Newhaven: Week Nine - The Raymond Family
Previously for the Raymond family: Veronica, after losing her job, resorted to a life of crime, whilst her eldest son Terry continued to raise the ranks in Law Enforcement. Her youngest son James grew into a playful child who made friends easily.
James celebrated his birthday with his family including his half brother Terry, and Terry's half-brother Clark. James guessed this made Clark his quarter-brother as he was a half-brother of a half-brother.
Not long after Terry too celebrated his birthday. Thankfully the brothers got along well, as the small house meant they still shared a bedroom.
Although Terry joked there was more room in the police cell at the police station, their close living quarters had meant they had no choice but to bond.
Newhaven's law enforcement consisted of Terry and his father Lucas Sibly. Just because he was pretty much guaranteed his position didn't mean Terry took his role for granted. He and his friend Ebony Darcy regularly went jogging together even when the weather was miserable.
Veronica too needed to stay in shape for her job. She still thanked her lucky stars her ex-husband wasn't smart enough to discover her criminal activities, and that her eldest son was still pretty much stuck doing paperwork.
And of course it helped that her husband Mayhew, sweet and trusting as he was, never questioned her about the odd hours or inconsistencies in the stories she told.
Despite his parents divorcing when he was a child, Terry had no doubt that he wanted to ask his long time girlfriend Lillian Chang-Collins to be his wife. Once she completed high school he did exactly that.
She said yes.
Terry's father and half-brother Clark lived next door. Terry appreciated that his mum held no ill feeling towards Clark as it meant Clark felt free to come over anytime and spend time with his older brother.
While Clark, and Terry's girlfriend Lillian, always went out of their way to include James, he couldn't help but feel they still treated him like a kid.
And as his father's only child, as his mother's youngest; his parents definitely treated him as the baby of the family.
At least his friend Jade Brandon didn't think of him as a child. In fact, he was hopeful that one day she would even think of him as something much more than a friend.
Mayhew and Veronica celebrated their birthday quietly. Although neither of them had been born in Newhaven, they couldn't be happier to call it home and have it be the place they would spend their elder years.