1950s: Parties, holidays and a lot of birthdays
For Arthur, life has become a rather comfortable routine. During the day he gets to push his mind and creativity in the best job he can possibly imagine, and in the evenings, he checks in on Claudia and the girls, either eating there or heading off to the bar downtown after.
But even if Claudia is doing better, Kirks ghosts still looms large in the house.
"Don't you think it's time to let go? It's been more than a year. Let him be properly buried," Arthur argues, not for the first time. This time, however, Claudia finally agrees, and on the next weekend, Arthur goes with her and the girls to the park where Kirk died, to finally lay him to rest.
The meteor that killed him is still there. No one has been able to move it, or wanted to perhaps. It's a bit of a shock for Claudia to see, as she's been avoiding the park at all cost since he died.
They walk until they find a spot that Claudia decides is good enough, then spread his ashes and release his spirit to another world.
It's immensely difficult, but cleansing for Claudia. Somehow she feels lighter after. Perhaps Arthur had been right and this was what she needed all along, but she wasn't ready until now.
Not wanting to be alone in the house right away, Claudia accompanies Arthur to his house when they are done. Arthur has finally gotten around to inviting his parents over to his house, and Claudia helps him with dinner (meaning she makes it while he watches the girls).
Just as Claudia is about to leave, baby Beth decides that this is exactly the right place to learn how to stand up! Arthur fills with a sense of pride and joy that he cannot fully understand at watching her.
Soon after, Barbara arrives, just ahead of Josephine and Nash.
"I can't believe you made me come," she says. "You don't live exactly around the corner, you know."
"It's mum and dad," Arthur says. "I need you. You can't expect me to be alone with them all night. Mum will nag me endlessly about finding a wife and settling down and have a million and one views on how I live."
"So now you can direct them at me and my horrible way of life?" Barbara laughs. But she's there, and Arthur is grateful.
Dinner goes just as they both knew it would. Josephine nags both her children about marriage and what's important in life and Nash can't help himself, he has to comment on how immoral Barbara's lifestyle is. Until Josephine complements the cooking that is, and Arthur slips that it's the neighbor who has cooked. Then the conversation turns into a thousand questions about Claudia, the girls, her late husband, how they knew each other. Even Barbara gets curious.
"Kirk and I went to Foxbury together, then we worked together, of course I'm going to help out his wife when he dies, what's so strange about that?"
"As long as you're just helping, and not being used," his dad chimes in.
"Or blind yourself to the fact that there might be more to it," mum adds. "There is nothing wrong with falling in love, and for her to move on, or for the two of you to-"
"Mum, stop! I'm just helping out, and we're friends. That's all."
Josephine huffs, and even Barbara smiles a bit as she gets up, points out that it's a very long drive for her to get home and she needs to get to her motel to get some sleep before tomorrow, and saves Arthur from further questioning.
Another family with a long drive is the Ellis family, but in spite of this the entire family makes the drive to see their new family member and visit Betty and Thomas. As they file into the house, it's not the first time that Betty wishes that they lived closer. She misses her parents in her daily life, as well as her brother and her sisters. Now she is happy to have them here, in her home, and to get to show off Steven to the father she named him after.
Soon, the entire family is seated around the table, or rather as many as the table can fit, and Betty gets to finally meet her brother's new wife Sharon. She is delighted to hear that she is expecting their first child!
"You mean I'm going to be an aunty?" she says happily.
The evening is a happy time for Betty. Steven ages up to an infant, her parents and siblings alike gets to meet him and she just gets to have her family around.
When the family leaves, with promises that they'll see each other soon, Betty takes some time with her youngest son, getting him ready for the night as the other members of the household goes to bed. She reflects on that fact that while Thomas didn't get the wish for a girl, he is the one of the children who looks most like her. The only one with her brown hair. Soon they'll have to make something with the nursery, make it more suitable for a boy and a girl. But for now she can just sit here and enjoy feeding her baby boy.
With kids all around, Steven isn't the only one ready to age up. In Strangerville, it's time for Cathy and Beth to turn two! With no family of her own, and none of Kirks nearby, Arthur is invited to celebrate with them. He's the one the girls like best anyway. They help feed the girls, then eat themselves before Claudia brings out the cake she's made for them and helps them blow out the candles, first one, then the other.
Arthur has helped arrange a little play area outside for them and Claudia during the day, and as the toddlers first play and then falls asleep in their new play tent, Claudia finally gets some time to catch up on reading, something she has really missed doing.
Arthur, however, is heading to Oasis Springs for the Thanksgiving weekend, staying at the local motel for a couple of nights. First it's time for Hazel to host Thanksgiving dinner, and then the next night, another birthday party as it's time for Susan to turn 5!
