Chapter 11 - Hot Dogs
Though Rose was initially overjoyed to have Norman finally living with her and safe under her roof, she was a bit…concerned about some new found evidence that had come to light upon his moving in.
"What do you mean you're not a teen anymore?" she demanded. "When did you have your birthday? Why didn't you invite me to your party?"
Norman just shrugged. "You kept talking about your Mom's ambrosia thing, and then your Dad…I just didn't think it was important."
"Didn't think it was important?"
"Hey now," said Sergio. Iris and Joaquin barely ever fought, and he was wholly unused to being in the middle of lovers' quarrels like this. "I think the two of you need to calm down a bit and just…"
"And what about your third trait, huh? Explain that!" Rose continued.
"So I like my food. That's not a sin?"
"Actually, yes, gluttony is a sin." she retorted.
"Now technically," said Sergio, though he should have realised at this point that Rose wasn't really listening, "I'm materialistic, which may as well be greed, but no one around here ever held that against me. Since when are we religious in this house, anyways?"
"Oh, look at the time. I'd best get to work," mused Norman.
"Work!?!" Rose demanded.
"Yes, work." Norman repeated. "It just so happens that in the two days I've been a young adult, I've made it all the way to the top of the Management career. You're looking at a rather successful Business Tycoon."
This could have been Norman's one redeeming feature, as a clumsy, gluttonous insider (who is also Business Savvy), but it actually ends up being a moot point. And if this was a legacy, I would have happily accepted the freebie 'topped career X' point. But this isn't a legacy, and I'm not as interested in the money he could earn as I am in the career items he could unlock, (if I'm interested in the careers of spouses and helpers at all) But alas, it seems that despite being a Business Tycoon, Norman hasn't unlocked access to
any of the Business career rewards, not even after I send him to work for two days.
I'm guessing Maxis tried to nerf the connections + career rewards exploit, and in the process, nerfed the awarding of any career rewards when the promotion hasn't actually been earned properly.
We will have to reconsider Norman's career. He has very few skills, so regardless of what he ends up doing, he will be starting from scratch.
Colette does not fare much better. While her traits are Outgoing, Dance Machine, and Good (+Essence of Flavour, though I don't really have time to be bothered with her aspiration), she's so fixated on Joaquin's gravestone that she may as well have the gloomy trait. She never even met Joaquin! She's an adult, less than a week away from becoming an elder. With no time for a career (she came to us entirely unemployed), and no room for her to have a child (as much as I would LOVE to raise one of Sergio's kids myself, we need room for Rose to have 3 kids, and for the eldest of those kids to have a spouse and a child within a reasonable amount of time - I absolutely cannot risk her having twins), her main duties apart from annoying mother-in-law will include keeping the garden alive, and CATCHING. MORE. ANGELFISH.
But her obsession with the fate that befell Joaquin Le Chien, and perhaps the fate that will eventually befall her, has left her a rather downcast sim, who does not embrace her new position as Fisherwoman in Chief with as much enthusiasm as I had hoped she would.
"I suppose they can't all be perfect," I sigh, a bit dejected.
"Cheer up. If every pork chop were perfect…"
I smile. Grin, in fact, from ear to ear. "We wouldn't have hot dogs."
Sergio smiled. "You got it, Watcher, old friend."
"Well then Sergio," I say, "Colette. Also known as Hot Dog Senior. She'll be your new fishing buddy from now on. I hope the two of you become the best of friends!"
"Pleased to meet you," Sergio replies dutifully.
Iris, meanwhile, has finally recovered from her slump after losing her soulmate, and is looking for ways to continue to make herself useful around the house. She never has been, nor ever will be the outdoorsy type*, so unfortunately fishing and gardening are out.
But Sergio's cooking has been well and truly inspirational. While she will continue to work as a Comedian as long as she can stand to (no pun intended), and does intend to supplement the household income with written and licenced songs, as her husband did, she decides it's never too late for a new hobby, especially when you're immortal, and so will take on some of the other household duties Sergio held around the house; mainly cooking meals and repairing things that break.
*If you don't remember, Iris has the squeamish trait. Assigned to her on a whim when I was still kind of going for an airy-fairy personality for her, I am very sorely regretting that momentary lapse in judgement.
For once, Rose was grateful at having gone to school and not found Norman there. It gave her time and space to think. Maybe she had been too hard on him. He hadn't bothered her with his birthday because he thought she was busy enough with other things - he hadn't withheld the truth out of malice. Gluttony was certainly not optimal, but it wasn't unworkable. His rise to Business Tycoon in such a short amount of time seemed to show that he had some drive to success.
This had been her last day of school ever. Tomorrow, Saturday, she would throw her first social event, and finally get down to work on completing her own set of requirements. And she was determined that she and Norman would work out. In a Dynasty house, there was no backing out on helpers - she had chosen Norman, and Norman she would keep. She had liked him well enough as a teen, and so she hoped she could love him as an adult.
In the meantime, she would focus on befriending her would-be mother-in-law.
"I just wanted to say again how sorry I am about the passing of your father. It must be really difficult not having him around anymore," Colette was saying. She leaned in, and continued in a hushed voice "Were you there when it happened?"
Okay, this wouldn't have been Rose's first choice of a conversation topic. "Well, I arrived right at the end, when his soul had already been reaped."
