I do play with time lines of cannon events and world events to meet the needs of my story. Events won't be ignored and will be in sequence but the time lines can change so there is more or less time between events.
Asher sat on the floor playing with Everly smiling at her as she wiggled on the blanket.
"Do you want coffee," Nisha called from the kitchen.
"Sure," Asher replied.
"Milk, sugar," Nisha asked.
"Both," Asher answered.
Nisha returned with two cups of coffee.
"How's Everly today," Nisha asked.
"Happy," Asher answered, "she's looked for Allie a few times but Allie needs to go ski. It's good for her to have that time and she's only skiing once."
"I wish I knew how," Nisha said, "Faroke feels bad going."
"So did Allie," Asher agreed.
"How are you doing with this and being away from your family," Nisha asked.
"Allie and Ev are my family," Asher said.
"Your parents and siblings," Nisha pressed.
"It's improving and my parents are good now but my dad lost it when Allie got pregnant," Asher said, "we didn't talk for almost a year."
"That's hard," Nisha agreed, "but it's a good family to land in. It took me a couple years to get comfortable with it. Megan is very different from my mom."
"Teddy is the opposite of my mom," Asher agreed.
"Tell me about your parents," Nisha said.
"My dad is a pastor and my mom does things around the church," Asher said, "mostly kids stuff and the daycare. Dad is pretty strict and old fashioned. He didn't even know I was at the party the night Allison and I became a thing. He thought I was sleeping over at Blake's. Dad lost it when we told him about Everly and wanted us to get married right away. We're still 18, Allie is 19 in a couple weeks but we're not there yet."
"That is young for marriage," Nisha agreed.
"What about your family," Asher asked.
"I'm a refugee like Faroke. I was born in Iraq and then went to Jordan," Nisha said, "I was 12 when we went to Boston. I had never been to school I didn't know girls were allowed to learn because where I was born I would have been killed for reading. My first year of school I saw all these women who were so smart and educated. I had this teacher my first year Mrs Knowlson she taught me to speak English and to read. Once she taught me to read nothing could stop me. My mother has never learned to read in Arabic. She doesn't know how to read her first language. She is trapped by her illiteracy. Her English is better now and she can read and write enough to communicate. I'm the second of 6 kids I understand big families. And this is a very different family. My dad was a dentist in Iraq. He still can't practice here. He's working as a dental office assistant but he should be the dentist."
"I didn't know," Asher said.
"I don't talk about it much," Nisha said.
"Your parents are okay with you being here,"'Asher asked.
"I'm 29,"'Nisha said, "they're proud I'm a doctor."
"I'm not used to moms who run the show," Asher said.
"Megan and Teddy," Nisha agreed, "both are very strong. This is calm for them at work, it's different. My adjustment was how casual they are about a glass of wine. My mom might with a friend but never around my dad or uncles or kids. Teddy, Megan and Annie will get back from skiing and all pour a glass of wine."
"My parents drink sometimes, well my mom sometimes, my dad most days," Asher said.
"Your family is the way they've taught the girls to speak up more than my sisters and I were taught to. Is this normal," Nisha asked.
"Allison speaks up way more than my sisters," Asher said.
"Megan is pushing me to speak up," Nisha said, "it's always use your voice. But Annie doesn't, not the way Megan and Teddy do."
"It's weird that Allie and Annie are sisters," Asher said , "I don't always know how to take Annie. She's 25 years older than Allie. Annie is actually older than my mom."
"What," Nisha gasped.
"My mom was 22 when I was born, she's 41," Asher said, "Annie is 44. Annie tries to parent us when we're at her house but at the same time Allie loves and needs her big sister."
"Annie is really good to us two," Nisha agreed, "something about family is family and that we can choose our family."
"She's told me the same," Asher said, "Allie said Teddy didn't raise Annie though. Annie was with Dan and his ex wife."
"Faroke told me what he knows," Nisha said, "and Megan actually met Annie when Annie was about 7 or 8 at a highland dance thing. Evelyn has a picture of the two of them framed in her place."
"Teddy has one up of Megan and a random kid in a frame with Allie and Annie's dance pictures that makes sense now if the little kid is Annie," Asher replied, "how do they never stop?"
"They do slow down in their own way," Nisha said, "I had to learn this about Faroke. Them skiing or hiking is them slowing down. They don't veg out and watch TV or movies all day like others. I don't have time and there's nothing I enjoy enough to binge watch."
"Between me working overtime and her being at school and both of us parenting full time sometimes watching an episode of two with Allison is all we have energy for at night," Asher said, "I'd love to take her out and in a real date but everyone always does so much child care for us and Ev isn't easy with her CP that it's hard to ask."