At Hazels, their maid has been cleaning all day, as Hazel has prepared dinner for the evening. Happy that she for once has something real to do she's gone all out. There is a frown on her face that was not there anymore, as the house is as big, empty and quiet as ever. She envies her sister and brother their children, is ashamed of her own failure to get pregnant on the few times she's managed to persuade her husband to give her a chance, and resentful to him for refusing her so often. They now sleep in separate room, and rarely speak to each other. Warren seems pleased with this. Hazel mostly feels lonely.
But today her family is coming over, with all of their children, and Hazel wants to be the perfect hostess. She wishes she were closer to her sister, like they once were, and vows to try harder today. She pours herself a drink to feel better as she waits for her - their - guests.
And then they're here, and Hazel does all in her power to be entertaining. She speaks to everyone, makes sure the dinner is served, cuddles with her brother's new child even though it's breaking her heart, and tries to keep face and pretend her life is as she always wanted it to be.
As they gather in the living room, she pours herself another glas to calm her nerves. Just a glas, to take the edge of as the others are dancing around with the kids to the music playing from the stereo.
Warren has had enough of children. He's withdrawn completely from the noise downstairs, lied about needing to work, and is relaxing with a book. He cannot stand the presence of children, and wishes he didn't need to be at home at all.
Barbara is the one who sees how wrong things seem, and she tries to talk to her sister about it, but Hazel insists that life is good. She has a handsome, rich, husband, a beautiful home, a maid, and all the clothes she wants. What could possibly be wrong? Barbara gives up. Who is she to pry into another woman's choice of life?
She does keep an eye on Hazel the next day, however, as they all gather at Thomas' place to celebrate Susan's birthday. But Hazel keeps her face on, she doesn't drink, she talks to everyone and puts on a brave face. Maybe she was wrong, Barbara thinks. Maybe it was all in her head.
Inside the house, the others are still eating. There isn't enough seating to go around, but even in November it's warm enough to sit outside so everyone spreads out. After blowing her candles out, Susan hogs Arthur for the cake, asking him to tell her stories of space, and asks a million questions. Are there aliens out there?
As the party is about to wrap up, Susan opens her presents. She's delighted with a new doll. "It's called a Barbie," her mother tells her. "Almost like your aunt."
"I love it, mummy! She's so pretty!"
That night, as she tucks her daughter in for bed, Betty is grateful for her family. She can't believe her little girl is ready to start school! And come Monday, she'll be alone at home with Steven all day. What will she do with her time when it's time for him to start school? At least there is a few years before that day.
But even if Claudia is doing better, Kirks ghosts still looms large in the house.
"Don't you think it's time to let go? It's been more than a year. Let him be properly buried," Arthur argues, not for the first time. This time, however, Claudia finally agrees, and on the next weekend, Arthur goes with her and the girls to the park where Kirk died, to finally lay him to rest.
The meteor that killed him is still there. No one has been able to move it, or wanted to perhaps. It's a bit of a shock for Claudia to see, as she's been avoiding the park at all cost since he died.
They walk until they find a spot that Claudia decides is good enough, then spread his ashes and release his spirit to another world.
It's immensely difficult, but cleansing for Claudia. Somehow she feels lighter after. Perhaps Arthur had been right and this was what she needed all along, but she wasn't ready until now.
Not wanting to be alone in the house right away, Claudia accompanies Arthur to his house when they are done. Arthur has finally gotten around to inviting his parents over to his house, and Claudia helps him with dinner (meaning she makes it while he watches the girls).
Just as Claudia is about to leave, baby Beth decides that this is exactly the right place to learn how to stand up! Arthur fills with a sense of pride and joy that he cannot fully understand at watching her.
Soon after, Barbara arrives, just ahead of Josephine and Nash.
"I can't believe you made me come," she says. "You don't live exactly around the corner, you know."
"It's mum and dad," Arthur says. "I need you. You can't expect me to be alone with them all night. Mum will nag me endlessly about finding a wife and settling down and have a million and one views on how I live."
"So now you can direct them at me and my horrible way of life?" Barbara laughs. But she's there, and Arthur is grateful.
Dinner goes just as they both knew it would. Josephine nags both her children about marriage and what's important in life and Nash can't help himself, he has to comment on how immoral Barbara's lifestyle is. Until Josephine complements the cooking that is, and Arthur slips that it's the neighbor who has cooked. Then the conversation turns into a thousand questions about Claudia, the girls, her late husband, how they knew each other. Even Barbara gets curious.
"Kirk and I went to Foxbury together, then we worked together, of course I'm going to help out his wife when he dies, what's so strange about that?"
"As long as you're just helping, and not being used," his dad chimes in.
