Author Topic: Wish Upon a Northern Star (Read 7164 times)

warr2098 · « **Reply #15 on:** May 14, 2012, 04:09:14 PM »

I knew it'd be that house!

I wonder if she'll end up in a relationship with Leighton? Hopefully a good one this time!

loveSims · « **Reply #16 on:** May 14, 2012, 06:31:52 PM »

I feel sorry for her! So much bad luck. I hope things turn around for her.

fanofaband · « **Reply #17 on:** May 18, 2012, 02:11:44 AM »

My little family and I finally managed to settle into a bit of a routine. Avery exercised to the tv a lot of the time, while Amber practiced with the chemistry set. Sometimes a small explosion would happen, but I learned not to worry too much about it after awhile. Amber would always pop in, hair in a mess, soot on her face, and a sheepish grin. If anything bad happened, there would be a shriek, and I would run to help however I could. Alan played with all the toys I'd bought for him, plus the little doll we'd found in the mail. Aaron? Well, he cried a lot, but what could I do? He was a baby. Geoffrey was true to his word and visited when he could, bringing a little money whenever he visited. He loved his son, but I know he loved the town more.

The last week of my maternity leave came, and I had hoped to spend a lot more time with my kids, but fate had other plans for me. Leighton and Sam showed up on my doorstop one night, looking frightened and paranoid. I ushered them inside, asked them not to wake up the kids, and quickly got them each something warm to drink. Leighton slowly told me what had happened. His mother had tried to bite both he and Sam, and Sam was getting so paranoid he always had to have clothes on to be comfortable in the house. Leighton had run to the science center at least twice to be cured of a bite she'd snuck in while he slept. It was getting worse and worse, and he had no idea who he could turn to. They told me my family and I had become so close to them, they didn't know where else they could go.

Of course I let them stay the night, and offered to let them stay for as long as they wanted. They both thanked me as much as they possibly could, then showered and slept on the couches that night. I worried about them when they went back to the house the next day, they promised Yumi would be sleeping, but I wasn't too sure. They needed to pick up a few things and they would be straight back. Luckily they were right, and they officially moved in with me and the kids. Leighton promised he would bring in enough income with his job that I wouldn't need mine anymore, and he promised never to leave me desitute. The kids were important to him as well. He only had Sam, and he wished he could have many, many more. Things just... hadn't worked out that way for him. I hugged him and thanked him, then went to the school, quit my job, and became a babysitter on the side. I'd had enough practice with my own kids, why not help with the neighbors if I could?

We helped Sam set up his easel on the back porch, he loved the view of the ocean, and got inspiration quite often from staring out into the water. We all did our best to avoid Yumi as best as possible, and somehow she never figured out where her son and grandson had moved. It was hard to figure it out, it was a small enough town, everyone knew everyone, to a degree, but we weren't going to argue with our good fortune. Later on, we heard she had starved to death a few nights after they moved in with my family. Maybe they were the only ones she could feed off of? Though it had to have been at night, they would have never agreed to it willingly. It looked like life was finally beginning to turn around, though I still didn't want to be too optimistic about it. Whenever that happened, it always seemed to get worse for us.

I painted as much as I could, when I had the time. With four kids of my own, Sam, and the little ones I looked after for the neighbors, I rarely had any time to myself as it was. Leighton knew it got rough sometimes, but he also knew I loved it, and sometimes, whenever we would manage to eat together, all we could talk about were the kids. They all loved each other. Sam loved having kids his own age around (he was only a little older than the twins), and my kids had always loved Sam. A lot of the time, after they finished their homework, they would go outside and play until sunset.

Leighton and I grew closer and closer, as we were the only support either of us really had. We had both had bad pasts, but we were pulling through, and we both figured we were stronger for it. Money wasn't much of a problem, what with Leighton's job, my bits of work, and Geoffrey helping out with Aaron as much as he could. Leighton didn't mind that my kids were four children from three fathers. In fact, he was sympathetic for us, seeing as how Sam's mother had left them just after Sam was born. It seemed like life couldn't be any better, but then things began to surprise me.

