Create a Family (With a Twist!)

[A.B.Galaxy]

[name_u]Blaise[/name_u] [name_m]Corentin[/name_m] [name_u]Landry[/name_u] (16) is the family friend who always stands up for [name_u]Arya[/name_u]. He’s liked her for a couple years but didn’t think she liked him back so when [name_f]Evrim[/name_f] started flirting with him he asked her out. They only dated for a little less than a month, realizing they were much better off as friends. [name_u]Blaise[/name_u] isn’t exactly the most outspoken person and is trying to get up the courage to ask [name_u]Arya[/name_u] out.

[name_u]Blaise[/name_u] has an older brother who is dating the girls’ older sister so the kids of the two families are almost always hanging out. He thinks of the girls’ sister as the sister he never had and [name_u]Connor[/name_u] is practically a second brother. [name_u]Blaise[/name_u] is interested in art and writing. He plans to major in both of them and can’t wait until he finishes school.

[CherryBomb50]

[name_f]Susannah[/name_f] “ [name_f]Sue[/name_f] “ [name_u]Shelby[/name_u] [name_m]Irwin[/name_m] (19) is Connor’s biological sister, [name_u]Arya[/name_u] and Evrim’s adoptive sister, and Blaise’s “surrogate sister.” She is currently in a relationship with Blaise’s older brother. [name_f]Sue[/name_f] loves her adoptive parents but tries to keep her biological parents’ memories in her mind. For a long time, she wanted to know — but at the same time did not want to know — why her father went to prison as she was only 4 when he was convicted. She had wanted to reconnect with him if and only if his crime wasn’t violent. [name_u]Truth[/name_u] is, her adoptive parents won’t discuss such a serious matter unless asked and [name_f]Sue[/name_f] is too afraid of knowing to ask.

[name_f]Sue[/name_f] and [name_u]Blaise[/name_u] are such good friends and she loves being perceived as a cool sister. She is in university currently studying sociology and is in a relationship with Blaise’s brother whom she’s nothing but happy to be around. He’s also her best friend and she proudly says so. From her brother [name_u]Connor[/name_u], [name_f]Sue[/name_f] has also met [name_f]Madeleine[/name_f] and has also wanted to try out for ballet despite not knowing much about it for as long as the Munros. She and a few other women trying for ballet are rooting for [name_f]Madeleine[/name_f] but they let her have her choice and wish her nothing but the best.

[A.B.Galaxy]

Bump!

[kitkatcookie]

[name_m]Ronan[/name_m] [name_u]Gabriel[/name_u] [name_u]Landry[/name_u] (19) is Sue’s boyfriend and Blaise’s brother. At first he was a bit intimidated about the success of his relationship with [name_f]Sue[/name_f] - the idea of imploding the closeness between the family’s if things failed - but the two are so compatible he now feels somewhat ridiculous for even considering such a thing. Given they call each other best friend, [name_m]Ronan[/name_m] jokes about being a jack of all trades, strengthened by the fact he’s studying mechanical engineering and is also avid about metal work. Deciphering how things form and work in tandem has fascinated [name_m]Ronan[/name_m] since his days of playing with lego blocks, only strengthening over time, and he tends to be the go to for everyone if they need something fixed; not that he complains too often about this defacto role. He is naturally more reserved within the dynamic of when everyone comes together though, admittedly having a quieter nature but this isn’t a product of shyness: [name_m]Ronan[/name_m] just prefers to voice things when he feels like it and confesses to being terrible at small talk. This is jokingly credited to Mr [name_u]Landry[/name_u], a very gruff and blunt man, who unintentionally seems much sterner than he truly is.

While they’re a very close couple, [name_m]Ronan[/name_m] and [name_f]Sue[/name_f] do keep different friend groups, partly because of their personality divergences. He keeps a small yet close circle who spend evenings playing D&D [don’t joke about the game it’s very meaningful to them] or enjoying some so bad it’s good media together, even if [name_u]Blaise[/name_u] cannot understand why they get so much joy from terrible media. [name_m]Ronan[/name_m] did deliberate doing an [name_m]Erasmus[/name_m] year, however he didn’t want to spend so much time away from his loved one’s and instead is planning a trip with [name_f]Sue[/name_f], [name_u]Blaise[/name_u], [name_u]Connor[/name_u] and the twins to go travelling as a group in Europe; specifically going interailing [having gotten full parental permission]. One of Ronan’s close friends is actually studying in Switzerland right now - they grew up there thanks to their dad being a diplomat - and he’s convinced [name_f]Sue[/name_f] to take some time, just the two of them, to stay with this person. It’s not that he doesn’t love his brother of her siblings but he wants some time for just the two of them, where he can take her on some romantic outings and feel fully comfortable expressing just how smitten he continuously finds himself to be with her.

