Feb. 18: The One You Won't Forget: Liz

[Kyra Thatcher]

Chin up, Kyra! Smaller movements!

As the blonde crept into the studio, she smiled fondly, nearly hearing her sister coaching her when it was her turn to be in front of the camera. While she was no way near Liz status, or any of the girls here being shot for the catalogue, Kyra liked to think she was starting to be more photogenic when she wanted to be. And it was a hell of a lot more fun to practice with Liz than get her coursework done, so sessions at her sister's - shortly to be theirs, seeing as living on campus was bullocks - place were as frequent as possible. Although, in the last month or so, their sessions had been...a bit more few and far between than in the fall term. That was her fault, for getting into a relationship, and after the week she'd had, Kyra had had no problem reserving this Friday for her and Liz.

Monday was Valentine's, and it was strange to be treated to an actual date by Fabian on the Hallmark'd holiday. Grand, but strange, seeing as she was still getting used to them being more than summertime snogging buddies. The day after, though? She'd driven the twins all the way to Ottery St. Catchpole for their family-hosted birthday party, where she'd forgotten her gifts for them both and had the stress of wanting to make a good impression weighing her down. Nothing had truly gone that poorly, so it was really all in her head, the pressure of it all. But while she'd dated around in school, she'd never been so formally introduced to the family. And with Gideon knowing too many embarrassing stories about her to count, had she been wrong to worry that one would come out, or that she'd otherwise make a fool of herself so soon after finally becoming official with Fabs?

Gaia, you need some Liz time.

While she'd talked out a lot of this with Phoebe, her sister often had different insights and ways of getting information out of her. Things with Fabian were just so...good that it was disorienting. They'd never tried like this before, but could they keep afloat through whatever rough waters were surely headed their way? It was only a matter of time, wasn't it?...cynic.

    Realist?

Catching her sister's eye in a reflection, Kyra grinned and wove her way through the barely contained chaos of the studio until she could give the other Thatcher a squeeze. "Think you'll be able to take any of this home?" she asked under her breath, leaning against the cluttered vanity. "Shopping from your closet is becoming way too much of a habit for me to kick easy."

[Eliza Thatcher]

"Hey, gorgeous!" Liz exclaimed, surprised, at the sudden appearance of Kyra on the reflective surface in front of her. She jumped up to give her younger sister a careful hug before sitting back down at her assigned vanity. What an excellent end to a long day! Liz glanced around at all the beautiful clothes at her sister's words. She quickly looked back to blue eyes so like her own with a prominent pout. "I wish. Until I get signed again the merchandise will be slower coming. I still might pry those Westwood's off Amazon over there, whether they let me or not. I could take them." Here Eliza looked over enviously at the tall, fair-skinned woman a few seats down sporting a killer pair of Vivienne's boots.

In another life, before she had gotten all curvy and her agency had not renewed her contract, those shoes might have been on her feet. The sting of it was still strong but Liz pushed it away, turning back to her sister with resolution -that part of her life was over, she was a new woman now and she didn't need any agency to succeed. She seemed to be doing just fine on her own. "Don't worry though, I still have some stuff in stock to satisfy your needs." she teased with a wink.

Besides, Kyra had been pretty busy lately and she needed to enjoy this time she had, not worry about what she had lost. Live for the moment. she told herself. And who better to live this one with. No-one knew her better than Kyra and she didn't love anyone more than the younger Thatcher. No-one understood her sharp edges or appreciated her soft bits more than the girl before her.

"When are you moving in again?" she asked with a smile, reaching out to grab her sister's hand. They both knew when she getting out of that awful dorm but Liz found she was hating the wait, it would be better if she had a roommate now. As it was, she didn't see her sister nearly enough. Especially since she and the Prewett twin had started a real thing up. "Anyway, what are you doing here? You know what? It doesn't matter, I'm glad you came. And right on time too. I'm just waiting on Robbie to give me the all clear on my shots and then we can blow this joint, get some real food." Liz eyed the wilty salad/sandwich bar with a look of disgust. "I really need a good burger and some sister time."

