1950s: A new life
Baby Carl is born on election day. As Eisenhower tries to swing the last votes to his favour, and the papers share what little information they have about the test of the first Hydrogen bomb a few days earlier, Betty goes into labour as she's taking in the laundry.
It's hardly a surprise. Since they returned from their vacation in Chestnut ridge, Betty has been exceptionally tired, even falling asleep on the sun lounger as Michael plays on his own at times. Luckily it's been summer, so Thomas has been around to make sure he's safe and doesn't fall into the pool.
Like his brother, Carl is born at the hospital, and as a doctor at the hospital, Thomas even gets to go with her inside the room for the birth, rather than sitting in the waiting room as was the custom at the time. Even though they've done this once before, Thomas is extremely nervous. As a doctor he knows everything that can go wrong. Betty is calmer, and mostly glad the pregnancy is soon over.
Everything goes well, and soon the little family is back home again and baby Carl is put in what used to be Michael's crib. He's an adorable baby, but constantly hungry, and Betty is exhausted after the birth. Thomas makes sure to keep Michael occupied when Carl sleeps so that Betty gets the rest she needs.
Late at night, when Betty is awake again and both boys are sleeping tight, Thomas and Betty watch as Eisenhower wins by a landslide. They're quite pleased, as 55% of the country, they too voted for Eisenhower and his running mate Richard Nixon, because of their promise to end the Korean war. It's been a long time with no contact at all from Arthur. At this point they don't know if he's alive or dead, free or captured. Thomas hates that his brother is going through the same hell as he had to go through, and prays that he's safe and well - or rather as well as he can be under the circumstances.
But just as the family are celebrating its latest addition, Josephine and Nash gets more worrisome news. Barbara, now ready to graduate, has no plans on returning home after graduation! Instead, she is moving to San Sequoia, with Dough, to pursuit a career as an artist in the emerging artist community there is. For Nash and Josephine both, this could possibly be acceptable if Barbara was also announcing her marriage to Douglas, but that does not seem to be the case.
"You can't live with a man without being married!" Josephine says in shock as Barbara calls home to tell her parents of her decision.
"It's not like that, it won't just be us! Norm is coming too, and we're going to share a house with his cousin Gordon who already lives there, and they're my cousins too, once removed. I'll have my own room."
That does not calm down Josephine, who does not know either Norm or Gordon. Yes, she knows of them, but by now it's been so long since they all lived in Willow Creek that she has lost track of all family members. While they are both grandsons of her own brother, Frank, they're still unknown entities, and while the fact that Barbara got to reconnect with that part of family was something that pleased her while Barbara was at university, it does not make it easier for her to accept a living arrangement with Barbara and three other men, one of which is most definitely not her relative and should be marrying her rather than sharing a house with her.
Barbara, however, couldn't care less. San Sequoia is something very different from Oasis Springs. It's vibrant, alive, free. The house they rent is beautiful, if crowded with the four of them, but gives them what they need and is close to the art center at Fort Robles where they spend most of their time anyway. Gordon is already a part of the art scene, having been here for a long while already. For him, having his cousins and Doug here is a way to afford live closer to the art center, and get out of his dingy little apartment. For Barbara and Doug, he's a way of getting to know anyone who is anyone. Norm, well he sort of just came along, but he's not sure he fits in. Not with his 9-5 job at a bank. It's very far from the life the others live, and he barely dares to tell anyone what he does when asked. But he cannot deny that he has fun when he comes along.
It's hardly a surprise. Since they returned from their vacation in Chestnut ridge, Betty has been exceptionally tired, even falling asleep on the sun lounger as Michael plays on his own at times. Luckily it's been summer, so Thomas has been around to make sure he's safe and doesn't fall into the pool.
Like his brother, Carl is born at the hospital, and as a doctor at the hospital, Thomas even gets to go with her inside the room for the birth, rather than sitting in the waiting room as was the custom at the time. Even though they've done this once before, Thomas is extremely nervous. As a doctor he knows everything that can go wrong. Betty is calmer, and mostly glad the pregnancy is soon over.
Everything goes well, and soon the little family is back home again and baby Carl is put in what used to be Michael's crib. He's an adorable baby, but constantly hungry, and Betty is exhausted after the birth. Thomas makes sure to keep Michael occupied when Carl sleeps so that Betty gets the rest she needs.
Late at night, when Betty is awake again and both boys are sleeping tight, Thomas and Betty watch as Eisenhower wins by a landslide. They're quite pleased, as 55% of the country, they too voted for Eisenhower and his running mate Richard Nixon, because of their promise to end the Korean war. It's been a long time with no contact at all from Arthur. At this point they don't know if he's alive or dead, free or captured. Thomas hates that his brother is going through the same hell as he had to go through, and prays that he's safe and well - or rather as well as he can be under the circumstances.
