The Drifter Chronicles - House 001 (COMPLETE)

[PeregrineTook]

Awww, Summer's got a soft spot for her weirdo.
Loved the descriptions she wrote for the books and that you gave her the reigns for this update!

[commasplice]

Awww, Summer's got a soft spot for her weirdo.
Loved the descriptions she wrote for the books and that you gave her the reigns for this update!

Thank you! It's funny, when I did this before since I wasn't planning on writing anything up, I was only ever focused on my founder or in the succeeding houses the heir because you can mostly only control the one sim. So I didn't pay as much attention to the other sims. When I decided to write this up, I realized I would have to keep any eye on the others and it's changed my whole perspective. Consequently, you're going to be hearing a lot from Summer for this.

[commasplice]

From: Orys Baratheon
To: Drifter Board of Directors, No Sim Left Behind
Re: Drifter House 001, Progress Report 003



I am pleased to report that my fiancée, Ms. Summer Holiday, is expecting my heir. She is adamant that before our child’s arrival, that I complete at least the basic structure of our home.



In order to do so more expeditiously, I have adjusted the lot traits on the property. We now have Home Studio, Child’s Play, and Sunny Aspect. I have authored a few more books. While I have yet to settle on a genre, these, I am happy to say, are bringing in the simoleons. They are:

•   Storm’s End: A story of the brave Baratheons
•   Deep Blue Eyes: How two unlikely sims found each other with a glance
•   The Fighting Baratheons: a Saga of the Andals of Old
•   Baratheon Brawn: Achieving body mass the Baratheon way
Expect an additional report upon the birth of my heir.

Phone conversation between Summer Holiday and Liberty Lee

Liberty: I don’t understand what you’re complaining about. You’re in your third trimester and he’s still taking you on dates.

Summer: It’s for some stupid thing with this project. I was so excited to get away from work and he took us back to the Green Grille.

Liberty: What’s wrong with that?

Summer: There are still restaurants in San Myshuno and Windenburg. We could have gone to those, but nooooo. He says they’re on the forbidden list unless someone asks us there first so the only place he will take me is the Green Grille. He keeps ordering me water. Because it’s free. And all the flirting, the holding hands, the kisses—I thought he meant it. Turns out it’s all for “aspiration points.”



Liberty: [long sigh] I don’t know how we’d work it with a baby, but if you want to move back with Travis and me, you can.

Summer: Let me think about it. It’s just so hard to keep track. One minute he’s aiming for this writer aspiration, the next, it’s fishing. He’s talking about getting a cow plant to grow for this gardening one. We’re having a baby and he wants a cow plant. He’s constantly writing to these strangers and hounding them for post cards and—

Liberty: OMG, Max Power.

Summer: What?”

Liberty: He must have heard about Max Power*, that super sim guy? Never mind. I’m on it. Look, don’t do anything before I talk to Orys.

Report from Brent Hecking, No Sim Left Behind on Drifter Subject 001

Drifter Subject 001 and Liberty Lee had a long discussion while Summer Holiday was at work. While I was unable to secure any photos, Ms. Lee appears to have convinced Drifter Subject 001 that his course of action is in need of adjustment. I was able to overhear the phrase, “Max Power is no one to emulate, you idiot!” as Ms. Lee repeated it several times, before finally slapping Drifter Subject 001 upside the head. This was followed by “Summer needs you.”

Shortly thereafter, Ms. Holiday returned from work and they went to the hospital.



From: Orys Baratheon
To: Drifter Board of Directors, No Sim Left Behind
Re: Drifter House 001, Progress Report 004

Summer is in surgery. The doctor informs me everything will be fine. She said they do this all the time and that I should not worry.

I am terrified at the thought of losing Summer.

One of our friends came by earlier and told me that I was a pompous ass who was hurting the love of my life for no good reason.

She was right. What have I done?



From: Drifter Board of Directors, No Sim Left Behind
To: Orys Baratheon
Re: Re: Drifter House 001, Progress Report 004

Orys, you need to take a deep breath and calm down. Summer is going to be just fine.

You’re making this way harder on yourself than it needs to be. You just need to build the house and raise your kid. Focus on making your girlfriend and kid happy and it’ll all fall into place.

You got this, bro.

Brant

Email from Liberty Lee to Travis Scott

Summer had a healthy baby boy! She’s doing great and the baby looks perfect. They named him Robert Holiday. Orys is kind of a wreck still, but I heard him promising her it’s going to be different now. If he doesn’t shape up, we’ll get her to move in with us, but I think I got through to him.



