Life's What You Make It

Almost one year later...

"So is everything organised for your birthday bash on Saturday?" Jessie asked her cousins.

"Yeah, I mean there isn't that much to organise, honestly" Haley answered "I think scaling things down from last year was the right call though. It all got a little crazy that night"

"Yeah, I still can't believe Craig dared Jess to jump in the pool naked and she actually did it" Kelly laughed.

"Ugh, don't remind me" the girl in question blushed "How much did I drink to agree to that?"

"So he can make it this year too, right?" Haley checked.

"Yeah, just try and keep Craig away from anywhere he can get free beer" Jessie rolled her eyes jokingly.

"Martin, Philip and Carl all confirmed too. Aint no party without the nerd herd" Kelly chuckled affectionately. She wasn't quite sure how three geeks from the coding club had ended up becoming such an integral part of her group, but she had grown very fond of them nonetheless - especially Martin.

"And Tina?" Jessie enquired.

"Yeah, she'll be there. She has some online gaming tournament thing first so she might be a little late though" Haley explained "So, that's everyone, right?"

"Um, aren't you forgetting someone important?" Kelly smirked knowingly.

"What? Who?"

"She's talking about Andrew" Jessie rolled her eyes again "We're officially dating now. And yes, he'll be there. God help him"

"Congratulations Jess, he's hot. But aren't you two basically related?" Haley teased.

"He's, like, my Aunt's husband's son from a previous marriage. There's literally no reason we can't see each other" Jessie answered back before swiftly changing the subject "Anyway, for Haley's actual birthday meal tonight, I thought it would be nice if it was just us"

"That's kind of how I like it best" Kelly admitted "The Three Amigos, like it's always been from the start"

"Hell yeah" Haley smiled, as she linked arms with her cousins.

In that moment, everything felt close to perfect. The sun was shining, they had their whole lives ahead of them and it seemed like the world was at their feet. Nobody could tell what the future held, of course. But it was theirs to navigate entirely on their own terms. And it looked pretty damned bright.

---

"I know it's such a cliched thing to say, but they really do grow up so fast" Maisie sighed to Holly during one of their frequent early evening catch up sessions "Jess is 19 already, and I'll need to start planning for Abby's eighteenth soon. Where does the time go?"

Holly remained silent, gazing wistfully out of the window at nothing in particular.

"You okay, Hols?" Maisie asked with a note of concern.

"Yeah it's just.." Holly hesitated a moment "Maisie, do you think I would have been a good mother? You know, if things had worked out differently"

"Are you kidding? You would have been the best!" her sister answered immediately and emphatically "My kids have always absolutely adored you, more than they do me, I sometimes think! You don't have any regrets about not having any of your own though, do you?"

"No, not really. The circumstances were just never right. Brett and I have always been so busy with our careers, and it's pretty obvious he never really wanted to be a father. It's just...." Holly paused a little sadly "I sometimes wonder. Would I even have been cut out for it? Being an Aunt is a very different thing to being a parent. You aren't responsible for another human being's life in the same way"

"You never need to wonder about that, Holly. I know for a fact that anyone you raised would have been shaped into the kindest, most compassionate and selfless version of themselves they could possibly be. They'd be strong willed and smart too, probably exactly the kind of child who would grow up to do something really important. I also happen to know that any kid of yours would have felt like the most loved and looked after person on the planet. And the reason I can say that for sure is that's exactly how you made feel when I was growing up"

"Stop it Mais, you're making me tear up"

"I'm making myself tear up too. Come on, bring it in big sis!"

As Maisie and Holly embraced, they felt unequivocally grateful that, whatever life threw at them, they would always have each other, and the deep and unbreakable bond they shared.

---

"Hey, don't look now, but there's a guy across the street totally checking you out" Rachel nudged her colleague as they left the office together.

"Thanks for telling me Rach, now I'm super self conscious" Tammy laughed.

The job she had started a few months back had been great for Tammy. The people she worked with were lovely, and not too much older than she was. She had quickly made friends, and was starting to build the social network she had previously lacked.

Her memories of the orphanage and various short term foster care homes she had grown up between were not unpleasant, but it was a very transient existence that Tammy recalled. Nowhere had ever felt like home and nobody had stuck around for very long. Not until she met Amy.

Tammy had become acquainted with the beautiful, flame haired advertising executive close to a year ago, via some mentoring scheme she didn't even remember applying for. But Amy had quickly become way more than just a role model to the aspiring young businesswoman. She was like a doting and protective big sister, a trusted best friend and an ever reliable agony aunt all rolled into one. She was a few years older and lived on the west coast, but visited Tammy often, and was almost always available to talk. In fact, she had an incredible knack for calling Tammy at the exact moments when her friend had begun to feel sad or alone and needed someone to talk to the most. She always knew exactly what to say to raise her spirits too. Tammy often quipped to her friend that she must be psychic.

It wasn't just her uncanny ability of sensing when she needed to get in touch with her mentee that led to that joke. Amy's predictions were also spookily accurate. In fact, whenever she promised that something good was coming Tammy's way, it always did, without fail, no matter how far fetched it had sounded. Like her current job, which Tammy had been called to interview for despite lacking any of the required qualifications, and secured regardless of being up against several far more experienced candidates. Amy had pushed her into applying, and never doubted for a minute she would succeed.

Another great example was the lotto ticket Amy had bought for her younger friend because she "had a good feeling about it". The money Tammy won from that would cover her rent for many years to come while she built up her nest egg. And, despite Tammy's many offers to split the cash, Amy had been utterly insistent she would never accept a penny of it. Tammy couldn't think what she had ever done to deserve such kindness.

All in all, Tammy's life was good and her future more than promising. What she did lack was a sense of truly belonging somewhere, a group of close and trusted friends to be a part of, and maybe even a decent guy she could genuinely grow to love. But Mystic Amy had assured Tammy all of those things would come her way soon enough, so she probably had nothing to worry about.

She looked over. The young man across the road was still eyeing her, probably less subtly than he thought. He was cute, and gave off a kind and gentle aura. Tammy was hoping by now that he would pluck up the nerve to speak to her. So, as Rachel said her goodbyes, she decided to linger a little longer, to give her potential suitor another minute or so to work up the courage to say hello.

Across the street, Philip was wondering what had gotten into him. He was not even remotely the type of guy who would cold approach a beautiful stranger. But something about this girl had him mesmerised and, though he felt sure he had never seen her before, she seemed comfortingly familiar. Haley and Kelly were always encouraging him to take more chances in situations like this, and perhaps they were right. Even if she was probably going to shoot him down, it wouldn't kill him.

A bag of nerves, Philip nonetheless held himself together just about enough to cross the street in Tammy's direction. She locked eyes with him briefly, and gave a shy half smile while pushing her hair back. Again, he felt that strange sense of comfort and familiarity radiating from her that he couldn't account for but which instantly put him at ease. Suddenly sure he could do this, Philip stood taller, squared his shoulders and, calmly and confidently, made his approach.

The End

Author's Note: Thank you to everyone for reading to the conclusion of this branch and for all the support, likes and comments. It means a lot. While this storyline has now ended, I fully intend to continue with other branches, and I hope other authors will do the same.