[A.B.Galaxy]

[name_f]Elinor[/name_f] [name_f]Sadie[/name_f] Cabot-Locke (17) is the younger sister of Ronan’s close friend who lives in Switzerland. She’s in the same high school as [name_u]Blaise[/name_u], [name_u]Arya[/name_u], and Ervim but is only somewhat acquainted with them as she’s a senior. Her parents divorced five years ago and she sees her dad during school breaks when he has time, which is more than she saw him before the divorce. [name_f]Elinor[/name_f] misses her brother but they talk frequently and her dad calls once in a while which she looks forward to.

[name_f]Elinor[/name_f] and her mother have always been two peas in a pod. They both enjoy the outdoors and neither likes to get dressed up. Neither liked the idea of an office job so [name_f]Elinor[/name_f] doesn’t plan on getting one, and her mom doesn’t have one. [name_f]Elinor[/name_f] is the captain of the cheerleading squad and is dating the football quarterback. Yes, she knows it’s disgustingly cliche but she loves him and to be fair, they were dating before gaining their respective positions. [name_f]Elinor[/name_f] is a terrible bookworm and loves all the [name_f]Jane[/name_f] [name_u]Austen[/name_u] books. Her mom introduced her to them and they love reading together.

While she isn’t going on the trip with [name_m]Ronan[/name_m] and everyone, she will be spending time with her brother and dad around the same time. She’ll be gone before he and [name_f]Sue[/name_f] get there but hopes the two have a good time. [name_f]Elinor[/name_f] is working part time as a waitress at a restaurant in town. Most everyone is friendly so she enjoys it and has become great friends with a college student who works there.

[I_meme_it]

Sayoko ’ [name_f]Saya[/name_f] ’ Arashiro (17) is Elinor’s best friend and main confident when it comes to the moments of missing her brother. Saya’s spent her life living between [name_u]America[/name_u] and Japan, as her father lives in Sapporo for the majority of the year thanks to co-owning a successful newspaper with his sister, and when his children were in their teens, it became more practical for him to stay behind for business dealings. A lot of Saya’s classmates don’t understand why she’s so accepting of the situation: she obviously misses her dad while he’s away, but thanks to how much she loves being in Sapporo - seeing her extended family and surrounded by her culture - it never feels like a point of contention for her.

She belongs to the cheer squad alongside [name_f]Elinor[/name_f], but has less contact with the football team - aside from her best friends’ boyfriend - because Saya’s usually busy with the school newspaper. Journalistic interests have undeniably been passed onto her dad from her, and she’s making plans to apply to become the deputy editor for her final year of high school, to help her when she attends university. Her primary interest is true crime - fairly and factually reporting on injustice means a lot to [name_f]Saya[/name_f] - but as the school obviously is lacking in this area, she primarily writes about the athletics department and their accomplishments, as well as ongoing sports opportunities for their peers.

[CherryBomb50]

Maxx Raleigh Golden (17) is Saya’s friend, Elinor’s boyfriend, and quarterback. He’s Brielle’s older brother and technically former star, being part of a family YouTube channel called FamOfGold. Aside from he and Brielle, FamOfGold had his parents and two other siblings, one older and one younger, who enjoy the channel and appear in much more videos. Brielle and Maxx don’t appear in videos as much as they used to in previous years, with Brielle starting her own channel and turning to singing and dancing. Maxx on the other hand doesn’t care about YouTube fame and is focused on football and dating, alongside his busy life at school. He finds his old videos of him as a kid “really cringy and embarrassing“ but he and his family joke around and he’s not that sensitive about it. “Why was I even famous anyway? I had no talent,” he says but Brielle assures that he’s “definitely talented” — after all he’s the quarterback! Maxx and Elinor have been dating for quite some time and both enjoy each other’s kindness and humbility. He and Saya are close due to her reports on the sports at the school and being in most of the same classes. Maxx also loves true crime and thinks there’s definitely some mysteries that never had clear answers. Maxx is also a supporter of learning other cultures such as Elinor’s Swiss background, Saya’s Japanese background, and some other mutual friends’ backgrounds. Maxx himself is of mostly South African ancestry with some Dutch and Welsh.

Brielle was created by @Lindseylloyd052399.

