#sims3challenge   #sims3legacy   #sims3story   #thesims3 

The next morning, the happy couple was on their honeymoon. Dylan had always wanted to see Champs les Sims, and Andria was hardly going to argue against a legendary lovers’ destination.

Dylan was determined to record all the most beautiful moments of their trip.

Dylan had a big adjustment to the idea of being married. Andria would catch him staring at his ring when he thought she wasn’t looking. If she made even the slightest suggestive remark, he would blush furiously and drop out of the conversation.

Andria searched out a cafe off the tourist path so that they could sample some authentic French cuisine.

Then she puzzled out the recipe so that she could try to make it herself.

Dylan, on the other hand, plotted a photo shoot of one of the wonders of the simworld.

They went out nectar tasting.

And Andria was finally able to understand what Dylan liked so much about it.

One afternoon, when they’d tried maybe a few too many different nectars, Andria said in a low, husky voice, “Do you know what I’d really like to do at the Simfel Tower?”

Dylan, in spite of himself, leaned closer. “What might that be?”

She set down her glass and grabbed him. “Come with me and find out!”

And that would be how Champs les Sims chased the newlywed Samples out of the tower in nothing but their skivvies.

“This never happened,” Dylan said. “If you ask me, I will deny it.”

Andria couldn’t stop giggling. “What happens in France stays in France, right?” At the look on her face, she continued, “Oh, come on. Tell me those guys don’t chase a new couple out of the tower every night. They’ve seen it all.”

To calm himself down, Dylan took a nectar-making class.

Andria perfected her Bouillabaisse recipe.

Dylan had to admit that by the time she was satisfied, it was better than the original.

And then, all too soon, they found themselves on their last day of vacation.

“I wonder if your family missed us while we were gone,” Andria mused as they sat under the stars.

Dylan chuckled. “I wonder if they noticed we were gone.”

Meanwhile, Sawyer had grown up and graduated from high school.

There was no party. That was the way he liked it.

He asked to be excused from giving a speech as class valedictorian, but the administration insisted. He ended up reading someone else’s speech about the importance of intellect to overcome adversity.

He immediately began applying for college scholarships.

Xia and Sky caught yet another break-in.

It was becoming clear that these burglaries had nothing to do with organized crime in Avalon. That was why Forest couldn’t do anything to stop them.

Sky found a secret webpage hosted by one of her fan sites. Hardcore fans were trying to buy and sell her clothes! She contacted the police department to try and get it shut down. They’d just have to try to tighten their security even more.

Xia nudged Sky in the ribs as the police carted off the latest offender. “There’s an icky side of celebrity if I ever saw one,” she said.

Sky shuddered. “At least he only wanted to take the clean underwear…”

Abby was training for her next role and trying to prepare herself to take the next step against Nemo Hodgins.

Eventually, she told her parents the story. They were shocked, but supportive. As a show of solidarity, Abby and Sky took a revitalizing day at the salon and invited the press.

“I guess if my fans want to buy my old clothes, it won’t hurt to show them a little skin,” Sky mused.

Sky continued to do a few, very select, personal appearances. One of them was Forest’s boyfriend’s husband’s birthday.

It made her head hurt. But at least everyone behaved well.

———-

Dylan and Andria Sword Sample were married at First Church of Avalon.

As evening fell, Dylan and his new wife… wife… found themselves back home. They left for Champs le Sims on their honeymoon tomorrow, but they would spend tonight in the room that had belonged to just Dylan this morning. Now it belonged to both of them.

He tried to keep his hand from shaking as he lit a romantic fire in the fireplace.

“So I guess this is the moment we’ve been waiting for,” Andria teased as she sat down on the bed.

“Right,” Dylan said weakly. He cleared his throat. “I, uh, know that a first woohoo can be uncomfortable for women. I want to be sure not to–“

“Hush, my love.” Andria pulled him close and silenced him properly.

Andria took him her arms. “You know,” she said, “you’ve set the terms of our relationship from the first time we dated. I’ve had to trust you that it would turn out all right.”

“Then you know it will be all right.”

Sky headlined at Llama Music Center.

The stands were packed. She had never imagined she had so many fans.

In the sea of faces, she could easily pick out Forest’s. She didn’t even think he liked her sort of music. Whatever else he was, he was a loyal brother.

In the morning, she was almost afraid to read the reviews.

“It was the most amazing experience I’ve ever had as a musician!” she gushed to to Xia when she returned home after midnight.

