#wendy has being the character who I wanted to be like as a child privileges and also she literally deserved an episode

[eldragon-x]

well anyway

[maximumwobblerbanditdonut]

Translation:

Sam Heughan: "A romantic comedy set in Madrid would be very passionate"

We went up to one of the most representative domes of the Madrid 'skyline' with the Scottish actor to talk about superpowers, time travel, Madrid and the characters in his life, such as Jamie Fraser from “Outlander” or the journalist from “ Love Again”, the romantic comedy that opens in theaters on May 12.

By Ana Pérez and Photography: Alfonso Ohnur / Styling: Jesús Cicero

04/19/2023

"A coffee and in five minutes we are ready. He's in a very good mood, by the way,” says Wendy, a cheerful and charming middle-aged Scottish woman who is featured as the hair and makeup manager in today's session, although we soon discover that she is much more than that. She belongs to the actor's circle of trust, so she goes down in advance to see that everything is in order. The Esquire team is already prepared in the spectacular 300 m 2 suite that the Four Seasons in Madrid has given us for the occasion. There are nerves, because it's not every day that you have a star like Sam Heughan on your hands(Galloway, Scotland, 1980) and everything has to go perfectly. While he goes down, the team from Sony Pictures and Movistar Plus+, the producer and distributor in Spain of Outlander , respectively (the series that has catapulted him to fame), review the outfits so that, once we start, everything goes smoothly.

Fendi trench coat, and Pedro del Hierro shirt and pants.

Finally Sam arrives at the suite. He is serious, but so charming that the nerves dissipate. Everything happens with astonishing agility under the watchful eye of Wendy, who reviews each shot with efficiency and alternates her suggestions (all of the most sound, really) with her enthusiasm for the work we're doing. There is nothing that this herculean Scotsman of almost two meters in height does not defend with solvency. He doesn't care about a modern Prada trench coat with green squares or an impeccable summer suit from Emporio Armani. Once the photo session was over we went to the suitepresidential, overlooking Calle Alcalá, where the interview will take place. “On my next trip I want to stay here!” She says, joking for the first time, as she crosses the threshold. We settle into some seats, facing each other, and I have to confess that when Sam Heughan gives you all his attention, he's intimidating. I perceive an obvious barrier of shyness, so I try to break through it and reach him through his characters.

Tell me, Sam, what is the first memory you have of being on stage?

I went to a very creative school, where the arts, music, theater were very encouraged... My first role was Bill Sikes, the drunken villain in Oliver Twist , in a school play. He hadn't acted before and he wasn't very good, but I vividly remember having a lot of fun on stage. Later, my first professional role was Romeo, in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet , already at acting school.

You became known to the general public with the Batman from the musical Batman Live . What was your favorite superhero as a child?

Batman , without a doubt, a very dark character who lost his parents very young. He dresses up as a bat, but in reality he is not a real superhero. He's just an ordinary human being, who has had privileged access to a lot of technology. And yet I think it's very interesting.

"Teleportation would make my life easier, because I would no longer have to travel continuously."

And if you could choose to have one superpower that you could use in real life, what would it be?

Perhaps teleportation, so he can travel wherever he wants. It would make my life easier, because I would no longer have to travel all the time. It would allow me to be anywhere in the world in a moment.

After Batman, Outlander and Jamie Fraser come into your life. What has this character meant to you?

Jamie has changed my life. Since I started playing it eight years ago, everything has completely changed. Until then, I was a normal actor; you know, towards theater, television... But Jamie really changed my world, he's given me a lot of opportunities, I've been able to create my own projects, write, produce... He's an incredible character that I've been growing up with, living with many experiences, I have grown old with him... It has been an incredible challenge to play him.

Sam is wearing Giorgio Armani total look . ALFONSO OHNURESQUIRE

And what do you think is, in your opinion, the secret of the success of this series?

I think the incredible relationship that Jamie and Claire have, without a doubt; their romance, which never dies despite all the obstacles that come their way. No matter what, their love endures and I think that everyone would like to have a relationship like this. But this is to the credit of Diana Gabaldón [the American author of the saga of novels on which she is based]. She created these characters, who people love and season after season are waiting to see what will happen to them.

“Jamie has changed my life. Since I started interpreting him, everything has changed completely ”

In the seventh season, which premieres in Spain on June 17 on Movistar Plus+, will Jamie be alive from start to finish?

We are studying it... [laughs]. Yes, this story has to last even longer [recently it has been confirmed that the eighth will be the last season of the series]. Diana has written a tenth book, so we still have a long way to go.

If you could travel in time , as Claire's character, your wife, does in the series, what era would you travel to?

Wow, so I would love to go to Ancient Egypt, to Rome, and maybe I would also like to travel to the future to see what will happen in a hundred years.

Sam Heughan, in the dome of the Four Seasons hotel in Madrid with a total look by Zegna.

Although Heughan has often stated that it doesn't have much to do with his character in Outlander , what he does have in common with him is his Scottish origin, something he wears with pride, to the point of becoming its ambassador worldwide. In fact, in parallel to this series, he stars in another, Men in Kilts (its second season will also be available on Movistar Plus+ in the coming months), in which he tours Scotland accompanied by Graham McTavish (Dougal MacKenzie, in the series), to divulge the secrets of their culture and customs. And he also makes his own whisky, which he has named Sassenach, after the Gaelic word for non-Gaelics and Jamie for his fictional partner.

Outlander has been very successful in Spain. What do we Spaniards and Scots have in common?

I think the energy and passion in Spain is incredible, similar to ours. Scots and Spaniards have many things in common: we are very warm, friendly, passionate about sports and we also like to party. We are very similar.

The first thing you premiere now is the romantic comedy Love Again (Sony Pictures) , on May 12, in which you share the bill with Priyanka Chopra and Celine Dion herself . What can you tell us?

The film revolves around a great romance, although underlying it there is also a tragedy: the protagonist loses her fiancé and writes text messages to his old mobile number, which my character has, a journalist named Rob Burns who falls in love her. It is tragic, but also very beautiful. It's a very sweet film, with the presence of Celine Dion, an authority on romance [laughs]. I think people are going to have a lot of fun watching it.

Sam Heughan and Priyanka Chopra in a scene from Love Again. LIAM DANIEL SONY PICTURES

[Notice to fans: Watch out for Heughan singing Celine Dion's It's All Coming Back to Me Now while taking a shower.]

In the case of the characters in the film, technology is crucial to finding each other. What do you think about using technology to find love?

I think technology helps us communicate and allows us to connect people who might not otherwise be able to, like the two characters in the movie. Dating apps and social media allow for more interaction, but maybe sometimes we rely too much on technology and hide behind it. I think an in-person connection is always better.

Perhaps Madrid could be the setting for your next romantic comedy... Where would it take place?

I love Madrid, it's great, romantic and full of energy. A romantic comedy set in Madrid would be very passionate. Perhaps in the Royal Palace, with a prince who meets a girl in the El Retiro park, but finds out that she is actually a professional soccer player. They see a game at the stadium and end with dinner and dancing in the San Miguel market.

Prada trench coat and Paul Smith pants. ALFONSO OHNURESQUIRE

In addition to work, you lead a project, My Peak Challenge, with which you collaborate in various solidarity initiatives. What is it about?

It is an online fitness program . The peakers , which is what the members are called, pay a fee for daily training, adapted to each one. They include yoga, mindfulness , nutrition program... In addition to the fee, 15% is contributed to charitable causes. It is about working for your health, for yourself, and at the same time helping others.

And what is the peak or challenge that has been the hardest for you to reach in your life?

Perhaps the large number of projects I have on my hands. Finding time to dedicate to all of them, but I am very lucky to be able to get them going.

After this interview, Waypoints came into my hands. My Scottish Journey (recently published in Spain by Principal de los libros), a kind of memoir in which Heughan alternates reflections on his life, parallel to a trip along a complicated hiking route, the West Highland Way, in the homeland of he. Among other things, he tells that he grew up without a father (he abandoned him at 18 months) and gives some clues that explain the man behind the actor. In fact, he is perfectly summed up in this fragment: “According to my mother, he was a little adventurer, although he could also be quite sensitive. When left to my own devices he could lead any attack, but in company he preferred not to be the center of attention. He wasn't shy: I just felt more comfortable watching from the rear."

Photography assistants: Dani García and Elisa María Lozano · Styling assistant: Aline Patiño · Makeup and hairdressing: Wendy Kemp Forbes · Tailor: Maribel Madrid · Photography editor: Carolina Álvarez · Production: Marta Sánchez · Acknowledgments: Hotel Four Seasons Madrid.

*This report appears in the May 2023 issue of Esquire magazine, on sale since April 21.

Now it is understood why Wendy Kemp Forbes was part of SH's speech in Madrid last year. His improvised speech was not for social reasons. His interest in women's participation was very doubtful. The credibility of his speech was put aside by his opportunism 🤨

[thealexchen]

i’ve actually read both of the articles that you mentioned earlier! I could see where both of them were coming from at varying points, though shannon liao’s struck me as a tad harsh, as someone who felt very seen by Alex, particularly with regard to her asian-american identity, and the cultural details and familial attitudes you see displayed throughout the game (especially in episode 5.) I could see why others would like them to be more overt, but they’re still present & relevant as is, imo.

I'm happy you read and enjoyed them! Well, since we’re on the subject, I might as well give my fuller thoughts about all this. This answer got horrendously long, so I'm putting it under a read more. I really wanted to talk about this more fully, so thank you for sending this ask!

