Episode 18 - The End
Written by: Fun But Shy Girl
Based on Characters Created by: Mark Reisman
My name is Sydney. I was born to Max and Alisha Reynolds; two parents who raised me with all the love they had... until one of my parents: my mother... passed away when I was eight years old. Fortunately, I was raised by a father with double the amount of love in his heart for me to help me feel less hurt. However I was also well loved by others as well. There was my grandmother: Judy who lived with us, my best friend: Olive, and my other friends: Sophia and Emmy. Then later on there was my boyfriend: Harry... the most caring and supportive man I ever met, short of only my father.
Despite all this love amongst my family and friends, there was still plenty of drama growing up. When my two friends: Olive and Emmy became a romantic item early in high school, it caused plenty of drama with their families. Meanwhile, Sophia found plenty of drama because she couldn't find any romance with a strong foundation in her life. At least Sophia and me were able to become a family and support one another even more: when my dad and her mother got married. Our family even grew with a new sister added to the roster. Meanwhile, Olive and Emmy became their own little family when they graduated the day after high school graduation.
Then our family grew through me. Me and Harry started living together our final year of college... and I got pregnant. Fortunately despite all the hardships, we found a way to make it through; and we welcomed out first daughter into our lives: Alisha... who was the born the same day of Olive and Emmy's son: Barry. Our two kids grew up side by side, as did our second child: our adopted daughter - Valicity. However this group of friends wasn't just a trio. They also include - Sophia's nephew: Terry, Sophia's niece: Kelly, and Olive and Emmy's own adopted daughter - Kelly (yes, I know what I just said; there were two Kelly's in the group).
However in the closeness of friends, romance was bound to happen. My daughter Alisha eventually married Olive and Emmy's son: Barry. Meanwhile Sophia's niece: Kelly entered into a lifelong partnership with Valicity, and the two began doing mission work overseas for the majority of their adults lives. Olive and Emmy's adopted daughter: Kelly meanwhile settled down with her high school sweetheart and started running a large foster home together. However, life wasn't all "happily ever afters". Sophia's nephew: Terry and his wife died at a young age leaving a son: Andy behind. With the rest of the family too busy or too ill to care for him, Sophia (despite her age) finally got to become a parent as well, raising her nephew's son: Andy, as if he was her own. Luckily, Andy still got to grow up amongst family; as he grew up alongside my grandchildren - Alisha and Barry's daughters: Maya and Judy.
Through all the trials and tribulations, I gave it my all. I taught my children and grandchildren everything I could teach them, and loved my friends and family with my all heart. However... there were many days when I wondered... if I had done enough good so that my own mother would've been proud of me. I knew she could never answer me... but I wished that through all my flaws... she would tell me that she was proud of me. Eventually me and Harry retired. We helped raised our grandchildren, and I volunteered my time at after school clubs that mentored young girls without mothers. It was a program that my own children would eventually volunteer at from time to time... and a program that my granddaughter Maya would take over... shortly after her marriage to Andy.
However shortly after the birth of my first great-grandchild... whose name was Max... I began to become very ill. I remember feeling so much anxiety as I laid in the hospital bed in my final days, saying out loud that there was still much I had to do for my family. It got to a point where I could barely move. But then one evening I found myself surrounded by all my friends and family that were still alive. Harry put his hand on my shoulder, Alisha and Valicity held my hands... and then they all told me that it was going to be okay... and that our family and everyone we knew were better now thanks to me.
Then... I closed my eyes. There was a white light. Suddenly... I was in a peaceful place full of joy. For reasons I don't understand, I now looked like myself when I was just a preteen. Then... I saw her... it was my mother. My mother appeared and walked right up to me. I ran into her arms and hugged her as I cried. My mother hugged me back, and then said, "I am so proud of you Sydney. You did good girl. You did so much good."
THE FINAL END
*Author's Note - This is indeed the final episode of "Sydney to the Max: The Adult Years", and also the conclusion of the "Sydney to the Max Continues" saga that started with the "Sydney to the Max Season 4" stories. For those that don't realize - this fan made continuation of the Sydney to the Max TV series literally started exactly one week after the TV show ended. Me, and several other fans were committed to seeing all our favorite characters' stories continue on. Due to the input of many other writers and fans - our "Sydney to the Max Season 4" stories quickly became the closest thing you could get to an official continuation of the show. However, as time has passed - the interest in Sydney to the Max stories has decreased... and so has my desire to continue this era of Sydney to the Max stories. However, I am incredibly proud of the 63 total episodes me and my fellow writers created (this is referencing the combined count of the "Season 4" stories, "Season 5" stories, "College Years" stories, and "Adult Years" stories). We literally made a fan-fiction sequel that was just as long as the show! Throughout writing these tales, I never thought these stories would make it this far... partially because I didn't even think my life would make it this far. At one point: the need, the desire, and the calling to just keep writing was the only thing that I had to look forward to. So now... on the same day I am concluding my parallel "Sydney to the Multiverse" series: I just want to say... thank you to you: the readers for reading these stories... and thank you Sydney... for saving my life in ways you'll never realize. Sydney... I now let you go...