July 5th, 2018. Faerie and Aether’s first born, Matilda is one year old. Faerie’s outside, getting the yard ready for the small birthday party they’re throwing. She’s tossing some grass clippings into the compost when she sees the Couch Graveyard. She and Aether have destroyed three couches in the year they’ve been together. First during her Marking, and again during the births of their children.
Has it really been a year since she finally became a mother? For years she had hoped, very secretly to have a houseful of children like her mother and sisters (except for Mairead who has dogs). She still remembers the exalted moment when Earth placed a screaming, bloody Matilda in her arms. Her joy, her disbelief that she’d really created a life, her and Aether. She stares off into space, reminiscing dreamily.
Aether sneaks up on Faerie and pokes her sides. “boo! You look like you’re miles away!” He grabs all the party stuff he could get from the plastic bags he carries. “I think I wrecked their inventory.”