Chapter 15 – Toy Meets ToyBasil is a unique kid. Even he knows this, at such a young age.
He’s the only kid in town who lives with an alien. He likes to brag to his friends that an alien taught him how to walk and talk. And he loves to ride in Sezzad’s spaceship. That’s probably the coolest part of living with an alien.
He also has a secret ability—he can turn himself into a doll, a toy version of himself. The first time he did it, it terrified him, and he hasn’t really done it since. He wonders how such a crazy thing is possible. Maybe one day, when he’s a scientist, he’ll figure it out.
Basil’s favorite things to do are practice chess and use his mom’s telescope. Maybe it’s because of Sezzad, or maybe it’s just how he was born—Basil loves studying the stars. He has all kinds of questions about the universe.
Sezzad has told him that sometimes space rocks fall to earth, even here in Twinbrook. Basil has a dream of finding one sometime. When he told his mother this, she got very nervous. She gets nervous a lot. Her least favorite topics of conversation seem to be space rocks, and Basil’s dad.
Basil doesn’t know very much about his dad. He asks his mother whenever he can, but she always looks sad when he brings it up. He asks where his dad is. Roberta says, “He’s out of town for a while.” Basil asks when he’s coming back, and Roberta says, “I don’t know, Basil.”
Luckily, Basil doesn’t have to wait forever.
It’s a crisp fall day. Weston the butler is out raking the leaves, as every donut* butler loves to do.
Basil is fixing himself breakfast. And the doorbell rings.
In walks a man Basil has never seen before. He’s tall and muscular—and he has magenta-tinged hair, just like Basil! The man walks closer, and Basil sees that he has ice-blue eyes. There is no question. This is Buddy, Basil’s dad.
The man walks toward Roberta. He’s obviously here with the purpose of speaking to her. Basil sits down with his waffles and watches his father suspiciously. He doesn’t know what to think. Why is he suddenly showing up now? Why does he think he’s allowed to just stroll in unannounced? Why doesn’t he seem to care that Roberta is in her underwear?
Basil eats his breakfast and listens to his parents—yes, his parents—talk. They talk quietly and politely, like they’re trying to be as nice to each other as possible. He hears his mother say, “It’s about time.” He hears his father say, “I know. I wanted him to be old enough to understand what’s happening.”
Roberta tells Buddy about work. She’s an Infectious Disease Researcher now, a huge accomplishment that she’s worked incredibly hard for. She tells him about Sezzad. Buddy is surprisingly gracious about that, and nods at the alien across the room.
Then it’s time. Roberta beckons her son. Basil gets up from his half-eaten waffles and comes over to stand in front of his father for the first time.
“Hi, Basil,” says Buddy.
“Hi, Dad.”
They smile at each other. Basil can’t believe it—his father really does look just like him. He wonders if he’s like him in his secret way—he wonders if he can turn himself into a toy, too. Probably not…that would be crazy.
They talk a little bit. Buddy asks Basil how his mother has been. Basil says that she’s usually very stressed out and very sad. Buddy tells his son about his job as a professional athlete. Then Basil asks Buddy if he wants to play tag. Buddy agrees, and out they run into the crisp air and falling leaves.
They play tag for a long time. Later that afternoon, Roberta comes outside and asks them (calling them “you boys”) if they want to go to the Fall Festival. Both boys get excited and say yes. They all pile into Roberta’s car, and off they go.
Basil and Buddy brave the haunted house together. Basil is confident his daddy is strong enough to beat off any mummies or skeletons they come across.
Then, the whole family competes in a pie-eating contest.
Buddy wins, of course. He's gracious enough to look surprised.
Soon after that, Buddy has to go home—he’s staying with Uncle Joe Bob and Aunt Allyson on the other side of town. He hugs Basil goodbye and says he’ll be back to visit soon.
One weekend evening, Roberta goes over to Joe Bob and Allyson’s house. Ever since Buddy stopped by to meet his son, she’s been feeling more okay about things. Buddy was very civil to her, even a little affectionate. She misses him desperately. Maybe things can go back to the way they were?
Buddy is there, and happy to see his wife. They spend a long while talking. It's easier now that Basil is not in earshot.
Buddy is very busy with his games, but enjoying staying with Joe Bob. He asks about Basil. Roberta tells him he’s doing well, and seems happier now that he's met his dad. But he wants to get to know his dad more.
Then Roberta brings up the forbidden topic––Angel. She explains that what happened was entirely one-sided, and while she may have had a little bit of a workplace crush on her boss, she never dreamed of acting on it.
"I know," says Buddy. "I don't know what came over me. Jealousy, I guess. I just felt this overwhelming need to leave. Almost like it was out of my control." He takes Roberta's hand. "I've missed you."
"I've missed you, too," she says.
“I won't be ready to come back for a while,” Buddy says.
“I understand,” says Roberta.
They end the night by watching the stars together. Things aren't exactly back to the way they were, but they're getting there.
(Side note: A couple days later, Roberta rolls a wish to kiss Sezzad for the first time. Roberta, I’m not even going to ask. Get a freaking grip, woman!)
Life goes on in the Middlemiss household. Sezzad upgrades objects and cares for a variety of Twinbrook toddlers; Roberta reads her medical journals; and Basil practices cooking on the toy oven and plays blocks to start working on handiness.
Weston the butler has retired, sadly, and been replaced by a very nice lady named Deanna (I think). She does a lovely job, but everyone misses Weston (myself included). Here she's holding Hillary Peterson, who was a baby in her mommy's tummy last we saw her.
Roberta ages up to Adult, and starts a Mid-Life Crisis. One of her wishes is to remodel the house a bit. I change some wallpapers and transform the exterior into red brick. I also update the roof. I’m quite proud of this house—it looks more like a real house on the outside than any other house I’ve built before. Additionally, I put some walls around the stairway to the basement and put in a locked door to prevent people from wandering down there in search of a book. Odile’s bookshelf needs to remain Odile’s bookshelf, with only her books on it. (Of course, bookshelves in TS3 seem not to retain the same stock of books no matter what I do…but at least this will stay as Odile’s bookshelf in spirit.) I only took pictures of the exterior, apparently...but I'd like to do a more thorough house tour at some point. Maybe next generation.
Winter arrives, and with it, lots of snow. Roberta changes her outfit for the new season:
Basil hardly gets to go to school at all as a child. The last couple days are declared snow days. Roberta tutors him to keep his grades up. And in the mean time, he gets to stay home and experience the Interplanetary Toddler Academy firsthand!
He even helps keep the toddlers entertained.
(Fun fact: This little toddler is Conor Kadukin, the son of my simself and a recently-moved-in townie. I put my simself into the game a couple weeks ago, just to see what Story Progression would do with her. She's the same sim I used for my avatar. Maybe you can spot her in some past and future screenshots...)
At the end of the second snow day, Basil ages up and becomes a teenager.
He gains the Star Quality trait, to be added to his Genius, Loves the Outdoors, and Disciplined traits. We'll have to get rid of that Disciplined trait at some point, but until then, he's right on track to start his requirements in a couple of weeks.
Until next time!*I just reread this two days after posting it and saw that I wrote "donut" instead of "butler". I think I was talking to my boyfriend about donuts while writing...? I don't know. I'm leaving the evidence there because it made me laugh.