“I wish I could have been there,” Xia said, pouring her girlfriend a glass of juice. “The pre-mission mission ran really long. It’s really a routine excursion, but this will be my first trip into space!”

“I’m going to miss you, but I’m so excited that you’re finally going to reach your dream. You’re literally reaching for the stars, huh?”

Xia smirked. “For a couple of old geezers, we’re sure not slowing down, are we?”

Sky snorted. “You’re doing a great job at being an embarrassing old woman. Now you need to get to bed, or you’re going to nod off during blastoff.”

“That’s right! I have to get my beauty rest. Not just for me, but for geezers everywhere!”

It was after dawn before they finally got to sleep.

Abby was a wreck. She’d been trying to soldier on, but it just wasn’t working. After the casting director stopped her in the middle of an audition and asked her not to come back, she lost her last grip on composure. She burst into tears and fled home.

“Everything!” Abby said. “I made a horrible mistake. Now I’m publicly humiliated. My career is a joke. Even Dion thinks I’m disgusting, and I think he’s right.”

“Whoa, whoa! You are not disgusting. Please tell me what happened.”

“I woohooed a casting agent,” she said. “And then someone found out and reported it to a gossip magazine.”

“Oh my gosh,” Dylan gasped. “Why would you do something like that?”

“Because I want to act!” Abby cried. “Do you know how hard it is to break into acting? Do you know how many people start their careers on the casting couch?

“Stop!” Dylan exclaimed.

“Dylan…” Abby murmured. “I thought you of all people would be horrified.”

“I am horrified,” Dylan said gravely. “I’m horrified that you must fights wolves like this agent in order to pursue your dreams. It shouldn’t be like this.”

“You’re right,” Abby said. “It shouldn’t be like this. Thank you. You won’t tell my moms?”

“Mama reads gossip mags to find the stories about herself. She might find out anyway. But I won’t tell her. Abby… I’m sorry you’re going through this, but I want to set your mind at ease. You have never done anything to make me respect you less. I don’t think you ever will.”

“Thanks, Big Brother. I guess you’re so, well, old-fashioned that I was sure you’d think less of me.”

Dylan smiled a little. “I think we have different definitions of ‘chivalry,'” he replied.

Plum Marmalade seemed to be having a bit of trouble with reality.

She surprised Sky with a bouquet of purple roses one day at an autograph session. “They were so bright and beautiful, they made my heart sing! And that made me think of you.”

Sky’s eyes darted to Leah, who was watching nearby, as she accepted the flowers. “I think maybe these would be better for your wife?”

“Ah yes, my wife! Have you met my darling Leah? Doesn’t she have the most sparkling blue eyes?”

“I’m sorry,” Sky said to Leah. “I didn’t do anything, I swear! Is everything all right with Plum?”

“It’s not as bad as it looks,” Leah said with a grimace. “Plum’s on a new medication, and it seems to make her a bit loopy. We’re working with the doctor on a better dosage.”

“If you need any help, let me or Dylan know.”

“I think we’re all right. Thanks anyway!”

“Don’t let’s leave without an autograph!” Plum gushed.

Sky scribbled on a scrap of paper. “That, at least I can do,” she said.

Xia, on the other hand, was in a break in her astronaut training. She was prepped and ready for her first mission, and now all there was to do was wait.

“I don’t know what to do with myself!” she confided to her friend and boss, Anita Bookabet.

“We are both women of leisure,” Anita said with a chuckle. “We should find some fun way to waste taxpayer money.”

So they went outside and played football.

Xia also took up fishing and could be found by the pond on the Sample estate at odd hours. “I’m just practicing for the long hours I’ll have to be alert when we blast off.”

A phone rang while Sawyer was irradiating a life fruit seed. He had to look around for a moment before he realized it was his phone. His phone never rang.

“Why are you calling?”

“Hello? Is this Sawyer Sample?”

“Yes I am.”

“This is Sharon Leonard. I was wondering if you’d like to go out.”

“Go out? Go out where?”

“To Fiddler’s Green?”

“I guess so.”

His mom was always telling him to be more social. He guessed it couldn’t hurt. While he was driving to the pub, he finally placed the name. Sharon Leonard was a girl in his science class.

She was waiting for him as he stepped out of the car. “Hi there.”

“You’re the one who laughed at me when I got into a fight at Honeydukes,” Sawyer said when he saw her.