[kitkatcookie]

[name_f]Taryn[/name_f] [name_f]Catrina[/name_f] [name_u]Golden[/name_u] (19) is the eldest of the siblings and recently shocked [name_m]Maxx[/name_m], [name_f]Brielle[/name_f] and their parents by announcing her decision to step back from activity around the family’s YouTube channel. Having taken a gap year in preparation for starting her studies to become a midwife, [name_f]Taryn[/name_f] found to reflect on her feelings about being in the public eye, and admitted she wants some privacy now she’s going to be pursuing a career that’s already stressful enough thanks to the importance of what she’ll be doing. Part of [name_f]Taryn[/name_f] can admit to herself that her enthusiasm became increasingly forced as she grew older, mostly the fact she lost out time to spend with her friends and peers if it meant filming videos; but doesn’t want to garner resentment over things, and loves her parents. The channel isn’t their only business - something [name_f]Taryn[/name_f] credits to why their relationships have remained healthy, as there’s not massive pressure to succeed in the long-term - as their mom’s an editor primarily based in television, and their dad runs a mobile computer repair service; which saw a significant uplift in the wake of the YouTube videos debuting, even leading him to doing tech work for influencer and fellow vloggers. She hopes her parents will be able to retire eventually, if that’s what they want, and that her youngest sibling won’t feel pressured to remain very active now she’ll basically be going on indefinite hiatus in favour of college.

To a degree, [name_f]Taryn[/name_f] admits she got it easier than [name_m]Maxx[/name_m]: as the eldest, her deadpan, serious nature was accepted as being a quirk fans enjoyed, especially in comparison to her energetic and spirited younger siblings. She finds old videos majorly cringey though, and absolutely refuses to watch them - unless joking with [name_m]Maxx[/name_m] and [name_f]Brielle[/name_f] about the nature of their past. While they have their obvious differences in pursuits, she’s proud of her sister coming into her own online, and has suggested to her parents that if their other sibling wants to be less camera focused, Brielle’s channel might be the perfect outlet to keep fans updated and engaged without conflict arising.

It was Taryn’s best friend who encouraged her to open up to her parents about wanting to be less of a feature on FamofGold. She used to participate in child beauty pageants - thoroughly ironic as she’s a total tomboy now, who prefers an aesthetic reflecting this - and subsequently had a combative relationship with her parents and grandma until they finally stopped her involvement shortly after the birth of her youngest brother. [name_f]Taryn[/name_f] was her main confident during this time, and she instantly recognised the sentinment she once felt when they were discussing university applications, with it being obvious her friend was dreading balancing a YouTube career with a degree [never mind the attention it would garner from others on their course and around campus]. They’re going to attend the same university - partly coincidental, partly choice based - albeit pursuing different bachelor’s degrees, and already have managed to secure dorms on the same floor, meaning they’ll continue being inseparable [something that shocked no-one].

[name_f]Taryn[/name_f] does also have a girlfriend - her relationship predates [name_m]Maxx[/name_m] and [name_f]Elinor[/name_f], so she jokes about them being the honeymooners of the family - but she never appeared in any videos and was barely referenced at her own request. She’s a very shy person, opposed to [name_f]Taryn[/name_f] who isn’t the most outgoing but quietly confident, and so being part of a YouTube vlog series terrified her; meaning filming never happened when she was at the [name_u]Golden[/name_u] household. The couple are long distance anyways - living a 2 hour drive apart - so college isn’t changing much for them, in fact it’s bringing them closer by snipping an hour from the journey to spend time together. They met at a science camp when they were 13 and retained their friendship online, with [name_f]Taryn[/name_f] never being affronted by her girlfriend’s travel anxiety and frequently being the one to venture elsewhere to spend time with her. Their goal as a couple is to adopt a dog together - any breed is fine, although Taryn’s got a soft spot for Italian Greyhounds, thanks to a close friend owning two adorable one’s - but for now they’re just trying to plan their anniversary celebrations without throwing themselves into debt from petrol prices.

---

@jinxed_peach just a tag if you’d like to see some more of these forums ^w^

[jinxed_peach]

[name_f]Adlynn[/name_f] [name_u]Marley[/name_u] Plyer {20} is the best friend and confidant of [name_f]Taryn[/name_f], as well as soon to be dorm floor neighbor. The two have been virtually inseparable since meeting back in school. Initially she was very intimidated by [name_f]Taryn[/name_f], [name_m]Maxx[/name_m], and Brielle’s fame. In fact one of Adlynn’s siblings was obsessed with the FamofGold YouTube channel and was overjoyed when the Plyer family moved states into the one that the [name_u]Golden[/name_u] family happened to inhabit. [name_f]Adlynn[/name_f] spent a lot of time avoiding [name_f]Taryn[/name_f] as she was assuming she would be as dry and harsh as she appeared online. She was also constantly busy with rehearsal for the pageants she was competing in every single weekend. It wasn’t until a teacher paired them up for a project that she realized that [name_f]Taryn[/name_f] was actually a great person whom she got along with very well. From then on they were like sisters, even appearing in a few of the family’s videos, much to Adlynn’s sibling’s chagrin.