I definitely see Robert's point in his article. Alex didn’t need to be Asian for the story of True Colors to be told, but it’s still meaningful that she is so that Asian fans and fans of color can look up to her and feel represented. The Chens buck a lot of stereotypes too: Mrs. Chen was not a “tiger mom” and her kids and husband remember her fondly. Mr. Chen doesn’t push Alex and Gabe to excel in school, and in fact neither Alex nor Gabe went to college, but they still had happy futures. Alex isn’t the best friend or the Asian schoolgirl or the dragon lady or the Asian nerd. But at the same time, when Robert says "Alex never really talks about her thoughts on Chinese culture,” that’s like— well, what’s wrong with talking about it? Why not talk about it more explicitly? The words “Asian” and “Chinese” and “Vietnamese” aren’t even used in the game when "gay" and "lesbian" were, and that's a little disappointing.

I figured people would figure out Alex was at least Chinese because of her last name, but I saw some streamers unsure of what Alex’s ethnicity even was (“Alex is… Chinese, right?”). That was disappointing because Asians tend to be treated as a monolith when we’re so internally diverse. Also, it’s completely possible to miss that Alex and Gabe are also half-Vietnamese. Their mother’s name is Giang “Wendy” Chen, a Vietnamese name, but that’s only in the credits. There’s far less Vietnamese (and Southeast Asian) rep than Chinese, so I wish that had been made more explicit.

In Life is Strange 2, Sean and Daniel’s struggles (personal and institutional) were centered around their identity as half-Mexican boys. True Colors almost seemed to be going in the opposite direction in that Alex’s Asian heritage never really becomes plot-relevant, but Alex and Gabe’s background comes into focus in the last chapter.

Part of Shannon’s critique was that because Alex’s parents aren’t in the picture, the game can’t explore Asian culture through a familial lens. There is some truth to that: for children of immigrants in particular, their parents are their strongest (and sometimes only) link to their race and culture. I thought a big missed opportunity was exploring Alex’s possible sense of isolation and struggle to reconnect with her Asian heritage after being separated from her family.

After growing up with two Asian parents, eating Asian food, celebrating Asian holidays, likely speaking Asian languages, etc. it would have likely been disorienting and lonely for Alex to suddenly be raised by non-Asian foster parents and lose all those traditions all at once. Possible comments like “I really miss Mom’s pho” or “Do you know how difficult it is to find hoisin sauce in the stores around here?” could have inferred more at that specific kind of loss and isolation in Haven Springs. The game touches upon this very briefly when you look at Gabe’s shrine, and Alex does comment “I don’t even know if I’m doing this right… but I felt like I had to do something.” In this way, I find it especially poignant that she still held onto cultural traditions after so long.

But I still thought Shannon’s critique was overly harsh. The little details really do add up, like in Alex’s childhood home, and meant a lot to me too. And most importantly, there was representation behind the scenes too: Alex was voiced by two(!) Asian American women and the lead writer, Felice Kuan, is Chinese. I think Alex naming her mouse Shu-shu was my favorite detail. Because it’s the one detail you can’t miss. Every streamer remembers Shu-Shu’s name and loves how cute she is and they can probably infer it’s a Chinese term. It just is so visible and empowering in that way and my heart felt warm every time I heard someone say “Aw! Shu-shu!"

But that doesn't mean Alex's Asian heritage didn't matter at all. I really appreciated that Alex's backstory still mattered because she came from a poor, working-class immigrant family. Her life circumstances were used for drama, but none of Alex's suffering was racially motivated and that felt tastefully done. I’m gonna paraphrase a comment I saw on alliebeemac’s playthrough of episode 5: "It's no coincidence that both Alex and Ryan lost their mothers at a young age, but because Ryan's father was a military veteran and had a high-paying job as a Typhon foreman, he got to keep his childhood whereas Alex's entire world was torn apart... And if you want to look at it even more metaphorically, the white patriarch Jed was able to preserve his own image as a hero and 'good old boy' of Haven by literally sacrificing an immigrant family to the mines with the expectation that nobody would come looking for them. Whether you're an immigrant or whether you're a foster child, the system is saying 'we don't care about you.'"

And at the end, Alex tells Jed, "You want to look away and pretend the men you hurt weren't people. But I won't let you.” It's a deliberate stand against Jed (a white man)’s dehumanization of poor laborers, including her Chinese immigrant father. Jed isn't explicitly portrayed as a racist, but his actions come from a privileged, and subsequently racist and classist place. For me, it worked better than LiS2's portrayal of racism because it was subtler and more personal. Alex stands up against Jed out of a personal sense of justice for her brother (and her father).

Do I wish we had more? Yeah, absolutely. I wish Alex got to actually speak Mandarin or Vietnamese in the game because that's so rare in games, even though I knew that would be unrealistic because Erika Mori is Japanese. I wish the character artists had at least made a version of Alex and Gabe’s models without shoes, because it just didn’t look right to see them wear shoes in the house (especially in bed??) and even LiS2 had Sean and Daniel in their socks in some scenes. I wish Alex and Gabe talked more about their family while Gabe was still alive and Alex could have had that comfort of someone who misses the food and customs they used to celebrate. But like I said, one piece of media isn’t gonna please everyone. And Asian representation in particular is so tricky because not only is there not enough of it, but Asian Americans are so diverse and come from so many different backgrounds. Children of immigrants are going to feel more connected to their Asian heritage than third or fourth gen kids or mixed race kids for example. Everyone is going to have a different definition of “Asian culture” and “accurate representation.”

But on a meta-level, it really means so much to simply have an Asian face on the box of a major Western game ❤️ Like even just seeing the way Alex's eyes crinkle when she smiles or how other characters find her attractive (like Steph’s note during the LARP preferring Alex’s natural black hair), it feels so affirming. It’s incredible to see an Asian girl be called the hero of her own story, to see her succeed and fail and cry and laugh and fall in love and kiss another woman and be comfortable in her bisexuality. It acknowledges that the queer community includes Asians, that Asian girls can also be curvy, that Asian girls can and do struggle with mental health. And like Erika Mori said, Alex is a fully-realized character and that’s what makes her so compelling, first and foremost. She also has a strong moral compass and dreams and fears and is such an incredible role model for people of all backgrounds, and that’s what makes her identity as a queer woman of color so much more meaningful.

[wallyaxiom]

𝚆𝙰𝙻𝚃𝙼𝙴𝙼𝙴: 𝙵𝙰𝚅𝙾𝚁𝙸𝚃𝙴 𝙲𝙷𝙰𝚁𝙰𝙲𝚃𝙴𝚁 𝚂𝙾𝙼𝙴𝙾𝙽𝙴 𝙴𝙻𝚂𝙴 𝙿𝙻𝙰𝚈𝚂

hey besties it’s me coming to do the waltmeme thing. I couldn’t just pick one character to call my favorite. it also felt unfair to do that as well when there’s so many amazing characters here. so grab a snack, put on your favorite tangled song in my honor and buckle up as i go through the list of my fave characters here at walt each person plays. present gen only. sorry to my next gen faves. maybe one day i’ll write a list for you. or not. i’ll keep you on your toes. 

𝕔𝕒𝕤𝕤𝕒𝕟𝕕𝕣𝕒 𝕛𝕒𝕘𝕖𝕣

cassandra is a character i love so much. tangled is a movie that means everything to me. kiara is the person who understands my tangled feels. the way you play cassandra...like how you said i have a grasp on reagan, you have such a perfect grasp on who cassandra is as a character. her voice is so clear. you understand who the character is and have transformed her into something more than what was given in the bio i wrote and also in the show that’s used for inspo. she’s a spectacular character and i love her so much. it’s an honor to be one half of elssandra but also cassunzel. she’s such an amazing character. you should be so proud of what you’ve brought to life, kiara.

𝕝𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕟𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕞𝕔𝕢𝕦𝕖𝕖𝕟

listen i told you every day how much i love monty. i literally scream it to you in your living room sometimes. i’ve seen every iteration of monty but i think this one is my favorite. i didn’t even know lightning’s real name was montgomery that was all you. so much of yourself is in monty. it reminds me of myself with wally and i think that’s the biggest reason why i love monty is because he’s bits and pieces of you and i love you very much. as much as i love cocky era lightning i love dad lightning even more. i wish i had a dad like him i’m not gonna lie but we’re not gonna unpack that on the man lmfao. i’m glad i’m more enveloped in his story now because he’s such a good character dude. like such a good written and played character. he’s second in my heart to sulley but is inching closer to number one by the day. 

𝕗𝕣𝕒𝕟𝕔𝕖𝕤𝕔𝕠 𝕓𝕖𝕣𝕟𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕝𝕚

fran !!! my bestie !!! my fave !!! i would die for them !!! like bee, i love talking to you about fran and all the tomfoolery they get into. you’ve played them for so long and each time you transform them into something better than the last. they age like a fine wine. in the past almost two years i’ve been able to be part of their story more & i’m so happy for that opportunity. you’ve put so much love, care and devotion into fran. you’ve added so much to their story. like they’re so fleshed out, how does your beautiful brain come up with all this backstory ??? lemme know i need some of those brain cells. they’re amazing. you’re amazing. i want fran to buy me and island and make me pasta but i’ll just them do that for caspian the favorite child. 

𝕠𝕣𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕓𝕒𝕣𝕥𝕙𝕠𝕝𝕠𝕞𝕖𝕨

hands down i had to put orion my future father in law. i’ve had the honor of watching you develop orion into something incredible over these past six years. ( holy cow !!! six ??? insane. ily ). he was a big bad, misunderstood boy and you’ve humanized orion. you’ve brought life into him and created such a beautifully crafted character. he has a heart now. perhaps a tiny one but it’s there. the backstory you’ve created for him and the future he has - all stunning and wonderful. i love this man. he deserves so much after the shit he’s been through. i’ve had the privilege of being in his orbit for a bit when i played logan. I still get to watch him and enjoy the light chaos he brings. i’m ready for the new era of casino owner orion and what trouble he’ll bring now. 

