In 2012…
Raymond Salvador "Ray" Fischer, 24
Amal Hussein Noujaim, 26
We meet at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland, where we are both studying--she to become a literature professor and I to become a doctor.
In 2012, marry (young) and soon become adoptive parents to a 13-year-old girl, Kate O'Connell, who lived down the hall from us and was clearly being neglected and mistreated.
In 2013, Amal gives birth to twin girls, Rita and Noor.
In 2014, Kate overdoses on cocaine and has to have her stomach pumped.
In 2015, we take a long recuperative summer in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
In 2016, Amal gives birth to triplet sons: Luke, Hani, and Qais.
In 2017, we celebrate the twins' and the triplets' summer birthdays together with a carnival-barbeque spectacular.
In 2018, Kate crashes her car and miscarries her baby.
In 2019, we return to Egypt for Amal's family reunion.
In 2020, Rita and Hani contract malaria during a vacation on a Nile riverboat.
In 2021, Amal dies suddenly, of an undiagnosed heart condition.
In 2022, Kate gives birth to a darling girl, Abbie Amal.
In 2023, we move to Berlin, where I am studying microbiology on a research fellowship.
In 2024, I fulfill my lifetime dream of publishing an article in the New England Journal of Medicine.
In 2025, 9-year-old Qais drowns tragically on a camping trip.
In 2026, Kate gives birth to a little boy, Alan Qais.
In 2027, we purchase an aquarium and filled it with exotic species.
In 2028, we celebrate my 40th birthday with lots of beer during Oktoberfest.
In 2029, we move to Shanghai, where I am beginning a new multi-year research fellowship.
In 2030, Rita dies of the same genetic heart condition that killed her mother, and I return to the Catholic Church of my childhood.
In 2031, Kate gives birth to a son, Finn. Noor leaves home for a year in India.
In 2032, Noor, the boys, and I take a trip back to Berlin to visit old friends.
In 2033, all 4 of my kids and 3 of my grandkids surprise me by organizing a reunion in Shanghai for my 45th birthday.
In 2034, Kate gives birth to a daughter, Ciara. Luke leaves for Bates College in Maine, and Hani leaves for St. Andrews in Scotland.
In 2035, I am asked to be the godfather of Alexander, the newborn son of my colleague, Dr. McElhinny.
In 2036, I take in a stray cat I name Spooky, and we get along very well.
In 2037, Kate gives birth to a twin sons, John and Evan.
In 2038, Noor gives birth to a little girl, Kamala.
In 2039, Noor marries Kamala's father, Parker Ryan, in a field near their home in Marrakech.
In 2040, I go to Australia for a research symposium and spend a few extra weeks exploring the country on my own. In the outback, I meet a widow named Claudia Sinclair and we fall in love.
In 2041, shocking both our sets of grown children, Claudia gives birth to our son, Christopher, who we call Kit.
In 2042…
Dr. Ray Fischer, 54
- Former wife Amal Noujaim, dead at 35.
- Adopted daughter Kate O'Connell, now 43. Children Abbie (20), Alan (16), Finn (11), Ciara (8), Evan and John (5).
- Daughter Noor Fischer, 29. Husband Parker. Daughter Kamala, 4. Twin sister Rita Fischer, dead at 17.
- Sons Luke Fischer and Hani Fischer, 26. Triplet brother Qais Fischer, dead at 9.
- Girlfriend Claudia Sinclair. Stepsons Jackson, 20, and Jai, 18. Son Kit, 1.
This message was edited 6/25/2011, 12:07 AM