i'll see you on the dark side of the moon

HAILEY DOUGLAS WAS BORN TO TWO VERY INTELLIGENT, SPACE LOVING NERDS (TO PUT IT QUITE SIMPLY). HER FATHER WAS A RESEARCHER WITH NASA AND HER MOTHER AN ENGINEER. BORN IN ARIZONA THE FAMILY RELOCATED TO MELBOURNE, FLORIDA AFTER HER FATHER LANDED A POSITION AT CAPE CANAVERAL. NAMED AFTER THE COMET, HAILEY GREW UP WITH STORIES OF SPACE AND THE UNIVERSE AND HER HEAD WAS FILLED WITH THE MYSTERY AND WONDER OF SCIENCE.

TRAGEDY STRUCK WHEN HAILEY WAS SIX AND HER PARENTS WERE KILLED IN AN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT. HER ONLY FAMILY WAS IN ARIZONA AND NO ONE BOTHERED TO TAKE HER IN SO HAILEY WAS PUT INTO THE SYSTEM. SHE SPENT TWO YEARS IN AND OUT OF FOSTER HOMES UNTIL SHE WAS TAKEN IN BY THE RICHARDS. THEY WERE KIND AND FULLY AWARE OF THE ATTENTION SHE WOULD REQUIRE, AS HAILEY HAD TAKEN TO BEING A SELECTIVE MUTE AFTER THE DEATH OF HER BIOLOGICAL PARENTS. DIANA RICHARDS, A NURSE, PARTICULARLY TOOK THE GIRL BECAUSE SHE SPENT THE MAJORITY OF HER CAREER WORKING WITH FOSTER CHILDREN, HERSELF. THE FIRST FEW YEARS WITH THE RICHARDS WAS MOSTLY SPENT SO HAILEY COULD ADAPT BACK INTO A NORMAL FAMILY SETTING SINCE SHE HAD SPENT THE LAST FEW YEARS IN FOSTER CARE. WITH THE HELP OF ONE VERY PATIENT PSYCHIATRIST, HAILEY BEGAN SPEAKING A BIT MORE. SHE STILL HAD A VERY HARD TIME OPENING UP ABOUT THINGS AND SHE WAS HOMESCHOOLED UNTIL SHE WAS THIRTEEN.

HER FATHER, A NAVY MAN, WAS TRANSFERRED TO MASSACHUSETTS FOR UNDISCLOSED REASONS AND DIANA AND HAILEY WENT TO STAY WITH FAMILY RIGHT OUTSIDE OF BOSTON. THE CHANGE WAS A STARTLING ONE FOR HAILEY, BUT SHE APPRECIATED THAT THEIR FAMILY WOULD BE (FOR THE MOST PART) TOGETHER. THE LAST THING SHE WANTED OR NEEDED WAS TO BE AWAY FROM A PARENT AGAIN. IT'S IN MIDDLE SCHOOL THAT HAILEY FINALLY RETRURNS TO PUBLIC SCHOOL AND FALLS IN LOVE WITH ELI HAWTHORNE. HE QUICKLY BECOMES HER BEST FRIEND AND BIGGEST SUPPORTER. HE MAKES HER WANT TO TALK (ESPECIALLY ABOUT SCIENCE-- SOMETHING THEY CAN BOTH NERD OUT ABOUT) AND HE MAKES HER FEEL THINGS SHE HAS NEVER FELT BEFORE. AFTER GRADUATING HIGH SCHOOL, THEY HAD DECIDED TO GET MARRIED. BUT DREAMS AND GOALS THAT WERE BIGGER THAN THEM GOT IN THE WAY AND HAILEY ENROLLED IN THE PRE-MED PROGRAM AT YALE WHILE ELI WENT TO BROWN UNIVERSITY.

THEIR DIVORCE TOOK A HEAVY TOLL ON HER, BUT HAILEY HAD MADE A PROMISE TO HERSELF AS A CHILD TO BECOME A DOCTOR AND HELP CHILDREN LIKE HERSELF. SHE WORKED HER ASS OFF TO GET THROUGH MEDICAL SCHOOL AND ACCEPTED A RESIDENCY IN CALIFORNIA. THERE SHE EMBRACED THE WEST COAST WAY OF LIFE AND FELL IN LOVE WITH YOGA AND EATING HEALTHY. SHE CONSIDERS HERSELF A WEST COAST NATIVE AS SHE WAS BORN IN ARIZONA, AND LIKES TO BE SNOBBY ABOUT THAT.

HAILEY FOUND HERSELF BACK IN BOSTON AFTER HER RESIDENCY ENDED, APPLYING FOR HER LICENSE AND QUICKLY TOOK A JOB WITH A COMMUNITY BASED SERVICE AGENCY SPECIALIZING WITH CHILDREN AND TEENS. SHE HAS BEEN WITH THE SAME AGENCY SINCE COMING BACK TO BOSTON AND SHE LOVES HER JOB. SHE HAS ALSO RECONNECTED WITH ELI IN THE LAST YEAR AND THEY HAVE BOUGHT A HOME TOGETHER. THEY ARE IN NO RUSH TO GET MARRIED AGAIN, OR START A FAMILY, SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY ARE MAKING UP FOR THE TIME THEY LOST WHEN THE PARTED WAYS OVER A DECADE AGO. WHEN SHE ISN'T WORKING (WHICH IS NEARLY ALL THE TIME), HAILEY IS DOING YOGA, OR EATING SALAD, OR YELLING AT ELI TO STOP TINKERING WITH HIS NEWEST COMPOST INVENTION. SOMETIMES SHE THINKS HE LOVES IT MORE THAN HE LOVES HER. IT COULD PROBABLY BE DEBATED.