[Kyra Thatcher]

Kyra grinned ear-to-ear at her sister's greeting, nearly laughing at the other Thatcher's exuberance - in a room full of models, she was being called gorgeous? You do share a lot of the same genes as one. While the blonde had never been shy about knowing her looks, it was still vastly amusing, and she hugged Liz in the cautious fashion she was getting used to. When Liz was on set, all made-up and rocking pieces for the design team, she could joke like Liz, but not hug like Liz-off-set. Everything needed to be picture perfect, after all, and seeing as some of the looks cost more than Kyra's entire wardrobe...taking no chances in having to pay for something. She followed her sister's gaze to this "Amazon," and wondered if that was the woman's given name, or if she'd taken up calling herself that after realizing that she truly did resemble one of the mythical warriors. She wished she'd bit her tongue about merchandise, cursing her lapse in memory; Liz was on her feet, yeah, but had only recently regained her footing in the industry. Aiming to keep them light, the younger Thatcher quickly shot back in jest, "Good - you know that's the only reason we hang out."

Her smile gentled as Liz took her hand, and she gave her a light squeeze as she let out a groan. "Soon as I can pay Mum and Dad back for the cost of the 'accommodation' for spring term. Know anybody hiring?" Finding odd jobs had turned out to be more difficult than she'd thought - wouldn't one of the record stores want to hire her, or even a coffee shop, a bar? Striking out was disheartening, but Kyra wasn't going to stop; she'd planned to spend this year living with Phoebe, and when that had fallen through, her folks had insisted on her staying in campus housing anyway. To give it a try, meet new people, that whole damn ridiculousness...She laughed as her sister went on, hopping up on the vanity, mindful of the various accoutrements littering it. "I just wanted a burger and some sister time," Kyra parroted, glad that Liz was right on the money. "Been a wild week, and I wanted to see you, catch you up on everything - and see if any of your admirers surprised you on Valentine's!" The blonde laughed again, cheeks coloring despite blushing being wholly against her usual. "Lizzie, it's bad. Never given a damn about the holiday before, and now I say it and can't stop this," she said with a point to her smile.

[Eliza Thatcher]

She often missed the easy rapport she had with Kyra when she was surrounded by other people, people not so close to her. They teased and conversed so easily, with a complete understanding of one another, it was hard to find that in the general populace. Even less so in her field of work. She smiled now at her sister's statement. She knew, even without the admittedly amazing wardrobe she had, Kyra would still want to hang around her; they were best friends. Personally, Liz thought sisters made the best of best friends. She shook her head at the other blonde, fiddling with the items on the dirty white surface of her vanity. Then her younger sis brought up their parents and Liz's face turned a little blank and she stopped fiddling.

"Well," she said, looking for something to say that didn't sound frustrated. Eliza firmly believed that her parents were taking a ridiculous stand on this; she also believed the only reason they were insisting that their youngest girl pay them back was that they didn't really want Kyra moving in with her. She was the failure child after all and they didn't want their good girl getting any ideas. Liz began forming ideas of her own on the subject. She was getting a good thing going on her own in the business so, she could afford the time to help fix her sister's problem. They could find the money to get her from under their parent's thumb, she just knew it. "We will figure something out." she assured the other blonde, giving her hand a squeeze.

There were people all around them, less than a fifty meters away the photographer was snapping away on his camera, and girls in different stages of dress kept appearing and disappearing in her mirror, but Kyra was certainly the most entertaining thing in the room. And they were both in agreement on what was needed for this day, even if Kyra wasn't clear on her older sisters current dating situation. Otherwise known as non-existent. "Please, what admirers? I don't have the time right now. Besides, I spent the day catching up on some much-needed sleep and ordering in." To anyone listening, this would have sounded like she greatly enjoyed the day lazing about, but honestly, well, every girl wanted to be wanted.

But she had a dream in her sights and she wasn't going to give it up by taking her eyes off the prize for a boy. She pushed off from that thought and giggled easily as Kyra went on, smiling like a fool. "Oh look at you Kiki!" she teased, poking at the younger girls belly and laughing with her. Inside she was a tiny bit nervous: when someone could make you this happy, they can make you just as sad. She never wanted to see Kyra hurting but she couldn't let that get in the way either. Life was all about risk and fate favored the brave. She just hoped it favored her little sis. "So, what did he do? Where did you guys go? Tell me everything."

[Kyra Thatcher]

"Love you too," she returned with a small but honest smile, giving their joined hands a swing. Kyra didn't want her present difficulties with their parents to influence her sister's relationship with them, but they truly were being kept apart by something incredibly silly. Liz was her sister, wouldn't it be for the best for them to be together, than for either to live with strangers? A little nugget of guilt set in her gut at her sister's admission - surely there was someone going after her! She was dynamite! Kyra nudged her sister's knee with her own, smirking through it. "Busy career girl, I know," she said with a chuckle. "Thought that male model had eyes for you, though - what was his name? Scott?"