"Faroke and I will," Nisha promised, "you haven't asked us yet and we want to. I love babies and am happy to help. To quote Megan it's what family does and we are your family."
"When you had her the other day you were whispering things I didn't understand," Asher said, "what language was that?"
"Arabic, she was being shy and I whispered the things my mom would say to sooth us as kids," Nisha replied, "Faroke has some and I've been helping him relearn it, Megan said she could speak it when they were living there but she refuses to now, that for her mentally it's not the best. Allison speaks another language with Annie, Chris and Dan."
"French," Asher said, "Allie is going to minor in French."
"Do you speak French," Nisha asked.
"I took Spanish in school," Asher said, "but I'm not as smart as Allie. I know the rest of her family looks down on being an electrician but I'm not smart enough for college."
"Asher," Nisha said, "you are working hard we know that. You love your daughter and your girlfriend. You do things the rest of us couldn't do."
Everly began to cry.
"I'm going to change her, we'll have a bottle, then get her down for a nap," Asher said.
"Can I do anything," Nisha offered.
"We're good," Asher said, "she's going to want her bottle now and some cereal when she wakes up."
Up the mountain Allison sat at a table in the lodge giggling with Catrina and Ellie. The three girls were giggling and having fun.
"So both of you have boyfriends," Catrina said.
"I'm going to break up with Mitch I think," Ellie replied, "I don't know his family is weird."
"They're very different from ours," Allison agreed, "but enough to dump Mitch over?"
"I like Mitch," Ellie said, "but I don't think his dad likes me."
"I'm not sure Mark loves me," Allison said, "how's Michelle with you?"
"She's nice," Ellie said, "and I like spending time with Mitch. He's nice and we have fun."
"Fun," Catrina said.
"We play games or go for coffee," Ellie said, "Allie lives with her boyfriend."
"Not going there," Allison said, "any cute boys at school Cat?"
"No and come on Allie," Catrina said, "can we come see your place?"
"When we get home," Allison agreed, "we haven't had cousin night in a while. Just the older girls."
"We haven't," Ellie agreed.
"Theme," Catrina asked.
"Mexican food," Allison suggested.
"Is that all you can cook," Ellie asked.
"Maybe," Allison giggled, "we're still learning to cook for ourselves every night."
"Your mom doesn't make you dinner," Catrina asked.
"No," Allison said, "we were taking turns with my parents and they'll do one night a week and Sunday dinner so Asher and I do 5 nights for ourselves."
"What," Ellie asked, "they kicked you down stairs?"
"We can come up when ever they want but we're ready for more space," Allison said, "and we're doing dinner tomorrow night."
"The three of us again," Cat asked.
"Yes," Allison said, "and Asher."
"What are we making," Ellie asked.
"Baked tortellini, salad, garlic bread and apple crisp," Allison said.
"Can you do it," Ellie asked, "make the pasta?"
"We bought the pasta or my mom did," Allison said.
"Sauce," Ellie asked.
"We can make it," Allison said, "it's easy."
"Are you sure," Catrina asked.
"Oh ya," Allison said, "you don't have to do it if you doubt me."
"Are we your residents again," Catrina asked.
"Yes I'm still your attending in the kitchen," Allison said, "maybe Heather could be our intern."
"She knows nothing," Ellie groaned.
"She's getting better," Allison tried.
"Your just more patient with her then the rest of us and at easter you were yelling at her," Catrina pointed out.
"I wasn't nice to anyone at easter," Allison said, "I was a bit of a bitch last spring."
"No," Ellie said, "annoying and whiny but not a bitch."
The girls finished their lunches and bundled back up to go do a couple runs before their parents came back out.
On the chair lift Catrina blurted, "my parents are divorcing because my dad had an affair!"
"What," Allison said, "Uncle Nathan?"
"They don't think I know," Catrina said, "they think I don't know and I haven't told Faroke. But dad and a resident!"
"No," Ellie said.
"Are you okay," Allison asked.
"No," Catrina whined slipping her mittened hand under her ski goggles.
"Cat," Ellie said putting her arm around her cousin.
"It'll be okay," Allison promised, "I know this feels impossible but you're not alone. You have us. We're not going anywhere. When it gets too much you can come to our place."
"Your mom," Catrina said.
"We have our own door on the side by the garage," Allison said, "you just come over and go to that door."
"Why would he do that," Catrina asked, "did I make him so mad he didn't love my mom anymore?"
"No Cat," Allison said, "I don't think it's you. Asher and I argue, we fight and it's not about Everly or our love for our daughter. It's between us."
