Cost Of Happiness
by Indira
Character Introductions
Tiffany Oakes
Robert DowneyChapter 1 Journey to Willow Creek
Chapter 2
Murohy's LawChapter 3
Old Friends, New FriendsChapter 4
McDreamyChapter 5
The QuestionChapter 6
Something Old, Something Blue-o0o-
Character Introduction:
Tiffany OakesHi, I’m Tiffany Oakes. I like doing various things in life, so I guess you can call me a Renaissance Sim. I love creating works of art like drawing with crayons, painting with crayons, and colouring with crayons. In short, I’m very artistic! Of course those art critics are just too simple minded to notice my great Masterpieces. I’m also very well-versed about books. Ask me for love advices and I will surely quote famous Harlequin Romance solutions word per word. Did I mention Barbara Cartland? Oh goodness, you can solve love problems just by making your eyes big, and fainting at the feet of a gallant rogue...erm, hero. And of course, my life isn’t complete without food. Love of my life! I once had a tete-a-tete with a bestie on the different ways to cook eggs. It was a glorious time!
I have lived for most of my child and teen years in Sunset Valley. I don’t expect you to have noticed my family living on the fringe, but we there if you just look closely. I was even friends with the famous Goths! Mortimer was a school chum. But I haaated Bella for snatching him away! Ahhh, but it was so long ago. I decided to travel to Shang Simla, to Champs Les Sims, and lastly to Al Simhara to heal my very broken heart.
I spent my days digging and digging and digging, everyday, all day. I amassed a fortune in antiques and rare collectibles. Alas! My luck ran out at Al Simhara and I was turned into a mummy! It took all my treasures and plenty of sacrifices to become a normal human again.
Shamed with my failure, I returned to Sunset Valley only to find even greater despair. For my whole family, my mom, my dad, all my four siblings, and even our pet dog, disappeared! Just like that. No notifications, no news from the daily paper. They simply vanished. Even their pictures in my relationship panel...gone. It was the saddest day of my entire life. I don’t think there could ever be a worse day than this.
Then the mailbox caught my eye for there was a letter sticking out like a sore thumb. I opened it despondently, and thru the tears in my eyes, I read: “Congratulations! You are the heir of Oakenstead! Please come by my office as soon as possible to discuss the details.”
And here starts my story.
Chapter 1
Journey to Willow Creek“Are you sure you want me to leave you here, Ma’am?” asked the taxi driver, gesturing to the open land with only trees and a rusty mailbox in the driveway. “I could drop you off at an inn in Willow Creek town proper if you like.”
“It’s okay. This is the place, Oakenstead,” Tiffany Oakes replied. “Thank you for bringing me.”
“Well, if you’re sure then,” he shrugged. He returned to his cab and with a last wave, disappeared down the road.
“So, this is Oakenstead. I can’t say it is home sweet home when there is no home to see, “she sighed.
Gathering her sole luggage, she trudged towards the distant clearing. According to the solicitor, there is a small shed in there with a few working appliances. It had been a surprise when she received a notice to appear at the solicitor’s office. The news of the inheritance was both a shock and a reprieve from her current situation.
She knew her family had originally come from Willow Creek. Her great grandparents used to be a big name in this town. But there was a huge fire that swallowed the whole house and left nothing much to salvage. The town didn’t boast a fire department. Even to this day, firemen still don’t exist in this part of the world. And since Oakenstead is near the edge of town, the neighbours were late to come while carrying buckets of water to put out the fire. The only thing left from the ruins was an ancient suit of armour.
A second blow landed on the Oakes family when the SIM Insurance Company refused to pay them. They said that a fire caused by an inexperienced cook is not part of the package. Devastated with the news, there was nothing the family could do but to make ends meet by searching community trash cans for food, begging alms and asking loans from neighbours. Great Grandma Oakes died from too much embarrassment from doing these. It left Great Grandpa Oakes to take care of their son, James Oakes.
After finishing high school, James’ father died from very old age. No matter how much he pleaded with Grim, it was to no avail. Saddened and in mourning, he wrote his last will and testament and left his wasted ruin of a home, to find a future in Sunset Valley.
Finally arriving at the clearing, the shed boasted a fridge and a bed, and possibly a toilet inside that enclosed broom closet.
“Well, well, well, at least there’s a fridge and a bed. I hope it’s comfortable enough for I’m so tired,” Tiffany said in the almost empty lot. “If there’s no one to talk to, maybe I can just talk to myself to raise my social needs? Hmm..”
She could see a picnic bench and the gas lamp. Walking towards it, she debated whether to light it up or not. The memory of the Oakenstead fire, still fresh in her mind, made her hesitate. Then a strange sound filled the air. It was like wolves, maybe werewolves? For sure there isn’t any supernatural pack in the base game, but you just can’t be sure. “Better to light the lamp. It just might keep those strange animals away from me,” she murmured to herself.
The night slowly darkened the sky as Tiffany shivered in her lonely bed, exposed to the fierce and cold wind. Tomorrow is another day. Tomorrow is another chance to create a new life. “Tomorrow is still 12 hours away. I’m going to bed,” she said, irritated.
