With the arrival of winter came the new season of The simlife of the Sims, the whole family had been waiting for the premiere episode, anxious to know how the love story of Robert and Marie continued.
They had a big surprise when the episode began with the phrase “Six months from now”.
“Why is Robert marrying Susan? She is Marie’s sister!” Basis asked incredulously.
“I don’t know! She’s a gold digger, everyone knows that. She’s after his money, how come Robert doesn’t know that? ” Hank responded as hooked on the soup opera as his girlfriend.
“Maybe she’s pregnant?” Collar mused out loud.
“That’s a good theory. Robert is an honorable man, he would never let a child of his be born out of wedlock. He’s totally different from you, Hank! hahaha.”
“Mmm, maybe we should get married.” Hank said as he carefully looked at the screen.
Basis looked at him sideways and frowned. “Are you being serious?”
“Er… yes… yes.”
“Wow, let me think about it for a moment.”
The moment lasted throughout the rest of the episode.
“Okay, Let’s do it.”
Collar looked at his parents with wide eyes. “I thought you guys were cool, I can’t believe you let me down like that.”
“Life is disappointing sometimes, honey. You have to learn to deal with it.” Basis told Collar as she thought about how she was going to break the news to her mother. The woman will attribute all the success in Basis’s life to the good education she gave her. Nothing further than reality!
Who would have said that Commitment Issues Hank would one day want to marry? Certainly not him. But sometimes love and life hits you like the hammer that Basis is dreaming of and makes you change all your perspectives.
Since they didn’t have a simoleon to spend, they preferred to have a private wedding in Stoney Falls. They even dressed in wedding clothes suitable for a snowy day.
Their only witness was their eldest son who still thought his parents were losing the cool factor. At least they seem happy, he consoled himself.
Although at some point he lost interest in the wedding and preferred to make snow angels. The wedding was very heartfelt for everyone.
Meanwhile the babysitter dressed up for a wedding despite not being invited. He thought that since it was private, it would take place in the house, but no such luck.
“You and Collar are Random-World now.”
“I’m happy about that.” Hank said.
“No one has asked me, but I’m happy about it too.” Collar yelled from the ground. “I still think you guys aren’t cool though.”
Basis and Hank smiled. Happy with their family.
Watcher’s Note: Basis had the wish to get married and I thought why not? I was surprised that Hank didn’t turn down her proposal despite his trait, so I thought it would be fun if he was the one to ask in the story.
I know the chapter is short, but I thought the wedding ending was a good place to end it.
Everyone sharing a single room has several disadvantages.
One of them is waking up early thanks to Colar’s cries.
“Luckily, tomorrow is his birthday and he won’t be a toddler anymore.” Hank’s voice wasn’t as positive as his words.
“My little man, we had only one day to teach to walk, I don’t want you to grow up and not know how to use your legs.”
Basis is pregnant. Something that a few months ago she would have sworn was a long time away from happening. However, she cannot deny that she is happy about it.
Her only problem was how she was going to tell her mother. When the woman hears that Basis was not only pregnant but that she was in a stable relationship with another sim and that they are raising his child togheter, she was going to think that her daugther had matured. She? Maturing? Of course not!
Thanks to Hank’s work and some paints sold by Basis, they were able to buy a washing machine and a dryer. Maybe it wasn’t very safe to do laundry in the rain, but it wasn’t like they had much of a choice.
For Collar’s birthday they only bought a cake and celebrated among themselves. Basis was clear on that, they didn’t have enough money to feed people who aren’t that important to them.
Collar is now a child and can do things he couldn’t do before. Like crossing his eyes.
“My mother always told me that if I crossed my eyes I could get air in them and stay that way forever. She was full of sayings that took the fun out of childhood. So do that all you want, honey.” Basis was heard in the background.
Hank wasn’t sure that this was the best advice for a child but he didn’t know whether to contradict her or not. Until now, Basis’s decisions had been correct no matter how unorthodox they seemed.
Hank takes advantage of the weekend to stay in shape, as his job requires. The townies around take advantage of the sight of a Hank in a sleeveless shirt. Christopher Stell and Morgana Wolff are particularly interested.
“I’m going to stand between you and your husband so you can look at Hank all you want without him noticing, I’m going to look at Chris. My husband has his charm, especially when he looks at another man.” Madison VanWatson-Steel said to Morgana.
Meanwhile, Jocasta tries not to look at Hank’s bottom, but after seeing that viral video a few years ago she can’t help but let her eyes wander a little.