𝕤𝕙𝕒𝕘𝕘𝕪 𝕣𝕠𝕘𝕖𝕣𝕤

the boy !!! the legend !!! i love shaggy so much. first of all, the future you planned for him. how dare you ?? do you like to see me cry ?? is that it ??? i’m glad he hit his happy arc now because WOW. pain. shaggy is just a nice guy, man. he’s so nice to everyone he meets. i want to be friends with shaggy and scoob. i love mystery inc. i can’t imagine anyone else playing shaggy but you. to me, you are him. he’s the heart of the group. it’s not mystery inc without him. therefore, you’re the heart also. it’s not the same without you. 

𝕤𝕒𝕕𝕚𝕖 𝕥𝕖𝕒𝕘𝕦𝕖

i could easily write an essay about how i love all your characters and how you play them all so well but i had to give this spot to sadie. the teagues are my og loves. every time i see sadie the part of my brain where logan resides lights up. she’s such a good character. she’s a little devil and it’s exactly what we need. we need someone to stir up the pot and throw eggs at kids. sadie is a product of her environment. she’s so tough and had to be so young. no one her age should have to grow up so fast the way she did. i would like to wrap sadie in a blanket give her some coco with bat marshmallows and tell her to take a break. hug her. maybe give her some therapy to. i love her. you’ve brought her to life in such an amazing way. i hope her brothers join her soon so we can have that sibling goodness. 

𝕟𝕒𝕝𝕒 𝕠𝕞𝕚𝕥𝕒

i was tempted to put ian here because ian lightfoot is joel and we already know how much i love al and wendy but i decided to show the og love so i put nala. from the get go you knew who nala was going to be and where you wanted to go with her. you always bring so much to your characters. you develop them in ways that amazes me each time. go bestie go you’re so talented. i love how devoted she. how fierce she is but also the vulnerability you bring to her. she was thrown into a world at a young age fighting a war she wasn’t meant to and THAT’S a lot on someone. and we see that. i love the way you play her and i’m so happy you decided to take her up. sorry you have to deal with simba tho. pour one out. 

��𝕖𝕠𝕣𝕘𝕖𝕥𝕥𝕖 𝕗𝕠𝕩𝕨𝕠𝕣𝕥𝕙

everyone and their grandmother knows the oliver and co cast means everything to me. i’m so glad that you decided to join them ! you’re a wonderful addition. i love miss george. she’s fabulous in every sense of the word. sharpay evans is shaking in her lil boots. i just love divas. i love them. i am one. she’s perfect. and we know that’s not easy for her. i know your beautiful mind works wonders so i know there’s a lot of growing that georgette will be going through in the future and i’m excited for it. prayer circle for a jenny and oliver. 

𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕔𝕜𝕖𝕣𝕪 𝕓𝕚𝕟𝕩

when you auditioned for thackery you already had an idea of where you wanted to take him and how you wanted to add to his character while staying true to the bio. that is the kind of stuff i like to see. this man has seen some shit and also has been through some shit. i do hope one day his soul can be at ease. he needs a long cat nap. you care a lot for thackery and it’s lovely to see. he may be a hamilton hoe but we have to respect the drip & love him for it anyways. 

𝕥𝕚𝕞𝕠𝕥𝕙𝕪 𝕝𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕪𝕖𝕒𝕣

timmy boy deserves a hug. a hug and a nice space movie to take the edge off. you always put so much of your heart and yourself into your characters. you care so much for them and that’s evident in buzz. he’s goofy, he’s cool and he’s just so wonderful. i’m excited to see where buzz will go from here and how he’ll develop over time. i’m hoping some happiness. maybe some resolution with woodrow just to spice things up. that metal arm is still cool too. 

𝕕𝕒𝕡𝕙𝕟𝕖 𝕓𝕝𝕒𝕜𝕖

hey bestie !!! wow !!! daphne ??? gives me so much pain. I am so glad to be going on this angst journey of mystery inc and fred/daph with you. your love for her and the gang makes my heart so happy. i will happily spend hours talking about them and sending tiktoks to each other that remind us of them. you went beyond the assignment. you were just born to play daphne. you write her so well and understand her past the bio, past the inspirations of the live actions and mystery inc. you get her. you see her. she’s in good hands. i’m ready for all the pain she’s about to cause me. 

𝕡𝕖𝕟𝕖𝕝𝕠𝕡𝕖 𝕙𝕒𝕚𝕟𝕝𝕚𝕟𝕖

i love penelope. i really do. i am penelope’s number one stan. it was discussed before but it’s so easy to play miss piggy as unlikeable since she is such a brash character but you bring so much light and love to penny. it’s hard not to be in love with her and want her to succeed in everything she does. she’s the miss piggy we all grew up with but she’s also special because you’ve added your own personal touches to her. she’s an amazing character. i would punch anyone who’s wronged penelope. i’m excited for the layers to start peeling back and we see more of penny - especially her badass ways. i just love the way you play her and i love penelope hainline okay. i lovoe divas as stated above what can i say. 

𝕒𝕦𝕣𝕠𝕣𝕒 𝕔𝕒𝕡𝕦𝕝𝕖𝕥

ANNIE !!!! WOW AURORA ??? genuinely she is the love of my life. I love her so, so much. she’s so sweet and wonderful and deserve to be tucked in ??? read a bed time story ??? and not be cursed ??? why’d i do that. she deserves the world and so do you. in the short amount of time you’ve had her you’ve added so much depth to her story. which is not always easy the first few months you have a character but you’ve put in a lot of love into aurora already. you understood the assignment and & went beyond.  i’m so excited to see where she goes on her journey and what will happen when he hopefully get a maleficent one day. also is it an aurora shoutout without me saying philip loves her ??? bc he does. 

[furyfought]

abernathy is a small town, surely you’ve met AGATHA KLEIN ; they can be a little IRREVERENT & OPPORTUNISTIC but have no fear , the TWENTY SEVEN year old definitely makes up for it by being IMPISH & SENSITIVE . most of the time anyway .  they’re usually seen around KLEIN & ASSOCIATES, LLC , as a CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY . you know, i hear they’re affiliated with the local mc, iron kings as an ATTORNEY . they’ve got this vibe of A HEART GROWN RAVENOUS, A CYANIDE CENTER ENCAPSULATED BY SACCHARINE FRUIT, AND A SOUL IN THE FORM OF A SCRIBBLE WITH FANGS going on , makes them easily recognizable.

loosely inspired by jennifer check (jennifer's body), wendy byrde (ozark), ginger fitzgerald (ginger snaps), elizabeth sloane (miss sloane), john silver (black sails), & BBHMM.

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hey, friends. i’m devin (or dev) & very tickled to be here. agatha’s a combination of two of my favorite muses, and i can only hope that you’ll love her as much as i do. 🤎

"𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄, 𝐈 𝐀𝐌 𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐒𝐒. 𝐍𝐎. 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐒𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐓."

agatha’s story isn’t one that she likes to tell anymore. she feels it’s useless: to be defined by the actions of others, to attempt to battle the preconceived notions that run rampant regardless of what one says or does. she doesn’t want to beg for understanding anymore, or to claw her way from beneath the filth she’s made of her life. all that most know is all that she can bear to have known. the rest? it’s confetti; a meager concession in a game of chess. if you know her, is that a fact or a weapon to be used against her?

when it comes to the stories that can be told, however.. perhaps the most important is background. agatha’s an abernathy native: raised in grandiose park, flew the coop for college, only to settle back down in bordeaux apartments. klein & associates, llc. has been in her family for generations, each forefather serving increasingly questionable clients. agatha’s life, like that of many kleins before her, was already planned before she’d ever even been a thought in her parents’ minds. under her mother’s rule, there wasn’t any room for straying from that path. agatha would be smart; she would be clean; and she would be, without fail, someone. in other words, she would be her perfect replica. imagine the disappointment when agatha was anything but. 

agatha’s childhood can be summed up by three things: a door slammed shut in her face, an ear-piercing howl, and the chronic longing to go home — wherever that was. it’s another thing she doesn’t talk about, another thing she tries not to think about. those three things have followed her into adulthood, but they’ve taken different forms now. no longer is agatha a child screaming her throat raw — no; now, she cries out in other more productive ways. if you were to ask her, she’d tell you that she’s a woman grown; the past is behind her, buried in the sand where it belongs. the truth is trickier, less absolute. agatha is a child in the form of a woman; forever in the midst of a metamorphosis, unsure if for better or worse. she lacks foresight & lives largely in the now. she can’t imagine a future for herself and her choices in life reflect that.

agatha succeeds because she’s pretty, powerful, and convincing. wherever she falls short, her father is sure to more than make up for it. it’s amazing what people will do for the right price, and when they want to keep certain secrets from ever seeing the light. nepotism & immense privilege have done wonders for her, but she does.. actually work hard, too. she has an incredible memory & is really good at digging for more information & making her case. if she tells you that she’s going to do something, then she’s going to do it right no matter what. she’s dogged in that way, blinded to the outside world by her stubbornness. she works long hours & values her career above all else. she thinks it’s the only sure thing she has & views it as the one stable, secure thing in her life.

agatha is lonely to the point of defect. she lacks a sense of security in her life, which is why she’s so career-focused. she genuinely thinks that the only person ever looking out for her is her dad. she becomes very predictable once you realize that she will always pick the winning team; that she will forever follow the money; and that she is always going to make the decision that most benefits her. that isn’t to say that she doesn’t have any friends omg, but.. she doesn’t really trust easily. if she trusts you and considers you near and dear to her heart, then she’ll choose you. but until she has that reassurance? you’re on your own, bro. 

but like.. you literally would not know that unless you got burned by her. agatha is really good at listening and really good at playing parts for people. the thing with having no story is that she’s free to create her own. if you need a hero, she can be that. if you need a villain, she can definitely be that. she’s eerily good at getting chummy enough to make people think she’s close, only for them to realize.. they don’t actually know anything real about her? fun stuff. 

i think.. her entire life is a vie for power while also wanting to let go of that desire while also being afraid of what might happen if she were to let go of that desire. she’s not tht bad. she can play decent, be a guy’s guy. and she does come off tht way. it’s jus.. underneath there’s tht like .. tht rot tht she can’t scrub away. n it rears its ugly little head smtimes. but. :^) she can be cool n shoot the shit u kno.. heheh.

anyway.. lighter stuff<3 puts the gaslight and gatekeep in girlboss. talks just like her daddy, except for when she’s in the courtroom. egocentric without ever meaning to be. (spoiler: it’s a smoke screen.) she can, must, and will find a way to twist your words into something she can make sense of. believes in mixed drink supremacy. will absolutely smoke all of your weed + play dumb about hogging the blunt. plays dumb a lot actually, until it’s time to be smart. she’s touchy-feely, but freezes up whenever someone touches her. stares — a lot. can’t ever be the person to pick you up after a rough night out, because she’s likely there with you egging you on to do one more shot. every event is a tits out event / she has to be the most overdressed person in the convenience store at all times. can, must, and will be your unsolicited sugar momma. YOU SPIL-DBFDHFDJHBF LIPSTICK IN MY VALENTINO WHITE BAG? energy. thinks everything is a competition because it is. if she loved you once then she loves you forever. thinks going 20 over the speed limit isn’t speeding, actually. a bit of an emotional anarchist. can’t actually take what she’ll dish out. teases u if she likes u. teases u if she doesn’t like u. doesn’t care abt the feud as long as she’s gettin’ tht shmoney. big fan of an emotional sucker punch. 

