she loves him, she loves him not

*** Lakeside Heights is back in business ;) ***

December 2080 - Andy and Claire Bradshaw are 54. (Amelia Bradshaw is 25.)

As her sister-in-law carries on about which of her daughters' boyfriends might be cuter, Claire Brashaw is wondering, when did this become all they had to talk about, the men their daughters might or might not marry? Why not discuss what smart, independent, and beautiful young women they've grown into instead?

But Madison insists, "You know, Justin is a great kid, but you should have seen the cutie Mariah is dating!"

"Is she dating?" Claire asked. "I thought she broke up with him."

"Oh, not that one," Madison says. "A different one. You know how it is at that age."

"Hmmm, I think I was already married at that age," Claire says. She and Andy met when they were fourteen, engaged in college, married soon after, a nice newlywed period, and then Amelia came along once they were both settled in their careers. How perfectly predictable. They haven't seen much in the run of troubles.

Claire has matured now, at the top of her career and family life, and she can confidently climb into her fancy morning carpool, and accept a smile and a wave from a young cutie like Patrick Nova. She can't help but feel flattered by it, but she knows it doesn't mean any more than flattery and friendliness. Maybe she wasn't so secure once, but she is now, and that doesn't mean she feels ugly either. She knows she's still got it. She hasn't lost anything over these younger girls.

Jason drops by after work one afternoon, which is strange since he and Amelia are living all the way out in Lakeside Heights, and since he didn't bring Amelia with him. He starts talking about his work, and how it's going so well now that he's finally doing what he really wants to do with his life - journalism. Claire says, "You're a fact checker."

"Right," Jason says. "But that's just for now, I'm going places."

He keeps talking about how he's a good and decent man, and he knows they don't know each other very well yet but he hopes they will soon, but to get to the point, he says, "I'd like your permission to ask Amelia to marry me."

Andy says, "I think it's honorable."

Claire says, "I think it's misogynistic!"

Claire softens her tone just a bit, and she says, "Jason, our Amelia is a strong, mature, and independent woman. If you want to marry her, then you need to ask her."

And with that, they say goodbye, and wish him... ummm, luck? They have a feeling he may need it.

Andy's sister, Madison, and her husband Bryson stop over ALL the time! Claire and Bryson have always enjoyed chatting about money with each other, which is something neither of their spouses really share.

And the mayor of Lake County in a mint-green rain coat? Perhaps she might look into finding some more stylish outerwear? :)

Somebody please tell me, why do we even give them back yards when they only want to play catch in the street???

Claire and Andy are feeling very prosperous in their careers - Claire is still one of the top lawyers in the county and the sitting Lake County Court Justice. Andy is enjoying some downtime from the military's astronaut program. Andy is thinking about wrapping up his career in the military, and will be eligible for retirement in six years. He doesn't know what he'll do after - maybe he'll open up a little fitness studio or something.

Claire pockets $43,000 for legalizing weather control machines, and with it, Andy decides they need a shiny new Jaguar, and that beachside bungalow on Twikkii Island they always wanted. Claire was working too hard to worry much about how it might be spent, and with a little influence from Bryson, a Jaguar it was! Now they're living! It took them 54 years, but they're finally building up something to show for all of their hard work.

Claire and Amelia are going out for a ladies-only dinner, like they often do, and Andy manages some burned porkchops for himself and Bryson. Andy says, "I'm glad you guys are doing okay, but I really don't need to hear about how hot my sister is." Andy knows they had a rough patch a few years back, but he doesn't know why. Claire knows though - Madison, having been cheated on, wanted to know how it was possible to hurt someone you love so much. Claire didn't really have a good answer for that.

***

Claire and Amelia like to go out for dinner sometimes, no Andy, no Jason, just the two of them for some girl-time. Amelia mentions to her mother that Jason keeps talking about engagement, talking and talking it to death. Though he hasn't proposed any official questions, and she hasn't given any official answers either. Of course, Claire also knows that Jason is serious about engagement, but she tries not to give too much away. "Well, what do you think?"

She says, "I don't think anything about it, really."

Claire says, "Well, you're only twenty-five, that's normal."

"He's thirty, you know," Amelia says. "He's at that age."

Claire says, "But if you're not, then he'll wait for you."