When they reached adolescence they began confiding in each other about their respective family related grievances. It was [name_f]Adlynn[/name_f] who confronted hers first, wanting to quit pageants. They had been a critical part of her life for years, practically since she was a baby. Her mother, grandmother, and eldest sister were all pageant queens. It was like treason for her to express her desire to quit. Only after the life circumstances of her brother’s premature birth and needing her mother’s full attention actually lead to her family choosing to pull [name_f]Adlynn[/name_f] out was she finally spared from having to continue. Everyone among the family really knows that it was only a matter of time before [name_f]Adlynn[/name_f] quit, but her mother still likes to lament the loss of her daughter’s ‘career’ in pageantry.

Once she was freed from pageants, she began to pursue her current passion, healthcare. She’s currently majoring in orthotics and hopes to become a prosthetist someday.

Outside of childhood and future plans she also enjoys staying active with gymnastics, something that she’s been doing for years and was actually her performance for the talent portion of her pageant routines. Though now she only does it for fun and the social aspect, in fact she met her current partner at her local gym. Though there’s a little trouble in paradise as they’re staying in their hometown while she goes to college. Both of them are scared to go long distance but are at least somewhat confident that they can make it work since it won’t be forever. Truthfully, only time will tell if they last.

[kitkatcookie]

cw: terminal illness, depression, struggles with grief

Candice " Dice " Stella Plyer (24) is Adlynn’s eldest sister and the aforementioned pageant queen. Growing up, there was nothing more than Dice wanted to than compete while dressed up beautifully, primped to the nth degree, and displaying her love of singing before a crowd of people. She fully idolised the world, spurred on by her extended family, and was basically the protégé of her mother and grandma because of her success - unsurprisingly stemming from how Dice absolutely wanted to be there. Her excitement rubbed off on her younger sister [not Adlynn, the girl born between them who’s almost 23], and them competing in the same divisions never impacted on their closeness, helped by the fact they’re consumate girly-girls and very much shared the same interests throughout childhood. It was her sister who bestowed Dice her nickname, based on her lucky streak of wins, and while their dad used to dislike it - he found it didn’t mirror his daughters’ outgoing, friendly personality much - it stuck and no-one ever convinced her to abandon it. This is unfortunately also why Dice couldn’t fathom Adlynn not wanting to participate, as even when their other sister disengaged in favour of her dance classes [her point of excelling which is why their mom accepted her ending pageantry], the visceral dislike made no sense as far as Dice was concerned.

The birth of her youngest brother - the final of five kids - didn’t do much to dampen Dice’s involvement in competitions, as her grandma had time to take her and usher her continued successes, but the lack of conflict was something she appreciated; although Adlynn was still quite distant given her sisters’ lack of insight and outburst when she criticised being pressured to compete [Dice took it very personally - as she’s been known to do when something meaningful to her is critiqued, a trait she’s now trying to rid herself of]. What changed everything was when their grandma was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Dice was absolutely floored by the revelation, going into shock and denial for several weeks, to the point of which her friends didn’t even know what was going on until her sister mentioned the situation; which was swiftly followed by total despair. She always shared an especial connection to her mom’s mom - not just thanks to pageantry but her grandma taught her how to sew, bake and even do home repairs - and couldn’t bear the knowledge she was going to loose her. Pageants were now tainted through association, and Dice completely withdrew from that world, almost throwing out her trophies and crowns when she finally cracked under the pressure, til her sister managed to stop her.

In spite of her parents apprehension, Dice spent a lot of time caring for her grandma in the months leading up to her passing, and this allowed some of the wounds between her and Adlynn to heal because of her youngest sisters’ knowledge of healthcare. Just before their grandma died, she was diagnosed with depression, not exactly a surprise to anyone given her behaviour and the way the situation took its toll on her. During the aftermath of the funeral, Dice started smoking a lot - something her parents left alone for a while - but she eventually transitioned to vaping, and is hoping to properly quit soon. She lives with her sister [albeit the younger girl’s frequently travelling for her dance shows and competitions], while working as a part-time administrator for a mental health charity and otherwise working on her degree in sociology, having hopes to become involved in setting up her own nonprofit someday; although she hasn’t quite been able to decide what she’d like to specialise in supporting. Dice has encouraged Adlynn in the wake of her relationship fears, as her own boyfriend is often abroad as a marine biologist, and does her best to give her support given how they used to argue frequently - something she feels guilty about. She does have a constant companion though, even with him and her sister away: Starla, her three-legged rough collie adopted for her 21st birthday.

[CherryBomb50]

[name_f]Kristina[/name_f] [name_f]Cassy[/name_f] Plyer (22) is [name_m]Dice[/name_m] and Adlynn’s sister and the second born, turning 23 next month. [name_f]Kristina[/name_f] adores her siblings and while she’s closest with [name_m]Dice[/name_m], she’s bonding a lot with the youngest sibling. [name_f]Kristina[/name_f] also grew up girly and liked pageants and has been a motivator to [name_m]Dice[/name_m]. [name_f]Kristina[/name_f] isn’t ready to leave pageantry but she’s made sure not to let it affect her life all the time and knows it’s a slippery slope. It’s dancing she’d much rather dedicate herself to and she swears to be a dancer long after she stops pageantry. [name_f]Kristina[/name_f] herself mourns her grandmother a lot and tries not to blame [name_m]Dice[/name_m] for how she’s mourned their late grandmother. As a child, [name_f]Kristina[/name_f] credits her grandmother for helping her through her first moment of grief at age 7 when Kristina’s betta fish [name_f]Margo[/name_f] died. [name_m]Even[/name_m] the people at school didn’t help her as much, especially a screwball kid who said, “Kristina, that fish has a special connection with family you know. If you want to know who in your family dies next, look down at the water and it will show you who is next to die.” [name_f]Kristina[/name_f] tried this and told the kid the next day that she was only able to see her own reflection. The response, “Oh snap! Looks like you’re going to die next!” [name_f]Kristina[/name_f] was genuinely traumatised and was afraid to tell anyone in fear they’d be distraught for her as well, but eventually she would tell her sweet grandmother. Her grandmother was nothing but comforting and reassured little [name_f]Kristina[/name_f] that everything was okay and she wouldn’t be dying. [name_f]Kristina[/name_f] is grateful for this but it’s made her feel bad now, knowing that her grandmother was actually the one next to die.

She is good buddies with her late grandmother‘s best friend, an old lady who loves making delicious treats and drinking tea. Despite the generation gap, [name_f]Kristina[/name_f] finds this woman a great friend and also sees her as a mentor and grandmother figure. Despite being an old lady, this woman actually isn’t a grandmother. While she has children, she has no grandchildren. She doesn’t mind not having grandchildren yet because her children decide when to have them, not her. Also
she grew up in a family where her parents nagged her constantly about when she was having children because they wanted grandchildren. She would have children but not until her 30s, which was “much later” than her parents wanted even though [name_f]Kristina[/name_f] doesn’t understand why that’s a problem to them. [name_f]Kristina[/name_f] herself doesn’t want children until her 30s. [name_f]Kristina[/name_f] doesn’t see [name_m]Dice[/name_m] as someone ready to raise children either, especially with her boyfriend being away a lot but she’s still very supportive of their relationship and doesn’t mind that he’s away a lot, since she is as well and she knows he’s not a cheater or anything like that.

[A.B.Galaxy]

[name_f]Bernadette[/name_f] " [name_f]Birdie[/name_f] " [name_u]Louise[/name_u] Caulfield (71) was the best friend of Kristina’s late grandmother. The two had become friends while in high school and their strong bond had never broken. [name_f]Birdie[/name_f] felt awful when she learned of her friend’s illness and was heartbroken when she died. She’d been like a sister to [name_f]Birdie[/name_f] and it was hard losing her. Since she decided to have kids in her 30s, her kids are a bit younger than Kristina’s mom. Her oldest, who’s now 38, was only 14 when [name_m]Dice[/name_m] was born. [name_f]Birdie[/name_f] also has a 36 year old and twins who are 34. None of them have kids yet but [name_f]Birdie[/name_f] doesn’t care. She’s perfectly happy being a mom.

[name_f]Birdie[/name_f] grew up learning to cook from her grandma. She went on to start a cafe in town and was loved for her delicious pastries. One of her children is running it now after Birdie’s retirement but she still loves to make treats for her friends and family. [name_f]Birdie[/name_f] is teaching [name_f]Kristina[/name_f] a few recipes of hers and enjoys spending time with her. [name_f]Birdie[/name_f] and her husband live in the same house they raised their children in and have a garden that they both love working in. [name_f]Birdie[/name_f] and her husband have been married for 50 years and their children are planning a golden anniversary party for them. The two of them spent much of their 20s traveling or just enjoying each other’s company. They later settled down and had kids and enjoy telling them all about their fond memories.

[Lindseylloyd052399]

[name_f]Megan[/name_f] [name_f]Catherine[/name_f] Caulfield (23) is Birdie’s grand niece. She is training to be a massage therapist. She is engaged and has a baby daughter.

[CherryBomb50]

Warning for eating disorder mentions.

[name_m]Kevin[/name_m] [name_m]Joshua[/name_m] Caulfield (36) is Megan’s second cousin and second child of [name_f]Birdie[/name_f]. Given his muscular body, people often perceive him the wrong way but he’s all natural and never steroid. He accepts everyone regardless of their bodies so it’s only fair he gets accepted too. In no way is he pushy about getting fit and other stereotypical gym stuff. However he really supports people being healthy no matter what their body type is. He had to get help for someone before what that person was showing signs of bulimia. [name_m]Kevin[/name_m] himself was anorexic from age 12 to 14 so he completely understood that the other person had an eating disorder. Both are very fine and healthy individuals today. [name_u]Truth[/name_u] is, he’s not really the type who wants kids but knows one of his siblings is considering having children. Despite being older than [name_f]Megan[/name_f], the second cousins still bond with her quite well especially since [name_f]Megan[/name_f] does have a child and knows what it’s like to be a parent. [name_m]Kevin[/name_m] is an employee at a gym and [name_f]Megan[/name_f] is an aspiring massage therapist and the massage parlour [name_f]Megan[/name_f] is planning to work at is across the street from the gym. It’s also within the same block as the pastry café and they stop by to say hello. Sometimes the Caulfields see the Plyers around town and ask them how they’re doing.

[A.B.Galaxy]

[name_u]Merivale[/name_u] " [name_u]Merry[/name_u] " [name_f]Louisa[/name_f] Caulfield-Jackson (34) is Joshua’s little sister, the youngest of Birdie’s children, and the only girl, as her twin brother was born before her. [name_u]Merry[/name_u] has had a number of jobs in her life and some wondered whether she would ever settle down. After she finished college at 22, armed with bachelors in business and art, she started working as a marketing manager for a bookstore in town. She was there for two years before starting work at a photography studio. Three years after that, at 27, she quit and started working at her mom’s cafe. That lasted for a year and then she got a job as a wedding planner which lasted two. She’s now been working as a graphic designer for the last four years as well as writing a romance book that she hopes to finish and get published soon.

[name_u]Merry[/name_u] is the one who is considering having children right now. She and her husband have been married five years now and think it’s time. They started dating when she was 24, a few months after she quit her marketing manager job. He was 26 at the time and they met through Merry’s oldest brother who was friends and coworkers with him. [name_u]Merry[/name_u] actually beat him to proposing by doing it a few days before their two year anniversary when he planned to propose. Their engagement lasted about three years with both sides of the family wondering if they’d ever tie the knot. Eventually they did and have been living happily together ever since. It’s not unknown to Merivale’s family that she’s quite adventurous, always wanting to try new things. It’s one of the reasons why she’d had so many jobs. [name_u]Merry[/name_u] feels like kids could be the next adventure that she and her husband have and wants to be the best mom she can.

As a kid and especially as a teen, people often assumed [name_u]Merivale[/name_u] hated being the only girl in her family. Some were even so bold as to tell her how they thought it must be awful. It annoyed her tremendously and she’d often snap at them and say it would be even worse if I had you for a sibling. If her mom or dad was in hearing range they had to keep from laughing as the offended person then stomped away. They never really scolded her for it but did try and get her to be a bit more polite. [name_u]Merry[/name_u] loved her brothers when she was young and loves them just the same now. To be completely honest, they were all much more affectionate than she was as kids, and much less prone to accidents and danger. She was always getting into scrapes or hurting herself, often in the name of curiosity. One time, wanting to know if her mom was right about her not being able to walk on the fence around their house, she tried it. That ended in a trip to the hospital after she broke her arm. Her mom often says she must have gotten hurt more than all her brothers combined.