"𝐌𝐘 𝐖𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐒𝐄𝐄𝐌𝐒 𝐋𝐈𝐊𝐄 𝐈𝐓𝐒 𝐎𝐖𝐍 𝐀𝐍𝐈𝐌𝐀𝐋, 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐈 𝐀𝐌 𝐀𝐋𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐘 𝐀𝐍 𝐀𝐍𝐈𝐌𝐀𝐋."  + below are some ideas open to any & all muses no matter the age, gender, affiliation, etc !

i’ve left how she got involved with the mc totally absent from this intro bc i was hoping to plot it out! i’d love it if someone wanted to be her “in”. could be they were a childhood friend in need of help, a client she got close to, jus smth tht happened by chance.. whtever we come up with works! <3

if anyone needs an evil ex gf .. She’s Here. she will lie, cheat, scam, trash yr car, empty yr bank account.. whtvr you need, baybee<3

conversely.. not-so-evil ex gf? agatha can be nice & caring without there being a catch sometimes. maybe they still talk. maybe they’re friends. u tell me.

fwb / ex fwb? she do be sending them ‘u up?’ texts. 

someone tht agatha only got close to bc she wanted them to testify/be a character witness in court oopz<3

omg actual friends pls.. ppl tht Know her. tht See her. ppl tht she cares abt n would actually do anything for. friends!!!!!!!!!!!!

agatha has “get off my lawn” energy so i think it would be very funnie if someone needed a place to crash n she let them stay at hers thinking it was temporary n then they jus.. did not leave. n she’s like 🤨 hello?

an almost smth? anything weird n awkward n unspoken tht maybe fizzled out or maybe still lingers under the surface?

agatha doesn’t have a budding drinking problem but if she does no she doesn’t but if she does then<3 drinking buddy? someone that she’s gotten into questionable shenanigans with? poor bartender tht has to deal w her trying to “help” them as she waits for her uber to come? the possibilities are endless.

agatha’s all bark n very little bite but i still think it’d be funnie if she had a hateship. jus putting tht out there<3

if yr muse wnts an ego boost via unrequited crush.. lmk. i’m willing to hulk smash all of agatha’s dignity jus for u.

omggg a dealer? >.> who said tht omg #hacked.. 

on n off again thingz? lorde wrote tht "i am my mother's child i'll love you til my breathing stops / i'll love you till you call the cops on me" line abt her</3

budding friendships!!!!!!! ppl tht she goes to pilates or yoga with; people she gets brunch with; ppl she keeps running into n its like heeey u :); little platonic crushes jus . all of the cute platonic thingz tht make her go wtf is this 🤨. 

i mean.. if anyone wants a sugar momma.. I MEANNN..

college friends!! law school friends!! ppl she met over the summer while interning somewhere!! i left tht purposely vague, hint-hint.

tinder dates gone wrong. ghosted tinder dates. tinder thingz.

agatha’s been attending galas / banquets / office partiez for ages now so if anyone wants to be her plus one or her lil fake date... :^) could be cute. cld be angsty. world is our oyster. 

speaking of which.. coworkers n maybe even a lil personal assistant would be so sexie.

[phoebenavarro]

My Doctor Sleep Review

Here’s the short version:

If I like The Shining movie but haven’t read the book or Doctor Sleep, will I like this? YES. It pays homage to the film beautifully but doesn’t rely on it too much, and it creates a beautiful story of it’s own.

If I’ve read both books, will I like this? Well, here’s where things get complicated. It’s definitely still worth your time for how beautifully Ewan McGregor and Kyliegh Curran bring Dan and Abra to life, but you will also probably find yourself incredibly frustrated with the third act.

My more complicated thoughts are under the cut. (Spoilers, obviously!)

Overall, the film does a wonderful job blending the differences between the movie and the book, although overall it felt to me like they were privileging the film and mostly just giving nods to the book, so that book fans could be happy. And as much as that frustrates me as a book fan, it worked! I can absolutely believe that in a world where the Overlook didn’t explode at the end of The Shining, that this would be what happened.

I guess my biggest issue was that I wanted them to mostly ignore the movie. They could keep the Overlook standing, sure, that was just fine with me, but I wished they’d followed both books’ canon basically to a T. And for the first two acts that is pretty much exactly what they did! It was almost beat for beat the book. And the things that they did change in the first two acts, I loved. I loved their take on Billy as a character!

And well, let’s talk about the good for a second, shall we?

Every actor gave a STELLAR performance and was perfectly cast. I knew I was gonna love Ewan McGregor and he went above anything I ever imagined. Abra was amazing too! She really captured Abra, her rage, and her love for her family. Rose was great, the only thing that kept catching me off guard was that she kept changing her accent and I’m not sure if it was intentional? Like there were some scenes where she sounded Irish to me, and other scenes where she sounded completely American. It could’ve been that she was Irish with the Knot and American around rubes, but it didn’t seem purposeful enough. Minor characters that really stood out were Billy and Crow Daddy, especially Crow. He never struck me as particularly interesting in the book, but he was very engaging in the film. The little boy who played Danny killed it as well. He merged the catatonic Danny from the film and the talkative Danny from the book in a way I didn’t think was possible.

Also Azzie the cat was perfect and I’ve never been so happy to see a cat in a movie in my LIFE.

The scene where Dan fell into his role as Doctor Sleep for the first time was really wonderful, and that was the first time I cried during the movie. His speech at the AA meeting, about Jack, absolutely WRECKED me. I was straight up sobbing. Because it was the first (and only) time in the movie (or the Shining movie) where you see how much Dan loved his dad, and how he’s been struggling his whole life with continuing to love a man who hurt him and his mom, tried to kill them, and that’s just as much why he drank as trying to drown out his shine. THAT’S Dan Torrance right there, and a hint towards the Jack Torrance from the novel, the one who loved and died for his family. THAT is why the Shining is a tragedy, that’s why I cried for an hour after I finished reading Doctor Sleep for the first time. It showed that Dan was finally moving on, he’d found friends and community, he broke the cycle of abuse and alcoholism.

And from there, we go into another scene of Dan helping someone pass as doctor sleep. It’s such a stark contrast to the first time. He’s comfortable with it instead of horrified by it, he’s HAPPY to help these people, to comfort them in their final moments, because he knows what that fear feels like. He’s been trying to escape that fear since the Overlook. So he sings with him, he’s not afraid to use his shine to look into his mind to make it easier for the man. For the first time in his life his shine brings him something other than pain. And I loved it.

The scene with the baseball boy was WAY more brutal than I expected it to be. Like I was genuinely surprised that they really showed the Knot torturing him like that, and all the blood. It was harrowing, and it worked so well, because before that the Knot was pretty likable. Sure, they killed kids, but we didn’t SEE it, and they’re cooky and fun! And then there’s THAT, and we see that they are monsters. I loved Abra making murder appear on Dan’s wall, and him seeing REDRUM in the mirror. Dan’s face was CHILLING.

We also GOTTA talk about Dick Hallorann. He was really perfect, and I loved how excited Dan was to see him the last time they talk. And well, I heard him tell Dan “ka is a wheel” which FLOORED me. The last thing I was expecting was a Dark Tower reference! I’m not 100 percent sure he said it, I might have misheard it, but it works. I mean, in the book, King describes many things as a wheel, and that’s a running theme in his work, so it makes sense. And that’s really what this story is about, the wheel of ka turning and the mentee becoming the mentor.

This is a scene I have slightly complicated feelings about, but I mostly liked it, and that is Dan’s conversation with Jack’s ghost at the bar. I loved how they paralleled Dan to Jack but also highlighted how Dan is his own person, and in many ways succeeded where his dad failed. I gasped incredibly loudly when Jack referred to the whiskey as medicine, and called Dan a pup, cause that is something from the book that (correct me if I’m wrong, it’s been a while) he never says in the movie. And ohhhhh god, the way Dan cried. The way he got mad and said “Don’t you want to know what happened to your family?” and how Jack finally broke character. It fucked me UP. But it was Jack from the movie basically saying fuck you to Jack from the book, which like, I GET it. It would feel really weird if Nicholson!Torrance showed ANY warmth or love to Dan in any way, but still. I mourn book!Jack Torrance every day of my life. (But would Nicholson have been able to pull it off? Probably not. So maybe it’s for the better. Steven Webber, on the other hand, from the miniseries, is MY Jack Torrance.)

And here’s where we start to get to the bad, or the things I have very complicated feelings towards.

