The Whittaker Saga

1980 goes by fast. In November Ronald Reagan wins the presidency, in December John Lennon is shot and killed in New York. Vigils are held across the country, across the world even, especially in San Seqouia where Barbara lives. She and Susan speak often on the phone in the months to come, as Susan opens up about her life in the shared grief of someone they both admired. But winter passes and a new year begins. Ronald Reagan is sworn in and life moves on. By spring its time for Barbara to celebrate her 50th birthday. "Mum, were you present when they signed the declaration of independence." Abby asks as she helps her mother prepare for her party. "I'm only turning 39!" "And exactly how many times can a person turn 39?" "Oh hush or I'll make you vacuum." Soon the house fill with people. The family, friends, even Gordon comes to celebrate Barbs as she turns fifty, even though they haven't seen each other in years. Outside the rain is po...

As Susan returns home from meeting her new nephew, she cannot help but to think of her own situation. She wants children. She wants a husband. She wants a family life rather than being stuck in an apartment she hates, waiting for her life to begin. But when she arrives, he's there. Waiting for her. Angry that she was not at home. "I was at my brothers!" she defends herself, with more bite than normal, and as Tony goes on about how he needs her to be there fore him she realises that she's had enough. That even if he left his wife, she wouldn't be happy. Does he honestly want her to break with her family, so that she can just sit around and wait for him? "Stop!" she snaps. For a moment, he does. He actually stops, and so she picks up her courage and gets out of the sofa. "I can't do this anymore," she tells him as he gets up after her. "It's over. It will have to be over." Only Tony isn't ready for it to be over, and before ...