Week Six: Teenage Dreams
Good lord how time flies! It seems like only yesterday that I was teaching Coco to walk and talk. Now I'm throwing her a birthday party for her teen age up! If it had been up to me, we would have had a very quiet little get together, just the two of us, but Coco is such a social person that I couldn't deny her! I invited all her friends and set up a great celebration in the backyard. Thankfully, I had some simoleons left over from the inheritance, so it didn't completely cripple us financially. My eyes welled up with tears as I watched her blow out the candles! My baby is growing up so fast!
Of course, all she asked for as a gift was for a new wardrobe. Coco definitely has a very distinct fashion sense! I wasn't too thrilled with some of her choices (rips and bare middrifts?), but she has such a free spirit that I couldn't bring myself to crush it! Surprisingly, it looks like she likes the way I wear my hair because she did hers the same way. Overall, she is a great little stylist. Maybe that will be her future? Ah, but I'm getting ahead of myself. Look at her pretty new clothes!
Coco set down after the party and began to read a book on charisma. She must be afraid she's going to become a loner like her old mum, but I know better. She's much to vivacious to ever become a shut-in like me! I was too exhausted after the party to keep her company, but Coco's pretty much used to being on her own by now. She's become a great help around the house, cleaning the dishes and making sure everything looks nice. That left me with plenty of time to keep painting. I wanted to earn a bit more money, and it seems that painting is the easiest way. While I painted, Coco focused on her homework and doing well in school.
Unfortunately, Coco seemed to be showing a bit of a rebellious streak. Around midweek I caught her planting a whoopee cushion in the couch! I didn't know she was such a prankster, and I was not amused. I may have let my temper get the best of me, but after having a bit of a chat and dealing out a fair punishment, we got past the little episode.
It's a good thing that I don't stay angry... the next night was prom, and Coco was dying to go! She'd been asked to go with her friend Trish Mallory (though I get the feeling that Coco has a bit of a crush on the girl). I was worried about letting Coco go, but I knew my girl was responsible. After she left in the white stretch limo, I went to my workshop and practiced inventing to keep my mind off of all the shenanigans Coco might be getting into. She came home right after prom to dish all the details. Apparently, my suspicions about her crush on Trish were true because Coco got her first kiss from the red-haired girl and the two were officially going steady! Coco had a blast and was even popular enough to be named Prom Queen! She got a couple of great souvenirs to remember the night.
That very night, Coco signed up for a couple of after school activities: Drama Club and Art Club. So long as it doesn't interfere with her studies, I was all for my daughter leading an active social life. She came home from her first Art Club meeting totally inspired. I showed her the old sculpting station and she immediately got to work! I was so impressed with her talent, especially at such an early age! I continued to work my butt off in inventing, earning lots of scars, burns, and electrocutions along the way!
For a couple of days, I felt like Coco had been wanting to ask me something. I didn't want to pry so I just waited until she worked up the courage to talk to me. I feared she would ask for a pet or something very expensive. Finally, on Saturday morning she asked (with much stammering) if I could teach her to drive! I was so relieved that it wasn't a puppy that I immediately agreed. Of course, the whole experience was extremely grating on my nerves... Coco was no natural. But after a while she finally got the hang of it. She was so excited to receive her driving license in the mail!
My elder birthday was coming up very soon. Growing old makes us all face our own mortality, and I wanted to make sure that Coco would be provided for should I meet an early demise. Taking a bit of money I had stashed away, I went to the courthouse and bought a property: the local library. I knew it would be a good investment; Coco could make improvements to the property later to receive bigger payoffs if she wanted, but at least she would always have a bit of money coming in. I also knew that I was running out of time to complete my lifetime wish. I was so busy inventing that I aged up without even realizing it! How embarrassing!
Oh, did I mention that I invented a weird little gnome thingy? Coco named him Salty, and he is... odd to say the least. I swear he knows how to move around the lot all by himself... but that can't be possible, can it?
Note: While writing the beginning of this, I nearly burst into tears! "I Want to Hold Your Hand" from the Across the Universe soundtrack came up on my media player! Too eerily accurate! This is one of the first families I'm playing through multiple generations, so forgive me if I seem a bit attached.