I'm happy, Lizzie, she wanted to say as she caught the touch of concern in the elder Thatcher's eye. I can't promise to be careful this time. Liz looked out for her, and had told enough people off on her behalf that Kyra knew she'd have no trouble ripping Fabian's innards to shreds if he hurt her. But she wanted to believe, for once, that things could work with him. And so she let herself laugh, lightly slapping away the other's hand at the poke to her belly. "If you want everything, I'm warning you, I'm like to talk your ears off," she said, unabashed and aglow. She hadn't felt so hopeful about a relationship since she'd been fifteen, and she and Fabs had started striking something up. That was before he'd let her down - would it have killed him to write her back? - and before she started living more in the moment when it came to boys; if nobody got to your heart, nobody could hurt that precious organ. But letting her guard down more about Fabian now...that was its own kind of magic. And while she'd never admit it, perhaps that was even more potent and important than the magic she studied in any spare time. She'd been wary, naturally, after sobering up on New Year's Day and realizing she had an actual date planned with him. But that one date had progressed to... 

"We went to a masquerade. I know - I didn't expect it either. Actually checked to see if he'd been abducted, when he told me," Kyra admitted with a laugh, fiddling with her bejeweled clutch. Fabian Prewett wanting to take her to a ball had her checking him for marks of alien interference - a fun excuse to start play with him, granted - but she'd found nothing to suggest that he'd been tampered with. After years, he could still...surprise her. And while she liked to dress up and have a good time, she'd never enjoyed herself so much at a formal affair as that night. "Do you remember when I did madrigals in secondary?" Seeking a place to sing something different, and earn some extra credit, she'd briefly partaken in the choir. The time was short-lived, seeing as her preference was a little more, er, rough around the edges. But there was no denying that the costumes were worth an embarrassing performance or two. "Brought the dress to school in case there was a theme party, so that worked out."

[Eliza Thatcher]

Eliza couldn't help but give her little sis a big smile. They had always had a language all their own and often times that language didn't include words at all. Kyra understood without her needing to say it aloud that the older woman loved her dearly and would move heaven and earth to get her whatever she wanted. Even if what she wanted was to talk about the model's non-existent love life. "His name was Steven and he was so hot but perfectly boring. And he never wanted to eat the good food, always green things. You know how I feel about green things." Liz shuddered, thinking of spinach smoothies.

Luckily the conversation moved quickly on to the younger Thatchers love life and Eliza found Kyra's good mood transferring onto herself. Sure, having feelings for someone was dangerous for the heart, but it was also a beautiful, crazy wild thing that was just plain fun. "Oooooh. A masquerade, how exciting!" Liz all but squealed. It had been too long since she had had such spontaneity in her life and she found herself living vicariously through her younger sibling. "It a good thing you thought to bring that old thing along, turns out choir was a complete waste after all." The woman teased playfully recalled that short faze in Kyra's life.

'Liza dear, you're all set. The negative look gooorg-e-ous! You're free to go love.' Henry said all in a rush as he approached the Thatcher girls. Henry was the shoot manager and luckily, a very old friend of Liz's who had been helping her book gigs since she had been dropped by her agency; he was a godsend really and Eliza thanked him profusely for it. Too bad he was homosexual or she would give him a proper thank you for all of his help, hunk that he was. "Alright see you at the Klien shoot in a few days!" she called after him as he scurried away, ordering other girls into line, slapping donuts out of sticky fingers. She smiled as she watched him go, waving as he waved to her, before turning her attention back to her sister. With a flourish, she let the robe she was wearing fall to the ground to reveal her underthings. "I'm free!" she announced happily, before dressing in her own clothes quickly and linking arms with her best friend. "Come on Kiki, let's do lunch. And you can finish telling me about this Masaraude, and the elusive Mr. Prewett. Oh! Did you kiss? Was there more?"