Maybe going to the fall festival in the middle of a storm to meet other sims wasn’t the best idea Collar could have. But he’s been a kid for a short time, no one can blame him for not thinking clearly.
Spending his parents’ little money to get face painting didn’t help him combat his boredom. On top of that, he made a mistake when pressing the button on the machine and made the drawing on the side of his face that was covered by his hair where no one can see it.
Varg’s Tavern was also empty of sims, but at least he could do a fun activity there under a roof.
Unlike his parents, Collar knows he has to get along with the city’s top criminal, even he knows that Vita is the real power behind her husband.
Also, Vita knows the best gossip in town, it’s one of the things she uses to blackmail sims. Collar is happy to learn some juicy details.
Meanwhile, Basis continues to try to understand the incomprehensible.
“I brought a couple more paintings to sell, I hope they continue to sell.”
“Excellent! A client asked me for one of your paintings yesterday and I didn’t have any, I promised him today I would have one of yours so thank you for bringing it, so I won’t be left as a liar.” Beau replied relieved. “I still don’t understand that they see in them, really.”
“Me neither, but it’s good for business, both yours and mine.”
Basis hopes her paintings will rise in value soon or else Collar will be sleeping in the sleeping bag for a long time.
The family makes space to spend time together, one of their favorite pastimes is watching The Simlife of Sims, the best ranking soup opera in many years.
“I can’t believe everything we’ve seen this season was Robert’s dream.” Expressed Basis heartbroken. “I thought that finally he and Marie had been able to be together.”
“It was a change of plot that I didn’t expect.” Collar said.
“Well, considering that they only fell in love three seasons ago it was very strange that everything happened so fast, the dream makes sense if you think about it.”
“You make a good point, Hank. It usually takes five or six seasons for the leads to be together.”
“Do you think we can hack the film studio and find out what’s going to happen next season? I don’t think I can wait that long to find out how it continues.”
“None of us have hacking skills, mom.”
Apparently, the family will have to wait until the new season to find out how the show continues.
Basis was alone with Collar when the contractions came. The boy started to panic and that made her panic too.
“What do I do, mom? What I do?”
“I don’t know! It’s the first time I’m giving birth and I didn’t even buy a teddy bear for the baby!”
Meanwhile, Hank was unaware of what was happening at home, he was very focused reading a book about babies, without a shirt because as we know he likes to show off.
Basis arrived at the hospital alone.
Collar followed her on his bike, but his mother was way ahead of him. By the time Basis was being admitted to the hospital, he had only advanced a few blocks from his house.
His effort was in vain since the hospital staff didn’t let him in because of his age. Luckily his father arrived on time. Monika was kind enough to entertain him while he waited outside in the snow.
“Hey, my little man. This is your sister Tree.”
Collar, that was in the middle of playing tag with Connor Frio, dind’t answer her.
His parents left before he could stop playing the game. It’s so unfair! After all the effort he made to be present at the birth of his sister!
Connor would like to clarify that he feels very uncomfortable in this situation.
Watcher’s Note: Collar glitched out while playing tag. So his family isn’t as callous as it seems, just a little.
Time for traits! Collar came to the household with the loves the outdoors and virtouso traits and I asigned the good sense of humor when he grew up to child. Which I find very funny because he has a bored face all the time. Tree (the first name that came of the random word generator as per my own rule) is clumsy, asigned by the game, and easily impressed, asigned my me.
Hank’s new life was as different from his old one as it could be.
And despite sitting in a chair rescued from the dumpster and sleeping in a small room, it was much better than before. Even the salad made with wild lettuce harvested from one of the fishing spots seemed better.
Or maybe it was that he was living with someone that made all of this seem like an adventure. Basis was a bit childish, or a lot to tell the true, but that was something Hank found adorable about her. Not that he was going to tell her, he didn’t know how she would take being considered adorable. Knowing her it could go in any way.
Going to work knowing that his son was in good hands was a great relief.
“Come, little man, it’s time to learn some words.”
Of course, as soon as she sat Collar on the ground to work on his pronunciation, it started raining.
“Can you say gloves?”
“Goves.”
“Almost. It’s very important that you learn how to pronunce it, since in a few years I will teach you how to use them. And do you know why it’s important that you do it? Just to annoy my mother, she wouldn’t let me learn to box as a child.”
Collar looked at her with the understanding of a small child, which is almost none.
“Now, say star.”
“Tad.”
