1980s: Honor Thy Children?

In San Sequoia, Chis has taken his first steps of his own. His development has been rapid after Betty started taking care of him, even Robin has to admit that. He's said his first words, he plays more actively, and it's time to switch him to a big boy bed.

 



As she reads her son to sleep that night, Robin thinks that now is the time to make sure he gets into a really good preschool. He's certainly old enough to learn to socialise with other children at this age.

But when she breaches the topic with Michael he could not agree less.
"Why would we want to change anything at all at this point? Mom is working out fine, she loves it, Chris loves her and he thrives. Why toss him into something he doesn't need?"
"Because this isn't healthy for a child to only be with adults," Robin argues. "And your mother is fantastic, but this is his education we're talking about."
"Or we could have another child, then he'd naturally have other children around."
"Oh be serious!"
"I am! And take him to the park, there he can play with other kids."
"Michael, we're living in modern times, and we need to think about Chris' future. To get into the right schools he needs a good base to start from, in a preschool with the best possible teachers with the latest education in child psychology and pedagogy. Modern programs are far better for child development."

While Michael has so far been able to persuade Robin to his way of thinking, this time, she is the winner of the argument. Come fall, Chris will enroll in preschool.
"You're mother can still pick him up and be with him in the afternoon," Robin compromises, knowing full well that full day programs for so young children are rare, and there is no way either of their schedules will work otherwise.

While Robin and Michael is deciding Chris's future, Carl and Sidney are planning their wedding. For Sidney it's important that the occasion is well attended, visible and "private" so that the media knows where to show up. For Carl none of that matters, but he doesn't mind, and lets Sidney plan the wedding her way.

They settle on the Biltmore for the wedding. Old, respectable, beautiful, and a well known hotspot. It's perfect.

After viewing the location for the ceremony, they have lunch in the dining room to taste the food. It's an early lunch, so they have the dining room almost to themselves, which fits Carl just fine.

Sidney has a big audition coming up soon. "We might need to delay our honeymoon, is that alright." Carl has no issues with that.
"As long as it doesn't interfere with the season." That Sidney can promise.



Once at home, Carl swims laps to keep fit, while Sidney works out by the TV.



But not all is work in their lives. While planning a wedding and two careers, it's also important to remember the other parts of life. Such as Carl turning 30. That needs to be celebrated, so Sidney invites his siblings, cousins and some of his friends to Orchid club for a night out. Robin is way too formally dressed for the occasion.

But the drinks are good and the music loud and so everyone is having a good time.




Carl even gets to catch up some with Michael, even if they have to shout to hear each other over the music.



Sidney's audition is the next day, and it goes so well that they not only offer her a part, but a recurring role on a popular sit com. It's hardly her dream role, and won't win her any awards, but it's a step in the right direction.



But the most important step, is that of marriage. Sidney doesn't have much of a family, but that doesn't matter as Carl has a family large enough for the two of them.

The room is beautiful, as is the ceremony. Carl looks dashing in his new haircut, and Sidney beautiful in her gown.



It's a happy couple who walks up the isle together after saying their vows, as the party moves downstairs to the dining room.

The food is waiting on the buffet table, and seating is free among the table as they take their seats, talking long after the waiters have removed their plates.

Eventually, they gather for the cutting of the magnificent cake.

And the first dance as husband and wife.

For Carl, life has never been so close to perfect before. He can't believe his luck. He has a career he actually enjoys, a beautiful wife whom he loves, and the times when he can't shake his gloom are becoming fewer as the memories become more dim. Next stop is their honeymoon, as soon as Sidney has filmed her first episodes of that sit com she's in.

While she is away, Carl sits down to study his opponents, but as the sports programs end, another one starts. 60 minutes. Boring. He's just about to turn it off, when a sudden phrase catches his attention, Vietnam War Amerasian Children. He's not sure why, but he stay seated, watching as Mike Wallace tells the story of the children left behind. Thousands of them, now facing discrimination, bullying, poverty and marginalization. It's been years since he thought of her, and of the child that might be his. In moving on, he allowed himself to forget, but now the memories flood right back. His promise to bring her with him. Lies that they both knew were lies but pretended weren't. And now here they were, the children that were left behind, often abandoned to orphanages and the streets. And the government had no plan of what to do with them. They were forgotten, by the government, by the country and by their fathers. By people like him.

He has never told Sidney the story of what happened in Vietnam. In general it's a topic he avoids. Should he tell her now, he wonders? He somehow feel he ought to, but is the timing right? Right after their wedding, before their honeymoon? He decides to wait a little longer. After the honeymoon, he tells himself. After.