It was a shame. One day, grief overtook grades and he logged off the university computers for the last time. He probably should've just taken a break or even dropped out of his own accord but the world had rended such power from him. Mum and dad were gone and there was nothing he could do. He recalled the feeling of being dumped by a bigger-than-expected wave at the beach as a kid, how he tumbled and bit the sand. Strong arms lifting him up, smiles, promises of ice cream. The university board made no such concessions.

Then, mid-hauling a suitcase to the campus bus stop, a car tooted and pulled to the side. Virginia grinned from the driver's seat, all light and bright with the breeze bouncing her ginger hair. They would get ice cream when they arrived in Desiderata Valley. Quinn, now a school-aged youngster, was near pinging in the backseat when she saw her uncle. Scot was at work, Virginia said, but he wanted to welcome Rocky home with a small gathering, if he felt up to it.

All this while expecting baby number two (eventually arriving as a boy named Hunter). Rocky had to allow mum and dad's smiles to fully come into focus, and nana's too. They would be so proud of Virginia.

Hermia invited Desdemona and Robert for a tour of the property. Tybalt would rather have gotten on with the day than hosting guests, especially his cousin and cousin-in-law and the guaranteed prospect of their opinions, but in the end, he admitted to giving them little credit. It transpired that Robert had minored in agriculture with a pest management specialisation and kept up his knowledge base on the side since then; he and Tybalt were going to collaborate on a best practise manual for the farm's future generations. Speaking of:

"That's why you have nothing to lose and everything to gain from going to university!" Tybalt was doing his best to sell further education to Autumn, who was having a teenage whirlwind of doubt. He gave the example of Robert's knowledge that he held to this day, just from a minor subject. Imagine what one could do with a major!

Autumn dragged her hand up the back of her neck. Her gaze was drifiting to the backpack she'd tossed to the ground of the barn in a hurry to get on with market stocktake. Tybalt stretched his mouth out to affect a grin, but having little smiling experience, he became profoundly aware he was grimacing instead. No matter. "You could become a master of inventory," he continued, "and, develop some ideas of your own about how to run the farm, when it's all yours." Then her lip started to wobble and the crux of her doubt was revealed: she didn't want to run the farm without her mum or uncles! She wanted her family to be around forever. She missed her chosen uncle Leod, too. It was all too much to imagine doing it on her own.

At this point in Autumn's outpour, Hermia arrived at the barn and drew her daughter into her arms (thank goodness, as Tybalt wasn't sure how to proceed with such emotions), murmuring that everything would be okay. Better still, she wouldn't be alone.

"Oh hell no." Desdemona's response was so lightning fast it jolted a bark of laughter out of her husband, who then visibly relaxed with relief. She knew why he was asking the question - her brother Hal had dropped off his children for beach time with their cousin Imogen that afternoon, and Des had managed to win over the reluctant teen boy and rambunctious twin girls. They didn't even complain when she produced the sunscreen bottle and gave them the instruction to wear it or forgo the sun, surf and sand entirely. And when Summer needed a break from her twin sister, Des took her inside and booted up the video game console. It was like she'd had more than one kid all along! But as she explained to Robert: "I love them, but I get to send them home to Hal. Imogen is so much easier on her own."

Ginger thought her older sister should give herself more credit. She herself was more of an observer of the chaos that afternoon and didn't quite know what to say or do when squabbles arose. Maybe having kids around was good practise for her law career that was bubbling under...

She was quietly browsing the deluxe card sets. Cian had to sidle over from the sale bin and not be too visibly wide-eyed at the prices. Her name was Patience and she was responsive to chat, deftly filling in nervous gaps with conversation continuers, like what was Cian's favourite board game (the camel racing one at the moment), and was he in a club? Not yet, he said, but maybe they could start one together. She leaned in with sparkling eyes and bubbling agreement, and Cian felt like a winner.

Patricia was making the podium too, still riding the high of her exclusive date with elusive socialite Nylissit Tricou. Dining late at Londoste in the private gallery was a pleasure; such activities were a priority for her these days. No more hustling! Only visiting the hottest haunts and having regular hair appointments (she really liked her new, voluminous bob). Social media residuals could stretch to such things - perhaps even a home, one with attractive greenery, that wasn't underneath another home in a building block of space-saving architecture. City property was out of reach, but she knew a village a rideshare away where cottages for sale were dubbed 'cute and affordable'.

It took a little while for the reason to become clear. One day, aunt Regan aww'd when Hannah jumped on the couch to snuggle up to Desdemona watching telly, and made a passing remark that uncle Kent's old dog Portia once did the same when she was pregnant with Nathaniel. One pharmacy trip later and Des had her answer.

"There you are," she said, entering the dance studio to see Robert wearing a sparkling piece from Cornwall's dance wardrobe, not to dance, but to do leg extensions on the exercise machine. Des would have a word with him about proper use of borrowed costumes later, but for now, she said: "Babe, I'm pregnant." Robert lowered his feet to the ground and there was a moment of silence when only the hum of a fan could be heard, then: "Oh!" Elated utterances from both of them as Robert flew up in a glittery whirl to embrace Des.

The news was delivered Capp family-wide, and Desdemona's parents soon pulled up to the beach for a visit. Reproach for the lack of a big wedding celebration was replaced with delight for another grandchild on the way - and yes, they did approve of Robert being a university professor aligned with the success of Capp students such as cousin Nathaniel.