#1928: Seven Years explain

[The first eight panels, used earlier in the comic [[1141: Two Years]], are faded out.]

[Randall and Randall’s fiancée sit on a bed, Randall’s fiancée is talking on the phone. The person she is talking to, a doctor holding a clipboard, is shown inset.]

Randall’s fiancée: Oh god.

[Randall and Randall’s fiancée sit together while Randall’s fiancée, now bald, is receiving chemotherapy. They are both on their laptops.]

IV pump: … Beeep … Beeep … Beeep …

[Randall and Randall’s fiancée (who is wearing a knit cap) are paddling a kayak against a scenic mountain backdrop.]

[Randall and Randall’s fiancée sit at a table, staring at a cell phone. There is a clock on the wall. Her head is stubbly.]

Randall’s fiancée: How long can it take to read a scan!?

[Randall and Randall’s fiancée are back at the hospital again, Randall’s fiancée receiving chemo. They are playing Scrabble.]

Randall: “Zarg” isn’t a word.

Randall’s fiancée: But caaaancer.

Randall: …Ok, fine.

[Randall and Randall’s fiancée (wearing a knit cap) are listening to a Cueball-like friend. A large thought bubble is above their heads and it obscures the friends talk. The text below, split in three is the only part there can be no doubt about:]

Friend: So next year you should come visit us up in the mounta

and

Randall and Randall’s fiancée (thinking): “Next year”

[Randall and Randall’s fiancée are getting married, with a heart above their heads. Randall’s wife’s hair is growing back.]

[Randall and Randall’s wife (wearing a knit cap) stand on a beach, watching a whale jump out of water. This is the last gray panel, with an additional label in normal black color.]

Fwoosh

Label: Two years

[Randall and Randall’s wife (with her hair noticeably longer) are walking through a forest.]

[Randall’s wife is sitting down, not in the forest anymore.]

Randall’s wife: My toe hurts and I found a report of a case in which toe pain was an early sign of cancer spreading.

Randall: Wait—didn’t you stub your toe yesterday?

Randall’s wife: Yes, but what if this is unrelated?

[Randall and his wife are going spelunking. The guide is gesturing deeper into the cave while Randall and his wife are climbing down.]

[Randall’s wife stands on a rock above an alligator in a swamp, photographing the alligator. Randall is on a balcony behind safety railings.]

Randall: When they estimated your survival odds, I think they made some optimistic assumptions about your hobbies.

[Randall’s wife sits on an examination bed, listening to a doctor holding a clipboard.]

Doctor: This is probably nothing.

Doctor: But given your history, we should do a full scan.

Doctor: We’ll call with the results in a few days. Try not to worry about it until then!

[Randall and his wife stand above a deep pond full of fish and other objects. Randall’s wife is piloting a wired underwater camera with lights.]

[Randall and his wife are standing next to each other. Randall’s wife has shoulder-length hair covering most of her face.]

Randall’s wife: Hard to believe—six years ago, I was bald. But today, after a long struggle, I finally look like the little girl from The Ring.

Randall: That’s, uhh… good?

Randall’s wife: Hissssss

[A line of six people, including Randall and his wife, stand and watch the solar eclipse.]

[The sky has been brightened.]

Ponytail: Wow.

Randall’s wife: Yeah.

[Randall and his wife are walking together and holding hands.]

Randall’s wife: That was incredible.

Randall’s wife: When’s the next one?

Randall: In seven years.

Randall: Wanna go see it?

[Still walking, Randall and his wife think together about a timeline. Seven years have passed since 2010, represented with a solid line from the past to 2017; seven years in the future will be 2024, represented with a dotted line into the future and surrounded by three question marks.]

[The pair keeps walking.]

Randall’s wife: Yeah.

Randall’s wife: I’ll do my best.

Randall: It’s a date!