we gather together

November 2043 - Julien and Melissa Cooke are 56, Adrien Cooke is 14, Anthony Cooke is 26, Anjali Ramaswami is 25.

Julien and Melissa are excited to have Anthony and Anjali home for Thanksgiving. It's only been a few months since they moved to Takemizu Village, but it's a big adjustment not to have their son living a few blocks away.

"When are Anthony and Anjali coming home?" Julien asks.

"Sunday afternoon. Anthony says they have big news to tell us."

the crane wife

October 2043 - Anthony Cooke is 26, Anjali Ramaswami is 25.

For the next two years, Anthony and Anjali will be living in Takemizu Village. Anthony got a two-year position as a researcher, and Anjali will be working as a radiologist at the local clinic.

here comes the bride

October 2042 - Priya and Sanjay Ramaswami are 53, Gavin Newson and Anthony Cooke are 25, Anjali and Padma Ramaswami are 24.

On a beautiful fall afternoon, Priya and Sanjay drive to Bridgeport for the wedding of their daughter Padma. Priya and Sanjay are happy about the wedding, although Priya wishes Anjali were getting married.

"Anjali and Anthony have been together a lot longer than Padma and Gavin," Priya points out.

"I know," says Sanjay, "but she says she's not interested in marriage."

over the river and through the woods

November 2040 - Priya and Sanjay Ramaswami are 51, Anthony Cooke and Gavin Newson are 23, Anjali and Padma Ramaswami are 22, Krishna Ramaswami is four months.

For Thanksgiving all of the Ramaswami's get together, the first time they've all been together since Anjali and Padma graduated from college. Between Anjali's medical career and Padma's busy life in Bridgeport juggling her acting career and motherhood, it isn't easy to get the girls in the same room.

eight days a week

August 2040 - Anthony Cooke is 23, Anjali Ramaswami is 22 (Benjamin Long is 49, Elizabeth Long is 43, Patrick Seiff is 27, Clara Long is 22).

Anjali and Anthony move into a beautiful new townhouse-style apartment. Initially they hadn't planned to live together; but when Paul took a new job in Bridgeport, Anthony and Anjali decided it didn't make sense for both of them to look for new places.

happy birthday to you

April 2040 - Caroline and Charlie Wilder are 38, Riley is 15, Laura is 11, Michael is 7, Andrew is 5, Rose is 18 months.

After having five children, Caroline is no longer scared of childbirth. But Riley is pretty freaked out when her mom goes into labor.

Lowell College: Spring 2040

Spring 2040 - Seniors: Clara Long, Anjali Ramaswami, Padma Ramaswami; Sophomore: Phoebe Centowski (Anthony Cooke is 22, Nate and Theo Centowski are 17).

As Padma's pregnancy progresses, Anjali is constantly trying to talk to Padma about her plans.

"I won't give birth until after graduation," Padma says. "I have several more months."

"But what are you going to do after graduation?" Anjali asks. "Are you going to move in with Gavin? Are you going to move back home?"

Lowell College: Fall 2039

Fall 2039 - Seniors: Clara Long, Anjali Ramaswami, Padma Ramaswami; Sophomore: Phoebe Centowski.

Anjali, Padma, and Clara are all very excited about starting their senior year.

Lowell College: Spring 2039

Spring 2039 - Seniors: Anthony Cooke, Paul Ottomas, Brittany Parker; Juniors: Clara Long, Anjali Ramaswami, Padma Ramaswami; Freshman: Phoebe Centowski.

The Lowell College campus is beautiful in the spring, and Brittany has been spending as much time outside as possible.

Lowell College: Fall 2038

Fall 2038 - Seniors: Anthony Cooke, Paul Ottomas, Brittany Parker; Juniors: Clara Long, Anjali Ramaswami, Padma Ramaswami; Freshman: Phoebe Centowski.

Phoebe Centowski is so excited to be in college. She moves into Cabot Hall, and right away she starts making friends.

Lowell College: Spring 2038

Spring 2038 - Juniors: Anthony Cooke, Paul Ottomas, Brittany Parker; Sophomores: Clara Long, Anjali Ramaswami, Padma Ramaswami.

Anjali has always been studious, but now that she's officially a physics major, she's studying even more.

Lowell College: Fall 2037

Fall 2037 - Juniors: Anthony Cooke, Paul Ottomas, Brittany Parker; Sophomores: Clara Long, Anjali Ramaswami, Padma Ramaswami.

Anthony and Anjali spend a lot of time studying together in the Goode Observatory. Anthony is a physics major, and Anjali is planning to declare physics in the spring.

Lowell College: Spring 2037

Spring Semester 2037 - Sophomores: Anthony Cooke, Paul Ottomas, Brittany Parker; Freshmen: Clara Long, Anjali Ramaswami, Padma Ramaswami.

After all of the drama last semester, Padma has been trying to avoid boy drama. Plus her course load is a little heavier this semester, so she and her sister have been spending a lot of time in the library.

Lowell College: Fall 2036

Fall Semester 2036 - Sophomores: Anthony Cooke, Paul Ottomas, Brittany Parker; Freshmen: Clara Long, Anjali Ramaswami, Padma Ramaswami.

"So are you worried about Anjali and Clara starting at Lowell this year?" asks Paul.

"No, why would I be worried?" replies Anthony.

"Wasn't there a lot of drama between the three of you?"

"That was over a year ago. Things are fine now."

Anthony is a serious kid. He's a lot more concerned about figuring out his logic ball than any potential drama.

seventeen

May 2035 - Julien and Melissa Cooke are 47, Anthony is 17, Adrien is 5, Clara Long and Anjali Ramaswami are 16.

Adrien is in kindergarten this year, and Anthony is a senior in high school. It's the last year before Anthony goes to college, and he's been trying to spend a lot of time with Adrien before he leaves.

life for rent

May 2033 - Jenny Johnson is 31, Meg Stanton is 9, Padma Ramaswami is 14, Ricky Cormier is 38.

Jenny and Robert separated over a year ago after she told him about her affair with Ricky Cormier, and she moved to a small apartment on Main Street. It's the same building where she and Robert lived when Meg was a baby.

The divorce is taking a long time. Divorce always takes a long time, especially when there are children involved. But Jenny isn't contesting anything or fighting for custody; she knows the girls will be better off staying in the house with Robert. She's the one who's walking out on their family.

Judy is a punk

August 2031 - Neil Cameron is 57, Viola Cameron is 40, Clara Long and Padma Ramaswami are 13, Alison Cameron and Georgia London are 6, Julien and Melissa Cooke are 44, Anthony Cooke is 14.

One morning, a few weeks before school starts, Clara decides to cut her hair. She's starting eighth grade this year, and she's had the same good girl haircut for as long as she can remember. It's definitely time for a change. She finds a picture in a magazine to guide her, and even though her hair doesn't turn out exactly like in the magazine, she's pretty happy with it.

teenager

May 2031 - Priya and Sanjay Ramaswami are 41; Anjali, Padma, and Clara Long are 12; Paul Ottomas is 13.

Padma Ramaswami definitely isn't a kid anymore. It seems like just yesterday she was a gawky little girl, but now she's definitely a teenager. She spends hours in the bathroom, practicing putting on makeup and admiring herself in the mirror.

Anjali, on the other hand, is just as nerdy as ever.

just a girl

February 2026 - Priya and Sanjay Ramaswami are 36, Anjali and Padma are 7, Anthony Cooke is 8, Clara Long is 7.

Anjali and Padma are best friends, but now that they're 7, their personalities are starting to diverge.