Coral moved into a little terraced house, and got herself a job as a Legal Secretary. Herb took to coming round regularly, and, she thought, "at least I can give him a decent meal. He always appreciates it, and he is looking quite thin..."
Herb would drop by on a warm summer evening and they would catch up on the latest gossip. "Cass Goth still refuses to get married, though she has been living with Darren for years. I wonder how Mortimer and Bella feel about that?"
For his part, Herb was still very fond of her; he thought they got on better than ever nowadays; Coral seemed so much more content this way. And he was quite happy in his bachelor flat, though it hadn't been as exciting as he had hoped. Doing his own washing and cooking was a pain.
Around this time Coral also became good friends with a guy called Jim Kim. (No relation to the famous Kims).
After some time, he decided it was time he went for comfortable retirement. He was really feeling his age, tired of city living. He bought a tiny cottage out in the old-fashioned district of Verona and adopted a dog called Abbey, who had turned up as a stray in the district.
But the country air didn't suit this life-long town-dweller. He caught flu, which left him with a chronic bronchitic cough, and his granddaughter Lillith, who had just finished University, came to stay for a while and look after him. Of course she caught it too, but between them they muddled through. Daniel and Mary Sue came over fairly often to check on them both as well. Lillith meanwhile obtained work as a Dance video Star, which impressed Herb enormously, and paid the bills.
Coral took to visiting regularly and finally moved back in with Herb when she retired, and after he had a fall. They adopted two more dogs, Danny and Sarah Crittur, and the three dogs got on very well together. "Now I feel I have had a bit more life, I feel I can settle down," she smiled.
The dogs had several puppies, among others, Tommy, Jerry, Kitty, and the puppies were given away or sold, in one case, to friends and family.
Coral's good friend Jim Kim came to visit often through that last winter.
One of the dogs dug up a treasure chest. Herb immediately started digging all over the lot but didn't find any more.
They also made friends with a Townie, Barbara, and their poker nights were much enjoyed.
On the whole, they had a very happy time together.
Coral held a family party on Herb's deathday, and most of the family were there to see him off.
Coral missed him. And now in her turn, feeling quite frail, she invited her old friend, Jim Kim, to come and comfort her. Mary Sue was around a lot as well. Coral and Jim together built a small mausoleum in the garden. Mary Sue thought it ought to be at the Pleasant house, but Coral said "No, I have finally got my wandering lad here, and here he is going to stay! And when I die, I intend to be planted right here beside him."
Jim moved in to care for his old friend, who was by now quite frail. They enjoyed one another's company so much that eventually they were married.
The dogs had another puppy, who they called Willy and decided to keep, and then, leaving the dogs and puppy in the care of a nanny, they set off for the holiday of a lifetime in Takemitzu Village.
Coral used this time to rest up, while Jim was more active, exploring this foreign environment.
And the proper way to drink tea.
Coral meanwhile discovered the delight of soaking in hot natural springs, which she thoroughly enjoyed.
Sadly, this version of the Megahood was destroyed. But an almost-parallel timeline continues the story of the Oldies and the Pleasants in the Uberhood here.