Well first of all, there was genuinely no fucking reason to kill off Billy OR Dave. They don’t die in the book! And it’s not a great look that they killed off the two men of color who are on the good guys’ side. It’s as stupid and pointless as killing Dick Hallorann in the Shining. But I guess we gotta continue that legacy right? /s If they wanted to get Billy and Dave out of the way for the final confrontation, there were other ways for them to do it, like they did with Abra’s mom! Crow could’ve just drugged Dave. He still could’ve told Abra that her dad was dead, to manipulate and fuck with her. And hell, Dan could’ve made Billy stay behind, to take care of Dave, or to wait for Abra’s mom to get back and fill her in on what’s happening. They definitely didn’t need to fucking DIE, Mike! You don’t need them to die to raise the stakes, nothing raises the stakes like watching a child be tortured and murdered.

And well, in concept I really like Dan and Abra having their showdown with Rose in the Overlook. And uh, “waking it up.” It makes sense, I mean, he already uses the Overlook ghosts against the Knot in the book, so why not? And I liked that part. I think Dan walking around the hotel went on a little too long, like they just wanted to show off that they rebuilt the overlook set. I liked the continued parallels between Jack and Dan, but again, it highlighted how Dan was different. Like when Dan is on the stairs holding the hatchet, he’s actually playing Wendy’s role, while Rose is Jack in that instance, walking up to him with her arms out, falsely trying to placate him. She has the power in that moment. And her toying with Dan? MM. I liked that a lot. I’m a sucker for whump. And her finally getting destroyed by the Overlook ghosts was SO SATISFYING.

I had kind of thought that Dan would find a way to harness Jack’s spirit and sick her on Rose, and that would be able to be Jack’s redemption, and then Jack would be able to finally move on. It would’ve made sense, since in the book he uses Abra’s momo, but in the movie she’s not really important. Tbh I think that would’ve been the best way to let Dan finally find peace with Jack, to give us something like that moment in the book where Dan sees Jack at the end and Jack blows him a kiss. But whatever, it’s fine. I think the conflict between Dan and Rose as it was was pretty great.

If it ended with that, I would’ve been VERY happy. Maybe there could’ve been a bit of a scare with the hotel trying to possess Dan and Dan being able to fight it off, and Abra and Dan leaving, letting the boiler explode. And then maybe Dan could’ve collapsed from blood loss outside the hotel, giving the audience a bit of anxiety over whether Dan will survive or not. But it didn’t end there.

I take issue with the very premise that the ghosts would be able to possess Dan like they did Jack. Jack had so many weaknesses, more than just the alcoholism. Jack was insecure about everything in his life, his career, his role in his family, his talent of an artist, but Dan doesn’t share those insecurities, just the alcoholism. ALSO Dan’s been sober A LOT longer than Jack ever was. He’s much more skilled at resisting that temptation. Maybe back before Dan hit rock bottom and started fixing his life, I would buy it, but not Dan at this point in his life. ESPECIALLY since they couldn’t get him when he was a kid, when his shining was so much stronger. Why would they be able to get him now? Dan has a lot of similarities to his dad, but he is his own person.

But whatever. Let’s assume that it’s possible for the hotel to possess Dan. I loved that they played out some of the scenes from the Shining novel, because the climax of the Shining has my favorite moments from the whole novel. I gasped when Abra said “You’re not my Uncle Dan. You’re just a mask.” And I ALSO gasped when he said “let’s unmask then,” (or something to that effect) because I thought they were gonna do MY FAVORITE moment from the Shining, when the hotel bashes Jack’s face in with the mallet and we see a different ghost after each hit. As cool as seeing that would’ve been, I’m glad it didn’t happen, cause Dan would’ve been gone after that. And oh god, the hug between Dan and Abra. It hurt. And Abra remembering the boiler, knowing it’s gonna blow.

And well, finally seeing the Overlook burn was VERY satisfying. In a lot of ways this film was both a love letter to Kubrick and a “fuck you” to Kubrick simultaneously. I wish they’d leaned into the “fuck you” side more because honestly, WHY should we keep celebrating him or his films? Especially with the Shining. The pure disrespect he showed to the source material, and to Stephen King, and of course, the way he tortured Shelly Duvall on set.

I think my feelings of betrayal come down to this: I was COMPLETELY blindsided by Dan’s death. I TRULY did not expect Dan to die. I thought that would be departing from the book too much, and honestly I didn’t think King would’ve gone for that. Like, I started to get worried when he got hit in the femoral artery, but, perhaps foolishly, I kept holding out hope that he would be okay. And I know the whole point of the end is that yes, he’s dead, but he’s good, but he deserved to LIVE and die of old age. The Overlook should not have been given the satisfaction of getting him, even if it was destroyed in the process.

I did like that as he died Wendy was there with him, since in the movie she’s the one who actually loved him. But mostly I was in a state of mixed rage and sadness, because Ewan SOLD that performance. He was perfect. He IS Dan Torrance. But I did not come to the theater to watch Dan suffer Jack’s fate. I came to see Dan finally move on from his trauma and embrace his shine!!

Ultimately, It feels like the movie undermined it’s own climax. The whole film was building to Rose’s defeat, which is then COMPLETELY overshadowed by the hotel trying to use Dan to get Abra. It focused too much on the Shining, and forgot that Doctor Sleep is DIFFERENT. Dan is not Jack. Abra is not Dan. There are parallels, of course, but they are different. And why undermine your more interesting villain? The ghosts of the Overlook PALE in comparison to how interesting and engaging Rose is. It was a great nod to fans of the book, and as a book fan I enjoyed it, but I think it made the film weaker.

If Flanagan wanted to do the ending scenes of the Shining, he should’ve just remade the Shining, for God’s sake! And actually, I would’ve liked that very much, Ewan McGregor could make a VERY good Jack, as shown in the scenes when he’s possessed by the hotel. I actually would love to see adaptations of The Shining and Doctor Sleep where the same actor plays Jack and Dan. I think that would produce fantastic performances and really force the actor to highlight the differences between the characters. And anyway, we need a new version of the Shining. Steven Weber and Rebecca Du Mornay are PERFECT in the miniseries but it’s just that, a network television miniseries, and it’s aged pretty poorly. A new Shining remake is gonna happen eventually, if Kubrick’s estate ever gives up those rights.

And finally! They ignored the BEST PLOT TWIST in the book!!!!! That Dan is literally Abra’s uncle! They kinda set it up, too, which is extra frustrating. I wonder if it was present in an earlier version of the script and got cut? I had a sinking feeling that they weren’t gonna do it when Dave was killed, but like, without that reveal, the audience is gonna be left with a lot of questions. Namely, WHY was Abra drawn to Dan? And of course, it’s because he’s her uncle, but in the movie we never find that out. I wouldn’t be surprised if it shows up on Cinema Sins or whatever for being a plot hole, which is frustrating, because it’s NOT. It’s just a lazy oversight in the film. I also wished we got to see more of Abra’s parents, and Dan meeting Abra’s mom! But I guess they couldn’t include any of that in the movie since they basically cut Momo out completely. Still, that in itself is frustrating. Abra’s momo is so important to Abra in the book. In general it kinda felt like they elected to focus more on Dan and his relationship to Jack than Abra and her family, when in the book they’re pretty evenly balanced!

It’s frustrating, because the first two acts of the film are nearly perfect. And the third act has a lot going for it too, but it is just not the way to handle the ending, in my opinion.

My final feelings are: Dan Torrance is not Jack. That is the whole POINT of Doctor Sleep. And he did not deserve to burn in that hotel. He deserved to finally live out his life in happiness and with the family he’s built for himself. And that will always upset me.

[hollenka99]

No Man Can Escape Time

Summary: With his wife gone, Jameson cares for his children. He says goodbye to an old friend and then a few others.

Warnings: Character Death, Reference to child mortality

April 9, 1928 Dearest Siobhan,

Without you there to usher them away with promises I'd rejoin you all later, I had no choice but to explain the situation regarding Olive and Ada to the children. The mood was suitably solemn as they learned of their other two aunts, one being only a month younger than you and how I'd slept through the second's entire life. Understandably, no-one knew how to proceed. I made no mention of how I see what Olive and I could have had in Sophia and Henry. They don't deserve to be burdened by the weight of that confession.

The day after we arrived, I saw a woman who used to live around the corner from us as children. She was travelling behind a white hearse, her son's. Her husband's wealthy too. Which only goes to show none are immune. Growing up, I saw white hearses around the city just frequently enough to not realise exactly how terrible they were. I recall, around the time I was in elementary school, the family four doors down were entirely eliminated by disease, bar the father and one of the children. Only the mother was marked, the rest left to be paupers. I count myself lucky that I do not have to choose which of my loved ones gets the privilege of being identified.

You would not believe how paranoid I was as a child of ending up the same way. I was so used to skipping meals to avoid it, I never gave a second thought to how nonsensical it was that we even had to do so. Once Harvey turned 14, I suppose it wasn't so terrible. However, he left and Father died so we had to rely on the salaries of two seamstresses. Of course, in hindsight, I understand my mother's parents would never allow any of their grandchildren to suffer a pauper's fate. Let's pretend they weren't doing it for the sake of their reputation.

I look at our six and struggle to believe how much of a difference a generation and some good fortune can make. Harvey wasn't better off than our parents. Mabel's children have been raised with more, thanks to their father. The remaining three of us don't have to think of whether ends will meet. It honestly is a blessing.

Nevertheless, I hope you've been able to enjoy your Easter. Give Nora and your family my love.

Yours, Jameson

September 1, 1928 Dearest Siobhan

After my morbid confession over Easter, some of the older children conceived of the idea to plant an olive tree. I've done some reading on the subject. The weather in California is good for growing olives. We got to work in the backyard yesterday morning. Sophia, Henry and Theodore were especially enthusiastic. They were joking they should report this to their Scout Leaders for the chance to acquire Tree-Planting badges. Speaking of Scouting, Sophia will become an Intermediate next month now that she is 10. I doubt there will be much difference from Brownies except a new variety of badges and the girls will be a little older.