“Yeah, about that. I didn’t really mean to make fun of you. Besides, you should have seen what the other guy looked like when you hit him!”

“He was a real moron.”

“I could tell. A real mouth breather. Anyway, I was mean to you, and I was hoping I could make it up to you.”

“How would you do that?”

“I could buy you dinner?”

“I’m not sure if that would make it up, but I’m happy to eat.”

So they did. Sawyer was able to find hot dogs on the menu at Fiddler’s Green. That made him feel better. Then Sharon suggested that they go upstairs and play shuffleboard for a while.

Shuffleboard was a pretty dumb game. He could analyze the velocity of the pucks, but his analysis didn’t have much effect on the outcome.

Sharon kept talking, but it was repetitive stuff: what he thought of his teachers, whether he had any hobbies. Pointless drivel like that.

Finally, Sawyer had to stop. “I’m sorry, but this game is boring. You’re pretty of stupid. I think I’m going to go home and find something more interesting to do. Thanks for inviting me anyway.”

He left her gaping at the shuffleboard table as he headed home.

Dylan found Andria surveying the living room with a distressed look on her face.

“Is there something wrong with our decorating?” Dylan asked. “You look offended.”

“So much electronics!” she said with a scowl. “All out in the open where everyone has to see them!”

“Have you ever thought of living off the grid?” she asked eagerly. “We totally have the resources. All these technical doodads destroy our connection to the land.”

“Good heavens! I had no idea you felt so strongly,” Dylan said. “I have no particular love for electronics. They seem kind of garish. I don’t think the family would be too eager to move to a farm, however.”

“This is about your true self?” Dylan asked awkwardly. “About being, uh, fae?”

“I guess so,” she admitted. “Our magic springs from the land. Electronics make me feel uncomfortable. It’s hard to describe, but it’s like one of my senses is muffled. Almost like a buzzing in my ear that won’t go away.”

Andria smiled wanly. “I was pretty sure you’d say something like that. All right, then. We’ll work something out.”

Dylan scowled. “It’s her story to tell, but it involves the foulest of knaves,” he said. “It’s been all I can do to keep myself from tracking down this villain to give him… a really stern talking to. Oh, Andria, none of my experience in life has prepared me to defend my sister’s honor. What should I do now? Challenge him to a duel?”

Andria folded him into her arms. “You can’t defend her honor, my love. But she can, and I think she will.”

“Thank you so much for agreeing to meet,” Abby said. “This is a really awful subject. I wasn’t sure you would talk to me. When I started looking for celebrity tell-alls about me and Nemo Hodgins, I started finding articles about you. I guess we’re in the same boat.”

“Don’t read those articles,” Aminali said seriously. “They’ll drive you crazy. I want to put all that behind me and focus on acting.”

“If you really want to know my story, I’ll tell you,” Aminali said. “You promised to buy me a drink.”

Abby took a deep breath. “I think I am.”

Aminali just stared at her. “Do you realize what you’re saying? If you accuse someone in the industry, you could be blacklisted. He might come out smelling like a rose.”

“I just can’t sit back and let him prey on any more women,” Abby said. “I think it’s worth the risk. If I lose my chance at a film career, maybe I can save someone from what we went through.”

“You’re a pig-headed woman,” Aminali said. “Take that as a compliment. If you go public against Nemo Hodgins, I will back you up.”

“It’s about time we started standing together,” Aminali said. “Good luck to you.”

———-

I didn’t expect the big show venue to be so awesome. If you get close, you can see how artificial the big crowd looks, but it’s a still a fabulous effect.

Abby looks like she’s wearing too much makeup. I could have sworn it looked more tasteful when I was playing it. Ah, well, I’ve played weeks ahead of this, so we’re stuck with it.

Sharon Leonard invited Sawyer on a date. It was the only time he was invited on a date while he was a teen. I thought it was pretty funny that it was the same girl who made fun of him earlier. They had an attraction of 0. He couldn’t stand her.

Note: This is crazy long, but I just couldn’t find any way to break it up that wasn’t clunky. It was just a very busy day!

———-

Love Day dawned in an inauspicious manner.

Riddle was itchy, and he thought it was time Dylan did something about it.

Considering that the itches were fleas, Dylan had to decontaminate both of them.

Xia wasn’t there that morning. He had risen before dawn and was already at Tintagel Keep.

Love Day was a big day for her, but not for the usual reasons. She was scheduled for an experimental flight test. The outcome could make or break her career.