[Kyra Thatcher]

"All right, well you absolutely dodged a bullet there - no one who eats that much green can be trusted." Kyra mimicked her sister’s face of yuck at the male model’s unfortunate dining habits. Sure, it behooved most of the lookers to "keep their figures" to keep their jobs, but Eliza Thatcher was living proof that you could be healthy, curvy, fabulous, and employed in the modeling world. And single, somehow. Maybe one of the boys would know someone from training to set her up with, Kyra began plotting, wondering if a man in uniform could be her sister’s thing too. Couldn’t hurt to ask Fabs, there’s got to be some more good blokes at the precinct. But she was distracted from Lizzie’s lack of a love life by gushing about her own, and was grateful that her sister was letting her have the moment. Because Fabian Prewett taking her to a masquerade for her first actual Valentine’s date was as unbelievable as the "lunar landing" photos from NASA. The flag is moving, it couldn’t do that in the vacuum of space.

The student gave a friendly roll of her eyes at her sister’s tease, though. It was true that secondary school choir was a far reach from the band she’d recently joined, but she had learned a thing or two on the risers! "Not a complete waste because of one dress? I’m pretty sure I have to serenade you now to prove my prowess. What d’you think? I’m feeling some Janis coming on…" She smirked and started humming, giving Henry a wink as he came to compliment and release her sister. Letting out a laugh as Liz disrobed and dressed in her own things, Kyra was soon pushing off of the vanity and linking arms with her favorite Thatcher. Lunch out was perfect, and she was nowhere near done catching Liz up...

As if her guilty look didn’t say enough, Kyra teased back, "Oh Lizzie, I’m getting myself out of the business of denying myself what I want, when it comes to him." She grinned, patting her sister’s arm as they headed out together. "The more has been just…more than ever. Not that it was ever lackluster, but, sh*t, Phoebe really was right about everything being better with feelings involved." The glaring neon sign from a burger joint led the pair through the foggy street, and she hurried them there, eager to get inside and out of the cold swiftly. "Weirdest thing though, besides getting all gussied up," she admitted, getting the door for Liz, "was the twins' birthday the next day. Had a whole night of meet the family, and it's sort of soon, since we just really got together last month, but...I don't think I bombed it."

[Eliza Thatcher]

Eliza shook her head at her little sis, puckering her lips at the thought of broccoli. "Not this girl honey." she said with a roll of her head and a sassy finger. The older Thatcher laughed at her own theatrics, successfully covering up how she secretly hated her luck with men. She could just never find a good one! In all her life she had only had one serious relationship and it hadn't lasted long at all, less than a year. Could that even be considered serious? Liz thought it did. She sighed, reminding herself that she wasn't settling for anything less than a love that spoke to her soul. But at her age, how likely was that really?

"Oh no, you don't missy." Liz said with a playful slap to her sister's arm. "You don't get me started on Janis, we'll be here all day." Joplin was one of her favorites and Kyra well knew it. "Take another little piece of my heart!" she sang anyway, unable to stop herself. Shaking her head, she waved a finger at her sister as she dressed. "Enough. You will have to show me how that dress was worth it some other way. Though I do say if it was only good for the one giggle-worthy night with Fabian Prewett, that may be worth it in and of itself." And indeed, Kyra's next positively gushing dialog proved her right. She listened as they made there way out, smiling at her sister's revelation. Yes, sex with feelings would always be better than sex without. The memories of those times were something special to the older Thatcher, she may never get to make any more.

Outside in the gray daylight, Liz's eyebrows shot up of their own accord and she was glad her Kiki was getting the door so she couldn't see the apprehension in her eyes. Meeting the whole family? The woman plastered on a smile, honestly feeling happy for her little sis, along with all of her other reservations she wouldn't speak. Even if her sister was speaking one of them for her. Kyra and Fabian had been long-standing friends and lovers and it wasn't rushing, meeting the family was a good thing, right? Even if it was so soon after officially dating? She decided to keep her agreeance to herself, if Kyra knew that she too thought they were rushing things, she may become unsure. Liz took a mental step back. This wasn't about her, this was about her younger sister finding love, and she deserved that so much, she didn't need any doubt she didn't already have. Turning to her sibling with a more natural smile as the took their seats in the burger joint, she joined in the other Thatchers excitement. "I'm sure they loved you. Who wouldn't? You totally nailed it, I know you did love. How were they, the family? We've met the sister right? When we were younger. Millie? Mildred? What was her name?"

