1920s: Another family gathering, a New Years Eve's kiss and Madison turning 15

 

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, understanding that it's an effect of the war. They never speak of it, but they both have scars from their experience in Europe.

It's Lamotte who suggest they head out. As he puts it: "You can't spent New Years Eve at home! It's 1925 soon!" Anna really shouldn't. She has a boat to catch in the morning, but it is New Years Eve, and one little drink surely can't hurt. The two make their way until the hidden speakeasy in the basement of a factory, and it's more fun than Anna had thought it would be. As tired as she is, she does love dancing and the mood is good and the company fun. What's there to complain about?

One drink turn to several, and Anna can feel the strawberry nectar go to her head. By the time she comes home, it's almost morning, but she has a smile on her lips and a buzz in her head. She before she has time to consider the implications, Lamotte is coming with her inside and before long they are tangled up in each other.

It's the first kiss she's had since Maurice, and that thought quickly sobers her up. Making him leave, Anna quickly packs up the last of her belongings before crashing into bed. In the morning, she sets out without saying goodbye to Lamotte, putting as much distance as she can between the two of them. The other side of the world seems far enough. Mt Komorebi, here she comes! Meanwhile, back in Willow Creek, a few people have aged up. In the junior Whittaker-family, Harrison is no longer a toddler, but is ready to start school, and in the Preston family Madison is turing 15. With so many family gatherings in the Christmas week, her birthday is celebrated only with the closest family around. Everyone is a bit tired of big gatherings at this point, even Madison herself.

Here I was going to say something about the changes for women, about how the expectations on Madison, and her older sister Melanie, are different. That when Ida was her age, she was expected to find a husband, had suitors come to her house so that she could marry as soon as she aged up to a YA and how that expectation was not the same for her daughters. Research into the matter shows that this would be wrong, however. 

While women had gained the right to vote and act individually outside of marriage, very little - if anything - has happened when it comes to marriage it seems. Fact is, that women in the 1920s were more likely to get married and did so at a younger age than when Ida was young. 

In 1890, when Abigail got married, the median age to marry for girls was 22 years old. In 1910 it was 21,6 years and in the 1920s it was down to 21,2 years. To my big surprise, this is a trend that continued until the 1950s (20,2 years) and 1960s (20 years). Not until 1980 is the median age for marriage as high as it was in 1890! 

And it's not just that those who marry are younger, it's also how many got married. In the 1880s around around 30% of women never married, a number that gradually decreases reaching it's lowest point in the 60s with 17%. Not until 2011 is the number of women who never marries as high as it was in the 1880s. *end of lesson* 

 So, with that information, I started to look for possible future husbands for the two girls. As I don't actively play the Prestons, this needs to be based off personalities. First a reminder of the girls' personalities and aspirations:

 

Melanie, the eldest, has aspirations of university and learning. She might want to wait with getting married for this reason, at least until she's had some schooling. She's 18 now, so she'll be YA come summer and start university as fall sets in. She'd be able to get married late fall or next winter. She is a bookworm and loyal, so I'm thinking traits and aspirations that has to do with learning or loyalty/family/soulmates. 

 

Madison looks more likely to want to marry early, as she aged up with a soulmate aspiration. She's good and a music lover, so aspirations and traits that are creative, family orientated or has to do with love would probably be good matches. She'll age up as the 1930s start, and will be able to get married then. 

When looking at young men, it turns out there are a few to choose from. Meet the young men of the Willow Creek/Newcrest area: 

Dorian Stewart is the oldest of the prospects, a young man with an education, a job and income. A good match for any young lady. His jealousy might be an issue, but for someone loyal as Melanie that might not be a problem. However is he serious enough for someone like her with a comedy aspiration? His age is of course the biggest issue when it comes to Madison, as he is quite a bit older. Comedy is creative and social fits well with good, but would his jealousy be too much of an issue here?

 

The Anders-twins are both teens, so they'd be the same age as Melanie, slightly older than Madison. David is certainly creative enough for Madison, and being a neat bookworm would suit Melanie too. The perfectionist trait in Carl would probably suit Melanie, but less so with Madison, although is "friend of the world" aspiration might just suit her good disposition.

 

Ronald McCabe is also a teen, and only child and a cheerful disposition might also make life easier. Painter is creative enough to suit Madison, but would overachiever be too much for her? It would certainly work well with Melanies career streek, but then is painter a serious enough career?

 

The Smith-brothers both have things going for them, especially where Melanie is concerned as they both have knowledge based aspirations. Still Brandon's meanness is of course a bit of a downside regardless of which girl we're talking about and could Melanie stand a party animal in the house?

 

Finally Adonis Dougherty, a young man who has not had an easy life and has a gloomy disposition because of it (but still wants to be a comedian it seems). His mother died when he was young, he was more or less raised by his sister (who is now having an affair with Frank) and as their father died he now has the sole responsibility of his younger sister. Question is if his disposition would work with either girl.

So, help me out here. Who would you pair up the girls with?