*The Sim Supply did this series called the Super Sim Challenge on YouTube—his sim, Max Power had the goal of getting all the aspirations, maxing out skills, etc. It was fascinating to watch and really interesting, but The Sim Supply did acknowledge it was making Max a pretty dark character.

Also side note: Summer's plumbob is toggled because it's okay for me to control her to take her to the hospital.

[commasplice]

Journal entry, Summer Holiday

When we were coming home from the hospital, Orys made me close my eyes until we were right in front of the lot.



We have a legit house! Okay, there’s no paint or anything, but it’s an actual structure with windows too. The entrance is on the side with this great big porch. Orys said that while it wasn’t a tiny house, which I was dead set against, he used a lot of the same principles in the design. The door opens into a living room with the stairs up to the bedrooms (yes, we have TWO bedrooms), and then there’s a big bath on the right with a tub too!



There’s a galley kitchen at the end and a very small nook for the computer.



Upstairs our bedroom is a loft. I had doubts about that, but the view is gorgeous and Orys baby proofed everything. And there’s a very small, narrow bedroom for Robert. It fits a twin bed when Robert will be old enough for that.



Journal entry, Summer Holiday

Orys is calmer now. He’s been great with little Robert, who’s turned into an adorable, if independent toddler.



We sat down together and Orys explained everything about this No Sim Left Behind project.

“What if Robert doesn’t want to do it? Kids want to live up to their parent’s expectations. You were a grown man when you decided to participate. I don’t want—”

“We’re not going to tell Robert anything about it till he’s old enough. If he wants in, fine. If he doesn’t want to do it, that’s fine too. Only—it is an opportunity. I would never have met you without the project. It’s been so rewarding for me to see all our hard work turn into something we made together. Could we just—I’ll keep pursuing the rewards, but it’ll be less disruptive, I swear. We raise Robert to have all the advantages we can afford to give him.”

I was waiting for the other shoe to drop.

“That’s it, though. I can influence him to do homework, maybe invite him to play chess, we can do group outings to get him experience with fishing and gardening, but it’ll all have to be his choice.”

This whole time I’d been imagining Orys forcing Robert to have this really regimented childhood. It was a huge weight off my shoulders. “That’s all I want.”



Orys was bent down to Robert’s eye level to help him with something. “I’ve never been this happy in all my life.” He looked up at me. “I know I just promised to give Robert everything we could afford, but perhaps we could do one thing for ourselves before that and have our wedding tomorrow?”

*Plumbob over Robert's head because I forgot to pause the game, walked away from the computer, and when I got back I couldn't find him--and was pleased that for once my sims had done the right thing on their own, but forgot to deselect him.

[PeregrineTook]

Wow, I missed an update along the way!  Loved how the 1/3/18 update had the narrative voice of multiple characters.  Varying perspectives is always a fun way to get a story!
It's so sweet how Orys is so crazy about Summer and was in fear of losing the love of his life.  It's also nice to see him rounding out into a great, caring daddy who does the right thing even when you aren't there to lead him to it  ;=)

[Audren]

Quite the cool challenge! I'm enjoying reading through Orys and Summer's lives, even as I don't really know the Sims 4. Look forward to future updates!

[commasplice]

From: Orys Baratheon
To: Drifter Board of Directors, No Sim Left Behind
Re: Drifter House 001, Progress Report 005




This past Tuesday, the former Summer Holiday did me the inestimable honor of becoming my bride. I suppose the sensible thing to do would have been to wait for the Romance Festival, but as my love says, “Baby, love has nothing to do with sense.”



We chose to go to the Von Haunt Estate in Windenburg. It was just the three of us. Summer has never looked lovelier. She would like to thank you for the gift of the earrings.



The workmen had finished the exterior work on the house by the time we returned.



The interior is not entirely finished, but it is coming along. We spend a great deal of our lives outdoors. I confess, I still miss the ocean, but have taken up painting and have come to enjoy the beauty of the desert. Summer isn’t much of a drinker, but seems to like spontaneously mixing drinks and has been steadily advancing in her career.



I have finally completed a collection. This makes Summer very happy because it no longer requires me to constantly be seeking out pen pals. I have also written a few more books. Some of these are potboilers so that we can earn enough money to finish the house: Andals in Space, Who Killed Jon Arryn? and Jenny’s Song have all become best sellers. However, it is my series of children’s books that are bringing me the greatest joy: Proudwing, Proudwing Falls, and Proudwing Learns to Fly are the latest ones.



Robert is doing well. He refuses to keep to any kind of a routine and like most new parents, we’ve adapted to his schedule. He’ll be aging up to a child any day now. Where does the time go?



Respectfully,

Orys Baratheon

[PeregrineTook]

Aww, so happy the little family is doing so well.
I can't wait to see Robert age up to teen so we can see how the genes end up blending!