[Kyra Thatcher]

Kyra beamed as her sister caught on to the song giving her an earworm so quickly, and continued seamlessly in her best Janis, "Break another little bit of my heart now, darling, yeahhh." While Liz dressed and rightly called her on her giggle-worthy night, she sent her mind working on how else she could put her old madrigals dress to good use. Beyond a theme party, perhaps she could convince the other girls in the band to wear fancy dress for a show - hell, was there really anything stopping her from just wearing it on a normal day just for kicks? Maybe she could ask Fabian to dress up too, and they could surprise Liz at her next shoot…

Not yet decided on that, but glad that her sister was free to grab a bite, Kyra was shortly leaving with her. The heart that she’d previously had so guarded around the bloke who was now well on his way to holding it, it was just pouring out of her now, and she felt a bit odd about the gushing, but was far too happy with where she and Fabian were to care all that much about sounding silly. She'd never let herself fall for someone like she was allowing herself with her longtime friend and lover, and while it scared her to let go and trust in them - no risk, no reward, right? They could've kept having a surface-level relationship, they could've kept themselves with no strings attached. But it felt like they were both ready to really try with someone, and the girl was happy to report that the ship was sailing smoothly thus far. Even after a big family event, which, in fairness, she could reciprocate by the month's end. Her birthday was the 25th, after all…

The walk was short, and in no time at all she was seated opposite Liz in the cozy burger joint, getting all the reassurance she could need from her sister. "Molly," Kyra corrected gently, fiddling with the laminated menu as she scanned it for something unique. "Let me tell you, that woman can drink," the alcohol-lightweight went on with respect. "She had this foreign whiskey ready for us when we came in, nearly knocked me out with the one shot. But she was lovely, really - she likes to go thrifting, so thanks to our little adventures, we were able to bond over that. And her husband, Arthur, he - er - he had a lot of questions. Not just, like - where're you from and all that. More along the lines of...the little things that fill up a day-in-the-life? They're rather far out into the hills, so maybe that's why he was so curious about the university and the city. But he said he works for the Ministry, so the city shouldn't have been such an interest, I suppose...guess he doesn't get out too much, they've got a toddler."

Something about her reasoning didn't fully add up, and she'd have to ask her boyfriend more about it all another time. They were sweet as pie, the lot of them, and maybe Arthur being so curious was just because he hadn't met a significant other of his brother-in-law's before. Better than not being interested in you, isn’t it? "Fabian and Gideon were so sweet with him, actually, and Phoebe? Bill took to her like crazy. Now, I don’t want those two having kids anytime soon, but when they do - shoot, she's going to be the most natural mother. Are you finding anything interesting? I want a bite with something extra, you know? Maybe the spicy one..."

[Eliza Thatcher]

Witnessing her little sister basically gushing about Fabian Prewett and their not-so-world-wind romance, Liz felt her heartbeat an extra beat for the younger woman. She was more...tough with her feelings and Kyra was too but...it just felt different. So, she listened intently to all her sis had to say and worked hard to keep any wayward thoughts in check. "Molly." she repeated with a snap of her fingers and a nod of recognition but said no more as K went on. She remembered very little of the older sister and was sure she never had the knowledge of the older woman being such a refined drinker but the image she had of the Prewett girl seemed to fit that description. Liz remembered her being very pretty and quite mysterious with a no none-sense air. Of course, she had only been around the Prewett's when all of the siblings were together and that was very few times in her life but again, stodgy drinker and thrifty master seemed to fit what she remembered. In her mind Liz thanked the redhead woman for being so nice to her sister who appeared pleased with her first family visit of her new beau. 

The narrative on the husband of Molly, however, had Eliza's brows drawing together in confusion and curiosity. She could tell from Kyra's tone of voice that she was questioning such behavior as well. Every-day things? Like what, like making tea, or doing laundry? Then a thought dawned on her and though it seemed unlikely she felt a pang of guilt for thinking less of this man  Arthur. "Perhaps...maybe he has a little understanding problem." she suggested, giving her sister a you-know-what-I-mean look because she didn't want to call the man mentally challenged outright. That seemed very rude especially if he wasn't. She shrugged, thinking it didn't matter one way or the other about Arthur or Molly, as long as Fabian and Kyra were smitten, everything else was insignificant. 

She went back to looking over the menu, smiling over her dates commentary on her longtime best friend. "It would be so weird if she had children." Liz said as she looked over the different types of burgers they had available, trying to find the 'spicy one' her sister was thinking over. That did sound good. "It would be like you having a baby right now, too weird, we are all too young. Let's all wait ten more years, yeah? Oh! They have extra spicy chili fries. I think I'll get those and a regular burger. What about you? Little spicy, little not."