But just as the family are celebrating its latest addition, Josephine and Nash gets more worrisome news. Barbara, now ready to graduate, has no plans on returning home after graduation! Instead, she is moving to San Sequoia, with Dough, to pursuit a career as an artist in the emerging artist community there is. For Nash and Josephine both, this could possibly be acceptable if Barbara was also announcing her marriage to Douglas, but that does not seem to be the case.
"You can't live with a man without being married!" Josephine says in shock as Barbara calls home to tell her parents of her decision.
"It's not like that, it won't just be us! Norm is coming too, and we're going to share a house with his cousin Gordon who already lives there, and they're my cousins too, once removed. I'll have my own room."
That does not calm down Josephine, who does not know either Norm or Gordon. Yes, she knows of them, but by now it's been so long since they all lived in Willow Creek that she has lost track of all family members. While they are both grandsons of her own brother, Frank, they're still unknown entities, and while the fact that Barbara got to reconnect with that part of family was something that pleased her while Barbara was at university, it does not make it easier for her to accept a living arrangement with Barbara and three other men, one of which is most definitely not her relative and should be marrying her rather than sharing a house with her.
Barbara, however, couldn't care less. San Sequoia is something very different from Oasis Springs. It's vibrant, alive, free. The house they rent is beautiful, if crowded with the four of them, but gives them what they need and is close to the art center at Fort Robles where they spend most of their time anyway. Gordon is already a part of the art scene, having been here for a long while already. For him, having his cousins and Doug here is a way to afford live closer to the art center, and get out of his dingy little apartment. For Barbara and Doug, he's a way of getting to know anyone who is anyone. Norm, well he sort of just came along, but he's not sure he fits in. Not with his 9-5 job at a bank. It's very far from the life the others live, and he barely dares to tell anyone what he does when asked. But he cannot deny that he has fun when he comes along.
Back home in Oasis Springs, her parents are, worried sick, and Nash is about ready to get in his car, drive to San Sequoia and force his daughter to come home with him. Thomas tries to reason with him.
"How much good did it do you with me?" he asked. "And you had more to say about matters then."
"But it's improper! It's wrong."
"Perhaps, or perhaps it is as innocent as she says it is, but either way brute force is not going to do you any good."
"Can't you talk some sense into her?" Josephine asks.
"I can try," Thomas says. "But in the end, she's going to do what she wants to do. Grandad and grandma couldn't stop aunt Alice from moving to Del Sol Valley on her own, or stop aunt Anna from going into a war zone - twice, or moving in on her own, so I doubt you'd stop Barbs from doing what she really wants to do. Perhaps it's just easier to persuade Doug to marry her, then it won't be improper."
"How much good did it do you with me?" he asked. "And you had more to say about matters then."
"But it's improper! It's wrong."
"Perhaps, or perhaps it is as innocent as she says it is, but either way brute force is not going to do you any good."
"Can't you talk some sense into her?" Josephine asks.
"I can try," Thomas says. "But in the end, she's going to do what she wants to do. Grandad and grandma couldn't stop aunt Alice from moving to Del Sol Valley on her own, or stop aunt Anna from going into a war zone - twice, or moving in on her own, so I doubt you'd stop Barbs from doing what she really wants to do. Perhaps it's just easier to persuade Doug to marry her, then it won't be improper."
But persuading Doug proves just as impossible as persuading Barbara. It's not that he doesn't want to marry her, but he has a million excuses not to. It's too expensive, too time consuming at the beginning of his career, he has nothing to offer yet as he's just starting out... "We'll get there when the time is right, besides marriage is such a constraining institution, why rush?" he tells Thomas who has driven up the coast to see them, dropping Betty and the kids off at her family's place to introduce them to baby Carl on the way.
"Don't be so square, big brother," Barbara tells him with a laugh. "Come down to the club instead, see the performances. You'll love it, it's fantastic!"
Thomas stays for dinner, but doesn't go with them to the club, instead he drives down to be with Betty and his children. Marriage a confining institution! Thomas does not know what to make of the situation. He calls Anna to ask her advice on what to tell his parents.
"Don't be so square, big brother," Barbara tells him with a laugh. "Come down to the club instead, see the performances. You'll love it, it's fantastic!"
Thomas stays for dinner, but doesn't go with them to the club, instead he drives down to be with Betty and his children. Marriage a confining institution! Thomas does not know what to make of the situation. He calls Anna to ask her advice on what to tell his parents.
"Tell them to leave them alone," Anna says firmly. "It's not their life, nor is it yours, it's theirs and there is nothing you can do about it."
"But what if Barbs get pregnant? What if he still refuse to marry her? What about her reputation?"
"She'll figure it out on her own, and if she doesn't, you'll be there for her. It's the only way that works."
Thomas can only hope that she is right.
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