The Hat Trick of an Alphabetacy, Chapter 1.5

Homecoming, a Wedding, and Moving Day

The home of the Bishops had been quiet for four years, though perhaps it was time for that to change. The sound of crunching snow could be heard, signaling that someone was coming up the stairs of the home.

“Mom? Dad? Ref? I’m home!” Anne called as she opened the french doors, hurrying outside from the cold and stomping her feet to remove the snow from her boots. When no one immediately came, she

pulled out her mp3 player and pressed the earbuds into her ears.

She hadn’t been standing there long when she saw her father approaching her with a gentle smile on his face. “There’s my best girl. How was college? From what I saw in the last few years, all of you have done quite well.”

“It was pretty good. We’ve all graduated with honors so far, which you know anyway since you were at graduation.”

He couldn’t help the laugh that rumbled in his belly as he swept his oldest daughter into a tight hug and murmured in her ear. “I missed you sweetheart.”

“Me too dad. I missed this place.”

“I thought I might have heard your sweet tones.” Her mother wasn’t far behind her father and quickly stole Anne away from Alec to embrace her again. “Welcome home, my sweet girl.”

“Thanks mom…I can’t believe how fast it all went by…or that I’m getting married tomorrow!”

“I know you’re not one for mushy displays Ref, but I missed you too.”

It sounded like the robot chuckled as he played his piece. “You were missed sorely. It was far too quiet without you and your siblings here.”

She grinned back at the family’s robotic companion and nodded. “It won’t be quiet for too long. I promise you that.”

“So Dad…I’ve been thinking, I know you grew up here in Riverblossom Hills, but it seems like its really gone down hill since I left for college…I was thinking maybe it was time for our family to move to an area that isn’t so…drained of its resources?”

The look on Alec’s face almost guaranteed her that her suggestion was going to be nixed.

“You’re right, I did grow up here. Its where your mother and I met, this place has been our home since your mother first moved here, do you really want to give up that kind of history?”

“Well, no…but still I’m thinking about my future kids too dad.”

“Manon, what do you think?” Alec finally decided to use his trump card, the founder of this madness.

“Honestly Alec…after what Aberforth had seen in McGregor’s yard I’d been thinking about it, but I knew it might upset you. We both knew the day might come eventually, where we’d leave Riverblossom Hills.”

“So…we’re going to move somewhere new…A place we don’t know anything about, or have any of the connections we once had.”

Anne winced, she hadn’t expected quiet that reaction from her father. But she stood resolute. “Yes. After BJ and I get married. It won’t just be us going though. It’ll be Aberforth, Jan, Alex, Shaun Alice, and, Andrei. We’re all going.”

The thought that he wouldn’t lose any of his family settled Alec down. “So we’ll have our family together still. Fair enough.”

It wasn’t long after that that BJ arrived and Anne’s smile was bright. “BJ! You’re here! You’re here!”

“I did promise that didn’t I? Thought I got cold feet?” He laughed and nuzzled his nose into her hair. “I missed you.”

“It’s only been a couple of hours!” She teased as she finally let him go.

“Doesn’t matter! Still missed you lots.”

“You’re cute.” She shook her head then. “Now if you’ll excuse me…we have a wedding to get ready for.”

After a quick shower and change, BJ Hutchins became BJ Bishop.

BJ Bishop neé Hutchins

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The next morning after everything was said and done, Anne found her father underneath the legacy’s second oldest resident, the tree her mother had planted. “Dad? What’s wrong?”

“I just thought that some day soon…probably way too soon for either of our liking, that we, your mother and I, would spend our final days watching all of our grandchildren play in this huge yard and having a grand old time, you know?”

Anne nodded. “I know Dad. But you and mom will still be able to do that…Hell you’ll probably have an even better chance to since we won’t have that many connections in the new place. So why not use that chance to make our family

bonds stronger.”

The next day the entire extended Bishop family moved to Terra Nova, with spouses and robots included. They found themselves in a place that was only just getting its start. The Bishops all gathered in one place while most of the respective spouses of those who were married went on to pick out lots nearby the main

house of the family.

To be continued…