Colette gasped. "Did he die alone?"
"Oh no," Rose replied. "Mom and Sergio were both there when it happened."
"That's one of my biggest fears," Colette continued. "Dying alone."
Well, that explained why Norman didn't want to move in without her.
"Well, lucky you have Norman and the rest of us, right?" Rose replied, a bit awkwardly.
Colette nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, yes. Very lucky. Norman is a wonderful son."
Rose breathed a sigh of relief, grateful to see her smiling.
"But what…what was he like?"
Rose put down her fork, thinking she'd missed something. "What do you mean?"
"Your father," said Colette, earnestly. "What was he like? Handsome? Funny? Talented?"
"Yes," Rose sighed, "all of those, I suppose."
She made a mental note to lock the gate to the cemetery.
"Welcome home, Norman," I say, "how was work?"
"Just fine, thank you."
I frown. "Still no Management Career items unlocked I see."
"Is that a problem?" he asks.
"Yes," I reply. "You may need a change in careers, Norman."
"Rose intends to become a Creator of Worlds. And she's well on her way there. You haven't exactly got many skills. I was thinking, Iris and Joaquin supported one another as entertainers - perhaps you and Rose would like to support one another as writers? How do you feel about journalism?"
"Journalism? Like, newspapers and stuff?" I take a deep breath, figuring I may have to speak a bit more slowly with this one. "Yes, like newspapers and stuff. Do you think you could be a Scribe of History one day?"
"Oh ho, you bet I can!"
Well that makes one of us.
"Aren't Rose and I going to complete the Soulmate aspiration so I can get the connections thing?" asked Norman.
"No, I don't think so." I tell him. "Rose has straight As in high school, meaning she'll start at level 3. If you get connections, you'll start at level 4. And if career rewards are working the way I think they're working, that would mean neither of you would unlock the computer or the painting. Also, I don't know what kind of cheats you had access to in the Out-of-World Trailer Park, but in here, we do things by the book. You start from square one."
"This 'watcher' thing is definitely overrated," Norman muttered.
"Now get back to your book."
"Not going so well with the new recruits?" asked Sergio.
"What was your first clue?" I grumbled.
"Eh, I was less than enthusiastic about the whole thing myself in the beginning. I'm sure they'll come around."
I can't help but smile. "I'm glad you're still around, big guy."
He shrugs. "An active lifestyle, I suppose."
"Can I count on your help for Rose's birthday party tomorrow?"
"Sure thing," he smiles.
About then, Iris arrived home from work (with a raise, no less). I'm grateful for some more familiar company.
Iris is still getting over losing her soulmate, I think, but I can forgive her being mopey. It seems fair enough considering all that she and Joaquin went through.
So she and I were both delighted when good old Joey made a guest appearance in the house.
"Joey, is that you?"
"You'd better believe it, Iris, old girl. Can't keep me down that easily."
"Oh, Joey, I've missed you so much! It's so good to see you again!"
"I've missed you too, Iris. I'll come right back, I promise, but I'd like to say hello to Rosie, as well. There's something I want to talk to her about."
"Of course," Iris replied.
"Oooh," yawned Rosie as she stretched - it was really getting late and she was really getting tired, but she tried to focus on her father's words as much as possible.
"I'm sorry it's so late, but I can really only come out at night," Joaquin began.
"Uh-huh. Sure dad. What was it you wanted to talk about?"
"Well, Iris, I wanted to talk about your mother. Obviously I still may not be around forever, but you will be. Look after her for me, okay? She never was too keen on this immortal thing. She keeps going on and on about…"
"The Immortal's curse," Iris repeated.
Joaquin nodded. "Keep her out of trouble, and keep her spirits high. I know the two of you will be wonderful as long as you have one another's support."
Rose felt like rolling her eyes. Was that all? Of course she could look after her mother. It was the others she was worried about.
But she smiled and nodded dutifully. "Sure dad," she said, "I'll look out for her."
"Now, tell me about these new sims you've moved in. I'm not sure I ever had the pleasure of meeting Norman."
Rose shrugged "They're alright, I guess. Norman has kind of terrible traits, and his Mom is…weirdly obsessed with you, actually. I mean, I thought I was sure, Dad. I thought he was the one I wanted to be to me what you were to Mom. But I'm really not sure anymore."
"Oh, honey, I'm so sorry you feel that way. You know, you don't have to settle for him if you don't want to. There's plenty of time for you to find someone else."
Rose sighed. "I guess."
"And you know, the potential of a sim is not limited by their traits. Look at your Uncle Sergio: an Active, materialistic, business-savvy child-hater. Not exactly a genius outdoors-loving foodie, and yet look at his pristine garden, his top-tier meals, his 9 children,"
"10 children. With three more on the way," Rose interrupted with a giggle.
"Wait, really?" Joaquin asked, bemused.
She nodded. "Really really."
"Well then…thirteen children. Plus just how supportive he's been to you through your formative years. Any sim has potential, they just need the right kind of support. Don't give up on Norman and his Mom just yet, okay?"
"Okay, Dad. I'll give them another shot."
Joaquin smiled proudly. "That's my girl," he said. "I love you. Now, off to bed with you."
"Now then, Iris honey. Where were we?"
Iris grinned. "Oh, I think I have a fair idea."