“This word is important because if in the future you marry a star, you can support your father and me for the rest of our lives.”
“Maybe I should teach you more important words like work, but I think it’s better that you already know what the priorities in your life are going to be and, at least for me, working is not one of them.”
“No wok.” Collar stumbled over his words but Basis’s message seems to have been understood.
“Perfect! You are going to go very far, my little man.”
“Who dares to interrupt my great impartation of wisdom?” Basis said annoyed. “What do you want me to do? Take a 750 simoleon painting to China? Are you crazy? The trip is more expensive than that, I’m just going to lose money!”
What Basis didn’t want to explain to the caller is that her paintings are barely worth 100 simoleons, so it would be a long time before she could fulfill the order.
Hank came home from work excited to surprise Basis with the promotion he had gotten and with the bonus they gave him they could buy a bed. But the surprised one was him.
“Everything you do you do with style, you are truly magical.”
“Are you checking my butt?”
“It’s avery nice butt.”
“Hey! That’s my line!”
“How was your day, love?”
“It was very good, Collar learned to say a few important words and I got a call from some crazy person who thinks I can paint the mona lisa or something.”
“Err…”
“You don’t have to say anything, we both know my paintings aren’t worth that much, I still don’t get how the consignment guy wants to buy them.”
“Art is subjective and your paintings must have something that catches the eye.” Hank said very diplomatically.
Despite having become a family man, Hank is still who he always was, so he doesn’t miss an opportunity to show off his shapely body, even if it’s only to his son.
With his new promotion came more responsibilities, Hank is now in charge of making reports for the police station.
“Last night there was a report of disturbing noises in your house and there were witnesses who reported seeing several people running out of your house naked, do you have anything to say about this?”
“I am not responsible for what happened last night, once a month my sister asks me to borrow my house to throw parties that I prefer not to attend. The truth is that I don’t really agree with what she does there and sometimes I think that I should stop lending her my house, but then I remember that she is married to Gunther and I understand why she wants to have those meetings.”
“I know that sometimes those parties get out of control. On the last one I attended, one of her guests wanted to show us what he could do with a baseball bat and… on second thought, it’s better if I don’t tell you about that.”
“You were very helpful, thank you very much. The commissioner wants a report for when the next party is.”
“What are you going to do? I don’t want to get my sister in trouble. Willthey give her a fine? I hope the commissioner doesn’t want to put her in jail.”
“Oh no, nothing like that. She wants to know when the next party is so she can participate.”
The problem with having a girl just out of her teens like Blair Wainwright in charge of the police station is that she finds a lot of the infractions that the sims in this town commit amusing.
The entire family was invited to a costume party hosted by Justine Keaton, Hank’s co-worker. Hank hoped the party will be fun and not just a few weird sims being even weirder than usual.
Not such luck, Iqbal Alvi was discussing with a teddy bear the pros and cons of having ghosts haunting the house while Agnes Crumplebottom was arguing with another sim through the wall. At least Basis seemed to be having fun.Thought the man.
The sim Agnes was arguing with seemed to be listening and responding to her without problem from the other room.
Then, the same woman started arguing with Nick Alto since they both had the same costume.
“Look, woman. Couldn’t you have put on another custome? Yeti’s would have looked good on you.”
“Are you implying that I am a beast? Is it because I work as a bouncer? If you’re so interested I can show you what my arm can do.
“You see? the yeti would have been perfect.” Nick said with the impunity of being the most famous criminal this town gives him.
“Look maybe you can dress up as a flowerpot, that’s basically what you are since we all know your wife is the one in charge.”
“Burn.” Said Iqbal.
“Look, here I have some flowers that you can use to complete your costume and be a real pot.”
“Woman, you don’t know who you’re messing with. I’m Nick Alto and if you don’t take off that suit right now I will turn all my minions against you.”
“Do you mean your wife?”
Meanwhile, Hank was reading in the background, he sure knows how to have fun at a party.
“In the end I always get what I want.”
“That’s what you’d say, I only took my costume off because I have to go to work. Maybe you could try doing that.”
Collar was having a good time, taking the opportunity to use all the toys he didn’t have at home.
Despite everything, the party was fun and they got home late. While they were at the party the room was widened a bit and a bed was placed.
It is possible that the use of the new bed has brought some consequences.
There was only silence when Hank got home from work. He had asked to leave early because of his son’s birthday. He would have expected the house to be full of music, that bothered him, he was used to the television or the radio being at full volume, his fiancée couldn’t stand silence.
