VALERIA

Until a little over a decade ago, the Hales weren't exactly considered a top-tier aristocratic family in Meteor City because then, the prominent and well-known ones were just three — the Baltimores, the Astors and the Roosevelts — in no particular order.

In short, we call them “THE BAR.”

On the other hand, we could, at best, be considered the unofficial fourth along with the Morgans — Andy's family.

Of course, this was just my dad's personal thoughts.

Thoughts that I have come to understand were nothing but a product of his inflated pride considering how wide the gap between our families and THE BAR was at the time....