From the personal memoirs of Iqbal AlviSummer/Fall | Sim Year 2Chapter Nine : Barren Wombs
It is summer again. i continue to outlive my years to the great surprise to everyone and the even greater displeasure to my dear eldest son.
I simply cannot understand why he hates me so much in such a childish manner. I did all I could do to make their lives happy. He should understand, now that he's a father himself.
No of course not, how could I ever forget! VJ threw a fit when Rhea had little Zeus.
He's insane, that son of mine. To hate such an adorable bundle of joy.
Don't worry little Zeus, you have grandpa to take care of you!
Erin and me, our love is strong as ever. Both of us have an eternally faithful reputation.
Mmm...life is good.
But, at times there are hints of trouble in paradise.
"Miraj Alvi! Don't tell me you are flirting with a married woman! And Morgana Wolff out of all people!" I confronted my gentler son in the the workshop.
"Do calm down Dad. Morgana has a problem!"
"A problem? What problem is there to discuss at midnight on the doorstep? Not to mention pledging your everlasting protection!"
"Please don't yell Dad. Morgana is worried. You see, she is barren."Miraj shouted over the whirl of VJ's ice cutter. Zeus is one awesome chump! Just see how he looks on interestedly as VJ tries his best to scare him! Hahaha!
"Barren? Since when did Thornton Wolff want kids?" VJ scoffed, clearly annoyed by Zeus's demeanor.
"Well he wants them now. And Morgana is still young. They've tried everything, but she's barren!"
"And what's that to do with the rendezvous at the front door at midnight?"
Miraj sighed deeply.
"Dad do you know that Chester was the first baby born in Sunset Valley after Molly Ursine when I was a child?"
"Huh! There are plenty of them around!"
"No Dad, those are townies who have moved here. I asked around and nearly all of them had spent fortunes on fertility treatments. And they've not have been able to have babies after they came here. And after Chester, only our household have babies."
"Are you suggesting that our household is the only one saved from some weird scientific experiment?"
Ah! I've always loved conspiracies, though Erin has squashed most of them out of me.
"Well, it seems the townies believe that only people from our household can have kids." Miraj said, fidgeting. "I don't like it." he muttered.
"Tosh!" VJ said. Then his eyes lightened. "So Morgana wants you as a stud, huh?"
Miraj blushed deeply.
"I just wish," he muttered. "Its just, its just that Morgana isn't too comfortable around me. She has been very faithful to her husband, you know."
"Puh!" VJ shrugged it off. "Maybe Morgy is just barren and the rest of the town aren't trying. Seems like the world is becoming the ideal place! I can't fathom this fuss about nooboos! Blah!" He glared at Zeus.
We forgot about it all, specially after the shock of seeing VJ teaching little Zeus to talk!
Seemed like my firebrand has had a change of heart, or so I thought till I heard teaching Zeus about 'moving houses'! Hopeless VJ, but I still have hope!
Imagine my shock when I was propositioned not once, but twice the following day!
"Girl, I'm old enough to be your grandfather. Don't you come batting those eyelashes around me!"
"Oh please, Mr.Alvi! I so want a nooboo!"
"Do you think I'm a baby factory, huh?"
"Alvi, that prat of your son!"
I nerved myself against the prospect of Thornton's cane.
"He can't calm Morgana enough to be a surrogate father? Could you be surrogate instead?"
Oh my geezers!
"I don't know what's wrong with this world." I groaned to Rhea as I penned a love letter to Erin.
"Hooray Iqbal! That's so romantic!" She said peering at the letter.
"Not the letter, Rhea." I blushed slightly. "I mean all this noobooness."
"Its not just any old wives tale." Rhea frowned. "Even Pauline Wan asked me for nooboo secrets when I was at the Frios' costume party. She and Hank have been trying for years, it seems."
"Pauline even told me that I was a witch to have children!" she added indignantly.
It seems I wasn't the only person who was intrigued.
One day I caught VJ bribing Chester, out of all people. I had more sense than to confront VJ and blow up a full-fledged hurricane, but that didn't stop me telling Erin to get everything out of Chester.
Seems like VJ has been bribing Chester to hack through Erin's top secret files.
I would have put it to pure spite on VJ's part if Chester hadn't told me the reason.
VJ was also trying to find out why the town was barren.
I am an old man, and a happy one.
Tragic as it is, the matters of the town's apparent happiness wouldn't bother me so much.
If not for one reason.
Long ago, before my wife left me, she had always pestered me to catch deathfish. She was an avid gardener and said it was to make one special recipe in combination of one of her rarest plants.
Now, I had not even known what deathfish were those days. It was only after I became a master fisherman that I learnt from another master about the rare and extremely precious black fish. Knowing that Rhea and Zelda were a amazing cooking-gardening duo, I had stored the fish up.
But all that was coincidental. What worried me was what my wife had told me long ago.
"I really want the fish, Iqbal." she had urged once. "The world will go barren soon and only this recipe can save it."
I had simply laughed it off and she had never mentioned it again.
Now I am unnerved.
How could she have known?
But I am an old man, and there's much more happiness to think about than some random prediction in the distant past.
The twins grew up. This is little Hera before she had a haircut.
Eh, you are quite the evil one ain't you Hera?
Little Zeus grew up. He has bypassed his father's blue hair and inherited his mother's brown locks. To be honest, I was quite disappointed!
He and Hera are quite the cohorts of Evil!
Zeus is fonder of gentle Hestia, specially in all matters food!
VJ, by mistake he says, worked out quite the unflattering sculpture of Zeus!
Try again VJ!
Hera is turning out to be a pretty good painter!
Life does have its tinges of sadness. Nick Alto passed off.
I have no words to say how happy I am that we have one big happy family for love and support throughout life's storms.