“Pauline?”
He was more alarmed to find his son on the floor in the middle of the kitchen.
“Oh, baby. What are you doing here alone? Where is your mother?” He asked his son rhetorically.
He searched the rest of the house for Pauline, but it was empty and there was no sign of the woman. Where are you, Pauline?
He left her son in his crib and tried to call Pauline’s phone but it hit the answering machine every time. A few minutes later it was he who received a call. It was an unknown number.
“Hello?” He answered hesitantly. “Yes, it’s me.” Hank listened to what the other side of the line told him, while his face was transforming into disbelief. “She did what?!”
If my mother saw me. Please don’t let my mother see me. Basis thought as she entered the library with the mission of researching painting techniques. What had started out as a way to earn some money was turning into something more. I’m being responsible, or as responsible as a painter living out of the firehouse can be.
To her surprise, Hank was there and he seemed very absorbed in his reading, so much so that he didn’t realize that the tourist was about to pee on his shoes.
The misfortune of some is the happiness of others, Basis took advantage of the fact that the man ran to the bathroom to sit next to Hank.
“Hey! I was about to sit there!”
“Well, you were late, that’s what usually happens when you’re getting old, walking slower and all that.”
“I’m not old, I’m in my prime.”
“Then you can use the stairs to sit on the chairs in the first floor.”
Getting old but with a firm butt. Is it something that all the men of Sunset Valley share? That’s something Basis would have no problem investigating.
“Did you finish looking at his ass?” She heard Hank said.
“Depends. Are you done ignoring me?”
“I wasn’t ignoring you, I just…” He broke off with a sigh.
Basis felt sympathy for him, and maybe a little guilt too. “Don’t worry, you’re still the best bottom in Sunset Valley.”
The comment elicited a laugh from Hank.
“For some reason your mean streak lifts my spirits.”
“Glad to be at your service.”
“I missed you, you know.” He said almost in a whisper and she looked at him not knowing what to say. “I know I haven’t been texting or calling you but, well, things have gotten even more complicated.”
“Pauline is still acting erratically?”
“I could answer that question for you if I knew where she is.”
“What?”
“A couple of weeks ago, I came home from work to find my son lying on the kitchen floor. Pauline was not in the house. The last time I saw her was the morning of that same day when I left home for work. Since that day I’ve not seen her or been able to talk to her. Her phone is offline and she hasn’t contacted me in any way.”
Basis looked at him in astonishment.
“And that’s not even the worst part.” Hank said with anguish in his voice.
“How is that not even the worst part? She abandoned her son and her fiancé. Even if you guys had problems, it’s not the way to act.”
“The house we live in belongs to Pauline, it was a gift she received from her grandparents.” He continued as if Basis hadn’t spoken. “That same day, I received a call from a real estate agent. Pauline had put the house up for sale a few months ago without telling me. I have a week to vacate the house before the new owners move in.”
“Oh my god, she’s crazier than I thought.” The woman couldn’t help but say out loud.
“I think that soon you will have cohabitants at the firehouse.”
Basis was going to answer him when the crying of a toddler interrupted them.
“That’s Jayson.” Hank said standing up.
“So, this is my son Jayson.”
“Oh, he’s cute and has an okay name.”
“An okay name, haha. Well, to tell the true, I don’t like it very much.” He laughed embarrassedly.
“Why is that? Not the best name but so not bad.”
“Pauline named him after an ex. Her high school sweetheart to be exact.”
Wow, that woman is another thing altogether, crazy doesn’t seem like enough to describe her. Basis thought but for once she keept the comment to herself.
“How have you been taking care of your son alone?”
“It’s hard but I can manage. A nanny takes care of him during my working hours and the rest of the time I’m with him.”
“If you ever need help looking after him, don’t hesitate to say so. I’m painting for money so I don’t have a schedule.”
He looked at her fondly, she really was a good friend, though that wasn’t exactly the way he looked at her. He shook his head, this was not the time to think about those kinds of feelings.
“Maybe I could take your offer of help right now?” He said a little embarrassed. “I’m here because I have to read logic for my job, and I could focus better if I know you’re looking out for Jayson. Unless the reason you came to the library is really important.”
“Nah, nothing like that. In fact, you’re saving me from being responsible.”
Fondness isn’t exactly the word he would use to describe what seeing Basis with his son makes him feel. Not the time. He repeated to himself.
“Stupid TV. Why don’t you let be fixed?!”
