The Whittaker Saga

  Boxing day in Willow Creek, is just another day of family gatherings. This year, it's Ida who hosts, and while she and Tessie (mostly Tessie) are arranging for dinner, Madison takes the opportunity to be a child by playing with her younger brother. Soon, games will be over, and she'll be 15. But not for a few more days yet. The dinner, of course runs smoothly without a hitch. Dinner is excellent, company nice and Tessie makes sure the dishes never piles up. As soon as dinner ends, it's time for Anna to return home. She has big plans, and no time to waste. The first thing she does is pick up her mail, and then Omisco from her next door neighbor, Johnny Lamotte, who has taken care of him while she was home in Willow Creek. It's a happy reunion between dog and owner. Afterwards, she and Lamotte spend some time together. He has his oddities, randomly dropping mean comments to everyone around him, but while it is annoying, Anna has patience with this side of him, und...

  In the Sinclair family, Josephine and Nash have slowly started to get over their loss. It's a very traditional little family, just as Josephine wants them to be. Nash focuses his attention on providing for his family, working long days and only seeing his son for a few hours in the evening, and Josephine in her turn tries to manage the perfect household. It is not always easy to balance, but she wouldn't want her life to be any other way, especially as Thomas is developing so quickly. He's learnt to sit, to creep, to put his toe in his mouth and play with toys. In Josephine's eyes, he's the perfect baby! And now Christmas is at the door. Normally, Christmas Eve would be spent at the Preston's, but Ida has let her sister have the honor this year, as this is her first bigger family gathering. Josephine has been preparing for days! Planning the perfect ham-dinner, making sure the house is decorated properly, adding more chairs to the main table. She is desperat...

Back at Frank and Emilie's place, Frank is making more success as a bootlegger than he has ever managed as a politician. While he rose fast through the ranks at first, his career seems to have hit a standstill, something which frustrates him endlessly. So much better than that the business on the side is working out so much better. Frank moonshine is selling almost faster than he can make it, as demand for alcohol increase with every new speakeasy and under the counter liquor store that opens. And in Louisiana they are many! In this, Frank is only one of many, as hordes of people in the state made their own home brew. Of course, selling illegal liquor does require you to deal with people from the shadier parts of society. But that doesn't put a stop to Frank, as he often meets his new associates in the local speakeasy he sells most of his drinks too. Even as raids become a part of life, Frank is never worried that he'll get caught. The small home brewers like himself are ...

  While her sister's heart is breaking, Alice is having a much better Thanksgiving. Right as she is in the throws of indecision, Julia Thurston, previously Ward, invites her out for coffee only to explain that she's moving to a bigger and better house. "We're calling it The Ward Den, although I suppose we should name it the Thurston den, but it doesn't quite have the same ring to it, does it? It's up in the Pinnacles, away from all this smog. Anyway, we're wondering if you'd be interested in taking over the apartment."   Of course Alice is interested! The apartment is much bigger than her current one, in two floors and with lots of space to entertain. More importantly, it has an additional bedroom, making all her misgivings give way. She can stay in the building she loves, but still be with the woman she loves. Without the crippling fear of detection. She says yes right away. Still, when everything is moved out of her apartment, it feels strange t...