I was up painting in the top room one night when Leighton came up to talk to me. He thanked me again for everything I had done for him and Sam, though he seemed a little shy while we were talking. Leighton? Shy? What was going on?

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Sam and his easel.

I couldn't find very many pictures from this part of our life, we were all so busy!

warr2098 · « **Reply #18 on:** May 18, 2012, 02:46:39 AM »

Is he going to propose I wonder?

loveSims · « **Reply #19 on:** May 18, 2012, 08:19:17 AM »

I hope they get together. Lovely update.

Spork-tastic · « **Reply #20 on:** May 18, 2012, 05:08:32 PM »

Poor Shanna! That's terrible that Nick treated her so poorly. And again with Geoffry (a bit better)? Quite the twist! I love this story very much it definitely keeps me coming back to read more! The kids are so cute. Shanna is very nice for letting her friends live with her, as if she didn't have enough people to look after.

fanofaband · « **Reply #21 on:** May 19, 2012, 10:24:32 PM »

It was strange the way things were going for my family and I after all these years. Having been kicked out of my home city of Bridgeport, disowned by my parents, four children by three different men who I loved but who didn't love me, meeting a man with a son in a similar situation as myself... What was going on with everything? Had I been cursed? Or was this some kind of fate? Was all of this supposed to happen for some reason I've never discovered? It seems like it, after all these years of reflection, how else could I explain what happened next?

Leighton looked a little strange as we chatted next to my easel on the second floor of the house. His eyes kept flicking around as though he expected someone to jump out of the shadows or something. He eventually apologized with a sheepish smile, telling me he wasn't sure why he was so nervous, and he didn't know how to put things into words. All I could do was chuckle a little, not expecting anything that was going to happen next. I thought he was going to tell me something about his mother, and I hoped he wasn't going to tell me they were moving back in with her, not after everything she tried to do to them.

Finally, he took a deep breath and kissed me, and I know now I hadn't really been in love before I'd met Leighton and his son. It was electric, like I was stuck to the floor. Here was a man who had seen me with two other men, had let me cry on his shoulder when things went wrong. He loved all my children, and he encourage Sam to play with them as much as he wanted to. I even saw Sam as a kind of adopted son sometimes. It was amazing, and it seemed to last for an eternity, though it wasn't nearly that long.

Happily, I can remember what he said next, like it only happened a moment ago instead of years. He took me by the hands and went down on one knee in front of me.
"Shanna, you are the star of my night, my guiding light in the darkness. I've loved you since the moment we met, but I didn't have the courage to say anything until now. Everything you've been through has made you stronger than you were before, you're a survivor, you're a beacon of hope, and I can't imagine having gone through everything you've been through. You are my idol, my hero, and the love of my life. I love you more than I ever thought I could love anyone, I love your children as though they were mine, and through everything, you've been nothing but kind and understanding to Sam and I, even welcoming us into your home when you had too much to handle on your own. You're beautiful, kind, and loving, and I would be honored if you and your family would become part of mine."

I didn't know what to say, what could I say? Nothing had prepared me for this, and all I could do was burst into tears. Leighton seemed horrified, and he tried to turn and run back downstairs, but I hugged him and kissed him and told him I loved him and Sam too, and I woud be thrilled to marry him.

Laughter followed what I said, and we immediately had a private wedding right then and there. There was only one thing that could make life any better, and it happened. Married couples will be married couples, and soon, the promise of more little feet running around the house had happened.

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Our first kiss!

Leighton's proposal, I'd never thought it would happen!

I was surprised how big the ring was, but I would have said yes even if there was no ring.

How could life get any better?

Our small, private wedding. I think the painting I had been working on in the background added a good atmosphere to it. Isn't Leighton handsome?

Another baby on the way?

