1920s: Josephine and Alice think 1929 is a great year

 

As 1928 turns to 1929, Josephine is in heaven. Her son is doing well in school and has friends in his cousins which he sees a lot, her daughters are adorable and cute. Yes, perhaps Nash is a bit lazy and leaves his clothes all around the house (as does Thomas who takes after his father), but Josephine does not mind cleaning up after him. It's her job as a wife after all. And Nash is what many other men is not - a devoted and present father who enjoys playing with his children more than he does working and Josephine loves him for it.

And life is only getting better, as Josephine finds herself pregnant again.

She loves having the family over and the children love their grandma and aunt Ida who are there often, and when thanksgiving rolls around, Josephine begs to host it. As they are getting on in years, and William cannot attend as he is in Britechester, Joseph and Abigail agrees. Josephine spends all day preparing, and the family gathering is a resounding success. Everyone is having fun, playing, talking, eating, and Josephine has never been happier.

But as the party wanes, and people go home, Josephine starts feeling the fatigue. Highly pregnant, on her feet all day, she first think it's just tiredness, but when rashes start appearing all over her body she realises it's something more. The very next day she rushes to the doctor, terrified that this illness might hurt her child or cause another miscarriage. She does not want to lose her baby. But her doctor tells her that this is nothing to worry about, that there is this new drug called penicillin and if she just takes it she'll be fine. Josephine is a bit sceptical at first, but follows doctors orders and takes this new drug. It works like a charm. Her rashes are gone almost instantly. Remembering only far too well her brush with the Spanish flu a few years earlier, Josephine is amazed. Obviously, penicillin wouldn't have worked on the flu, but Josephine doesn't know that. All she knows it that this wonder drug treated her almost instantly. What a fantastic new world 1929 is!

Over in Del Sol Valley, Alice has similar thoughts. She lives in a beautiful apartment, with the woman she loves, and her acting career is going better than ever. Evenings consists of parties in her home, parties at the Biltmore in town, and fans asking her autograph. She doesn't even mind the paparazzi! 

But she has to admit that she is mostly excited for this new award ceremony they have just announced. The starlight accolades! And she is nominated for best actress for her last role!!! Her first talkie was a smashing hit, her singing is praised and her dancing and acting as well. Just being nominated is big enough, a recognition that her moving here was the right thing to do. That she was born to do what she is doing. She dresses up to the teeth, and makes sure she poses for the paparazzi before entering the gala. Once there, she watches and claps as her friends receive awards, and then, at the end of the night, finally it's time for best actress to be announced... and she gets it! She wins the desired trophy, she was the best actress of 1928 and her peers know it, as will the world (and her parents) when this hits the papers!

The very next evening she's back again, this time for a new honor, one her father had before her. To get her very own plaque on the starlight boulevard! And Alice is determined to make the most of it. She hugs her fans, signs autograph and enjoys every moment of her time in the spotlight as she put her plack in place on the ground. No one can say she hasn't made it now. It's right there, written in stone! She can't wait for her parents and family to read the papers.

But as the papers arrive, Alice achievements are not at the front page. Instead another event takes the spotlight: