TW: anaphylaxis
[name_f][/name_f]2019: [name_m]Ethan[/name_m] and Emily’s parents are still upset about the impulsive elopement, plus [name_m]Ethan[/name_m] and [name_f]Emily[/name_f] are talking about starting a family (because they love babies), which they think it is too early for. For [name_m]Ethan[/name_m] and [name_f]Emily[/name_f] themselves, they discover that marriage is more challenging than they previously thought, as they clash over differences in opinion. Eventually, [name_m]Ethan[/name_m] and [name_f]Emily[/name_f] sit down and talk through their disagreements. They realize that they probably need to communicate with their families instead of arguing or giving them the cold shoulder, so they hold a big family meeting so everyone can share their points of view. In the end, they all come to an understanding, and [name_m]Ethan[/name_m] and Emily’s families agree to support them with whatever they need help with.
[name_f][/name_f]2020: [name_f]Emily[/name_f] finds out that she is pregnant! Unfortunately, she ends up missing her final for one of the required classes for her major due to being hospitalized for morning sickness. Her professor, however, is understanding, and lets her pass the class as she had done well on her work for the rest of the semester.
[name_f][/name_f]2021: Shortly after graduation, [name_f]Emily[/name_f] gives birth to a baby girl! She names her [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] [name_f]Isabella[/name_f]. [name_m]Ethan[/name_m] and [name_f]Emily[/name_f] are thrilled to become parents. Three months after [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] is born, [name_f]Emily[/name_f] starts at her new job as a researcher.
[name_f][/name_f]2022: [name_m]Ethan[/name_m] and [name_f]Emily[/name_f] find out that [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] is allergic to peanuts after she goes into anaphylactic shock[name_f][/name_f]. Because of that, they need to make sure they have EpiPens wherever they go in case [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] comes into contact with peanuts. [name_f]Emily[/name_f] advocates for [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] to make sure foods and public places are safe and accessible for her. [name_m]Ethan[/name_m] and [name_f]Emily[/name_f] had been discussing giving [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] a younger sibling, but after this scary incident, they think that maybe they should wait a while. After graduating from university, [name_m]Ethan[/name_m] starts his own graphic design business so he can work from home and be a stay-at-home dad to [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f].
[name_f][/name_f]2023: [name_f]Emily[/name_f] decides to take a solo road trip (because me time is important) to go skiing at the slopes in [name_m]Colorado[/name_m]!
[name_f][/name_f]2024: [name_m]Ethan[/name_m] and [name_f]Emily[/name_f] take [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] on their first family trip to Disneyland! However, it doesn’t go as planned as [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] seems to get overstimulated at all the colours and sounds and constantly screams and cries throughout the trip. [name_m]Ethan[/name_m] and [name_f]Emily[/name_f] had been searching for answers for the differences they had been noticing between [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] and other kids her age, especially after starting preschool, but are still unsure what to make of it.
[name_f][/name_f]2025: After years of research and appointments, [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] is finally diagnosed with autism. [name_f]Emily[/name_f] is relieved to finally have some answers, but is worried about how she could support a child with such complex needs, and furthers doubts her desires to have more children when she doesn’t know if she has enough time and energy for all of them.
[name_f][/name_f]2026: With [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] starting kindergarten and a successful partnership bringing in more clients, [name_m]Ethan[/name_m] begins spending more time on work, leaving less time to care for [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f]. He and [name_f]Emily[/name_f] work together to make arrangements so they can both continue to follow their dreams while supporting their daughter and navigating her new diagnosis.
[name_f][/name_f]2027: We’ve been neglecting the side characters, haven’t we? [name_f]Lauren[/name_f] now works as an elementary school teacher. She’s been through several boyfriends since graduating from university, but realized that she’s more peaceful when she doesn’t let her toxic exes run her life. She loves spending time with her students, and also spoiling her niece, whom she absolutely adores.
[name_f][/name_f]2028: [name_f]Madison[/name_f] is now an influencer, posting makeup tutorials and vlogs on YouTube. This time, however, she and some of her YouTuber friends are stepping away from the camera as she invites [name_f]Emily[/name_f], [name_m]Ethan[/name_m] and [name_f]Lauren[/name_f] to their murder mystery party. [name_f]Lauren[/name_f] is the murderer but quickly gets caught because she’s a bad actress:)
[name_f][/name_f]2029: After a very vivid dream about [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] playing with a baby brother, [name_f]Emily[/name_f] brings up having another baby once again. But after a few failed tries, [name_m]Ethan[/name_m] and [name_f]Emily[/name_f] decide that it probably isn’t the right time, as [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] still requires a lot of their care and energy. Emily’s parents move closer to help out with their granddaughter, and the entire family enjoys spending more time together.
[name_f][/name_f]2030: [name_f]Emily[/name_f] gets to work on a groundbreaking clinical trial for cancer patients. She feels very proud to be able to contribute to such a big project and to make a difference in the lives of so many people.