"But I kind of see his point," Amelia says. "He just wants to know that we will, some day. He wants kids some day. And the thing is, he's a great guy, but I just don't know. How do you know? Keri, she was only nineteen when she got engaged, and she just knew! I just don't know if we have that, you know, magic? Maybe some people don't need magic?"

Claire says, "You could have all the magic in the world and it would still be hard work. I just don't want you to get any wrong ideas." Claire knows, and Madison knows, a lifetime is a long time to share with someone, and mistakes are bound to happen. Even all the magic in the world has no remedy for that.

"But what if he doesn't want to wait?" Amelia says. "And what if I never found anyone else. He and I are compatible. We have similar life goals."

Claire thinks Amelia sounds like she's buying a car or something.

Claire says, "When your father proposed to me..." Amelia has heard this story about a dozen times before...

"We were at a bonfire. I was still in college then, and he drove all the way out to Sim State just to see me, every weekend..."

And I still remember the sparks from the bonfire in the air, and I remember exactly what I was wearing - I used to wear a lot of black in those days, and he was wearing a black sweater, and his hair was longer then, kind of falling down into his eyes...

Sparks, you see, that's the magic Amelia was talking about. Amelia remembers things too. She remembers that the first thing she said to Jason was some off-hand bitter remark about Bella wetting the bed when she was five. Was this always about Bella? Apart from an obvious attraction, they were just rebounding. And you don't marry the rebound guy, do you? Does anyone ever marry their rebound guy?

"So what did you tell him?"

"I said I'd be thinking about it."

"That's so romantic," Claire says. "Maybe you just need a little time away from him, to clear your head. Why don't we take a trip, just the three of us, like we used to when you were little. You're not too old to vacation with your parents, are you?"

It's freezing outside, and Amelia thinks she could stand to have a little alone time, on the beach with a book and no men to think about. Maybe it's just what she needs.

***

They all skipped out of town just as more snow started to fall. Their new bungalow is just across from the Seawater Beach Tiki Bar, and they all make plans to hang out there one of these night. But for now, Amelia just wants to put on some slouchy shorts and a tank top, she's not even wearing any makeup. Amelia isn't showing off for anybody, except for maybe these butterflies. Her boyfriend is a thousand miles away, and this trip is all about self-indulgent comfort!

Well, maybe she'll put on a little dress to hang out with her parents at the tiki bar. She doesn't want to look like a slob or anything. Well, at least her parents are having fun.

Amelia tries to make a few friends for the night, but the bar is pretty empty. She meets this guy who says, in his earth-shattering wisdom, "Yeah, it gets really sunny around here."

"You think?" Amelia says. "Hey, do you have any friends here or anything."

Lucky for Amelia, he does...

Because man, her parents just can't party the way they used to! So since Andy and Claire are pooped for the night, they figure maybe they better bring the party back home.

So Earth-Shattering Dude brings over some of his island friends, and they have a little hula party. It's okay, Claire and Andy are so tired they sleep right through all the music.

And Amelia doesn't know what compelled her, but she realizes that she totally slept with the guy in the red shorts, four years ago on spring break. Rebound sex-therapy, that's what it must have been! She hopes he doesn't remember her.

So Amelia makes an escape from any awkward conversations with her old fling, and remembers she also learned fire-dancing on that spring break trip. She takes the opportunity to get out of the house and show her new friend and his little girlfriend how to spin fire. That's intense, Amelia, don't catch your dress on fire...

Too late! And what the hell! That little tramp is laughing at her!

The rest of the trip goes on as expected, which is pretty dull. To be honest, Amelia was hoping she might meet somebody - some exotic and intriguing man to sweep her off her feet and make the decision good and easy for her. But she didn't meet anyone, and instead just had a wholesome family vacation with her parents.

It's really too bad she slept through most of the days, and never got to work on her tan. Maybe she could stay here forever, and then she would never have to make a decision at all. But she misses her friends, she has a life at home and a job to go back to on Monday morning.

The trip ends up being relaxing and drama-free, which was a little boring, but that was kind of the idea. Claire and Andy will go back to their nicely settled lives, winding down at the height of their careers. And Amelia goes home having resolved absolutely nothing, except that she thinks she might carry on doing this totally gnarly hand-gesture for the rest of her life.

***

notes: OMG, Claire and Madison are too funny! For being maybe the two most powerful and self-sustaining women in all of Lake County, all they ever talk about when they're together is who's getting married, and which of their daughters' boyfriends are cuter, lol!