“I was thinking of something really special,” Sky said. “You and Andria have been seeing each other for a very long time. What’s holding you back?”

“Everything that didn’t hold you back,” Dylan snapped. “The last thing I need is romantic advice from you.”

“Wow,” Sky said, stung. “I know I didn’t always think ahead, but I think my kids turned out all right.”

Dylan sighed. “I’m sorry Mama. It’s just that we view our relationships very differently.”

“I can see that,” Sky said.

Dylan offered an awkward smile. “I have to go pick up Andria,” he said.

The sky was clear and blue. The sun was bright. It was hard to imagine a more perfect Love Day.

Dylan and Andria didn’t waste any time.

Then Xia burst onto the scene.

“Take a look, baby!” she cried. “You’re looking at Avalon Island’s newest astronaut! Woot! Woot! Woot!”

Xia swept her off her feet, literally. “We better make this moment count. Who knows when they’ll shoot me into space!”

She didn’t give Sky a chance to protest. Not that Sky would ever protest.

“Wow!” Andria said. “I’ve never been up flying!”

“Never? We need to travel together,” Dylan said. “Up we go!”

“Wow! This is beautiful! You can see so far!”

Dylan reached down into a cabinet at the base of the basket. “I brought a little something to mark the occasion.”

POP!

“Champagne! I should have expected you to so something dashing.”

“To many years together.”

“Mmmm. I love the bubbles. They tickle.”

“Now, my dearest, let’s see where this balloon will take us.”

“You mean we don’t have to stay at the festival?”

“Absolutely not! We just have to bring it back in an hour.”

When Hunter saw her entering an eating contest, he couldn’t help but try it himself.

If there were a problem, he’d tell her, right?

He held her hand while she looked all around her. They were, for all intents and purposes, completely alone, above a small cove on a corner of the island.

That was exactly what Dylan had intended.

“Andria,” he began, sinking to one knee.

Andria reached forward to pull him up. “Dylan? Are you all right?”

“I’ve never been better,” Dylan replied. He pulled something out of his pocket.

“Dylan! Is that–?”

“Andria, my lady love, you’ve been patient enough with me to be the noblest woman on the face of the Simearth. If you will allow me, I wish nothing more than to spend the rest of our lives making it worth your while. Please be my wife.”

“Could you be any more over the top? Of course I’ll marry you!”

“You may be a crazy man, but I love you anyway.”

They dallied too long on the balloon ride, and Dylan had to pay a steep fee for returning late. And they almost missed the point of the party. They came dashing, hand-in-hand, back to the park just in time to see Xia blow out her candles.

“Here’s to being the most embarrassing old lady you ever met!”

“I gotta tell you, this has been one hell of a day!”

“Here we go!”

[It’s not my fault! I had a series of crashes here and replayed this birthday about three times. I have NO PICTURES after transition! I don’t know why! Xia’s new look is pretty much exactly like her old look, though.]

As everyone cheered for her mum’s birthday, Abby looked up to the park entrance and saw the one face she’d been most hoping for.

“Dion!” she cried. “I was starting to worry! I hope everything’s all right!”

Something in his eyes stopped her cold. “Dion?”

“Oh no,” Abby gasped. “No! No! No! Dion, it’s not like that. I didn’t mean–”

“Are you going to try tell me that you’re NOT woohooing with your boss? Do you think I’m that stupid?”

“It wasn’t supposed to be–“

Dion stared at her. Abby trailed off, unable to find words.

“Please, go on,” Dion snarled. “I’d love to know how you plan to finish that sentence. What was it supposed to be, and what do you think it looks like? What can you possibly say that makes this all right?”

“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “It wasn’t supposed to hurt you.”

“You know where I found out? A gossip mag at the grocery store.”

Abby didn’t think she could be more shocked, but she was wrong. “They wrote about me?”

“Yeah. All publicity is good publicity, right?”

“Dion, please…”

“You disgust me. I never want to see you again.”

Abby watched him walk away, unable even to cry. Then, mechanically, she picked up a slice of cake and sat down with her family. The cake tasted like sawdust.

“Was that your boyfriend?” Andria asked. “He looked kind of upset. Everything all right?”

“Yeah,” Abby said. “He was kind of upset.” She didn’t elaborate.

“He should have stayed for cake!” Xia declared. “Everything is better with cake!”

