The Whittaker Saga

While the new decade sparks change for a lot of the family, Susan, on her end, feels frozen in place. It's not that she doesn't have things to do - career-wise she has never been more busy. Immediately, Evergreen Harbor needs cleaning up after Mount St Helen's eruption, and in the long turn the fight against nuclear power has been taking up an ever larger part of her days ever since the Three Mile Island accident less than a year ago. And Susan is working hard, pouring herself into her job and reaping the benefits in a new promotion. But once she is home, she is lonelier than ever. She rarely goes out - afraid that Tony will show up and be angry because she wasn't there. She doesn't invite people over - because Tony doesn't like surprises and can't be seen coming and going. Ken has made it abundantly clear that he does not approve, and while he says nothing, he no longer visits the way he used to. It leaves her with plenty of time to ponder her life, and tho...

As the year nears its end, it's time for Ken to turn 25. He doesn't throw a big party, but he does invite his parents, Susan and Carl over to his apartment for pizza and hanging out. To mark the occasion he's gotten a new haircut and some new clothes that he feels more fits a grown man and the new decade. Susan is a bit nervous about what Ken might have told his parents about her and Tony, but while he might not approve of her actions, he has enough decency to keep the knowledge to himself. Knowing how close he is to his mother, Susan is grateful. Overall, it's an nice if a bit quiet celebration. David mutters a bit about the lack of proper food, and reminds his son that he could have made him something decent, but Ken doesn't seem to mind. "It's just pizza, dad. It won't kill you to eat it once." David knows enough not to offer his son cooking lessons. It's a passion Ken has never shared with him. Too much like his mother. In San Myshuno, Beth...