Lark (20s me): Good morning sisters!
Bloom (High school me): Good morning Lark!
Libra (College me): Hey Lark. Sleep well?
Lark: Better than ever.
Mom (Present me): Good morning girls.
Lark, Libra, and Bloom: Good morning Mom!
Mom: So what’s on the agenda for today?
Lark: I wanted to ask you about that, actually. I know we’ve been working really hard lately on me… You’ve all put so much effort into showing me who I really am.
Libra: Of course we did, Lark. You’re worth it.
Mom: We’re all worth it.
Lark (smiling): Thanks, everyone. Now that I’ve accepted myself though, what about my sister?
Bloom: I already know I’m a girl!
Lark: Not you, my older sister. I want to meet her, if I can.
Mom: You want me to summon her? What do you two think?
Bloom: Yes please!
Libra: I’d love to.
Mom: Okay, I’ll give it a try.
(A half minute of silence passes.)
Libra: Is it supposed to take this long?
Mom: No it isn’t. I don’t think I can do it.
Lark (shocked): Wait, what!? Am I the oldest?
Mom: No, you definitely have older sisters. I just can’t summon them yet.
Bloom: Why not? We know we’re all girls…
Mom: It feels like there’s something else getting in the way. Some unfinished business; something the three of us have to work out before I can bring her forth.
Libra: What is it?
Mom: Honestly, I don’t know. Figuring that out seems like a good first step.
Lark: But how? We don’t have anything to go on.
Mom: I think I’ll know it when I see it, so to speak. I realize that’s pretty unsatisfying, but it’s not like there’s any shortage of past issues to process. For now, let’s keep working through things and learning about ourselves. I’m sure the answer will present itself with enough introspection.
Libra: I don’t understand… We haven’t had to do this before. When you summoned Lark or I there weren’t any special requirements.
Mom: That’s true, but this feels different to me. Lark was the first of us that had real agency — You and Bloom were still on the guardrails of family and school. Our life was pretty straightforward back then, but that changed after we graduated. Not to mention, life changes pretty drastically after Lark’s time. I start seeing the woman I’ll eventually marry, and that marks a shift from single life to partnered life. It’s a huge inflection point.
Lark: So maybe the barrier has to do with being single!
Mom: I don’t think that’s quite it… But I suppose it’s as good a place as any to start.
Libra: Sounds like a plan then.
Bloom: Count me in!
Lark: Me too. I trust you, Mom.
Mom (smiling): It’s good to hear you say that, Lark. There’s lots more work ahead of us, girls… Everyone ready?
Bloom, Libra, and Lark: Ready!