Farrah, "Wife Days"
The protagonist of this story is introduced as a teenager in 1988, walking into her grandmother's closet. She is picking out the dress she wants to inherit: the one her grandmother was wearing as she watched the first love of her life die. This is also the reader's introduction to the darkness within Farrah.
In 2010, Farrah has decided to negotiate a deal with her husband, Blake. Four days a week she will be the perfect wife. The other three days belong entirely to her. The marriage is not entirely satisfying and is made worse by the knowledge that Blake wants a kid and Farrah doesn't. Of course, the chances of a happily ever after probably only had a slim chance for a woman who had been institutionalized eighteen years earlier following a nervous breakdown.
Farrah's is the story of a beautiful woman used to being the object of desire who learns the hard way that her mother—though somewhat mad herself—has prescience. The motherly advice is that the currency of beauty fades and with it comes a collapse of all the stability that beauty affords. Farrah finally comes an understanding with her estranged mother, thankful for the useful things she taught her about the fluidity and flexibility of love.
Regan, "The Heirloom"
Regan has inherited a ranch. But there is not future in the 21st century for the idea of 19th century ranching. And she repurposes the land into the Big Dig Arena. Financially well-off men like hedge fund managers pay top dollar for the privilege of climbing into heavy machinery to trash smaller machinery.
Regan's most useful business advice for this creative venture comes courtesy of a dominatrix. The BDSM mistress also makes a little money on the side by selling an online course in the dynamics of power. From her, Regan learns that successful men can all be exploited simply by learning whether they have mommy issues or daddy issues.
Regan has mommy issues. Her mom had turned the ranch into Earth House, a haven for divorcees, runaway brides, and other "Fallen Women" who'd had it with expectations placed upon them from birth. But then Regan's mom dies after falling from a horse. And she must deal with her issues by getting men to take out their own rage by splitting metal boxes wide open.
Darcy, "Peaches, 1979"
Darcy has also inherited the family business. An orchard on which grows the titular fruit. But the 1979 harvest is threatened by a dangerous drought. And Darcy does not want to be the family member in charge when the orchard finally goes under.
But that is not necessarily even the worst potential threat to Darcy's fragile hold on sanity. A string of murders in the region has everyone on high alert for the presence of a serial killer. That would be stressful enough. But Darcy comes to suspect that her own brother may possibly be the killer.
Darcy also has a sister named Beth. Things have not turned out well for her sister. And then there's the mommy issues that both share, but in different ways. But at least Beth is away and not responsible for keeping the orchard going. Which only means that Darcy must take care of their mother on her own without the help of her sister or brother. And what if she were to just one day forget the orchard and the siblings and the mother and think of only herself, she muses.