Spork-tastic · « **Reply #22 on:** May 20, 2012, 12:25:35 PM »

So now she has 5 kids (because of Sam) and there is another?!?! Wow this is gonna be one busy household. I love your writing style its so involved and I keep thinking I am watching T.V.

loveSims · « **Reply #23 on:** May 20, 2012, 04:46:52 PM »

I'm so glad she and Leighton got married. He is a real sweetheart. Great update.

fanofaband · « **Reply #24 on:** May 21, 2012, 04:25:52 PM »

Thanks everyone! I love knowing there are people enjoying the story.

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We were a busy, busy family. With the children all doing what children do best, Leighton working, and me trying to take care of everyone and everything, we barely had time for ourselves. But we made do the best we could, and we were all happy. It was a nice change from what life had been like since, well, always. I loved how things were going, and soon enough, we were happy to announce I was pregnant again! There were so many boys in the house, I don't know how I wanted another one, while Leighton really wanted a girl. We decided to leave it up to fate, and we didn't find out what we were having until our baby would be born.

Birthdays, birthdays abounded, and I did the best I could to throw a few family parties for the kids on their birthdays. Sam became a teenager first, being only a little older than the twins. I think he turned out to be a handsome young man, and we let him get all new clothes before showing him our real present for him and the other kids whenever they became old enough. Leighton had done some searching online and found a nice, cheap car that would hold most of us in it. It was safe enough, and we could afford it, so we jumped on it. We couldn't keep relying on taxi's forever, could we? Sam loved it, and begged his dad to teach him how to drive, my husband happily obliged. Having a few days off work helped Leighton out quite a bit, especially since Aaron and the twins grew older soon as well.

My little Aaron became a toddler, and I was happy to have another little one to teach things. Even being pregnant (again), I managed to teach him how to walk, talk, and use the potty, while Leighton had the honor of teaching the twins to drive. That's right! My oldest biological children were teenagers! I can't believe how big they're all getting, it feels like only yesterday I found out I was pregnant with im. They all call Leighton Dad, which thrills him beyond belief. Even if they don't need the help, they'll ask him to look over their homework with them, I think they're as happy to have a father as he is to have more children. Geoffrey is still good on his word and sends some money once a month, checking in on Aaron whenever he can. My husband is starting to get a little touchy about it, but he won't make Geoffrey stay away from his son. He doesn't know what he would do if he couldn't see any of the kids, and so he won't subject someone else to it, though he makes sure to be somewhere else so he doesn't throw the man out.

Sam, Avery, and Amber have been trying to decide what they want to do in life after they graduate. Sam has been practicing chess with Amber more lately (we bought them a chess set for their birthdays!), as well as his art, and he's been talking more and more about joining the police force as a forensic artist. He wants to help people out, and if he can do it, even in his own way, then he'll be happy. He's a sweet kid, and I'm glad I get to help him grow up. Avery has always known what he wants to do, and has Leighton training him on the treadmill sometimes. He wants to be an Acrobat, and if it's what he really wants to do, then I'm all for it. Amber has been trying to decide what to do, and hasn't had much luck deciding between becoming a Doctor or a Hit Movie Composer. Both appeal to her traits, but she's just not sure. Leighton and I are always there to encourage her as she explores her options, and we know we'll stand behind whatever decision she makes.

Alan's almost old enough to start going to school as well, and more and more I see Nick in him. I'm a little upset Nick doesn't want to see his son, but at the same time, I'm happy I don't have to see him anymore. It doesn't mean I love my son any less though, I love all my children, even Sam, who calls me Mom.

One night, standing in front of my easel, painting, I felt the pangs of childbirth again. It was a quick delivery, Amber helped me as best as she could, and I was finally holding my daughter, Allison. She was the first child born between my husband and I, and as I held her, it seemed like she was the cement to finalize the joining of our two families. What future would she hold? All we knew, as the family gathered around to coo at her, was she was the most precious member of the family right now.

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