“I don’t think hitting it with a screwdriver is the solution.” Basis heard a voice behind her.
“Of course, it is. Yesterday I fixed the toilet with a hammer.” She said with all the knowledge of a sim who two days ago had never fixed anything in her life. “Objects are like men, the more you mistreat them the better they behave.”
“I don’t want to know how you came to that conclusion.”
“My mother, that’s all what you need to know.”
“That’s all I want to know.”
“Sorry to bother you on a Sunday, but I went to the fire station and you weren’t there.” Hank put his son down.
“I try to spend some time in the lot so people don’t think it’s empty. I think the Alto are waiting for the moment when they can throw all my things into the sea.”
“Why?”
“Because they’re mean?” Basis said with a shrug. “Although the other day Vita called me a hobo, I think she doesn’t like a poor sim living near her. Something about status, I don’t know. The conversation was very boring so I left her talking to the air.”
“I see you have new chairs.”
“Not so new. I rescued them from the dumpster.” Basis laughed at the look of disgust on Hank’s face. “Don’t worry, I cleaned them thoroughly before using them.”
He was quiet for a while, which Basis didn’t want to interrupt. Hank seemed to be looking for a way to say something.
“Tomorrow is the deadline to leave the house, so you will have us as roommates at the fire station.” Hank said trying to hide his apprehension.
“You know you have me for whatever you need.” Basis said seriously.
“I know and I appreciate it very much. Thank you.”
She didn’t know what to say, only giving him an uncharacteristic shy smile.
They fell into a somehow comfortable routine. The firehouse has everything they need to fulfill their needs, including the items needed to work on the skills that help them in their jobs.
During the morning and a part of the afternoon, Basis stays with Jayson waiting for Hank to return from work and then spend time together the three of them. It’s all very domestic.
“I’ve heard a rumor that I’m going to be promoted soon, so I’ve been thinking, with that money I’ll get and with the simoleons we’ve saved maybe we can do a small construction on your lot. What do you think?” Hank said a little hopefully, he knew it was too much to ask of Basis, after all he was imposing himself and his son on a young single woman.
“I’ve been thinking about that too, for now it’s fine that we live here, but this can’t be a permanent solution. Plus, I’m still worried that the Altos will get rid of my stuff.”
“But I have a condition.”
Hank saw something mischievous in her eyes and knew that Basis would come up with one of her weird ideas. “Go ahead and say it.”
“We need to change Jayson’s name.”
“What?” Hank choked on his food.
“You think I haven’t noticed that you always use some kind of nickname? I don’t know if the boy knows his name.” She stared at him as if daring him to deny the truth.
“Yeah, you are right. I need to think a name for him.”
“I have the solution.” Basis said taking out her phone and searching the web. “From now on his name is Collar.”
She put her phone in front of his face.
“Did you just choose my son’s name from a random word app?” He said incredulously.
“Yes. It’s a tradition in my family, before the internet my ancestors used dictionaries.”
“So you’re not the only weirdo in your family.”
She just smiled at him with all her teeth.
Hank didn’t know if Basis had realized that she had declared his son family. That feeling that wasn’t exactly fondness spread throughout his body again, that was happening a lot lately.
In the end, the money was only enough to build a room and a small bathroom. They weren’t even able to pay for an exterior paint. At least they could buy a fridge and a counter.
“Hey, little man, it’s time to use your new crib.” Hank listened as Basis spoke to Collar.
He smiled to himself; the random name the woman had chosen for her son had caught on him.
“The place is small but it will repair us from the cold that came with autumn.”
“I didn’t think my life was going to turn like this, but I’m glad that you are here to share it.”
Basis blushed at Hank’s words. “Oh, God. You make me feel like a teen. What is wrong with you?”
“With me?” He laughed. “You are the one who has no problem living with a man with thousands of problems.”
“Not thousands, just a hundred.”
“By now you should know me well enough that no one forces me to do anything, and that I’m not exactly a normal sim.” Basis said putting her hands on his shoulders. His hands on her waist seemed like a good sign. “Are you going to take much longer to kiss me?”
Hank only responded with a shake of his head and finally kissed her.
Basis spent the night in the firehouse, grateful that no one reported her for improper use of the facilities.
She doesn’t know what the policy of this town is towards sims who are not firefighters using the station. Just in case she cleaned everything she used to avoid leaving traces.
“It’s raining.” She said out loud. Maybe it would be good to stay inside the place and continue using the easel.