[Kyra Thatcher]

"Oh," Kyra breathed in understanding, wondering if perhaps that was it. "He was in a sort of...fancy dress for the party? Patterned shirt over coveralls, no one in this district would have approved of the look. I thought he was trying to be festive? They're a lovely family though, whatever the case," she continued hurriedly, gears turning. "You know, I think he met Molly at that boarding school they all went to, which would help explain it, actually. Can count the practical and social skills they all got out of that place on one hand, collectively," she finished with a laugh. Bless the hearts of parents who surely were well-meaning, but if she had paid through the nose for their educations and wound up with young adults unable to do proper maths enough to calculate tip, she'd sit at the headmaster's door until she got an audience and a refund.

Talk turned to the other characters at the party, namely the littlest and most popular, as Kyra assumed all first-born grandchildren were. She looked over her menu at her sister with a knowing smile as Liz spoke about Pheebs, glad that the other Thatcher was on the same page as her. "I can't speak for Pheebs, but as for my own spawn - no way, no how, maybe never, and not now," Kyra said solemnly, for while she and Fabian would have their fun, there was no way in any universe that she was having a child anytime soon. She was in her first year at university, for Gaia's sake! There was so much more life to live without worrying about supporting a tiny human of her own, that Kyra doubted that she'd even be ready in ten years. Exploring the world and the libraries and the music and the minds of the brilliants, that would keep her so busy and fulfilled that perhaps she'd never be ready to settle down completely. 

Kyra let out a hungry moan at the mention of fries and re-evaluated the list for herself as she spoke. "Right, we're doing two orders of those, with cheese. Just going to double your order, on second thought," she decided with a chuckle. While she prided herself on doing most things individually...there wasn't anything wrong with piggybacking on a good order. "What can I say? You've got good taste."

[Eliza Thatcher]

"Oh god!" Liz interjected as her younger sister described her beau's brother-in-law's attire and how no-one in their world would ever approve of such a look. "Definitely not." she agreed quietly, then kept silent as Kyra went on. The older Thatcher was sure they were as lovely as K said, but something had always -bothered- seemed off to her about the Prewette's, and to hear that it appeared everyone who went to that boarding-school acted, well, strangely...was...concerning? Liz's eyebrows drew together and she regarded her sis through slitted eyes. There was a thought...then it was gone, her face relaxed and she sighed, shaking her head and rolling her eyes. "Prewetts'." she said as if the name was long suffered, and it was. She often said their name this way when they were all children and the boys were being particularly boyish.

With a smile Liz reached across the table and held out her pink finger, when her sister had linked her own she leaned over and kissed her fist, like they had always done, and would always do when making promises. "No babies right now, maybe never." she vowed solemnly, feeling younger than she was for a moment. Being with her siblings always made her feel this way, Kyra more than the others. She could always remember them as their younger selves as if the children they once were, were playing around the restaurant with them now. It reminded her of simpler times, but the moment was short-lived. Soon they were ordering food -Liz preening at her sister's compliments of good taste- and moving on to more adult things as they waited.

Liz wanted to pry all of the details out of her sister about her magical night but she knew it would all come in its own time as little details always did. Instead, she asked: "So, what's next for the two of you? You've known each other for like ever, you're going steady now, he's made a grand romantic gesture, and you've met his entire family." Liz ticked events off on her fingers until it was just her thumb left, she wiggled it around purposefully. "What's next? Maybe...meeting our family? Or a private holiday for the two of you?"

[Kyra Thatcher]

"Prewetts," Kyra mimicked, grinning across at her sister as she rolled her eyes. She supposed it was as strange for Liz to hear about her and Fabian together as it'd always been for them to hear about Phoebe and Eddie - watching each other grow up, side-by-side through so much, and finding someone to care for from those shared summers on their street...They weren't kids anymore, but they weren't too grown yet either. The twins absolutely still deserved the old tone, not having lost their silly selves within their new responsibilities just yet. Oh shush, they never will, not if we have anything to do with it. They were headed into something so serious that they'd have to grow in a different direction than she was, Phoebe and Ed too - they needed their Thatchers! To keep their heads in the clouds!

