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Orson's Mother's Cancer
In June 2013, Orson’s mother begins showing vague symptoms—mild pain, fatigue, slight weight loss—unnoticed as Orson leaves for Ireland. By July and August, her condition worsens with jaundice and digestive issues, prompting medical tests. In September, she’s diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer. Despite treatment, she rapidly declines through November. By December, she passes away from complications, and shortly after, Orson’s father commits suicide. -
Orson Meets Marie
At 21, Orson runs a thriving indie vintage tech shop filled with walkmans, vinyl records, boomboxes, and classic gadgets—no modern flat screens in sight. One day, a mysterious woman enters the store and quietly but unmistakably begins to seduce him, weaving a subtle, magnetic allure into the air as she explores his world of nostalgic treasures. -
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Orson and Marie's Situationship
From June to early July, Orson and Marie go through a series of dates across New York City. A simmering, complicated situationship rather than a clear romance. Marie keeps things emotionally distant, subtly edging Orson on without fully committing, while Orson clings to the hope that there’s real love between them. Despite the ambiguity, their connection deepens physically, and Orson loses his virginity to her, caught in the tension between desire and uncertainty. -
"Move To Ireland With Me"
On July 3, in a quiet, charged moment, Marie looks at Orson with an intensity that catches him off guard. Her voice soft but urgent, she tells him he should move to Ireland with her—a sudden, bold invitation that hangs in the air between them. The idea feels wild and impossible, yet beneath her insistence, there’s a vulnerability that makes Orson hesitate, caught between his familiar life and the unknown she’s offering. -
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Maries' Insisting
Between July 3 and July 28, Marie intensifies her emotional push: insisting, begging, and showering Orson with love bombs; to convince him to leave NYC and move to Ireland with her, despite their brief month together. Orson is torn, hesitant and uncertain, but her promises that he can reopen his vintage tech shop there slowly wear down his resistance. By July 28, caught between hope and doubt, he boards the plane to Ireland. -
Orson Arrives In Ireland
On July 28, with a mix of nerves and reluctant hope, Orson boards the plane bound for Ireland. As the plane touches down, he steps into a new world—damp air, unfamiliar streets, and the quiet hum of possibility. The weight of leaving everything behind presses on him, but beneath it all, a flicker of anticipation stirs as he begins this uncertain journey with Marie by his side. -
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Failure to Reopen Shop
From July to August, Orson eagerly tries to reopen his vintage tech shop in Ireland but struggles with shipping delays, customs, legal hurdles, and high costs. By September, money tightens, customers are few, and cultural gaps deepen his frustration. In October, exhausted and worn down, Marie pressures him to stop “wasting time” and settle down. By late-October, at his breaking point, Orson gives in and abandons his dream. He tried—but ultimately, he failed. -
Orson Gives Up
October 30 marks Orson’s emotional breaking point. After months of struggle, failure, and mounting pressure, he finally gives up on reopening his shop. Defeated and drained, he accepts it’s over. His dream, once full of hope, now lies in ruins—his vintage gear left behind, collecting dust in boxes he no longer opens. It’s not just a failed business; it’s a piece of himself lost, and on that day, he feels truly hollow. -
Mother Dies
On December 22, Orson receives the devastating news that his mother has died from pancreatic cancer—something he never saw coming. The next day, on December 23, his father takes his own life, overwhelmed by grief. Orson doesn’t find out until December 24. The timing shatters him—on the eve of Christmas, alone in Ireland, far from home, he spirals into a deep depression, consumed by guilt and helplessness. He wasn’t there, and now, he never can be. -
Father Kills Himself
After his wife dies, Orson'sfather takes his own life, overwhelmed by grief and unable to live alone, without her. -
Orson Is Told His Father Killed Himself
Orson doesn’t find out until December 24. On the eve of Christmas, in Ireland, far from home, he spirals into a deep depression, consumed by guilt and helplessness. He hates himself for it. -
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Orson's Severe Depression
December 24, 2013, to 2017, Orson descends into severe, prolonged depression. The grief of losing both parents, the collapse of his dream, and Marie’s eventual departure leave him hollow. Days blur into weeks—he rarely leaves bed, struggles to eat, and speaks little. Time passes in silence, marked only by the occasional breakdown or blank stare. He drifts through life in Ireland as a shell of himself, isolated, guilt-ridden, and buried in unresolved pain, unable to return to NYC or move forward. -
Orson's Saddest Birthday
Orson’s saddest birthday. His parents are gone, he’s far from home, and the weight of grief hangs heavy. Marie bakes him a cake and tries to make the day feel special, but her warmth feels distant—performative. Orson forces a smile, tries to be grateful, but the ache of missing his parents overshadows everything. He senses something’s off with Marie, but says nothing. Deep down, he knows she doesn’t really want to be there anymore, and that makes the day hurt even more. -