In the afternoon, the rain stopped and the sun came out strongly. Basis took advantage of the weather and went to the consignment store across the street.
“I have a couple of paintings that I would like to consign.” She said with a nervous tone, she didn’t know if her paintings would be good enough to be put up for sale.
Beau Andrews, who was in charge of the store, looked critically at her work.
“I think they are not that bad, I have sold worse things.” He said with all the authority of a sim who can’t stand art.
The next few days were a repeat of the same routine.
Use the fire station to fulfilll her needs and clean after herself as if nothing it’s being used.
Although seeing other townies use the facilities like her does make her wonder if she’s being a little paranoid about the whole thing. Maybe it’s just okay to use the place?
Another type of routine that she has started to have is receiving an almost daily call from Hank. Which she deeply appreciates. It’s thanks to him that she isn’t totally alone in a new town.
She senses that Hank is having some kind of problem, but doesn’t want to pressure him, so she talks about her new career as a painter.
“Apparently I have to register with the city hall if I want to dedicate myself to this formally. So I think I’ll do it tomorrow. If my parents saw me all responsible and such. Please don’t tell them.”
The laughter on the other end of the phone is answer enough to know she has at least lifted his spirits for a few minutes.
“My house? Now?” Basis asks a little surprised at Hank’s request to see her in her empty lot. “Give me an hour and I’m there.”
Basis got to her home long before Hank, and only when the sun was setting did the man arrive. She immediately noticed the mood he was in.
“You seem a little sad.”
“Not sad, just tired.” He replied with a sigh. “I think lately I’ve been making one mistake after another.”
“Another viral video I should know about?”
He laughed unexpectedly and a little of the weight on his shoulders lifted. This was one of the reasons why he liked Basis, she always had some unexpected comment that made him laugh. The other reasons, well this was not the time to think about those.
Getting serious again, he looked at her apprehensively. “Pauline is pregnant.”
“Wow, you’re more irresponsible than me.” Basis said before thinking of the words. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that.”
“Yes you do. And you’re right.”
She was silent not knowing what else to say. But he still wanted to talk.
“I’ve tried to break up with Pauline several times, but every time I want to, she comes up with strange ideas on how to renew our relationship. Worst of all, I found a book on her bedside table with advice that looks a lot like what she’s been up to.”
“Well apparently the book has worked for her since she is now pregnant with your child instead of separated from you.” Basis has no filter between her brain and mouth.
He narrowed his eyes, but there was nothing to refute in her sentence.
“Not only do I worry about how I’m going to break up with her now that she’s pregnant, but I’ve also come to realize that following advice from a book isn’t the only weird thing she’s done lately.”
“Like what?” Basis asked intrigued.
But instead of an answer, she received a wave from Hank’s hand. “I’m not going to burden you with that problem too. You’ve heard me enough today.”
Suddenly Basis found herself receiving a hug from him. And if Hank stayed a little longer than necessary, well neither of them have to say anything about it.
That night, Basis went to bed with a heavy heart, but she didn’t want to examine the reason for it beyond a friend feeling sympathy for another.
Following their talk, Hank didn’t call her as much as he used to, and she preferred to give him space so she didn’t call him either. She filled her time with more painting.
She kept consigning her paintings.
“I’m surprised that they are selling, even at such a low price.” She said to Beau.
“I am also surprised, but there are always people who have bad taste in art.”
Wow, inappropiate much? She thought, but she wasn’t offended, she already knew the man pretty well. “You can’t stand art, B. I don’t think your opinion is important.”
“I say what I think.” That’s why they get along so well.
“Well, I’m going to the summer festival, today is a beautiful day and there are only a few days left before they leave town.”
“Have fun!” He said waving good bye.
Hank saw her across the street, leaving the police station at the end of one of his shifts.
Lately he had tried to call her, but every time he unlocked his phone he had thought about how his life was too complicated to involve Basis in it and gave up. Besides, she hadn’t called either.
But when he saw her in front of him, he couldn’t help but approach and greet her. Being in her presence was always nice.
She hugged him when she saw him. “Glad to see you, I was trying to give you space.” She said in that direct way of her, making him feel a lot better.
“Come.” She said taking his hand and dragging him to the another part of the park. “I was about to enter the hot dogs competition.”
He happily followed her.
Basis obviously didn’t want to tell him that this would be her first non-quick meal in days.
Of course, the teenage boy won. We all know that their stomach is a bottomless pit.
