Founders - Charles and Candice Creek

Charles and Candice met in college. She was studying communications at Britechester, he was studying computer science at Foxbury, and the two were the most unlikely couple to ever form. It also took some time. While Charles, a mascot for Foxbury in full uniform, fell for Candice from the first time they met, she was more hesitant. He was the essence of geek, silly, seemingly taking nothing seriously and she was the opposite. But Charles was persistent. Not so much that he did not take no for an answer, he very much did, but for him there was no staying away. On every sports rally, at every bar night, he'd gravitate towards Candice like a moth to a flame regardless. Never pushing himself on her after she'd turned him down but always around. It didn't help that they both favoured the library over the university commons for studies. Eventually they got into a routine of studying together, just quietly side by side with Charles cracking jokes that she rolled her eyes at when they were leaving.

Still today Candice cannot pinpoint when Charles became important to her, or when she actually started to fall in love. It was a quiet thing, sneaking up on her. From leaving the library right after studying, to having a cup of coffee together and talking every now and then, when he went from an annoying guy from Foxbury, to Charles - a friend of mine. But while Candice can't say when she fell in love, she can tell you the moment she realised it. It was Christmas break, and Charles was away for more than a week, just short of their graduation that she suddenly realised that she missed him. Then she realised that in just a few months he would never be around. They'd go their separate ways, live their lives with their separate families and have little in common. It was when that thought made it hard to breathe that she realised that this was so much more than friendship.

She asked him out the moment he returned from the holiday, and the two have been inseparable ever since. Charles still doesn't understand why Candice fell in love with him, but he will tell anyone he's the luckiest guy in the world.

But while they might look like an odd couple at first glance, they complement each other perfectly. Charles keeps Candice grounded when her ambitious nature makes her stress over things that aren't that important. When she sees dangerous storm clouds he ahead, he will point out the blue sky behind them, and his jokes, while stupid and childish, never fail to ease her tension. And while he keeps her sane, she keeps him going. Without her he would most likely still be working tech support at some local San Myshuno company without ever asking for either a raise, a holiday or a promotion. She has the drive and will that he lacks, and he is better off for it.

When Willow and Sandy arrived they became the center of their universe, and while their San Myshuno apartment weren't bit it was enough for the three of them. They had decent jobs, even if the hours were longer than they wanted, and even if the neighborhood was a bit rougher than they wished. But they made up for it with weekends in San Myshuno park.

Then Noa came along, a surprise for his otherwise always well planned mother. They hadn't intended to have a third child, but they couldn't be happier either way. For Candice he was a test of her ability to adapt to change, but well worth the effort. It was fine at first, he could just sleep in their bedroom, but they both knew that that couldn't last. They needed a new place, and after looking at several apartments they knew... it was time to leave the city.

It was Charles that found Willow Creek, laughing and joking that it was meant to be, why else had they named their first born Willow? Candice took a more practical approach to finding a place to live, but when looking at all relevant data - schools, nature, location, the job market - she had to agree that Willow Creek was a good, if expensive, choice. She found herself employment at a firm, at a lower position than was desirable but with the knowledge that she would be able to advance, and she helped Charles start up his freelance business, landing a few clients that would be fine with him working from home. And with that, they said good bye to the city life ready for a fresh start in Willow Creek.