[name_f][/name_f]2031: [name_f]Olivia[/name_f] recently started a video gaming club at her high school, and is enlisting Emily’s help on creating projects and workshops. She also enjoys hanging out with [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f], whom she only has a six-year age gap with and thus feels more like a sister than [name_f]Madison[/name_f], [name_f]Emily[/name_f] or [name_f]Lauren[/name_f]. With [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] becoming more independent and starting middle school next, [name_m]Ethan[/name_m] and [name_f]Emily[/name_f] decide that it’s finally time to try for that second baby-only to find out at their first ultrasound that it’s actually their second and third!
[name_f][/name_f]2032: [name_f]Emily[/name_f] gives birth to B/G twins! It’s difficult naming two babies at once, but after narrowing down their lists and asking [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] for ideas, they settle on [name_m]Henry[/name_m] [name_m]James[/name_m] and [name_f]Lucy[/name_f] [name_f]Evelyn[/name_f]. [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] adjusts surprisingly well to her new siblings, often asking to help feed and change them (to the best of an 11-year-old’s ability). With three beautiful children, [name_m]Ethan[/name_m] and [name_f]Emily[/name_f] think their family is complete… or is it?
[name_f][/name_f]2033: Ethan’s company loses a lot of money due to a bad investment. Especially with two more little mouths to feed, [name_m]Ethan[/name_m] and [name_f]Emily[/name_f] decide to cut their costs, hoping that they will have enough money to support their kids with anything they need.
[name_f][/name_f]2034: Surprise, surprise, [name_f]Emily[/name_f] finds out she’s pregnant again! A few days later, on her way home from work, [name_f]Emily[/name_f] is approached by a group of black-clad men asking if she wanted to buy weed. Thinking about her children, and especially the baby in her belly, [name_f]Emily[/name_f] refuses and runs all the way back home. It’s a traumatic experience and [name_f]Emily[/name_f] feels lucky to have gotten out of it safe and sound.
[name_f][/name_f]2035: [name_f]Emily[/name_f] gives birth to a baby boy! Seeing her parents stuck on names again, [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] steps in and helps to decide on the name [name_m]Noah[/name_m] [name_m]Benjamin[/name_m]. [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] is smitten with her baby brother, and [name_f]Emily[/name_f] often walks in on her rocking him to sleep or reading him a story. [name_m]Henry[/name_m] is excited to finally have a brother, trying to show him his toys and play with him (and [name_f]Emily[/name_f] often has to stop him from getting too rough with the baby). [name_f]Lucy[/name_f] loves snuggling baby [name_m]Noah[/name_m] and blowing him kisses. With [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] now in high school and the twins in preschool, [name_m]Ethan[/name_m] and [name_f]Emily[/name_f] get to slow down and enjoy life with their new little one.
[name_f][/name_f]2036: With Emily’s encouragement, [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] joins the dance team at her high school. To Charlotte’s surprise, her teammates are incredibly understanding and supportive of her needs, and though she sometimes feels nervous about performing, she finds dance a great outlet to express herself, and she begins to bond and make friends with her teammates. [name_f]Emily[/name_f] feels very happy for [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] that she has found people that she feels comfortable around.
[name_f][/name_f]2037: [name_m]Ethan[/name_m] goes out one day and drives home in a brand-new SUV. [name_f]Emily[/name_f] is shocked and [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] (who just got her driver’s license) wanted to take it out for a spin right away, with the twins begging her to drive them to school the next day so they could show it off to their friends at kindergarten and [name_m]Noah[/name_m] also wanting to tag along with his older siblings. Charlotte’s parents, however, were upset about [name_m]Ethan[/name_m] splurging on an ‘unnecessary’ purchase, and [name_m]Ethan[/name_m] gets into a massive argument with them until [name_f]Emily[/name_f] comes in and tells them to calm down. [name_m]Ethan[/name_m] eventually apologizes and says that he just thought it would make his wife and kids happy and they all hug it out.
[name_f][/name_f]2038: With university decisions looming, [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] applies to several competitive pre-med programs-only to get rejected by all of them. At first, she feels extremely defeated and wants to give up, but after taking some time to process the news and talking about it with her parents and friends, she decides to take a gap year to retake her SATs and ACTs, and with her siblings now all in school, to spend more time with her family and to discover more about herself. [name_f]Emily[/name_f] is proud of Charlotte’s determination and knows that it will take her far in life.
[name_f][/name_f]2039: [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] gets accepted into a pre-med program at a local university! [name_m]Ethan[/name_m] and [name_f]Emily[/name_f] pay her tuition, glad that they are able to support her to follow her passions.
[name_f][/name_f]2040: Let’s check in on [name_f]Olivia[/name_f] before the next part, shall we? After graduating from university, she has been struggling to find a job. She is now working part-time at the local McDonald’s as a [name_f]French[/name_f] fry fryer (a term coined by my middle school classmate 
). [name_m]Ethan[/name_m] sometimes drops by after picking the younger kids up from elementary school, and [name_f]Olivia[/name_f] makes sure to add a few extra fries to their pack.