Though prone to accidentally hurting people’s feelings in high school, or earning the ire of the rich ‘Miss Popularity’, [name_u]Merivale[/name_u] managed to befriend two girls who she got along with. Their personalities mesh well together and they are still close friends today. One of them married her twin brother a few years back and [name_u]Merry[/name_u] was thrilled. The other married in college and has kids now. Despite different life stages and occasional pats, the three of them have always been close. She’s glad that she was able to find such good friendships, like the one her mom had with the [name_m]Pryor[/name_m] girls’ grandmother.

[CherryBomb50]

[name_m]Scot[/name_m] “ [name_u]Scotty[/name_u] ” [name_m]Duncan[/name_m] Caulfield (38) is the elder brother of [name_m]Kevin[/name_m], [name_u]Merry[/name_u], and the other twin and the first son of [name_f]Birdie[/name_f]. He likes to joke that he enjoys having somewhat noticeable but not awkward stubble on his face and that his ex-wife used to always insist he shaved. He can’t wait until the end of the month to grow out more facial hair though: he likes No Shave [name_u]November[/name_u]. [name_u]Scotty[/name_u] isn’t sure where to go in life in terms of relationships and children seeing that he is the only sibling to be divorced. He and his ex-wife divorced 8 years ago and just had way too many differences in their life paths and couldn’t move forward together. [name_u]Scotty[/name_u] and his ex-wife divorced amicably and [name_u]Scotty[/name_u] is glad they didn’t have children because they didn’t want anything else thrown into their crazy changing life paths and children would be very upset with chaotically moving around. [name_u]Scotty[/name_u] is single and isn’t sure if he wants to be a father. He’s never directly stated he was child-free but he doesn’t have any concrete plans to raise children.

[name_u]Scotty[/name_u] is very close with Merry’s husband and are very close friends and co-workers. They are very chill with each other and [name_u]Scotty[/name_u] likes that [name_u]Merry[/name_u] and her husband had a long engagement and feels his engagement with his ex-wife was too short. [name_u]Scotty[/name_u] enjoys Merry‘s sense of humour and how she loved her siblings a lot. He’s also in support of his youngest brother’s marriage to a friend of Merry’s and considers his sister-in-law as true family. He and [name_m]Kevin[/name_m] get along as the only two singles although he’s somewhat jealous that [name_m]Kevin[/name_m] didn’t go through a divorce and simply stayed single his entire life. He also feels [name_m]Kevin[/name_m] is more likely to get a girlfriend given his good body and kind charm while [name_u]Scotty[/name_u] worries that being a divorcee is a turn-off. The envy is one-sided as [name_m]Kevin[/name_m] himself doesn’t know [name_u]Scotty[/name_u] feels that way and it’s not even about [name_m]Kevin[/name_m] himself, it’s moreso Scotty’s lack of confidence. [name_u]Scotty[/name_u] has envied [name_u]Merry[/name_u] and her twin brother’s marriages but he’s so close in friendship to their spouses. [name_u]Scotty[/name_u] often talks to [name_f]Birdie[/name_f] about this and she’s been very caring and understanding of him. [name_u]Scotty[/name_u] feels a lot of his worries stem from being the first-born yet having the least idea of what he wants in life. He was not like this growing up in his teenage years and he always led the pack but now he feels like he’s in the dust and everyone’s stable but him. This hasn’t shied him away from his siblings or in-laws and he talks to them, but he doesn’t want them to know he sometimes envies them.

[Lindseylloyd052399]

Taylor Louise Godwin (23) is Scotty’s ex-wife’s little sister. She got married to her boyfriend at just 18 years old. A year later, they found out they were expecting twin boys. She is currently a stay at home mom.

[CherryBomb50]

I don’t know if you checked your messages but [name_u]Scotty[/name_u] doesn’t have a girlfriend. He’s divorced and isn’t currently dating anyone. [name_u]Taylor[/name_u] will now be included as the little sister of Scotty’s ex-wife.