After the contest, they participated in other activities. Hank was thankful that Basis didn’t bring up the subject of Pauline at any point, he just wanted to have a fun day.
What he wasn’t grateful for is that a girl with zero sports experience beat him on every shot. Him, an experienced cop who worked out daily!
“And so I win!” Basis yelled from the ground as she held the ball tightly.
“It was pure luck!” He Yelled back, but with good humor. The evening had been the best he’d had in a long time.
At the end of the outing, he became much more serious. “My son was born a couple of days ago.”
The news did not surprise her, Basis had done the calculations.
“Some time before he was born I told Pauline that it would be best for us to part ways, but that I would always be there for her and the child.” He said in a low voice. “That time she didn’t answered me and continued as if nothing had happened. But hours after our son birth she told me that I was right, that we weren’t a good couple and that it would be better if we continued to be just co-parents. But as soon as we got home, she seemed to forget what she said to me and continued as if everything was still the same.”
“I don’t know what to tell you, I don’t know her personally to know if something is happening with her. Although the behavior that you describes to me seems quite erratic.”
“Erratic. Yes, that word describes her well.”
“Thank you.” Suddenly Hank grabbed her shoulders and came dangerously close. Basis froze. “You are the only person that I have truly by my side.”
“I’m your friend, you can count on me.” She said with a sigh, but it was enough for the energy to change as the moment passed.
In the end they said goodbye with a simple hug. Although the situation was not simple.
Basis watched him ride his bike away thinking she wanted to put a smile on his face.
Maybe I really drew it in his face with green paint. She thought irreverently.
A Watcher’s Note: This chapter ended up being more serious than the previous one, so there isn’t much continuity in that sense, but I’m happy how it turned out. So I will continue like this, some chapters will have more serious tones than others according to what the sims and my imagination dictate. Maybe I can do a dramatic comedy, I like the challenge.
Basis Random-Word is just like any other young adult girl starting a new phase in life, happy to get away from controlling parents and nervous about her new responsibilities.
Or maybe not.
“This is the perfect place to build my future mansion.” Basis mused aloud.
The real estate agent convinced her that a huge parcel in the most expensive part of town was a better investment than a small furnished house on the outskirts of it. She agreed with the seller, who seemed happier than closing the operation deserved.
If she has to be honest with herself, though, the decision to buy the lot had more to do with contradicting her parents than anything else. Between choosing the house they recommended and this… well, there wasn’t much to think about.
A text from her mother interrupted her ruminations. I hope the house we recommended meets your needs. It says.
It has everything I need. And a beautiful vista, too. Basis replied.
If she laughed out loud, well, her mother doesn’t have to know. Her future house is perfect and she does have everything she needs.
Playing games is more important than sleeping and eating, Basis will swear it until her last day of life. Having used almost all of her funds on electronics is an investment, she’s convinced of that.
Some weird sim in a llama costume interrumped her gaming session. Basis tried to ignore her, but the girl seemed to stare at her like she never seen a sim playing on a console before.
“Need something?” Basis asked the mascot muting the TV’s sound.
When she got no response, she had no choice but to get up and see why the woman was standing like a statue without reacting.
“Sorry.” The mascot seemed to wake up when Basis shook her off. “Sometimes it happens to me, it’s some kind of glitch.”
Basis was going to ask if that was some kind of medical condition when the sound of something popping up interrupted her.
“Look! A portal to the future! I always wanted to see one. This is the reason why I signed up for this job, my fellow mascots have told me that sometimes it appear at the same time they deliver the welcome kit.”
Basis thought the woman didn’t seem to be in all her right mind. Being happy for a portal, please.
Nothing beats a TV.
“I’m gonna play a little more. You’re free to stay if you want, Miss Mascot.” Said Basis sitting on the couch.
“The name is Deborah.”
Basis was playing when she saw one of Sunset Valley’s residents across the street. She thinks his name is Hank Goddard. Why does she know this? Well, she may or may not have hacked into the City Hall’s servers looking for information on the townies. For her own safety, of course.
Said resident is reconsidering his life choices.
Getting married so young is not what I wanted. Hank thought looking at his engagement ring. It’s too late to tell Pauline that perhaps we can delay the marriage for a few years?Darn alcohol, I will never have that drink again. Look what it made me do?
“There’s still a lot of Hank to give to the ladies.” He said loudly as he admired himself in the lake water. “And to some gentlemen, too.”
The sound of his cell phone brought him out of his thoughts.
It was an unknown number, which wasn’t always fun. Perhaps an ex-lover whom he didn’t keep in touch with?
