The 'Happy Ending' seemed kind of forced to keep from ending it on a downer. I would have no problem with this prologue ending on a downer but the marriage might be necessary for the series...
Will any of these characters return in the series or is it far enough down the timeline that they are all dead? How far down the line is Nathaniel? I am guessing that plot wise the motive for the marriage was to create Nathaniel and that he is directly related to Jerry and Elise, son? grandson?
I almost forgot, where did Lanie come in? I never heard of her before this part. I assume she is related but how?
I hear your lament from other writers which makes me kind of glad I have no real talent in that area as my wife claims I have little to no attention span so I would probably have 6-8 stories going at one time and none of them getting done
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Keep up the good work and I can't wait to see what happens next in this era.
Mike