Thank you so much for all the comments. I’m glad you were all okay with the jump into the future.
Sarah – Yeah, the whole thing with so many of them ending up with someone they met their freshman year was something I was concerned about. My basic problem was wanting to give a sense of where everyone ends up, but since it’s only two chapters (and you’ll see shortly that this was the only chapter that really gives an update on their friends, except for Cat who wasn’t in this chapter), I didn’t want to introduce too many new characters.
Besides, the only couple I considered breaking up really was Chris and Alicia. I hadn’t originally intended for Maddie and Josh to end up together, but I knew I wanted Maddie’s wedding to be part of the end (it felt important to see her happy with someone else so she’s not some sad girl still pining after Clark), and when I wrote it, Josh somehow became her husband. Once it was written, I couldn’t imagine her with anyone else. They fit together in my head really well even though I had never intended for them to get together.
So, after consulting with Carol that it wasn’t completely unrealistic to have them all end up together, I decided to keep Chris and Alicia together as well so that only Sarah is a new person.
IolantheAlias – I don’t think anyone else figured out Clark’s secret. Maddie was really Clark’s closest friend in college aside from Lois. Given the relationship we saw of them in the story even after they broke up, I imagine that remained true throughout the rest of their time in college. Add that to all she observed when they were dating, and the tidbit I included awhile ago of Maddie’s drawing showing that she was just as observant as Lois, just less vocal about it, it made sense to me that she knew.
I sort of imagine that if Clark had lived with Josh or Chris at some point, they might have figured it out, but since he always lived with Steve it didn’t happen. As a result of not living together, Josh and Chris never saw as much of his comings and goings as Steve did, but in general, Steve is a bit more self-absorbed than the rest of them and a bit denser. So, I think he wouldn’t have made the connection.
Michael – I wish I had considered that – it would be fun for the update on Paul to be completely different. Rather than having Chris mention what he knows, have LnC out and about working on a story and deciding to go to LexFries for a fast meal and see Paul behind the counter.
My guess is lots of people wouldn’t have expected Maddie to know as we are usually focused on Lois being the only one. But fairly early on in the writing of this, I think even before I wrote about their breakup, Carol and I had a conversation about it and we both saw her knowing. Carol even asked if I’d write a separate piece when I was finished with this with Clark and Maddie running into each other years later and having roughly the conversation I have here. I think that was supposed to be a separate piece mainly as it didn’t seem to fit in with what I had planned for this story, but when it did fit, I decided to make it part of it. I think it’s nice for Clark to know that someone besides Lois would have accepted him for who he is.
I’m glad you liked the Steve and Sarah update. I had trouble with that – finding the right tone for an update on someone who was an adult now but had been the most immature of the group back when they were younger.
The final chapter should be up shortly.
If you want, you could still include it. They just don't know where he went after the Digger and they head for LexFries and see Paul there 
Bad Michael!! No more ideas for writing, even short things. I'm still working diligently on the sequel to the Tale of Two Marthas. Not that it's that long, but with only 30-90 minutes a week to get writing done now, it's pretty slow going. And after that, I'd like to get some of the half dozen stories I've written recently ready for the archive. Since that includes this one, I have several months of editing in my future I think. So no more writing!!