Dylan caught Abby’s arm as he was cleaning up. “You all right?” he asked. “You want to talk about it?”

“Not yet?” Abby choked out.

“Come on!” Xia called. “You don’t want to miss the best part! Dylan, you’re on fire duty. I think I’m too buzzed to be safe.”

“To many, many more years making fools of ourselves,” Xia shouted over the sound of the rocket.

“The very best kind of fools!”

———-

This post took me like a week to write :-p.

I have to say that the hot air balloon was the glitchiest piece of Sims premium content I’ve ever played with. Also, it only rises about the height of a sim off the ground, which makes it look kind of dumb in the air. Good thing I didn’t buy Aurora Skies for that thing. The champaign animation is absolutely adorable, but the proposal didn’t even work until I used MasterController to remove Andria’s Imaginary Friend occult status. I’ve noticed a few other interactions that don’t work for occult for no good reason. Somebody inherited from the wrong object someplace ;-p.

Xia’s LTW is now complete, which I believe finishes all the goals for Generation 5. It’s all Gen 6 now, and of course Gen 7 in the not-so-distant future.

I don’t feel like I’ve ever given Xia’s Party Animal trait enough attention. It’s flipping hard to throw a ton of parties in this game and get anything done. She’s always trying to throw a party autonomously, and I cancel it out. I always wanted to have her get drunk and dance on a table in one of the bars, but when I tried that at The Garden Gnome pub, it told me the ceiling was too low. I guess you can only do it in a place with two-story ceilings :-p.

Imagine she did more partying.

The day was finally here.

Andria was aging into adulthood.

The whole extended family and then some turned out for her birthday party. Also, her half-brother Clifton Hodgins, who was the keyboardist in Ghostwriter. Her Uncle Arma had to work.

But nobody was happier than Dylan. Andria gave him a knowing wink as she blew out her candles.

Now was the first day of the rest of their lives.

Let the party begin!

As everyone settled down for cake,

Sky goofed around with Clifton.

Abby’s unsettling boss wandered around the place like it belonged to him and got into their private stuff.

Dylan was finally offended enough to ask him to leave.

“Do you think I’ll get grandbabies out of this?” Sky whispered to Xia.

“Shh!” Xia warned. “Not your business!”

They stole out together to the quiet of the back yard to watch the stars and snuggle in a way they hadn’t done since they were kids.

“Do you wish upon stars?” Dylan asked.

“Sometimes,” Andria laughed. “That one looks like it’s listening.”

“What would you wish for?” Dylan asked.

Andria whispered in his ear.

Dylan blushed flaming red.

Meanwhile, Ghostwriter set up for an impromptu performance on the front lawn.

Xia grabbed a chance to catch up with her son.

And party a little bit.

Dylan got out his birthday present for Andria.

“You’re old enough to drink it now,” he said. “I thought this was pretty fine stuff. Perhaps we could share a toast to a fresh start together?”

“I think that’s a lovely idea. I’ve been curious to know what nectar tastes like!”

They clinked their glasses and each took a sip. Andria made thoughtful noises. “It’s, um, a lovely color,” she concluded.

The sounds of the raucous party were still going on the front lawn. “Do you think they’ve even noticed we’re gone?” Andria asked.

“Mama’s never needed me to party,” Dylan replied. “Usually I just slow her down.”

“So tell me, my knight of propriety,” Andria asked archly, “are we cleared to cuddle on the sofa now?”

“Of course!” Dylan replied. “I’ve been looking forward to it!”

He put his arm around her.

And very quickly

Things got out of hand.

Andria pulled herself away. “Let’s take this upstairs,” she panted.

Dylan, unable to speak, just nodded. He let her lead him back to his bedroom.

Dylan was almost incapable of thinking at all. Never before had he felt desire like this. Never had he needed someone the way he needed Andria at that moment. Her touch trailed fire over his skin. His chest was so tight that it was almost hard to breathe.

Then, suddenly, he came to his senses and yanked himself away.

“Andria! What are we doing?”

Andria just stared at him. “Isn’t it obvious what we’re doing?

Dylan sat up. “We could have — we almost — how can we disrespect our relationship like this? We’re not even married yet!”

“Dylan!” Andria cried. “I just passed through one hoop for your propriety. How many more do I need?”

Dylan sat at the edge of the bed, shaking. “My parents came together just like this,” he said. “They were young. They didn’t know what they wanted. All they thought they were doing was having fun. They made ME, by accident, and it almost ruined their lives. I can’t do that. If we’re not sure that we will stay together, how can we take the risk?”