The biggest problem I will have to resolve is dissuading the dogs from digging. They sense the broken soil and assume it is an excuse to contribute. I am still in the process of finding a good solution. My best idea at present is to only allow them out in the yard for their business, keeping them on a leash.

You can see the young tree in several years. If Theodore has his way, it may have a swing attached to one of the branches. I am unsure if that would be appropriate, given the reason for having the tree in our back yard. I can leave that decision for a later date.

Yours, Jameson

October 24, 1928 Dearest Siobhan,

It seems our Anthony is becoming a man. I've had to teach him how to shave recently. The boy is hopeless. He tries, I will give him that. Despite his efforts, he never seems to hold the blade right or apply the correct amount of pressure. He's managed to nick various parts of his neck. I don't mind them all that much. Tiny cuts are all part of the process. Lord knows I made numerous errors when Harvey first taught me. No, I'm more concerned about the nasty gash he accidentally inflicted upon his neck the other day. Anthony applied too much pressure and sliced himself. Honestly, from the way Sophia and Henry rushed to grab paper towels, you would think their brother was at risk of exsanguination. In my opinion, it looks worse than it actually is.

For Christmas, I might buy him one of those Gillette safety razors I keep hearing about. If he practices enough, he may become confident enough to return to a single blade. Men having been maintaining their beards like this for centuries. I don't see why he can't do the same once he's more skilled. The only disadvantage is keeping the blade sharp. Alternatively, he could neglect it all and let the hair grow, as he once announced he would do when frustrated. Whichever option he chooses, I will have to let him get on with it. It is his face, after all.

I've also noticed I'm beginning to develop a widow's peak. If I bothered to look closer, I would probably find a grey hair or two. Before you know it, I'll be using that cane of mine off-camera. I didn't think too much of it at the time but the significance of my last birthday is striking me. The end of this month will mark my 41st year. You yourself turned 40 this summer. We are not exactly the 19 year olds affectionately strolling through Central Park anymore, are we?

Furthermore, talkies are starting to become more common. Those damn Warner brothers with their Jazz Singer, changing the norm. We all knew it was coming but watching the silent pictures become obsolete is heartbreaking. I suppose I will take the shift the hardest out of all those who made a name for themselves during this era of film. Still, I have penned a few books. There's no reason why I couldn't carry on with that. Directing was always a struggle, especially when Cliff and Pearl are absent.

Our children are growing up, I am growing old and my career is growing outdated. Times are certainly changing. In fact, we will find ourselves in a completely new decade in little over a year. Do you ever wonder where the time's gone?

Ever yours, Jameson

November 10, 1928 Dear Jameson,

Stop pushing him to do things the way you do them. If your father had encouraged you to be like him, you would have spent your working life building ships. Allow Anthony to carry on using the safety razors. Surely, you'd want the process to be as risk-free as possible.

Yours, Siobhan

December 27, 1928 Dear all,

I hope you had a pleasant Christmas over in Los Angeles.

I think Nora enjoyed her birthday. I baked her a small cake. She loved making a mess everywhere. On Nora's behalf, I'd like to thank you for the toys. She is not exactly fond of her birthday bear. She's refuses to take a nap with it near. I hope that will change eventually. However, she definitely finds the Christmas decorations mesmerising. I've lost count of the times I have discouraged Nora from using the tree for support when trying to stand.

I plan on playing Auld Lang Syne on Monday night. I don't see why I can't bring in another year the same way we have been doing so for years. My only worry is that, on the day, I will feel as if I am betraying you. It will certainly be lonelier around the piano. We won't have as many participants.

Wishing you a happy new year, Siobhan

May 24, 1929 Dearest Siobhan,

Anthony is doing a fine job with his directorial debut. You would be proud of him. He is considerate towards the actors, taking their views into mind. Obviously, his vision is the one that contributes to the final product. He is protective of the source material, seeing as it is one of his favourite books.

Clifford claims he is responsible for the boy's performance thus far. 'Learned from the best' or so he says. Anthony's only really seen one director at work. He's had no choice but to learn from watching his uncle direct. I don't believe he's been on set for the productions Pearl has occasionally directed.

I, for one, am taking a step back. I wrote the script with heavy input from him. Likewise, Cliff is only assistant director for this feature. This is Anthony's film, fair and square. If he needs help from us, we will gladly provide him with it. I had been skeptical that he'd been too ambitious with this project. Fortunately, he's proved me incredibly wrong.

Harriet is upset she is too young to be Wendy. If any girl in the family was play her, it would have to be Sophia. Being 11, she's roughly the same age as Wendy Darling. Harriet has been desperately hoping to be in the picture too. There have been numerous attempts to persuade Anthony to make the Lost Boys become Lost Children. In response, Harriet has been given the offer to either be a young mermaid or a fairy. When her brother told her of the moment in the play where the audience would clap to save Tinker Bell, Harriet's decision was only solidified. I promise to send you photographs of them in costume.

Yours, Jameson

July 22, 1929 Dearest Siobhan,

How are you? I hope you are coping with the daily stresses of caring for Michael. I wish I could provide some relief to you. Then again, that is exactly why you are in Ireland. Not only that, I may not be the best person to help you currently.

You know how Cliff's habit aggravates me. I remember when he only smoked casually, to appear more like others in the business when we mingled with them. It's hardly as if he picks up a new cigarette as soon as he is finished with the latest one, I am aware of that. Still, I have asked him time and time again not to smoke in my presence. That is not a difficult request, is it?

Needless to say, I am sick. I haven't got evidence that his habit is the cause but there is certainly a correlational with me falling ill with respiratory issues and spending time with my brother.

Yours, Jameson

October 27, 1929 Dearest Siobhan,

We're not bankrupt. We have lost some of our savings but we can still afford to live the same as we have been. I have taken out as much money as I could to save it from being lost. There is no reason to panic. At least not yet.

I am concerned that the markets are still in decline. I've heard that, like in 1907, Richard Whitney has made attempts to stop the decline. He was generally successful in his efforts. For a day. The numbers suffered again today. It seems old tactics only get you so far.

Oliver and I have been joking about how much of a difference a week makes. I spent his birthday wary of what could happen to the markets, especially after what happened in London last month. Now I'll spend my own birthday solely focusing on what our next steps are after all this economic turmoil. That is if the markets have stopped deteriorating by then.

One thing is for sure in all this uncertainty, the 30s are going to be far removed from the 20s in terms of the economy. I suppose we will have to look towards Germany and other European countries who have been getting back on their feet this entire decade following the Great War.

Yours, Jameson  

December 10, 1929 Dear Mother,

I am afraid we can't make it for Christmas. Sophia was taken ill last week with the 'flu. It has begun to spread to the rest of us, including myself. I think it is unwise to travel so far when we are unwell. I'm terribly sorry. I was looking forward to seeing you again. At least we were able to visit in the summer.

Nevertheless, I hope you and Mabel enjoy Christmas together despite our absence.

Yours, Jameson

February 1, 1930 Dear all,

I am sorry to have to tell you our mother has passed on. I doubt it will serve as much comfort currently to know it she didn't suffer long.

She had been sick for a while. The two of us originally thought it was only influenza. It is that time of year and, with enough care, anyone can shake it off in a matter of weeks. Not her, it seems. It developed into bronchitis. Her condition declined from there. She went quietly.

Hoping to see you soon, Mabel

February 16, 1930 Dearest Siobhan,

Don't expect to hear from us for a short while. We will be in Saint John for my mother's funeral. It was influenza turned bronchitis. It's always influenza, isn't it? I'm glad Pearl was able to visit Canada over the holidays. Cliff abstained, having already been with his family for Thanksgiving. Unfortunately, that makes me the one who has gone the longest without seeing her or Mabel. I really do have the worst luck, don't I?

When Clifford came to the house, telling me the news, I had no words. How could I? I don't look forward to our time away from California. Which is rational, what man would want to attend the funeral of one of the most important women in his life. Even as I write, I am doubtful whether it has truly sunk in that she is gone.

I hope the four of you in Ireland are doing well and keeping warm. I will write to you once we return. In the meantime, give everyone my love.

Yours, Jameson

March 31, 1930 Dearest Siobhan,

Happy Anniversary! I know it is a little early, at time of writing, for me to be saying that but I hope this letter will arrive on time for the 21st.

I have included your present with this letter. I have another for you, one more suitable for a 20th wedding anniversary. However, I don't feel it is suitable practically. Once we see each other again, whenever that may be, I will hand it to you. I have never been the best with choosing good gifts but I've convinced myself you will appreciate both the present you will receive now and the one I am safekeeping.

I only wish days like this didn't make the distance between us all the harder.

Missing you as ever, Jameson

April 23, 1930 Dear Jameson,

Even 20 years later, you never change. Just because I am currently living in a city called Limerick does not mean you have to send me any limericks. My advice to you is that you stick to prose. You are certainly better at that than poetry. You didn't get that Best Writing nomination for nothing, even if you didn't win the actual award.

I will say, Nora has been loving your limericks. It may be partially due to my delivery. I am sure she will take to you fairly quickly when we come back to America. You don't need to worry about her remaining distant, she loves you already.

Missing you even more so, Siobhan

May 13, 1930 Dearest Siobhan,

Clifford and I had a small disagreement concerning conflicting creative visions for Jackson Trinity. I say 'small'. It may have come to blows. I'm not proud of that. Now he is blaming me for delaying filming. It's his own damn fault if I'm the one with the busted eye.

He is pushing the mime character once again. Why would I waste my time on a role as demeaning as that? When he was 11 and his good intentions were unwittingly ignorant, I allowed bygones to be bygones. I was busy figuring out how to adapt my ambitions to fit around my condition. However, I refuse to accept his ignorance now. He's had over three decades to educate and accustom himself with the correct conduct. He has no excuse not to be respecting of my views.