Marie Breaks Up With Orson
Marie breaks up with Orson. Though part of him sensed it was coming, the moment still stuns him—another crack in an already shattered life. Heartbroken and emotionally wrecked, he cries uncontrollably, but doesn’t lash out. Instead, he nods quietly, swallowing the pain, as if he understands he’s been a “burden.” It's a quiet kind of devastation—he’s already lost his parents, his dream, and now the last person he clung to. There’s no fight left in him, only grief. -
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Marie "Whoring" Around
Marie breaks up with Orson, she quickly returns to her natural rhythm—chasing fleeting passion, drifting from one man to the next. She’s never believed in slow-burn romance or long-term responsibility; she’s a creature of fast, intense nights and clean exits. Yet, to maintain the image of being a “good person,” she occasionally checks in—offering hollow encouragements, urging Orson to go outside, smile more, live a little—never truly understanding the depth of his grief. -
Marie Meets Corey
One night at a club, Marie meets Corey, a man with a bolder edge. Their connection quickly sparks into a passionate, fast-paced situationship filled with intense dates and heated hookups. Unlike with Orson, Corey’s more aggressive energy excites her, and she revels in the thrill of this new, fiery connection, embracing the wildness she craves while keeping things casual and untethered. -
Anouk Is Born
At just 25, Marie has a baby with Corey. His possessiveness quickly shifts the dynamic—unlike her usual fast exits, Corey pressures her into commitment and staying put. The freedom she once had slips away as she finds herself trapped in a relationship that demands more than she’s used to, complicating her desire for independence and forcing her to face consequences she never expected. -
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"Let Him Go"
Corey relentlessly pressures Marie to cut all ties with Orson. He insists she abandon any help or contact, pushing her to fully sever the connection. Over these years, his influence grows stronger, and Marie gradually distances herself from Orson, leaving him increasingly isolated as Corey tightens control over her life. -
Anouk is Three Years Old
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"I Won't Care For You"
When her son turns three, Marie visits Orson to tell him clearly that she won’t be caring for him anymore—she has a boyfriend and a child now, and Orson is no longer her concern. Though the news could sting, Orson accepts it quietly and without bitterness, having long come to terms with their fractured connection and the separate lives they lead. It’s a final, cold closure—but one he meets with calm resignation. -
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Orson Applies for Job
Orson, drawn back to a simpler passion—fishing—applies for a job at the docks in his town. It’s not his dream, but it feels like the closest thing to something meaningful he can do right now. After making the call, he gets a positive response and is invited in for an interview, offering a faint glimmer of hope amid the fog of his struggles. -
Trial Day
On the day of the interview, Marv surprises Orson by offering a test day to see how he handles the work. The next day, during his trial, Orson helps out on a boat but suddenly freezes, overwhelmed by a panic attack when the boat stops. Seeing this, Marv calmly soothes him, giving him space and support. Once Orson steadies himself, Marv reassures him—and tells him he’s hired. It’s a small but crucial victory, a sign that Orson might finally find solid ground again. -
Meeting Shiloh
On Orson’s first day at the docks, he meets Shiloh—someone who’s not brand new but still relatively fresh to the job. Orson calls him over, breaking the ice, and from that simple gesture, a gentle friendship begins to form. -
Orson Gets Beat Up
After his first day, Orson is walking when he hears a struggle in an alley. He sees Corey and his group physically abusing Shiloh, hurling racist slurs because Shiloh is Israeli. Something inside Orson snaps—summoning unexpected courage, he shouts for Shiloh to run. Shiloh escapes, but Orson takes the brunt of the attack. He blacks out and wakes up the next day alone in the alley, bruised and aching, shaken but alive. -
"I Can't Do This"
On his second day of work, Orson shows up late—still sore and shaken from the beating he took the day before. Determined to prove himself, he pushes too hard. Shiloh feels terrible for what happened. Later, when Orson needs to use the bathroom, he finds Corey there and, scared to confront him, sneaks out to relieve himself behind a dumpster. That moment breaks something inside—Orson quietly decides he can’t keep going and plans to quit. -
Marie Stops Orson From Quitting
That night, Orson goes to Marie’s house to tell her what Corey did and said—and to say he’s planning to quit the docks. Marie berates him, insisting he must push forward and not give up. Orson calls Corey a bad person, and Marie agrees—but when he asks why she’s still with Corey, she dodges, saying it doesn’t matter because of her kid. Orson accuses her of feeding Corey details about his depression; Marie lies and denies it.