[name_f]Calia[/name_f] [name_f]Tiffany[/name_f] Godwin (35) is Taylor’s older sister and Scotty’s ex-wife. [name_f]Calia[/name_f] is the eldest and [name_u]Taylor[/name_u] is the youngest but there’s a middle child between them. She and [name_u]Scotty[/name_u] weren’t a match due to their much differing career choices. She moved an hour’s drive away after the divorce but it wasn’t just to avoid [name_u]Scotty[/name_u], it was also to pursue her career goals as a fertility nurse, which there weren’t any fertility clinics where she used to live. [name_f]Calia[/name_f] also really wanted to be a mother but [name_u]Scotty[/name_u] wasn’t ready to be a parent at the time they were married. [name_f]Calia[/name_f] is still not a parent but she’s had her eggs frozen. She’s always happy seeing [name_u]Taylor[/name_u] with her children. Calia’s not surprised [name_u]Taylor[/name_u] had children before her despite [name_u]Taylor[/name_u] being 12 years younger, [name_u]Taylor[/name_u] had always imagined having children as a young adult for quite some time. [name_f]Calia[/name_f] related to [name_u]Scotty[/name_u] when [name_u]Scotty[/name_u] felt his younger siblings were more stable in life than him. [name_f]Calia[/name_f] is more stable now and is happy with her career. She feels horrible about the divorce but she knew ultimately she and [name_u]Scotty[/name_u] were just too different in terms of their stages in life and it wouldn’t be practical for them spending the rest of their lives together. Calia’s glad she hasn’t given up on her dreams and has had more time to pursue them. While she and [name_u]Scotty[/name_u] are far out of love, she sometimes worries if he’s in a good spot. Truthfully [name_u]Scotty[/name_u] is mentally healthy but he’s stuck trying to find himself. [name_f]Calia[/name_f] remembers [name_u]Scotty[/name_u] saying he needs his life together by age 40 and [name_f]Calia[/name_f] feels bad knowing his siblings, along with [name_f]Calia[/name_f] herself, are younger but better suited. [name_f]Calia[/name_f] wants [name_u]Scotty[/name_u] to not compare himself to others and she wishes him the best. Calia’s siblings still live by the Caulfields and [name_f]Calia[/name_f] is okay with that but she has no plans to move back.

[Lindseylloyd052399]

[name_u]Jaylin[/name_u] [name_u]Marie[/name_u] Calistro (23) is a the best friend of [name_u]Taylor[/name_u] and the nanny of her twins. She is the owner of a new restaurant in town. She has two daughters, but they’re not twins.

[A.B.Galaxy]

[name_f]Cressida[/name_f] " [name_u]Sid[/name_u] " [name_f]Annie[/name_f] [name_m]Williams[/name_m] (34) is a friend and coworker of Calia’s. They both started working at the fertility clinic around the same time and bonded almost immediately. [name_u]Sid[/name_u] is single after her last relationship fizzled out. She doesn’t think dating or marriage is right for her at this stage of her life and probably won’t ever be. She’s perfectly happy spending time with her friends and family though, which includes her amazing 10-year-old daughter. There is another nurse in the clinic whose name starts with a C as well. She’s friends with [name_u]Sid[/name_u] and [name_f]Calia[/name_f], the three often getting together to hang out.

[name_u]Sid[/name_u] has a brother who is older than her by three years. As kids, they fought a bit and generally annoyed each other but became extremely close after their parents divorced. [name_u]Sid[/name_u] was 11 and her brother was 14 at the time. Unlike [name_f]Calia[/name_f] and Scotty’s amicable split, there was nothing amicable about Sid’s parents divorcing. Her parents aren’t bad people but both of them did things to hurt and eventually ruin the marriage. Their lack of love or friendliness toward each other made the custody battle a nightmare. [name_u]Sid[/name_u] was kept from knowing about all the gritty details thanks to her brother, who later did tell her about things when she got older. Custody eventually got split where they stayed with their dad one week and their mom the next. It worked relatively well but both siblings were happy when they turned 18 and didn’t have to switch between houses anymore. Twenty-three years after the divorce, Sid’s parents no longer harbor bad feelings for each other and can be in a room without it turning into a shouting match. They tolerated each other at Sid’s wedding and later her brother’s but he credits their parents finally getting along to Sid’s daughter, their first grandchild.

[name_u]Sid[/name_u] currently lives in an apartment with her daughter and their three cats. A grumpy six-year-old tom named Lantern for his orange and black fur; a sassy three-year-old Siamese named Maudie; and a black kitten named [name_f]Nala[/name_f] who especially loves Sid’s daughter. After a whirlwind romance in college, [name_u]Sid[/name_u] got married right after graduation. She and her husband were extremely happy together and two years later brought about their daughter. It wasn’t even two months later that Sid’s husband passed away in a work accident due to unsafe conditions. Suddenly a widow and single mother at 24, one of the first things she did was sue her husband’s construction company for his death. With a good law team backing her, she won the lawsuit. She knew it wouldn’t bring her husband back but it made her feel better. [name_u]Sid[/name_u] knows that [name_f]Calia[/name_f] would like to be a mother and she’s now almost like a second mom to Sid’s daughter who absolutely adores her.