Additionally, he doesn't listen when I remind him my departure as an actor from Jackson Trinity won't ruin us. If the public refuse to see our pictures because I'm not in them, they are the ones losing out. I won't deny my hand in unexpectedly elevating our status with the Gentleman. He became popular so demand for films featuring him grew. However, it is hardly the case that the Gentleman was our only export. Nor will I be leaving the studios entirely.

He blamed me for behaving as if I am the better actor. Of course I am better at silent acting than him. I have had that advantage over him since I was nine years old. Expression is key in the industry. He and everyone else have been walking around using tone off screen. Meanwhile, I barely recall a time when I didn't rely on my face and body to replicate tone. I'm not sorry to stand by that view. It's not even an opinion, it is the honest truth.

I can already picture your deep disapproval of all this. Before you begin making comparisons to other disagreements I may have had with a brother, this thing with Clifford will pass soon enough. He is only a number of streets away. Even if this involved Pearl instead, Santa Monica isn't too far either. Trust me, by the time you are reading this letter, we are likely to have resolved most, if not all, of this.

Yours, Jameson

August 17, 1930 Dearest Siobhan,

We finished filming for Gallops Past. Anthony did a fine job as the younger Gentleman. I'm glad his story is ending this way. Our son is slightly younger than I was the first time I played the Gentleman. He began attempting to impress a lady and he will bow out telling his own son of his misadventures.

I can't believe the time has come to lay my Jolly Gentleman to rest. Just like myself, he was never made for the talkies. I will say, Harriet very much loved her cameo. In the actual movie, she will be on screen for all of ten seconds as she steals the hat from me.

I don't know how much longer I can flog this deceased horse. The people want a talkie. They don't generally care to see a silent picture anymore, even if there's a name as renowned as mine starring in it. It's high time for me to face the music and words to that effect. I decided I may as well appear in one last feature before hanging my bowler.

It is truly the end of an era. I am saying farewell to an old friend and my eldest is in the other room, packing his bags so he may leave me. This year seems to be full of goodbyes.

Yours, Jameson

August 21, 1930 Dearest Siobhan,

It is done. Anthony left for Berkeley yesterday. Already the house feels like part of its life is gone. It's bad enough your seat at the table has been empty for the past two years. Now his will be vacant too except for the holidays.

He will be fine, I have no doubts about that. He has the chance to make acquaintances with potential life long friends. Who knows, he may even have a sweetheart to tell me about during Christmas or Easter. We were lucky enough to find each other when we were his age. I hope he is just as fortunate.

The most important thing for him there, of course, will be his studies. I continue to struggle to see how beneficial a qualification in the field of Psychology could be to him. He's explained to me some of the research done. Honestly, if these psychologists aren't scaring babies or making their pets hungry, they're attempting to prove young children are consumed by inappropriate desires. Why in God's name does he want to study a subject where research like that is being conducted?

I only wish I didn't already miss him so.

Yours, Jameson

March 6, 1931 Dearest Siobhan,

I am planning on building a center for those less fortunate. Think of it, a place where people can be given a chance to get back on their feet. There will be plenty of beds and they can have warm food. It can help reduce the amount of people who have been driven to the streets. All it might take for some is a little work experience and a good word from us to future employers. We have the money to provide them with that. You can't argue that we shouldn't use some of it to be generous.

I'm not sure on how to name it. I know I want to name it after St Jude, seeing as he is the patron of lost causes and desperate situations. However, I can't call the establishment St. Jude's because every man and his grandmother would think to associate him with their charity. Judas by itself is useless. Nobody has ever heard that name without their mind immediately going to Iscariot instead of Thaddaeus. Judas Thaddaeus House is a bit of a mouthful. I will find a solution one of these days.

My father was 53 and my mother 78. Even Harvey only got to live to be 37, although that was partially his own doing. Anything could happen with little to no warning. What contributions to the world have I made? So I've made a bunch of movies with my brother and sister. No-one will care about that in the future. I'm just one actor amongst many. Let's not forget, my type of picture is already outdated. Barely anyone will watch a silent picture soon. My books may last a little longer than my pictures or they could be forgotten in 10 years. But if I was to be remembered for something, don't you think something to help others is better than dressing up for some cameras?

I already have my eye on land that's available for purchase. It's roughly 5000 sqft at the price of $8500. Then the construction for 4500 sqft will be less than $80,000. I know $89,000 is a lot but I promise the investment will be entirely worth it.

What do you think of my plans?

Yours, Jameson

March 28, 1931 Dear Jameson,

I like the idea. However, I am worried this may be too large of a task for you. Are you aware just how much this will cost? $89,000 is a phenomenal amount. Some of your earlier works made you half of that. Don't forget the markets crashing, the reason a lot of your intended audience are in need, only happened a year and a half ago.

I appreciate you want to create jobs but where will the salaries come from? Our pocket or donations? You have to ask yourself how you wish to conduct business. Why don't you talk to Clifford about it? You always call him the mind behind the business side of Jackson Trinity. Alternatively, you could let Pearl finally demonstrate her own good ideas. Neither of you give her as much credit as she deserves. After all, she is the one who made it into a trinity.

I can tell how passionate about this project you are at the moment. My advice would be to take this slowly and think every detail through before you execute your plans. Should you work out all the details, I wish you good luck. Your intentions are wonderful and I'm sure they could help a good number of people.

Yours, Siobhan

April 25, 1931 Dearest Siobhan.

I have followed your advice and spoken to both Clifford and Pearl. Oliver has also contributed to the conversation. Details are, slowly but surely, coming together. It will be a while yet before we can break ground. There is much planning to do so we may reach that point. I understand your issue with the expenses. As I said previously, it will be worth it once Thaddaeus House (for that is the name we have settled on) is functional.

Furthermore, if it performs as I've envisioned, I want there to be a chance for them to learn ASL. Plenty of people use and rely on it as their primary method of communication. Who knows how many of them were unable to find employment because there aren't enough who speak their language. I've been fortunate to have a career were I could bypass my condition so I'd earn enough to live comfortably. A few years ago, I was paranoid I wouldn't be able to do so any longer. If we could reduce the amount turned away because they can't communicate verbally, that would be amazing. Hell, I'd be happy to be one of the teachers. Certainly beats resentfully glaring at my typewriter because my mind's gone blank.

Either way, I will keep you posted on any major developments.

Yours, Jameson

August 18, 1931 Dearest Siobhan,

I've been thinking about Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. Those two make a fantastic team. I would not be all that surprised if they make a career out of their partnership.

Last year, I sent them a letter about 'Brats'. I complimented their performance and asked if they knew how the shrinking effect was created when they played Oliver Jr and Stanley Jr. As I suspected, the set and furniture were enlarged. My mistake was taking the children to see it with me. 'You can lead a horse to water but a pencil must be lead' is Harriet's favourite phrase at the moment. Another nice mess I've got myself into, isn't it? I don't mind it all that much. I only wish she'd stop planning to trick Theodore into falling into our bathtub.

A few days ago, I saw 'Pardon Us'. I think this may be their first feature together. In the very least, it is the first feature I have watched with them as a pair. James Finlayson is in it. You remember me saying he was the master of the double take, don't you? I really wish I could work with him. Unfortunately, like Laurel and Hardy themselves, he is with Hal Roach. A contract is a contract. If I'm not mistaken, he made a cameo in Hollywood, the same as I did. Too bad we weren't shooting the same day.

Our youngest two would like another dog, this time with the name 'Laughing Gravy'. As much as I love the dogs we have now, I'm sure you understand why I could never permit it. Give it a few years, they will understand too.

Yours, Jameson

November 11, 1931 Dearest Siobhan,

Well, I'll be damned. I've done it. Best Original Story, if you'll believe it. Although, I wouldn't call 'Gallops Past' original. I based the entire story off of a song from 25 years ago. Still, I can't complain. Lord knows what would happen. My award would probably be taken from me and in the unlikely event they had to reconsider the two categories, I couldn't challenge Estabrook's claim. That said, 'Cirramon' had a rather successful night. What was it, 7 nominations, 3 of which resulted in a win? Surely, they could spare a win for someone who has none.

Unfortunately, Anthony wasn't quite as successful as best actor. His time will come eventually. He's nineteen, he has countless stories to bring to life before then. He hides his disappointment well, to a degree. I've assured him I will be there to watch him collect his first award for Best Actor the next year he is nominated. Perhaps you can be there in person as well.

Yours, Jameson

November 26, 1931 Dear Mr Jackson,

I have a favour I would like to ask of you. We have never met but I understand my nephew is friends with your son, Theodore. On top of this, I am a fan of your movies.

I have a daughter who loves your stories. Her name is Maggie and she is seven years old. Unfortunately, she contracted consumption earlier this year. My wife and I were hoping you would be willing to meet her, however briefly. It would mean a lot to her if you came. We have had to be tight with our expenses ever since the markets crashed a couple years ago. Despite this, we have always tried to buy her your latest book.

Please consider meeting her. You don't know how grateful my family would be if you did.

Yours sincerely, Arthur Powell

January 17, 1932 Dear Siobhan,

How is your brother? I hope caring for him isn't too tiresome. Thank you for the photograph of you and Nora. She is growing fast, isn't she? It won't be long before she'll have to start attending kindergarten. The children and I are doing well. Theodore is having some trouble comforting his friend after the death of their cousin.

I met her last month. It's been a number of years since I last saw the effects of tuberculosis in person. It was awful. One thing is true, they don't call it consumption for nothing. I gave her parents $50 so they could buy her something enjoyable or to help with other expenses that are now necessary.

