go and pack your bags

Spring 3003: Faulkner Household
last update/next update
Trent Faulkner is 33, Quinn is 30, Austin & Chase are 2. (Also Nigel Hoyt is 28, Allison Meyer is 26, Cora Tracy is 31.)

narrated by Trent

Quinn gave me wonderful news one morning: we were pregnant! It wasn’t planned, but we’re thrilled nonetheless.

behind the smile you’re hiding

Winter 3003: Underwood Household
last update/next update
Jeffrey is 37, Britney is 34, Sarai Richward is 11, Courtney is 1. Also Victoria Juarez is 34.

narrated by Britney

As the summer approaches, I can’t believe that my little Sarai will become a teen. It had just been just the two of us for a long time (along with my mother helping out), before Jeff came along and changed our lives for the better. She’s so bright and mature for her age, she’s taking to being a big sister really well, helping Courtney earn her skills.

your engines humming

Winter 3003: FaithDee Household
last update/next update
Deidre Faithbucks is 27, Nichole is 7, Alicia is 5, Lauren is 3.

narrated by Deidre

After months of separation and the eventual divorce, I’ve finally gotten my life into a routine. I get up early to get myself dressed, before get the girls ready for the day.

After finally pulling Nicky and Al from bed, I make breakfast while they get ready. When I was married and was a stay-at-home mother, I used to actually cook breakfast, but these days I can only make cold cereal in the morning.

But I do enjoy those breakfasts; it’s usually uninterrupted time between myself and my two oldest girls.

For a long time I was worried about them adjusting to their father and I being divorced, but they seem to be adapting well enough. Except when complaining of not having their own rooms any more.

I was very fortunate to obtain a job within the school district, as I work school hours and can be home by the time the girls get home from school.

Once we all arrive home, I get started on dinner. While the girls do their homework, I take the time to pay bills and squeeze in time to submit my school assignments. It was very hard to take online classes to finish up my degree, all while working and being a single parent, but I did it.

I do try to balance my busy schedule with a social life. I’ve become friendly with my colleague Nigel and his fiancee Allison, who is constantly trying to fix me up. I don’t know if I’m ready to start dating again so soon after my divorce.

She explained that she didn’t expect me to get married, but to try to get some free-time with other adults. After she told me about a lawyer friend of hers and offering to babysit, I finally agreed.

Two weeks later, I was having dinner with Corey Tyler at the newly-opened Avocado Lounge in the Laurel City Center, which was points in his favor. I’ve been wanting to go there ever since it opened.

While waiting on our meal, we ended up having a nice conversation, where I learned he was a law professor at University of Rockport, after semi-retiring from practicing law. I fully expected my blind date to be a bum, so I was very pleased at Allison’s choice.

As the night progressed, I found myself liking him more and more. The attraction was certainly there.

We concluded our date at Founders’ Park, which was our neutral meeting place. I have to admit that I enjoyed myself. I just hope my new circumstance doesn’t come crashing down on me like it did with Blake.

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• The title is from Going Through the Motions by Aimee Mann.
• So Deidre is finally a free woman, as her divorce to Blake was official three months prior. Unfortunately, Blake still hasn’t rolled any wants to talk or otherwise interact with his kids (only to his sister Quinn). Dee and the kids seem to not mind, as they haven’t rolled any wants either.
• Sorry, no shots of Lauren. It wasn’t until I wrote this that I realized that I didn’t have any. She’s a toddler, so she’s not doing too much anyway. She does turn five in 3004, however.
• Allison Meyer is a new friend of Dee’s, whom she met through Nigel, who is Dee’s fellow teacher at the high school. They seemed to hit it off really well. Every time they meet or talk on the phone, they’re always talking about romance-related stuff, so I figure she’s trying to get Dee back into the game. Corey Tyler was a walk-by, who happened to know Allison, so I set them up. Corey and Dee are two-bolters so it’s progressing okay. I don’t see Dee rushing into a new relationship so quickly after the divorce, unlike someone we know.
• Thanks for reading!