Your are now twenty years old, midway through college. You already have a job lined up and plan on becoming a history teacher at a local private high school. You've been dating the same guy since your first year of college. His name is Isaac Dylan Atkins. He's a year older than you, and he's planning to be an architect.
You have recently found out that you are pregnant. Your boyfriend is worried, not sure he's ready to be a father, but you two agree that you are both in it for the long haul, planning to raise the baby together. After your twenty-first birthday and your third year of college begins, you give birth to a healthy baby boy, who you name James Everett Atkins.
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After two years of amiably living together and raising your child, you and your boyfriend have decided not to live together anymore. There was no cheating, there were no fights--you two simply realized that you no longer love each other. You maintain a friendly relationship but don't really spend time together unless it is to drop off your child at one another's home.
You now live in an apartment, sharing your child's time with your ex. You are twenty-five, and your child is four. James is an active little boy who loves attention and playing outside. He doesn't have a shy bone in his body; he is very outgoing and will talk to anybody.
When you enroll your child in preschool, you are a little surprised to find that the teacher is a young, attractive man, one that many of the (married) mothers take notice of. His name is Atticus Benjamin Holloway, and he is 27 years old, just two years older than you. He's great with your child, and after he realizes you are a single mom he seems to take an interest in you--being extra friendly, making jokes, taking a bit longer to talk to you before you leave. One day, you arrive while the children are still busy playing a game outside with the teacher's assistant, and after talking for a few minutes, your child's preschool teacher says, "I hope this isn't awkward, but I'd like to take you out on a date."
Worried it might make things awkward, you accept, figuring that if one date goes badly you can stop. Otherwise... he's very handsome, very kind, and he makes you laugh. You decide you have nothing to lose. You tell your child about your plan to go on a date with their teacher, and they are a little confused on the whole idea, but don't seem completely opposed to it.
Your first date goes surprisingly well, and you two continue to date, even after your child finishes preschool. Atticus has told your child that when they're not at school (and now that they're finished with preschool) that James can call him by his first name. As your relationship matures, your child and your boyfriend grow close, as you'd hoped.
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After two years of dating, you are now living together in your apartment. You are 27, your child is 6 and your boyfriend is 29. One Friday night, you arrive home from work to that your boyfriend has already picked your child up from their father's house and there are flowers on the table. When you ask what they are for, your boyfriend goes into a short, romantic speech about how he much he loves you and your child and could not imagine spending the rest of his life without you. Then he gets down on one knee and asks you to marry him.
You start crying tears of happiness, and look at your child, who has been there the whole time, and is smiling. Your boyfriend says that he asked your child ahead of time if they thought it was okay, and that your child had kept the secret from you all week. Knowing now that your child has agreed, you give an enthusiastic yes.
A year later, when you are 28, your child is 7, and your fiance is 30, you get married. Your Spring wedding is fairly small, and is held outdoors at a beautiful park.
Only a couple months after you get married and moved into a new house, you discover that you are pregnant. You had talked about kids with your newlywed husband, but hadn't planned on it happening right away. Nonetheless, you are excited, and when your child is eight years old and you and your husband are 29 and 31, you give birth to your second child, though it is your first with your husband. You welcome a baby girl named
Aurora Josephine Holloway.
The Hartley Family
Zelda Primrose Hartley (nee Bellamy) and Roland Cedric Hartley
DS: William Seth Hartley "Will" [33]
DD: Catherine Maeve Hartley "Kate" [29]
DD: Rebecca Mae Hartley "Becca" [27]
Zelda and Roland Hartley
Will, Kate, and Becca
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The Hartley-Atkins Family
Catherine Maeve Hartley "Kate" [29] (high school history teacher)
Isaac Dylan Atkins [30] (architect)
DS: James Everett Atkins [8]
Kate and Isaac are no longer together, but have an amicable relationship. They share custody of their son James.
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The Holloway Family
Catherine Maeve Holloway (nee Hartley) "Kate" [29] (high school history teacher)
Atticus Benjamin Holloway [31] (preschool teacher)
James Everett Atkins [8]
Aurora Josephine Holloway [nb]
Kate and Atticus Holloway
James and Aurora