Sleeping sun

Round 14: Spring 2022


Ryland and Jackie Whitfield are 71.
(Stella is 58 and Deacon is 57.)

Narrated by Jackie Whitfield.

This is the first time in over 50 years that Ryland and I are living alone. We've always had at least one kid living with us but now they've all flown out of the nest.

It feels really strange but in a good way. Of course I miss Dawn and Zach but at the same time I'm enjoying this new found freedom. We're having dinners without teenagers arguing about curfews and homework and everything.

Lazy mornings when we linger in bed until we have to get up. No need to rush anyone to the school bus.

Ryland talked about retiring about two years ago but in the end he just couldn't leave the politics. People are relying on him and he just feels priviledged to represent our region in the senate. He's slowed down his pace though and sometimes doesn't even leave the house.

I'm doing fewer hours in the restaurant as well. I used to open it early in the morning to sell coffee and breakfast to the working people but nowadays Café Carousel is open from lunch time to 6 pm. It gives me time to read the morning paper and enjoy a healthy breakfast without burning my mouth with hot coffee.

We still have the dogs so I have someone to pamper and fuss about when I feel like it.

I recently hired Dawn's boyfriend Finn to work in the restaurant. I was a bit hesitant at first but so far it's been going great.

I expected him to be a spoilt brat because his parents are filthy rich but he's a hard worker and gladly does even the not so pleasant tasks like cleaning the tables and washing dishes. He seems really enthusiastic about the culinary world and often talks about his dream of running his own restaurant.

Things have been quite tense between me and Ryland and Finn's parents for about 20 years - for obvious reasons - but we're willing to make an effort for our kids. We're all Shea's grandparents so we want to at least get along for her sake.

Ryland and I invited Stella and Deacon over for dinner so that we could all get to know each other and maybe form some kind of truce. I prepared the dinner very carefully - filet mignon for main course - so that at least we'd be able to enjoy good food if everything else fell apart.

It was all a bit awkward at first. Stella and I have seen each other every now and then but never really spent any time together. Ryland meets Deacon quite often but they always talk about the town administration and nothing else. This was the first time that we got together socially.

We all loosened up during dinner and by the time we got to dessert I could tell that Stella and Deacon were actually enjoying the evening. I praised Finn for being a remarkable young man and that kind of broke the ice.

We had drinks after dessert. The men started talking about the city council and the new building projects. Stella looked at me and smiled.

"Do you ever get totally bored when they start talking about politics?" she said. I smiled, nodded and said that I'm glad I'm not the only one who finds the topic quite dull. The men then decided to go to Ryland's office to go over some figures on the city's budget so Stella and I were left alone.

"I hated you for years, you know" she suddenly said. "You weren't the only woman he was seeing but you were an easy target for my hate because you're a public figure. I held on to that grudge because it felt easier to keep hating you than to confess that it was just as much Deacon's fault."

"I don't know if I've ever apologized..." I started. She shook her head and said that she knew I was sorry and that she sort of understood why it all had happened.

"In a way I think it made our marriage stronger because we had to fight for it. I'm not saying that I'm glad that he had affairs all over town but I'm willing to believe that everything happens for a reason."

We sat in silence for a while.

We changed the subject and started talking about Shea and what a gorgeous little girl she is. We'll probably never be close friends but at least the conversation really cleared up the air and we can be civil towards each other.

Notes:

• Title reference: Sleeping sun by Nightwish.
• I had several crashes while playing the Whitfields but that often happens when I'm playing a bigger apartment lot so I'm not really worried. Luckily I got enough photos for the update.
• I wanted to continue with the delicate situation between Stella and Jackie. I doubt they'll ever be real friends (just as Jackie said) but I felt that 20 years is enough for Stella to hold a grudge. They're both trying to do what's best for Dawn, Finn and Shea.