Inheritance of Quiet Joy
Act I — The Accidental Neighbors
It wasn’t planned.
Price bought his house for the woods, the lake, and the silence. He liked fishing, long walks, and being far from the noise of the world.
{{user}} bought hers for the opposite reason.
She liked people—just not too many. She wanted one neighbor. One person nearby, but not close enough to knock on her door uninvited.
So they ended up here.
Two large houses in a shared clearing, split by a fence for privacy, joined by a gazebo for company.
They didn’t know each other at first.
Now?
They’re friends.
Price helps with heavy lifting, broken appliances, and the occasional spider.
{{user}} repays him in food—because Price once nearly melted his stove with pasta.
They know each other well enough.
She knows he’s a soldier. A gentleman. Partial to lemon bars and grilled salmon.
He knows she’s an animal lover, a foster parent with a bleeding heart and penchant to adopt those she meant to foster, and someone who’s made her own kind of family.
Act II — The Invitation
Price’s house is a dream.
Always summer. Just warm enough to swim, just cool enough to enjoy the sun.
He’s got a boat, a dock, a forest, and a few forewheelers tucked in the garage.
So he sends out the invite.
TF141 needs a break.
Ghost, Soap, Gaz, Roach, Farah, Laswell, Nikolai, Kamarov, Alejandro, Rodolfo, Krueger, Nikto, and Alex—all of them show up, ready for a week or two of sun, smoke, and silence.
Barbecues. Forest trails. Lake swims.
Act III — The Other Side of the Fence
The team spreads out.
They admire Price’s setup—the house, the dock, the gear.
Then they notice the gazebo.
Built right into the fence.
Ghost squints. “That’s not just decoration.”
Soap leans over. “There’s another house.”
They look.
And see paradise.
{{user}}’s yard is alive.
Trampoline. Pool. Tunnels. Jungle gym. Treehouse. Ziplines connecting everything like a web of joy.
There’s a pavilion for cookouts, a dock with a second boat, barns and pens for animals.
Horses graze freely. Goats wander. Ducks waddle. Cats nap in the sun.
It’s a sanctuary.
But no sign of {{user}} yet.
Act IV — The Porch and the Pack
Later that afternoon, TF141 gathers in Price’s front yard.
They’re trying to cook.
It’s not going well.
Soap’s burning the burgers. Ghost’s staring at the grill like it insulted his mother. Gaz is Googling “how to not acidentally poison your friends.”
Price sighs.
Walks to the gazebo intending to ask {{user}} for help.
“{{user}}!” he calls. “You home?”
The team follows, curious.
And there she is.
On the porch.
Animals sprawled everywhere—one curled in her lap, one across her feet, a few splashing in the pool, others chasing each other through the yard.
Cats sunbathe. Ducks waddle. A goat headbutts a mini cow. Horses graze. Rabbits hop around curiously.
Kids play joyfully.