You are the sunshine of my life

 Round 17: April 2028

Stephen Marlowe and Kaitlyn Brennan are 27.

Narrated by Stephen.

Kaitlyn is busier than ever with her fourth and last year of doctorate studies so we try to make the most of the little free time we actually get to spend together. One of our favourite things to do is walk to the park nearby and sit on the bench and talk.

We're trying to save money for a house so we don't go out very often. Sometimes it's nice to have a meal that neither of us had to buy though. The Four Leaf Clover has become our favourite spot for a brunch because it's near and cheap. The food's pretty good too.

I work the evenings and don't usually bother cooking lunch for myself when Kaitlyn's at work. It's actually quite boring to be working evenings because all my friends are at work. Zach lives in the same building but I rarely see him. He's on his third year in medical school and he basically lives and breathes studies now.

One of my favourite things to do in the mornings is do the crossword puzzle. Aaron called me a grandpa when he heard about this. What's wrong with doing the crossword puzzle, I say?!

Sometimes I wonder off  to the nearby café and buy an overpriced cup of coffee. Which is not exactly in my budget but I get stir-crazy if I stay in our apartment all day. I finally convinced Kaitlyn not to take more student loan so I paid for her last tuition and we're going to pay off her existing loan together. Hopefully then we can start saving for our own house because I've pretty much had it in that tiny apartment.

I've been thinking about taking Kaitlyn on a vacation somewhere when she finished her doctorate. As much as I'd like to take her somewhere luxurious I know the 5-star hotels are out of our price range and most likely we'll end up staying in a tent somewhere. But still, I want to do something huge for her graduation because she deserves something really nice after working so hard.

Kaitlyn is usually working on her dissertation with her headphones on when I come home from work. I usually watch TV for a while waiting for her to finish for the night.

I try to be supportive but honestly I can't wait for her studies to be over! I love her and I'm proud of her but also I want my girlfriend back. Even when she's not writing or reading you can tell her brain is constantly working on something. She's also teaching a few science courses at the moment as part of her studies so it's like never-ending work.

Still, I try to be as considerate as I can and pamper her however I can. A bubble bath, a back rub - that's something I can do that doesn't cost a thing. All her hard work is paying off anyway. Her boss has been really impressed with her work and has promised that she'll get to lead her own projects once she graduates.

All in all, life is pretty good even if it is a bit hectic at the moment. I feel like after this year we're finally free to do whatever we want and that's awesome - as long as we do it together.

Notes:

• Title from "You are the sunshine of my life" by Stevie Wonder.
• Kaitlyn pretty much goes to work, writes her dissertation (a novel), eats and sleeps. Lather, rinse, repeat. But it's her final year and then she's going to be Doctor of Science. She's now working as a Science Teacher (level 4) which is the highest position to have without a doctorate. I plan to pump her up to the next level next year when she graduates.
• As much as I like this apartment building and the tiny units I think Stephen and Kaitlyn are ready to move into their own home and maybe start a family at some point. I don't see them moving out of Exmoor though so who knows when they can afford a place. Hopefully soon!