They Were Meant for Each Other

Question:

It worries me, die-hard Alice and Patrick ‘shipper that I am, that we’ve been seeing so much of the two of them in the latest books. I know, this goes against logic. Most people have been begging for more scenes about them for years. I, myself, would be lying if I denied that the first thing I do upon opening a new Alice book is scan for all of the Patrick scenes. But let me follow this logic through:

It seems unrealistic that a couple who first began dating when they were twelve years old would end up together in the long run. After all, who picks out their final soul mate when they’re still giving out paper valentines? It could be possible if say, they broke up and stayed that way for years, rediscovering each other one summer between college. But being high school sweethearts means that they’re going to have to split up when Alice goes to college, have completely separate lives, and then finally find each other twenty years later when they’re both divorced with two kids. Now, I don’t think I’m alone when I say I don’t want that for them. Sure, it’d be a happy ending of a kind – after all, they’d end up together. But all those years apart! Heartache.

Given the airtight logic, I’m worried about their trajectory. Alice has practically declared her undying love for Patrick (though I noticed he never said it back… perhaps this is a possible conflict for future resolution?). Surely, a couple can’t be each others’ firsts for everything and then still stand the test of time.

Don’t tease me, Phyllis. I don’t care about reality. Fiction was invented to make wondrous things happen, like people falling in love when they’re just kids and making it work for all the years that follow. If that’s not great fiction, I don’t know what is.

Give the people what they want. Change that final fireproof-safe-protected manuscript if you have to. Alice and Patrick belong together. They were created for each other*. Literally. By you. Don’t deny them the future they were destined to have from conception.

Love,

The biggest Alice fan you’ll ever meet. (And we did meet, about 10 years ago at a signing in Portland, Oregon. It was lovely to see you. I still have the autographed copy of Jade Green. Which, incidentally, is still one of my favorite of your books.)

*I realize that Alice, at least, wasn’t created solely for Patrick. But still, they are the perfect relationship foil, which has to mean something in relation to their creation (sorry, bad rhyme).

Phyllis replied:

I’m not teasing, honestly.  It’s you guys who keep trying to pry the answers out of me.  My lips are sealed and so is the manuscript.  The final book Will Reveal All!  But I loved hearing from a fan I met ten years ago in Portland!