She stretched out her arm and linked pinkies with her sister, a kiss to their joined fists, foreheads almost bumping as they met in the middle. "We can nominate Troy to give the grandkids, hmm?" she joked, chuckling at thoughts of their brothers. "Certainly had enough practice with Braden." Their boys were still at home, but if Troy and Zoe stayed together, who knew? Maybe they'd follow in Phoebe and Ed's footsteps, destined to beat the odds of teenage romance and make a family of their own. 

"Meet our family? Do I have to?" she groaned, although her sister was more than right with her assessment. A private holiday could be incredible - they could even do some day-trips on the weekends - but she supposed they should face the rest of the Thatchers before running off into the countryside. And she knew her family would try to be open minded about Fabian again. Could she help convince them that they'd both grown? That he was the boy who called her these days, not the one who couldn't return a letter? That their youthful dalliances had led them somewhere good now? "I do, I know I do - I was mulling over bringing him home for my birthday. What do you think?"

[Eliza Thatcher]

Liz laughed, trying to imagine either of her younger brothers with wives and families. They were still sweaty, dirty kneed boys who used to run into her room invited and throw paper balls at her in her mind. But that wasn’t true, they were growing fast and Troy had himself a promising girlfriend, promising because she actually liked Zoe. Heaven help any girl they tried to bring home that Eliza Thatcher didn’t like. Either way, as long as it wasn’t her yet, she was happy. Besides, having nieces and nephews would be amazing. She would get to take them on adventures and exciting times and then bring them home to their parents, it was better than any contract she had ever entered into.

“Come on, we’re not that bad. Mum and dad too, they would need to meet him eventually.” And that was saying a lot coming from the oldest Thatcher as she had never had the best relationship with either of her parents. Essentially they were good people, she knew that, they just had different views on what life meant and how to go about making a ‘good’ one. They were still their parents and if Kyra had any intention of making an honest effort with Fabian, she would need to extend the grounds of their relationship and bring him home to mum and dad. “I think that’s a great idea!” Liz said encouragingly at her sister's suggestion. “It’s your birthday so everyone will want to make you happy and are more likely to give it a fair chance.”

And really her little sis deserved her chance at love, Fabian could be that one for her. They had enough history to go around and were clearly smitten with each other, had been for a while she suspected. Kyra deserved everyone’s support. Just then their drinks arrived and Liz’s stomach rumbled loudly. She exchanged a look with her Kiki and began to laugh, she was absolutely famished and truthfully could not wait for her burger and fries, she also  could not wait to be able to sit down for some food and a chat with her sister whenever she liked. “To even the odds more you could insist on having your birthday celebration at our place.” She sent Kyra a wink, wanting nothing more than for the other Thatcher to move in and make her place their place. Parents be damned.

[Kyra Thatcher]

"Not so much worried about you and the boys, I know you'll be fair," she admitted, nails tapping atop their table along to the ambient music. "I just..." Kyra scrunched her face, willing the words, the honesty, to come forward without as much of a fight as they wanted to give her, and let them out in a rush. "We didn't exactly spend secondary gaining any points in their eyes. Didn't think that'd be a problem, that we'd ever want to actually commit - but here we are. Never mind that he's in a program that they'll respect and that we're really trying now...I'm not sure they'll ever see him as more than the boy I'd get caught sneaking out to meet, even if I do. You know?" 

She sighed and met her sister's eye, hoping her Liz would get it. She wanted to live freely, true to her heart and her mind, but it was like a tight thread wrapped around her ankle, and if it was given a yank by those who held it at the other end, she'd find herself back in Barking. Firmer than yarn and softer than steel, she could untie it, cut it, unburden herself of its pull... You wanted to move to the city to get some space from them. You've got to get to work, get out from under their thumb. If she could become independent... While she'd hope that her family would get on board with her and Fabian, if they didn't - it wouldn't hurt so much if she wasn't depending on them, right? Lizzie was supporting herself, had proven herself - it hadn't come without strain or stress, but she was doing it. How much better would it be for both of them if they were working at life together?

The younger Thatcher sister gave a grin at Liz's point - how could her parents dare to be anything but kind to her boyfriend on her birthday? - and a wider one at the rumble, laughing as she reached for her drink. "Our place!" She really believes you'll get there, you just have to make it happen! "Our place is perfect," Kyra exclaimed, returning the cheeky wink with one of her own. "You wouldn't mind hosting?"