The experience was a good one, despite her health. I showed her some of my draft for the third Shadow book. I'd planned to send her an early copy before it was officially published. Some of her siblings like my books too. I'll send it anyway but it won't be the audience I'd originally intended. She mentioned she thought there should be more skeletons in the series, given that spirits were an established form of being. I've promised I will write a book featuring skeletons for her.

Yours, Jameson

February 3, 1932 Dear Siobhan,

I thought you should know I've found myself suffering from an illness. I promise you it is nothing significant. I simply have a damn persistent cough which has lingered for several weeks and a bit of a fever. I've been to see a doctor, don't you worry. He says I should just get some rest. So here I am, resting.

Oliver can take care of the others for a short while as I recover. Before you get mad at me, he was the one to suggest it.

Yours, Jameson

February 29, 1932 Pops,

I know you don't want to infect us. We all appreciate that. But you can't act like its incurable. There is still hope for you. If you were to admit yourself into a sanatorium, things can go back to normal. I've looked into it and there's one here in Los Angeles. It's called the Barlow Respiratory Hospital. You'll find it in the Elysian Park neighbourhood. You know where that is, right?

I can't guarantee the tuberculosis won't damage you in the long term regardless. That said, being cured is a far better option than doing nothing. You can't sit around and let the disease develop further. I refuse to allow you to. Anthony and Ma would feel the same. I've seen the tissues so I am not negotiating any of this with you. I will physically drag you to Elysian Park if need be.

I know I'm only sixteen but my age is irrelevant to my capability to care for my siblings. I will be fine. If I ever become desperate for help, I can always lean on Sophia and Uncle Cliff. Not only that, Santa Monica isn't too far so there's Aunt Pearl at my disposal as well. Come May, Anthony will return from Berkeley. I have many people who will support me and aid me in this task. You have nothing to worry about, I promise you, except for regaining your health.

Please Pops, I shouldn't have to be wasting paper to say any of this. The only reason I've resorted to this method is because you ignore me if I say of this to you in person.

Oliver

June 9, 1932 Dear Oliver,

I am sorry to have to disappoint you. However, after a lot of negotiating, I will be coming home.

We've tried. I've done everything the staff here have ordered me too. Which usually means lying on my back in open air. You were right, it does work for some. That said, for others it is not as successful as they may have wished. What I wish currently is to be somewhere familiar as opposed to a formal institution. Don't worry, I've managed to secure myself enough masks to last me a while.

As a precaution, I'd ask that all of you try avoid my room unless you absolutely need me. I couldn't bare the thought of any of you getting sick. Please, respect my decision. I can assure you it was not taken lightly.

Yours, Pops

June 14, 1932 Ma,

Pops has been downplaying his symptoms. It's not just a bad cough and some weigh loss. He has tuberculosis. He has spent the last three months getting treatment at a local sanatorium. Needless to say, it hasn't been as beneficial as we had hoped. He is feverish, constantly locking himself in his room and dangerously thin. I feel you would cry at the sight of him.

He was diagnosed at the beginning of this year. He never wished to deceive you. His intentions were simply to ensure you didn't worry about his health. He understands you have enough troubling you with Uncle Michael and Nora without his deterioration burdening your mind as well. I myself was unaware of his poor health until early last month.

Sorry for bearing such bad news, Anthony

July 6, 1932 Jameson,

I received a letter from our son today. Please tell me it's not true.

Why on earth did you not tell me? To save my feelings? Tell me this, Jameson: how do you think I'd feel if I arrived in California, eager to see you all again for the first time in years, only to find you were gone and I had no idea. For nearly 15 years, you have been angry at the fact you couldn't resolve your issues with Harvey before he died. I know how disappointed you were when you realised you'd missed your chance to see your mother one last time as well.

I can't come right now. I'm sorry but I simply can't. Leaving my father to care for Michael without me is not a possibility. I don't know how long you'll have to wait for me to be back in Los Angeles. So, for the love of God, will you hold on? Promise me you will. Don't you dare think of breaking that promise either, you hear me. I'll march straight down to the deepest depths of Hell to give you a piece of my mind if you do.

I love you, Siobhan

July 23, 1932 Ma,

You need to come here now. Pops will see me turn 20 but I sincerely doubt he will last long enough to celebrate Henry's 13th birthday. Even if he is able to, it is likely he will leave us within a week of it. It is certain he will not be here for Oliver's birthday, let alone his own.

His time is severely limited. I know I am asking you to choose between your husband and your brother. You don't know how much it pains me to ask you to leave people who need you in favour others who require your presence. Pops misses you dearly and talks about you frequently. I believe he will be very upset if he wasn't able to see you one last time.

While I am sure Uncle Cliff and Aunt Pearl will help us organize the funeral, I have no knowledge of how to arrange such an event. I struggle to contemplate on doing so. Oliver and I are doing our best to care for him and the others.

There is a slight silver lining in all this misery. You will finally be with us again, even if it is only briefly, and see for yourself how much Theo and Harriet have grown. I am sure we will not recognise Nora either. It is hard to imagine as anything other than the baby I knew when you left.

Again, I apologize for forcing you into this position. I know how long letters from Los Angeles take to cross the Atlantic to reach you. I truly believe this is your last chance to be at Pops' side. I hope I will be greeting you soon but know that I understand if you are unable to leave Uncle Michael.

Goodbye for now, Anthony.

August 17, 1932 Dear Anthony,

I am afraid to tell you that Michael passed on a few days ago. The doctors believe he suffered a heart attack in his sleep. I have found some peace from the knowledge he isn't suffering any longer. The funeral was earlier today. I am upset that none of you could attend. In normal circumstances it would have taken weeks for you to receive the news then subsequently arrive. You know far better than I do that we do not have the privilege of 'normal circumstances'.

How is your father faring? I hope his condition has not worsened since your last letter. I must discuss legal matters with my father following Michael's death. This should take a day or two. I promise I will board a ship to America with Nora as soon as I am done. The last thing I want is to be too late. I couldn't bare the thought of not being at his side when he is suffering from such a terrible illness. God willing, we'll be back with you all within a fortnight.

With love, Ma

September 2, 1932 Dear Jameson,

You're right, Nora looks a lot like you. I only wish you'd stop watching her and Harriet play out in the yard. Your children are enjoying the sunshine and you're sat by a window like some unsavoury person. Don't worry, I understand you reasons. Respect them, even.

The novel is good. As always, you've done well with the story. Once it's available to the public, everyone will enjoy it as much as I have. Nora is a lucky girl to have a book dedicated to her. You've never dedicated anything to me and I'm one of your favourite sisters. On top of all that, she has a written message from the author himself. Honestly, Jem, your little girl is going to be the envy of all her classmates.

Siobhan told me of her photography plans. By the time this reaches you, the day will have passed. I hope you didn't protest too much. I hate it but we're both smart enough to know those photographs are really for. Wear one of those masks you have if it scares you that much. However you proceed, make sure you stay comfortable. Just because you're sick doesn't mean you have to suffer minor nuisances. Also, tell Henry his Aunt Mabel wishes him a happy birthday.

Yours, Mabel

September 13, 1932 Dearest Siobhan,

I'll admit it's a struggle to compel my body to co-operate with my mind. I still refuse to leave until at least the 16th. All I can do is hope external forces won't betray me. This bit of flesh has never been the most respectful object I've come across. I dreamed of entertaining the masses so, almost as if to spite me, it malfunctions and causes the destruction of my voice.

Could you please see Thaddaeus House to completion? Things were falling into place last year but progress seems to have halted since I became ill. Please, take all the time you need before carrying anything out. I am more than aware how terrible the timing is. Even if that means the project is delayed by years, so long as you give yourself time beforehand, I won't mind. Our eldest boys will help you with it too, I've asked them if they could lend a hand.

Take advantage of any chance you get to spend time with the children. They've all grown so much since 1928. Don't get too upset if Sophia hobbies make a mess, rehearse lines with Harriet when school plays draw near, ask Henry about Biology and be prepared to listen for a while, remind Oliver all is not lost but getting accepted into a place like Julliard will require continual hard work. As for Anthony, he'll need your advice as well. He showed me the photograph. We were a little lost when we were in his position. His mother's help will mean the world to him.

Confining myself to our room has given me too much time to think. As flawless as He is, God didn't think the whole 'looking down from above' deal through, did He? A bird's eye view is a poor vantage point if I wanted to keep seeing your beautiful face. Don't worry about taking your time, I can wait until you're 100 or more. Just remember:

I love you, angel.

Forever yours, Jameson

September 14, 1932 Dear Mabel,

Jameson unfortunately left us this evening. You will already know this of course. I'm sorry about the telegram I will send in the morning. They are so unempathetic but there wasn't a quicker way to tell you before the papers did. He didn't go without one last stubborn act of defiance. I wouldn't have expected any less from your brother.

Your letter arrived in the mail this morning. I'm afraid to say he never got the chance to read it. He has been so against falling asleep these last few days. As such, it caught up to him today. He spent the majority of today 'resting his eyes' before waking hours later to be thoroughly disappointed with himself. In truth, today played out like most recently until he took a sudden turn for the worst. I held his hand during it all. I'm not sure what else I could do.

It took me several minutes to process the events. I've been so invested in keeping him company these last two weeks that it is jarring to have that role be made redundant. It occurred to me to find a blanket to cover him until we were ready to contact the hospital. I had hoped to break the news to the seven of them in one go. However, Henry accidentally caught me in the hallway. He's a smart boy. I think he quickly realised why I had a large blanket.

The seven of them took the news as I expected them to. Only Nora isn't completely heartbroken. I'm hardly surprised. She spent so little time with him there wasn't a chance for her to care about him as much as her siblings. She understands enough to know the same thing that happened to her uncle has also happened to her father. She is trying to respect that this isn't a happy time.

Don't worry about me, I will be fine eventually. I only need time to become accustomed to his absence. Expect to hear from me again once I have the arrangements dealt with.

Thinking of you, Siobhan