[commasplice]

Phone conversation between Summer Holiday and Liberty Lee

Liberty: I don’t want to judge, but girl, you realize you put this pic of you on Simstagram and you’re still in your nightie?



Summer: [groan] Wait till you have a kid. You’ll get it then.

Liberty: I love that tile, though. Also, could Robert be any cuter? So how is it going with Orys?

Summer: He’s been great. He’s a terrific dad.



Liberty: How did you persuade Robert to go fishing?



Summer: It was a group outing. Robert will do those. Besides, it might come in handy if…

Liberty: You said that Orys wasn’t going to make him participate in the project.

Summer: We’re not. But we want him to have the option and going fishing and doing gardening when he’s older, those would help. He likes spending time with his dad and he LOVES being outdoors. It’s even more pronounced now that he’s a teenager.



Liberty: So did you upload ALL the pics for months in one day?

Summer: I never have free time anymore. If I have a moment, I upload everything. Deal with it. I think I need some new clothes. I’ve had that green outfit forever.



Liberty: It looks good. Nothing wrong with sticking with what works. OMG, it’s that creepy guy! He’s always outside my door.

Summer: Wait, what? OMG, tell me I did not just post that pic of Orys—



Liberty : –nuzzling your neck like a vampire? Yes, you so did. Also, there’s one of you looking shocked as hell.



Summer: Baby brain will do that to you.

Liberty: Wait, what?

Summer: I’m pregnant again.

[Audren]

Can't wait to see the new baby! I wonder how Robert's going to feel about this project.

[PeregrineTook]

Woot!  Another baby on the way!!
Summer as the married mama telling Liberty how things are was super-cute!

[commasplice]

Can't wait to see the new baby! I wonder how Robert's going to feel about this project.

Robert turned out kind of interesting. (I'm on House 3 at the moment in my game play so House 2 is already written).

Woot!  Another baby on the way!!
Summer as the married mama telling Liberty how things are was super-cute!

Thank you! I have come to love Summer (and Liberty). They ended up taking a much larger role in this Challenge than I anticipated.

[commasplice]

Journal entry, Robert Holiday

Dear Diary,

I turned into a teenager today. First thing I did was get a new haircut and some new clothes.



My mom made me a white cake for my birthday and she and Dad gave me a journal.

“It helps with emotional control,” Dad said. He’s big on coincidental stuff. At least that’s what I hear him say to Mom. No idea what that means.



Mom usually rolls her eyes, but she nodded at the journal. “I know the teenage years are an emotional roller coaster, so honey, if the journal helps you with that? It’s totally worth it.”

Mom’s pregnant right now and I started to say something snarky about not being the one to worry about hormones, but Dad stopped me right there.

As parties go, it was kind of lame, even if Aunt Liberty came over to help celebrate.



Okay, signing off.

Journal entry, Summer Holiday

I’m officially freaking out. Not only do I have a teenage son, but I’m pregnant. We didn’t plan it. Liberty is stunned that I didn’t know about “risky woohoo.” Evidently, there was a birth control option I should have picked. She’s also stunned that we were having as much woohoo as we were because I guess she thinks married couples never have it?



It’s just Robert was finally old enough not to need constant attention and I’d gotten to a point in the culinary career where I had more days off. Orys and I were enjoying being a couple again.



And now, I’m having what the doctor calls a “geriatric pregnancy.” I’m terrified. Orys is close to being an elder. I’m not that far off. If Robert decides to take part in the project when he learns about it, he’ll have to move out. And if his brother or sister doesn’t make it to the teen years before Orys or I die—well, that means that sibling might end up in foster care and they will never know each other—I just can’t bear it.

Orys knows I’m worried. He kept trying to reassure me, but nothing’s worked.

Finally, he found me in the garden. He pointed out that since I stopped aging during my pregnancies, our second child should make it to at least his teen years if not young adulthood.



Orys is good with facts so this time when he told me it will be all right, I believed him.

[oshizu]

Ors, I realize that you're the founder but Summer has officially stolen the show!


Edited to add: Ooops, typo. That should by "Orys" not "Ors."

[PeregrineTook]

Ors, I realize that you're the founder but Summer has officially stolen the show!

Seconding this!  I so enjoy the active role that Summer (and Liberty, to a lesser degree) has taken in the storytelling!
Amusingly, before I'd read the part about Summer's pregnancy age-freezing meaning that the baby would grow to teen or YA before she passed, I'd already started going into problem-solving mode for you thinking about if Liberty could be moved in to be the caretaker for the little one, but then realized she'd be just as old as Summer and Orys!