Lowell College: Fall 2043

Fall 2043 - Seniors: Nate Centowski, Theo Centowski, Opal Raymond; Juniors: Christian Andrews, Ellie Fairchild, Justin Kim, Meg Stanton, Aimee Wheeler; Sophomores: Isaiah Gavigan, George Smith, Tina Traveller, Riley Wilder, Curtis Wren; Freshmen: Georgia London, Harper Myers, Toby Wright.

When Gabriella Newson comes back to college in the fall, the diamond engagement ring is conspicuously absent from her hand. She and Cale couldn't make long distance work, and they broke up over the summer, just a year after he proposed.

summertime

July 2043 - Caroline and Charlie Wilder are 41, Riley is 18, Laura is 14, Michael is 10, Andrew is 8, Rose is 4, Lucy is 2.

The Wilders' second youngest child Rose is turning five in a few months. She's a bright, energetic girl, and she can't wait to start kindergarten in the fall.

Lowell College: Spring 2043

Spring 2043 - Juniors: Nate Centowski, Theo Centowski, Opal Raymond; Sophomores: Christian Andrews, Ellie Fairchild, Justin Kim, Meg Stanton, Aimee Wheeler; Freshmen: Isaiah Gavigan, George Smith, Tina Traveller, Riley Wilder, Curtis Wren.

There are a lot of relationship changes this semester. Curtis Wren and Ellie Fairchild are dating, although both of them insist it's not serious.

Lowell College: Fall 2042

Fall 2042 - Juniors: Nate Centowski, Theo Centowski, Opal Raymond; Sophomores: Christian Andrews, Ellie Fairchild, Justin Kim, Meg Stanton, Aimee Wheeler; Freshmen: Isaiah Gavigan, George Smith, Tina Traveller, Riley Wilder, Curtis Wren.

Lowell College finished construction on the townhouses this summer, and Nate, Theo, and Opal are some of their first residents. They share a three bedroom unit laid out on two floors; Opal and Theo share a room, and they use the empty room which would have been Matt's as a study. Nate has the downstairs bedroom and his own bathroom.

here comes the sun

July 2042 - Cyd Roseland is 39, Christa Roseland is 37, Charlie is 10, Connor is 5, Carrie is 2 (Michael Wilder is 10, Andrew Wilder is 8).

(Technically these are the ages as of August 2042, but I wanted to age up Connor and Carrie before I wrote the update.)

The Roseland family has lived in the same little farmhouse since Cyd and Christa got married, but with three kids the farmhouse can barely fit the family. Carrie's crib is in a corner of the living room, and Charlie and Connor share a tiny bedroom barely big enough for two beds.

summer days

June 2041 - Caroline and Charlie Wilder are 39, Riley is 16, Laura is 12, Michael is 8, Andrew is 6, Rose is 2, Lucy is 14 months.

"So what's going on with you and Curtis?" Laura asks.

"Nothing. I mean, we're just friends."

"He's been coming over a lot," Laura says. "I haven't seen George around here lately."

"He's just been busy. George is my boyfriend."

"Just because he's your boyfriend now doesn't mean he always will be."

total eclipse of the heart

May 2041 - Ellie Fairchild, Meg Stanton, Justin Kim, Christian Andrews and Aimee Wheeler are 17; Isaiah Gavigan, George Smith, and Riley Wilder are 16 (Sandy Fairchild is 56).

It's been more than a month since Meg and Matt Ottomas broke up, and Ellie is pretty tired of consoling her heartbroken best friend.

"You just need to meet a new guy," she says.

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.

wide open spaces

May 2039 - Caroline and Charlie Wilder are 37, Riley and George Smith are 14, Laura is 10, Michael is 6, Andrew is 4, Rose is six months.

Since the birth of their daughter Rose, the Wilder farmhouse is overflowing with kids. Baby Rose doesn't even have a bedroom; Charlie set up her crib at the end of the upstairs hallway, right outside her parents' room.

happy birthday to you

August 2038 - Andrew and Emma Larrea are 25 (Samantha Ottomas are 55).

Andrew and Emma are expecting their first child, conceived while they were on their honeymoon.

family affair

February 2038 - Anne and James Smith are 37, George is 13, John and Tom are 9, Jamie is 6, Alex is 4 (Justin Kim and Meg Stanton are 14, Riley Wilder is 13).

Alex loves playing with his big brothers and sister, and with four older siblings, there's always someone to play with.

down on the farm

February 2035 - Caroline and Charlie Wilder are 33, Riley is 10, Laura is 6, Michael is 2, Andrew is twelve months.

Winter is a quiet time on the farm. The last of the crops were harvested months ago, and the apple trees are dormant. The only farm chore is taking care of the compost bin so they'll have plenty of fertilizer in the spring.

the old apartment

November 2032 - Sheila Lillard and Tommy Ottomas are 22, Caroline Wilder is 31.

Tommy and Sheila graduated from Lowell College last summer, and now they're living together in an apartment in Providence. Sheila is a robotics engineer at iRobot, and Tommy teaches at Providence School.

forever young

August 2028 - Anne and James Smith are 28, Caroline Wilder is 27, George Smith and Riley Wilder are 4, Laura Wilder is 3 months, John and Tom Smith are 1 month.

The Smiths and the Wilders have been friends for almost ten years, and now that they have kids the same age, they try to get together regularly for playdates. This is their first playdate since the birth of Laura in May and the twins John and Tom in August. The babies are too young to know what's going on, but it gives their parents an excuse to hang out.

where the green grass grows

August 2027 - Charlie and Caroline Wilder are 26, Riley is 3.

Caroline is using the last month of summer vacation to get the orchard and garden into pristine condition. Once school starts, she won't have nearly as much time to tend to the plants, and she wants them to keep doing well.

cowboy take me away

August 2024 - Caroline and Charlie Wilder are 23, Riley is 2 months.

At 23 Caroline is a lot more grown up than she had expected. But she was never a party girl or a career woman. She has friends, she got good grades in school, she loves her job as a teacher, but the most important thing has always been her family. She left her family far away in Minnesota when she left for college, but now she's made her own - her husband and her baby daughter, who she gave her maiden name, Riley.

what a good boy

May 2024 - John and Anne Smith are 23, Caroline Wilder is 22.

After almost two years of marriage, Anne loves having a grown up life. She's an associate professor of literature at Lowell College, although right now she's on maternity leave since she's eight and a half months pregnant.

Being alone in the house all day is starting to make her go stir crazy, so she invites her friend Caroline Wilder over. Caroline and her husband Charlie are also expecting their first child; she's due just a month after Anne.

"It's kind of exciting," Caroline says, "growing a person inside of you. Charlie is totally fascinated."

"Yeah," Anne replies, "but I can't wait for this kid to be born. I'm so huge."