tonight?”

 

She Comes And Goes

Summer 2011– Dina is 30, Steven Tappan is 27 and Gregory Wright is 32. Last update: Summer 2010

Soundtrack: John Mayer – Neon

Dina hates moving. She hates packing her things away. She mostly hates that her life can now fit into two measly, battered suitcases and carted from one hovel to another. She’d been born with presence – her Papa told her so – and it is downright criminal for her to be locked away in some boarding house where all she has claim to is a tiny room with a bed while sharing a bathroom and kitchen with four people who should always stand 10 feet behind her.

 

The Kids Are Alright

(Mini-update) Spring 2011 – Teresa Gould is 28, Taj Behar is 4, Sofia Heredon is 4, Alexa Wright is 5, and A.J Heredon is 4.

In Teresa’s opinion the best way to start every morning is to do the Smustle with a bunch of over excited 4 and 5 year olds. It doesn’t matter to her that some people question using the town’s resources on what they consider a giant playpen instead of simply sending the children to public school, she knows the best ways to get the little ones interested in learning while still having fun.

 

Gathering storm

Winter 2010/2011 – Gregory is 32, Nina is 29, and Reagan is 2. (Rachel Heredon is 30, Fabrice Lemieux is 27) Last update: Spring 2010

7 am: Once, a long time ago, Nina would have whined if she had to be awake and alert before 11 am. She had loved the simple luxury of laying in bed until she decided to get up and not the insistent car horn from a coworker trying to make it to work on time. She’d dreamed of being a rich important somebody’s wife — a doctor then — and looked forward to the many days of lazing in a giant bed but dreams tend to skew when they hit reality.

 

Moments filled with surprises

Warning: A bit long.

Spring 2010 – Gregory is 31, Nina is 29, Alexa is 4 and Reagan is 1 (Samuel Heredon is 30)

Even after their worse moments her husband can still surprise her. When Gregory pulls her outside on his way to the company car and tenderly kisses her in full view of the neighborhood, shock can barely describe how Nina feels. His grip on her waist is firm, he holds her left hand over his heart and she melts, allowing this past week of frustration to sail away on the bliss of his lips.

For Gregory to show this level of affection outside of their house and in full view of the people he works with means he is truly sorry for taking his work home with him. The honk and cheers of his coworkers pull them apart and they smile at each other, tension and hurt easing with flaring passion.

“I know,” Gregory hesitates, averting his eyes before continuing. “I know I’ve been a bit unbearable this week and I’m sorry. I know better than to take my frustrations out on you. My father always -”

She kisses him firmly, cutting off his sentence. Nina already knows what he’s going to say and she made a promise to herself that she would keep both of their pasts from ruining their marriage. She had left Pleasantview behind and all she asked is that he leaves his father’s faults and indiscretions out of their marriage. “Do you love me?”

“Of course,” Gregory presses her hand closer to his chest, his heart beating faster. “How can you ask that?”

 

Remembering the Past

Spring 2010 – Gregory is 31, Nina is 29, Alexa is 4 and Reagan is 1

Nina holds the book in front of her, allowing her mind to wander in the rare quiet of the house. It’s only in these moments that she allows herself to think about how much her life has changed.

6 years ago she never would have imagined she would be sitting on a $2,000 couch or have a $4,000 grand piano steps away from her and be able to call it her own. She never would have imagined she would be a willing mother of two and more often than not happily married. Most of all she never would have imagined not seeing her sister once in those 6 years.

Dina never got to share in the wonder of her wedding or express disbelief at her pregnancy. She never got to frown in envy at the ease Nina navigated higher society or the way her husband dropped thousands if not millions on art he appreciated and then donated. Dina hadn’t shared in anything with her sister because they hadn’t talked since she insisted on continuing her affair with Don Lothario, despite knowing that Nina was in love with him.