Andria laid a hand on his shoulder. He ran his fingers over hers, reverently, then took a deep breath and pushed her hand away.

“Do you want to marry me?” Andria asked softly.

“I… can’t imagine myself with anyone else,” Dylan said. “But is that enough?”

“Before we go any farther,” Andria said in a wavering voice, “there’s something you should know.”

She swung her legs over the side of the bed, stood up, and… shifted.

Dylan gasped. “What are you?”

“They call us machina fae,” Andria said. Her voice was strange, higher pitched and ethereal. “We live in your world in secret, using a glamor to make us look human. My father, Doctor Hodgins Sword, was fae. He taught me about it in secret. My mother never knew. I was supposed to keep it secret from you too, but I just can’t live like that. I need you to know who I really am.”

“You’re not human.” Dylan’s voice was flat, stunned.

“No,” Andria said. “If you can’t live with knowing that… I understand.” Her voice broke, just a little, as she said it.

Dylan sank to the bed and held his head in his hands. “I need to think,” he said. “I just need to think.”

———-

Andria is an Imaginary Friend! WTH?

I first discovered this when Dylan took her portrait, and the photograph subject was identified as “Imaginary Friend” rather than “My Main Squeeze,” which was what I was going for.

I looked at her parents in the mausoleum, and she inherited this from her father, Sebastian Hodgins, not her mother, Lynn Winslow Sword. I have no idea who Sebastian inherited from because his parents are long since purged. Gwynn? I don’t remember anything about IFs from the Hodgins Wishacy.

So that’s Andria’s big secret. She’s a part of a secret fae society living among the Avalonians.

Finals were coming up at school, and Andria was a bundle of stress. At least, she said her stress was all about finals, and she spent a lot of time hitting the books. She began more and more time at the Sample estate until she was there all of her free time — arriving straight from school and leaving late at night to go to bed. She said her Uncle Arma made it impossible to study at home.

It wasn’t such a bad deal either. When Andria was stressed, she cooked, and she was pretty good at it.

Dylan held up his end by cleaning up after her. The kitchen was spotless and smelled delicious most of the time.

For the most part, everyone treated Andria as family.

Even Sawyer. Of course, that meant he accosted her whenever he was in a bad mood to complain that the smells of her cooking were distracting him from his studies.

Andria tried to give as good as she got.

“I saw you eating my cupcakes. It didn’t bother you then!”

“If you weren’t such an idiot, you’d know the appropriate times to cook.”

“Right, right,” Andria retorted. “Smart like you. You’ve already reminded everyone about that.”

Dylan worried about Andria, but she assured him that she wasn’t taking Sawyer’s theatrics too personally.

Instead, he worked on Connery’s training regimen.

Connery was a wary dog, even as a puppy. It wasn’t that easy to gain his trust.

On the other hand, he didn’t seem to be terribly destructive, and he took well to house training.

Riddle, on the other hand, was as loyal as could be.

Dylan wished he could take the old fellow to a dog show, but it wasn’t Riddle’s loyalty that was the problem — it was what was likely to do to anyone he WASN’T loyal to.

It was hard to get the mailman to bring by the mail any more.

Despite his complaining, Sawyer was at the top of his classes in everything. Everything except physical education, but he insisted that shouldn’t even be a school subject.

“They keep making me wear this flying monkey suit!” she said to Abby. “I keep saying, ‘More flying! Fewer meetings!’ but nobody listens to me. Don’t you think this hat is absurd?”

“Am I allowed to say yes?” Abby asked, giggling.

“There’s something I want to ask you, Mum,” Abby said, becoming more serious. “You always go out there and get exactly what you want. Have you ever done anything that you were ashamed of?”

Xia gave her daughter a long look. “You want the truth?”

Abby nodded.

Xia signed. “I don’t know if I should admit this to you, but you’re a grown woman. I did a few things that I’d rather not talk about, but I don’t think I’m ashamed of any of them. Very few sims get a chance to shoot themselves out of a cannon at the moon, and I intend to be one of them. When you’re playing those odds, sometimes you have to break the rules, and you absolutely have to make sacrifices. The thing that matters most in the end is your self-respect. You’re the one who has to look at yourself in the mirror.”

