the new year

February 2031 - Andrew Carter and Kate Myers are 28; Harper Myers and Toby Wright are 5.

Kate and Andrew have been together since college, but they haven't gotten married or even engaged.

"Do you think maybe we should get married?" Andrew asks.

"Why?" Kate asks.

"We've been together for 8 years, and we have a daughter together," he points out.

"What's the point of getting married? We already live together."

Even without a marriage license, they live like a family. They had a daughter, Harper, right after they graduated from college, and now she's in kindergarten.

Andrew and Kate are both doctors at Providence Hospital. Andrew is in Internal Medicine, and Kate is a surgeon. Even on her days off, she spends a lot of time practicing her techniques.

Harper loves to watch her mother practice surgery. She already says she wants to be a surgeon like her mother.

Harper's best friend is Toby Wright. During the week she goes over to his house a lot while her parents are at the hospital, and on the weekend he comes over while his parents are working.

The apartment doesn't have a big yard to play in, but they like to play chess on the outdoor chess tables.

On the weekends, Kate goes on long runs around the neighborhood. She's always used running to clear her head. Usually she's thinking about school or surgery, but these days she's been thinking about her family. Andrew is right; they've been together for a long time, and they have a child together. Shouldn't they be married? They're already a family, maybe it's time to make it official.