OCTOBER 2010 - PITTSBURGH

"Okay, I have to admit, that camera thing when you back up is pretty cool," Rebecca says later that evening as she and Miguel work on packing up the house in preparation for their move to New Jersey.

"Yeah, I thought you would like that," Miguel says with a grin. "So what are you going to name the new car?"

"I'm not going to name it. It's your car!"

"That hasn't stopped you in the past," he says with a chuckle. "I remember you nicknamed our 1991 Cadillac 'Rover' because…"

"Because the keyless entry barked like a dog!" Rebecca says with a laugh.

"And then there was Marsha, the El Cam you named after Marsha from the Brady Bunch because I wouldn't shut up about it when it was new."

"I didn't think you knew about that!" Rebecca says sheepishly, gently touching his arm. "I'm sorry!"

"Nah, don't worry about it. I was kind of obsessed with that car."

"Well, for what it's worth, I've had keyless entry for five years now and I have to admit, it is nice on cold winter days."

"Five years? Wait, does that mean you kept the Wagoneer until…"

"2005, yeah."

"Wow! I knew you were going to try to hang onto it as long as possible, but even I didn't think you'd drive it for that long," Miguel says with amazement. He notices Rebecca tensing up and quickly stops laughing.

"Hey, I'm sorry," he says, taking her hand. "I know it's a sensitive subject. I shouldn't have…"

"No, no. I mean, I guess it is a sensitive subject, but not for the reason you probably think," she says. Then she surprises him with what she says next.

"It's a sensitive subject because…around the time the Wagoneer started really showing its age, so did my mom. The signs were subtle at first, but by the time of her 75th birthday dinner, it was clear to me that it wasn't safe for her to be living alone anymore. And if I hadn't been so attached to that damn car, and so stuck in the past in general, maybe I would have been able to convince her of that, and maybe she would still be alive today. And coincidentally, if my mother were still alive, maybe I wouldn't be estranged from my sister now."

SUMMER 2004 - CONNECTICUT

Rebecca drives up to a large, stately house in the Wagoneer, which has seen better days by this point. Against the rusty old bumper is a shiny new bumper sticker that says "Support the Troops. Bring Them Home." Rebecca struggles to jiggle the keys just right to get them out of the ignition, then inserts them into the driver's side door to lock the car.

She walks past her brother-in-law's slick new BMW with a New York license plate and a "Bush/Cheney" sticker parked in the driveway.

Before she gets to the door, her sister Jenny comes out to greet her.

"Hey, sis!" Jenny says excitedly.

"Hey!" Rebecca replies, giving her sister a hug. "How are you?" she asks softly. It is clear from her tone that Jenny is going through something rough, though we don't know what yet.

"I'm…I'm okay," Jenny says. "Just trying to hold it together. Having Trevor around Mom this weekend hasn't been easy though. She hasn't exactly been super welcoming, and she's constantly correcting his grammar, and in turn he's been even more surly and obnoxious than usual."

"He just lost his mom and had his whole world turned upside down four months ago. Give it time," Rebecca says encouragingly.

"Like I haven't," Jenny says bitterly. "That kid is a walking, breathing reminder of my husband's infidelity 17 years ago," she says, blinking back tears. "I know it's not Trevor's fault and I'm really trying to make him feel welcome, but…"

"I know," Rebecca says sympathetically.

"Hey, while you're here, can you maybe try to get to know him? Maybe you can relate to him better," Jenny says.

"You mean, because I have three kids who lost a parent when they were around the same age? Or because I have an adopted son who happens to be black?" Rebecca asks, sympathetic but slightly peeved by the wording of her sister's request.

"Both, I guess," Jenny admits.

"I'll see what I can do," Rebecca says reluctantly.

"Thank you. Anyway, you should get inside. Mom's getting really worried about you."

"Why is she worried? I just talked to her a half hour ago and told her I would be there soon…" Rebecca says concernedly.

"Oh come on, please don't start with that!" Jenny begs.

"Start with what?"

"Seizing on every little thing Mom forgets to try to prove there's something wrong with her. And before you accuse me of burying my head in the sand, I know her memory isn't what it used to be, but she doesn't think anything's wrong and there's no point in trying to convince her otherwise, especially not today. It's her birthday, and I just want it to be nice for her."

"I'm not…" Rebecca starts to respond, but Janet opens the door to greet her before she can finish.

"Bunny! There you are!" Janet says, giving Rebecca a hug.

"Hey, Mom, I'm sorry I'm so late," Rebecca says apologetically.

"I was getting worried!" her mother greets her, giving her a hug. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, I just had a little car trouble, remember?" Rebecca says worriedly.

"Oh, right. You're still driving that ratty old thing," Janet says contemptuously. "Can you at least put it in the garage so I don't have to explain to my neighbors why that piece of junk is parked in front of the house?"

"Okay, mom. Just give me a minute," Rebecca says with a chuckle. She smiles at Jenny, momentarily comforted that at least some things about her mother haven't changed. But her relief is short-lived, as her mother shocks her with what she says next.

"Where are Jack and the kids?" Janet asks, realizing Rebecca is there by herself.

"What?" Rebecca says softly, stunned by the question. In the background, Jenny and her husband Ted exchange a worried look.

"What?" Janet asks defensively. "I said the kids, just like you told me to. I didn't separate out the black one!" she insists, leaving Rebecca even more shell-shocked.

To be honest, when I started this story this wasn't exactly where I planned on taking it, but dementia is often hereditary, and I thought it would be interesting to see Rebecca at a younger age on the other side of this conundrum, especially since her relationship with her mom was so different than the relationship her kids had with her. I also thought this would be helpful in explaining why Randall was SO sure there was something wrong with Rebecca's memory based on so little, and why she came around so quickly to accepting that there might be something wrong. However, I promise that Rebecca's issues with her sister will not be an exact rehash of the Kevin/Randall showdown at the end of season 4 – there is another big twist coming regarding why they are estranged in present day.

I would really appreciate some feedback on this story, or at least let me know you are reading and enjoying it. And if there are any other questions you want me to answer about what "happened" during the lost years between Thanksgiving 1999 and the pilot episode in 2016, let me know and I'll try to incorporate it.