Xia looked deeply into the eyes of her only biological daughter. “You’re a good person, Abby. I know that, and I hope you know that. If anyone wants to judge you for your choices, they can answer to me.”

Abby flushed. “Thanks, Mum. It means a lot to me.”

“Don’t mention it,” Xia said. “Seriously, don’t mention it. I’m a military woman. Tenderness is bad for my image.”

“No offense, but your house is getting to be almost as bad for studying as mine,” Andria told Dylan. “I’m going to go study at the library.”

Dylan looked surprised. Things were actually pretty quiet at the Sample Estate that afternoon. “Sure. If you want to drop by for dinner, you’re welcome.”

Andria flashed him a smile. “Sure. I’m pretty sure you’re going to be eating the leftovers I cooked anyway.” She hopped on her bike and headed to Monmouth Archive.

There weren’t many other people there, so she didn’t have to worry about anyone following her down into the stacks.

The stacks were the oldest part of the building, and it was was a very old building. Every wall was covered with old video recordings or much, much older books.

Andria walked directed to the very oldest part of the basement.

She hadn’t been here since her father brought her as a child.

But it didn’t take long to remember where the trick book was.

The switch clicked into place, and the door swung open, slowly and silently.

Andria stepped through to a chamber so old that it made the library look sparkling new. Ages old. You could smell it in the air.

She took a breath and walked past the witchfire torches to the gate of the Vault of Antiquity.

She could barely see the elders, but she knew they were there. “I’m going to tell him,” she said. “If you want to stop me, you’re going to have to do whatever you’re going to do right now.

The sigh of the elders was like the wind through dry leaves. “We know,” they said. “Maybe it’s time. You have our permission.”

Abby was outside, watching the sunset and thinking, when her phone rang.

And played darts for a while.

Not a game she was best at when she was tipsy.

Nemo trounced her.

“OK, I can’t take it any longer,” Abby said at last. “Stop teasing me. Did I get the part?”

Nemo grinned. “I know a guy who knows a guy who’s doing casting for the new film For Whom the Dog Barks. They have a trainer role you’ll be perfect for. He owes me a favor. I think it’s as good as yours. This could be your big break.”

“What?” Abby asked. “I haven’t auditioned for that film.”

“They’ve seen your other auditions,” Nemo said. “But you’re still going to have to read for the part, and we need to knock it out of the ballpark. Do you have time to meet with me to go over the script?”

“This really is a lovely home,” Abby said as she looked around.

“Thanks. It’s William’s, really. He’s old money. Very old, actually. I rent a couple of rooms from him. Now, have a seat in the living room. I want to whip up a little snack for us to study by.”

Abby was left alone in his living room, pacing nervously. She’d been working so hard to get a break. Could this possibly be it? How well did Nemo know the casting team?

She found her way to the bathroom and stared at herself. “You know you want this,” she told her reflection. “What are you willing to sacrifice for it? Have you come this far just to give up? You can make this happen! And you will!

So long as she could look at herself in the mirror, she would be all right.

She made her way back to the living room. Nemo was already there. “I set a fire in the fireplace,” he said. “I hope you don’t mind. It just makes the place so much more cozy.”

“It’s lovely,” Abby said. And it was. The whole house was beautifully decorated.

“Here’s the script,” Nemo said. “It’s not the most brilliant work you’ve ever seen, but right now what we need is to get you some screen time.”

Abby laughed self-consciously. “I know,” she said. “I’ll take what I can get.”

So they ran the rehearsal scenes several times. Abby tried out different character styles. Nemo gave her thoughtful feedback. She slowly grew more confident. The part wasn’t terribly complex. She could do it. It was just a matter of doing it better than anyone else.

On the dozenth run through, Nemo leaned close to her as he recited the lines, and suddenly their lips were touching.

He drew back quickly. “I’m so sorry,” he said. “That was so unprofessional. I just — you just have this incredible presence. I’ve never been so affected by anyone before.”

He drew closer again, caressing her nose with his own. “You’re an amazing woman, Abby. And so beautiful. If you want me to stop, say it. Nobody ever has to know.” His hand was beneath her skirt, stroking her inner thigh as he spoke. It was hard to think.

Then he was kissing her again. Abby’s heart was pounding, her mind racing…

She shut of her thoughts and let it happen.

———

Argh. I’m getting close to the end of this generation in gameplay, and I’m SOOO far behind in posts!

Yeah, when Abby’s boss heart-farted for her the first time they met, it was hard not to let this plot happen.