"But," Catrina said.
"It's not you," Allison assured, "Cat I promise it's not you."
"How do you know," Catrina asked.
"Because I'm a mom and I know my daughter is only 7 months," Allison replied Taking Catrina's free hand in her own, the mittens making it hard to squeeze her cousins hand, " but I know that no matter what happens with me and Asher. I can be mad at him, over tired and stressed but I love Everly and that doesn't stop. Your parents love you."
"Then why would my dad," Catrina asked.
"I don't know," Allison said.
"Don't tell your moms or Asher please," Catrina begged.
"We won't," Ellie said.
"Hippa," Allison replied.
"Does your mom know you know," Ellie asked.
"No," Catrina said, "it would hurt her too much. She doesn't want me to know. I can't hurt her more. It's easier when he's out of the country. I can pretend he's on another humanitarian trip and will come home to me and mom."
"Part of it is true," Allison offered, "he'll come back to you."
"It's not fair to mom," Catrina said, "she's loved him since she was like 20."
"I know," Ellie said, "we've all heard the stories."
"How could he," Catrina snapped as they got off the lift at the top of the run.
"I think you need to pound some moguls," Allison said, "let the anger out. Take it out on the snow."
"Are you up to it mom," Ellie challenged, "you know we go fast, go hard or you can go home."
"You sound like your mom," Allison replied, "and I'm in. I've always been faster than you."
At the end of the ski day those that went skiing walked back into the cabin. Asher was sitting on the couch with Everly who immediately reached for Allison.
"Hi princess," Allison beamed as she shrugged out of her coat.
"How was your day," Asher asked walking over to meet Allison.
"Good but I missed you," Allison said, she kicked off her boots and took Everly from Asher. The baby put her arms around her mom's neck.
Asher hugged Allison and she turned to kiss him.
"Your still all cold," Asher teased.
"I know," Allison said, "and I need to feed her and shower."
"She had a quarter of a bottle 20 minutes ago she was fussy and complaining so," Asher said, "but she didn't want the full thing."
"I'll be in our room then but the two of you can come sit with me," Allison said, "I need to be the three of us."
"I'll come," Asher said following Allison.
They sat on the bed and chatted while Allison fed Everly.
"How was your day," Allison asked.
"I got to know Nisha," Asher said, "we really talked."
"I like her but I don't know her very well," Allison said.
"She's interesting you should," Asher said, "she's offered to make us dinner soon just the three of us go over to their place."
"The cottage," Allison said, "they rent it from Annie and Josh."
"Nisha said that," Asher replied, "she's the other outsider here."
"Outsider," Allison asked.
"It's hard with your family sometimes," Asher said, "your family is so different from mine. I'm learning and I love them and appreciate everything they do for us but it's a lot. That they actually like each other and extended family time is new to me. My parents never seemed to really like my aunts and uncles. You've been allowed to think for your self. My parents didn't want us to question. That was disrespect. My parents are anti vaxers and yours are surgeons. I had to get all my immunizations when you were pregnant to protect you and Ev. except for our Eden's surgery my mom used essential oils when we were sick and green smoothies. I had to be out of their house to do it. Your dad drove me to get my vaccinations."
"Dad didn't do them," Allison asked.
"Some nurse in the clinic at the hospital," Asher said, "but we grew up in different worlds. And this world, speak up, use your voice, be educated and have opinions is new to me. It's intimidating."
"But your dad," Allison said.
"Bible school," Asher replied, "not a regular college. We grew up in different worlds. The same school, the same friends but different expectations."
"I know," Allison agreed, "other families is hard. Biting my tongue, letting your dad tell me what to do or how to think. How to raise our daughter, that's hard."
"I know it is," Asher said, "but having to have an opinion being safe to share it. That's unfamiliar."
"I know," Allison said, "how was Ev today?"
"We went for a walk with Nisha and played with our toys," Asher said, "she didn't really nap for me not here."
"She knows she's not home," Allison said, "even with her usual bedding?"
"No," Asher said, "bottles were hit and miss and solids."
"She's hungry now," Allison said, "it's okay. She'll figure it out. It's our first full day up here. Some are skiing tomorrow. I'm not again until Wednesday or Thursday. We agreed on 2 of the 4 days. Tomorrow we can take her and snowshoe out to the look out and take a picnic."
"Everly," Asher asked.
"We'll bundle up and she'll be okay," Allison said, "I asked mom and Annie."
"And you," Asher asked.
"I like it," Allison said, "the look out is stunning in the winter with the snow on the trees and you can see the whole valley."
"Tomorrow," Asher agreed.