1975

"So, how does it feel to be returning to the working world?" Chachi asked his wife one sunny day in August.

"Exciting! But I am a bit nervous too," Joanie admitted.

"Don't worry, hon. You'll do fine." Chachi smiled at her, and she smiled back.

Today would be Joanie's first day as a teacher in eight years. She had taken a few years off to raise the couple's two children, Tony and Lisa. Tony was now eight, and Lisa was five. Now that Lisa was starting kindergarten, Joanie had decided to return to her career. Chachi, who worked as a deejay at a radio station that played the Osmonds, the Bee Gees, and similar groups, was fully supportive of her decision.

"Hey Mommy, me and you are both starting school at the same time!" exclaimed Lisa. She had her mother's blue eyes and dark brown hair like both her parents.

"That's right, sweetie!" Joanie replied, thinking how much older Lisa looked in her slightly-too-large dress and sneakers, the straps of her Holly Hobby backpack over her shoulders. Joanie finished clearing away the breakfast dishes, kissed her husband and children good-bye, and drove to the school.

While searching for a parking spot, Joanie wondered how many of her former fellow teachers still taught at the high school. She knew that a couple of the older ones had probably retired by now, and she knew of several families that had moved away, so she knew that she would see a few new faces at least.

"Hey, Joanie, great to see you again!" Joanie turned to see a smiling Jack Parrish walking toward her as she entered the building.

"Nice to see you again, Jack. How are you doing?"

"Life's been pretty good lately. Can't complain. You?"

"We're doing really well, thanks. Chachi and I have two children now. Tony's eight and Lisa's five."

"That's great! No kids yet for Karen and me. Maybe someday."

"Oh, you're married now? That's super!"

"Since '69. I'm all for starting a family, but Karen says she wants to wait a little longer. Say, why don't you and Chachi come over for dinner sometime? I'd love for you both to meet Karen."

"Sounds great! I'll mention it to Chachi."

To Joanie's relief, the first day of her return to teaching went fairly well, considering how long she had been away. Teens of the seventies, having been raised in a somewhat different environment than teens of the previous decade, were naturally different in some ways from their predecessors, Joanie learned. Girls, for instance, dressed more similarly to boys than in previous times, and they also tended to be bolder and more outspoken in class. They also tended to have loftier career goals now, thanks to the recent women's liberation movement. Sadly, more of the students seemed to come from broken families, as divorce seemed to be more common now. On the positive side, students seemed to be more interested in and knowledgeable about current events and social issues than before.

The day passed quickly, and before she knew it, it was time to leave the school and return home to her own children.

"I made a new friend today," Tony announced at the dinner table that evening. "His name's Matthew Holland, and he's great! He invited me over to play ball with him sometime."

Holland. Why does that name sound so familiar? Joanie asked herself.

The following Saturday Joanie drove Tony to his friend Matthew's house for a play date. Joanie rang the doorbell, and Matthew's mother appeared in a jean skirt and t-shirt. She was a slight woman with wispy dark blonde hair and blue eyes. She looked vaguely familiar, but Joanie couldn't quite put her finger on where she had seen that face before.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Ellen," she said, extending her hand.

"Joanie." Joanie shook hands with her. "You look slightly familiar. Have we met before?"

Ellen's forehead creased, then smoothed. "You teach at the high school, right?"

"Right. Did you go there?"

"I was in the class of '66. I used to be Ellen Foster."

It his Joanie like a bolt of thunder. "Abigail Foster's sister?"

"Yes." Ellen looked uneasy.

"How's Abigail doing now? I haven't heard anything at all about her since she slipped into that coma about ten years ago."

"She never woke up," Ellen said sadly. "She's still in a vegetative state. My mother takes care of her round the clock, and the doctor stops by occasionally. There isn't much they can do for her except keep her fed and comfortable."

"Oh, that's terrible!" Joanie felt so sad for the once bright-eyed girl who had been so full of life before. "She was such a sweet girl."

"David was heartbroken over her for ages. It just about took him forever to get over it."

David Holland. Of course. Abigail's former boyfriend. Now Ellen's husband and Matthew's father.