Hi, I’m Basis. If you look up you can see me across the street. Hank watched as a redhead waved at him from a couch in an empty lot. A few steps from her, a university mascot seemed to be doing her typical dance. How weird. You don’t know me, I’m new to Sunset Valley and I’m trying to make friends. If you want, you can join us to spend the afternoontogether.
Why not? Hank thought. Perhaps he could forget his dilemma for a few hours. The fact that the girl knew his phone number didn’t seem to bother him.
It had been a good decision to cross the street to meet a stranger who knows his number, since Pauline had discovered the place where he had gone to hide.
“If I turn my head maybe she won’t see me.”
Basis heard the man’s words, but shrugged it off. After all, it wasn’t weirder than having a girl dancing nonstop on her lot.
Her heart skipped a beat or two when she faced him. He was cuter in person.
“The photo on the City Hall’s servers doesn’t do you justice.” It was out before she could think about saying it or not.
“I guess that’s the way you got my number.” He said with his patented winning smile. “I think I can forgive your indiscretion.”
Hank forgot about the wedding for the moment. And that Pauline was only a few meters away.
Meanwhile, Pauline is very interested in her new book. HOW TO KEEP YOUR FIANCÉ’S INTEREST IN YOU. It’s full of great tips. Why worry about Hank conquering other sims if she has that book? Nothing bad will happen.
Something bad is happening. Or so Hank thinks when he feels the mascot hand on the lower back of his body.
“Your butt is as firm as it appears to be in the video.”
Both woman laughed like school girls. Not so far fetched seeing as just the year before that was exactly what they were.
“What video?” Asked Hank with suspicion.
“Oh, you know, the one where you show your butt to the world?” Basis said to him.
Hank started to sweat a little, he didn’t remember any video like that.
“Look. It went viral a couple of weeks ago.”
The video showed him getting into the sea and turning his face to where whoever was recording this was. Hank immediately recognized the nude beach on Isla Paradiso where he had vacationed with Pauline a couple of weeks ago. He was never going to forget that place, since it was where he got so drunk that he ended up asking Pauline to marry him.
“Some simtuber called Wan-Pau uploaded it with the title Best Behind in the World.”
“Well, I don’t want to sound conceited, but I think the title doesn’t lie.” And if his voice was tight from trying to hide his embarrassment, the girls didn’t seem to notice.
“From this vantage point, I must say that at least it is the best in Sunset Valley.”
He is going to kill Pauline.
Luckily, Basis seemed to take pity on him and invited them both to play video games with her. That’s how they spent the rest of the afternoon.
“We could create tournaments among ourselves. ” Basis said without taking her eyes off the screen. “I need the experience until I’m good enough to enter the official ones. That was always my dream.”
“I think it’s always good to follow your dreams. I did it and this morning I was able to fulfill it.” Added Deborah to the conversation.
“Really? What was it?” Asked Hank impressed.
“To see a time portal.”
“What?”
“Don’t ask.” Basis warned him.
“Well, guys, I’m a little sweaty and hot, I don’t want to spontaneously combust without a shower nearby, so I’m going to find some cool place. Can stay if you want.”
“Thanks, Bas. I think I’m going to stay a couple more hours, I don’t want to see Pauli…, I mean I have nothing to do for the rest of the day.”
“I’m homeless so.”
“Well then, have fun.”
This is how Basis ended up taking refuge from the sun in the town museum.
This is very lame, except for this picture. I’m sending this to Hank. She wrote a small text accompanying the photo, saying that it reminded her of them, two redheads playing video games.
And if Basis spent the rest of the day thinking about his new friend, well, no one has to know yet.
After seeing the uninspiring paintings in the museum, Basis had a desire to paint one herself. The problem was, she hadn’t bought an easel, so she had to search around town for one. Fortunately, the fire station has it.
When she finished the painting she thought it wasn’t too bad, maybe she could sell it at the consignment shop for some Simoleons. It could be a good way to make money without having a boss tell her what to do.
A Watcher’s Notes:
This was my attempt to write a serious story but it seems that it’s impossible for me to do it, so I will simply let myself be carried away by what my imagination tells me.
Basis traits are Couch Potato, Artistic, Charismatic, Childish and Computer Whiz. Her lifetime wish is Illustrious Author. I’m traying to write her according to her traits, so I thought that buying a Video Game set up with her initial funds goes well with a couch potato childish girl.
A Random of Words Legacy 