1910s: In which Anna graduates, Alice comes of age and Emily and Frank have children aging up

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In Frank and Emily's home, life continues on much as before. With one newborn, one infant, one toddler and one child, Emily has little time for anything but her children. Between feeding and changing diapers she tries to have time to actually educate her little ones as well. Especially young Edward, who is not yet old enough for school. It's not easy and Edward is not nearly as well developed as Abigail's William, even if they are exactly the same age. Beatrice too, is behind in her development. She learns to sit late, and even as she is about to age up, she has just barely started on real food.


Emily tries to keep it together and to keep the... challenges of her and Frank's marriage from the kids, but the constant fighting is affecting them, whether she wants to admit it or not. John, especially, is hit hard by his father's mood changes and sudden burst if ill will.


But life moved on, and by the end of the week, Emily still manages, with Virginia's help, to plan a family gathering as Beatrice and Harold both age up. Harold to infant, Beatrice to toddler. Perhaps having two toddlers will be easier? And besides, soon it's time for Edward to be a boy. Not quite yet, but soon, and then perhaps John will have someone he can play more with, and that will be good for both the boys. Or so Emily hopes. Meet Harold and Beatrice as infant and toddlers:


In the senior Whittaker household, Josephine is having her first crush:


Nash Sinclair, son of Viviane and the late Thomas Sinclair, Emily's nephew, is a good match, or so Abigail thinks, and gently encourages the match. He's not as well off as the Duncans, who he lives with, but his father was a judge, so there is money there enough for them to live. This might actually work out well with time. If the infatuation last. Now if only Alice could also find herself a young man... 

 Come Friday a letter arrives for Alice: 

Dear Alice, 

 I am sorry I haven't been writing, but this last week is insane! There is so much homework, and so many term papers to write. You can really tell that it's the last term and we're soon to graduate. I've managed to take up jogging however. It's quite a good way to relax when the world around you is moving too fast. 

 Good news! George did it! He got his nerves up and proposed! I'm sure by now Mrs Chandler is busy planning. I think they've decided to marry around Christmas. Long enough to show nothing improper has been going on, but soon enough that they won't need to live apart much longer. I'm so happy for them. 

 I cannot wait to meet little baby Harold when I return, and I am saddened that I will miss so much until then. Therefore, I have made up my mind. I am returning as soon as my finals are done, so that I won't miss your birthday at least! Yes, that does mean I will miss my own graduation ceremony, but what is a ceremony other than a hat and gown I'm never going to wear again? And no, you cannot change my mind, in fact by the time you receive this it's already too late to write me back. I'll be on my way before any letter reaches me here. Do not be sad, this is my choice. I want to be there when you come of age, and I want to see you off to university myself. 

 Your loving sister, 
 Anna


Which is followed up by Anna showing up early Saturday morning. As cross as Alice is at Anna for missing her own graduation, she's delighted to have her sister there.


The party is, as always when Abigail arranges it, a success, and Alice is proud as she is now counted as a woman instead of a girl.


Tomorrow it's time for another birthday, that of Edward and William, then, for Alice, it's time for university and a whole new life. For Anna, it's time to start to figure out what to do with her life, and to choose a path for herself.

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