The Whittaker Saga

The day after Alice's death, several members of the family defy the high gas prices and make it out to Chestnut Ridge where Anna has invited them to discuss funeral arrangements. As some of the younger ones go with Carl to the horses, Josephine, Nash, Barbara, Johnny and Anna sid down in the living room.   But what is a supposed to be a moment of mourning, soon turns into an argument. Where is Alice going to be buried and more importantly, who should be attending. Fairly quickly the sisters agree that they should do what they can to keep it a private affair, to keep paparazzi and curious fans away. That means Del Sol Valley is out of the question for the burial. This is also something Anna has discussed with Cora, and so she suggests Chestnut Ridge. That's the first disagreement. "But she needs to be buried next to mum and dad!" Josephine insists. "In Willow Creek? What on earth for?" "It's where we're buried! It's where we've always bee...

For Anna and Johnny, Carls presence is a welcome help. Farm hands are good, but having a family member you trust is better. Suddenly the two find themselves having the time to sit down in their rocking chairs just talking to each other. For Carl, the change of pace is welcome. The hard physical labour and time with the horses helps him forget - at least for the moment. Yes he still has nightmares at times, and is filled with guilt about leaving Chi behind, but as long as he keeps busy, lets his muscle work until they ache, he can push the dark thoughts to the back of his mind. And being around Anna and Johnny, sharing dinner outdoors after a full day of work and hearing them share stories from their own life, is its own reward as he tries to wrap his head around what he's been through. When he left solders that went to Vietnam were called baby-killers, spat on and abused. Now people tied yellow ribbons around trees and called for the return of POWs. What he cannot understand, is h...