"Or blind yourself to the fact that there might be more to it," mum adds. "There is nothing wrong with falling in love, and for her to move on, or for the two of you to-"
"Mum, stop! I'm just helping out, and we're friends. That's all."
Josephine huffs, and even Barbara smiles a bit as she gets up, points out that it's a very long drive for her to get home and she needs to get to her motel to get some sleep before tomorrow, and saves Arthur from further questioning.
Another family with a long drive is the Ellis family, but in spite of this the entire family makes the drive to see their new family member and visit Betty and Thomas. As they file into the house, it's not the first time that Betty wishes that they lived closer. She misses her parents in her daily life, as well as her brother and her sisters. Now she is happy to have them here, in her home, and to get to show off Steven to the father she named him after.
Soon, the entire family is seated around the table, or rather as many as the table can fit, and Betty gets to finally meet her brother's new wife Sharon. She is delighted to hear that she is expecting their first child!
"You mean I'm going to be an aunty?" she says happily.
The evening is a happy time for Betty. Steven ages up to an infant, her parents and siblings alike gets to meet him and she just gets to have her family around.
When the family leaves, with promises that they'll see each other soon, Betty takes some time with her youngest son, getting him ready for the night as the other members of the household goes to bed. She reflects on that fact that while Thomas didn't get the wish for a girl, he is the one of the children who looks most like her. The only one with her brown hair. Soon they'll have to make something with the nursery, make it more suitable for a boy and a girl. But for now she can just sit here and enjoy feeding her baby boy.
With kids all around, Steven isn't the only one ready to age up. In Strangerville, it's time for Cathy and Beth to turn two! With no family of her own, and none of Kirks nearby, Arthur is invited to celebrate with them. He's the one the girls like best anyway. They help feed the girls, then eat themselves before Claudia brings out the cake she's made for them and helps them blow out the candles, first one, then the other.
Arthur has helped arrange a little play area outside for them and Claudia during the day, and as the toddlers first play and then falls asleep in their new play tent, Claudia finally gets some time to catch up on reading, something she has really missed doing.
Arthur, however, is heading to Oasis Springs for the Thanksgiving weekend, staying at the local motel for a couple of nights. First it's time for Hazel to host Thanksgiving dinner, and then the next night, another birthday party as it's time for Susan to turn 5!
At Hazels, their maid has been cleaning all day, as Hazel has prepared dinner for the evening. Happy that she for once has something real to do she's gone all out. There is a frown on her face that was not there anymore, as the house is as big, empty and quiet as ever. She envies her sister and brother their children, is ashamed of her own failure to get pregnant on the few times she's managed to persuade her husband to give her a chance, and resentful to him for refusing her so often. They now sleep in separate room, and rarely speak to each other. Warren seems pleased with this. Hazel mostly feels lonely.
But today her family is coming over, with all of their children, and Hazel wants to be the perfect hostess. She wishes she were closer to her sister, like they once were, and vows to try harder today. She pours herself a drink to feel better as she waits for her - their - guests.
And then they're here, and Hazel does all in her power to be entertaining. She speaks to everyone, makes sure the dinner is served, cuddles with her brother's new child even though it's breaking her heart, and tries to keep face and pretend her life is as she always wanted it to be.
As they gather in the living room, she pours herself another glas to calm her nerves. Just a glas, to take the edge of as the others are dancing around with the kids to the music playing from the stereo.
Warren has had enough of children. He's withdrawn completely from the noise downstairs, lied about needing to work, and is relaxing with a book. He cannot stand the presence of children, and wishes he didn't need to be at home at all.
Barbara is the one who sees how wrong things seem, and she tries to talk to her sister about it, but Hazel insists that life is good. She has a handsome, rich, husband, a beautiful home, a maid, and all the clothes she wants. What could possibly be wrong? Barbara gives up. Who is she to pry into another woman's choice of life?
She does keep an eye on Hazel the next day, however, as they all gather at Thomas' place to celebrate Susan's birthday. But Hazel keeps her face on, she doesn't drink, she talks to everyone and puts on a brave face. Maybe she was wrong, Barbara thinks. Maybe it was all in her head.
Inside the house, the others are still eating. There isn't enough seating to go around, but even in November it's warm enough to sit outside so everyone spreads out. After blowing her candles out, Susan hogs Arthur for the cake, asking him to tell her stories of space, and asks a million questions. Are there aliens out there?
As the party is about to wrap up, Susan opens her presents. She's delighted with a new doll. "It's called a Barbie," her mother tells her. "Almost like your aunt."
"I love it, mummy! She's so pretty!"
That night, as she tucks her daughter in for bed, Betty is grateful for her family. She can't believe her little girl is ready to start school! And come Monday, she'll be alone at home with Steven all day. What will she do with her time when it's time for him to start school? At least there is a few years before that day.
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