Thanks, both!
Pulling AwayMinnie invited Darren over and talked to him about painting until he agreed to move in, rather than running away like a sensible Sim.
At least painting is an enjoyable activity.
Jaycen called his good friend Lennon Sosa and persuaded him to join the household as cook-gardener with the promise that, as a watched Sim, he was sure to make it to the top of the culinary career
and earn the Carrs a nice fridge.
Jaycen spent some of his happiness points on a personality change, becoming a savvy sculptor in place of his commitment issues. (He kept his childish trait – I like the idea of such a notorious womaniser sleeping with a teddy
.) Then he and Minnie quit their business careers and settled down to some serious sculpting.
So far, so standard, dynasty-wise. But Minnie wanted to add another member to the team and eventually managed to catch her at home.
"Hello. Evangeline Finch? I'm Minnie Carr. I'm new in town."
"Ah yes, the Dynasty Girl. I'm afraid Gennie's out. Beulah dragged her out to the park. She'll probably be glad of an interruption. Watching Beulah fishing isn't my idea of fun either."
"No, Darren Dreamer's already agreed to paint my portrait. It's you I wanted to see."
"You need a hacker? Never heard of that one before."
"No. It's your curiosity and love of reading that I need. I'd like you to retire and spend your days in the library, learning science."
"Well, in that case…"
And the dynasty team was complete.
It only took a few days for Evangeline to read her way through all three science books. Then she wandered around town collecting DNA samples from everyone who'd agree to donate (including her two former housemates, naturally).
One day, after they'd both been annoying Lennon by playing in the sprinkler when he was trying to garden, Minnie noticed how attractive Jaycen looked in his swimming trunks.
The romance progressed rapidly, probably helped by Minnie's tendency to wander around the house in her skimpy nightie.
The engagement was rapidly followed by a private wedding in the Botanical Garden (with Minnie in her formal outfit for once)…
..and their watcher generously allowed them to spend the rest of the day in the cinema and restaurant, instead of at their sculpting stations, ending up in their comfy new bed.
It would have been far more sensible to have delayed the wedding until there was a fully-trained photographer to take a picture of the bride but I'm too much of a softie with my Sims to be a real hardcore challenge player. Family-orientated Minnie rolled a wish to marry Jaycen almost as soon as she'd finished proposing and Jaycen, surprisingly, had been wanting to get married since Lina Lancaster had given birth to his daughter Jeanie shortly after he moved in (and while he still officially had commitment issues).
On her eighty-ninth day, Evangeline accosted Minnie as they were both heading for the sprinkler.
"Minnie? We all know I'm running out of time. It's been fun living in a dynasty house but I've been here such a short time. I have samples of my own DNA as well as all those others. I wonder…"
"Whether someone could clone you later on to join the family properly?"
"Well, yes."
"Of course! I'd love to have another Evangeline around. Maybe not as a daughter-in-law – that'd feel a bit weird – but maybe further down the line."
"Or just to be a helper and have longer to learn things. And I do have that green thumb that I've hardly used. Maybe my clone would inherit it. Anyway, however it works out, thank you.
"One other thing, though. Evangeline is such a mouthful. I've always disliked it but could never get anyone to shorten it to Eva. Could you give my clone a shorter name?"
"Of course… Eva."
Sadly, it was less than a day later that Evangeline left them
.
Dynasty duties had to go on. Darren reached level ten of painting, had a minor personality change and changed his lifetime wish to Visionary. Within days, he'd accomplished it. Lennon managed to resolve his differences with the Tanners and became a Five-Star Chef, as well as maxing gardening.
Minnie and Jaycen were now working on Master Sculptor. Minnie was still a few ice sculptures short of non-meltiness; for Jaycen, completing the challenge would also complete his supermax. He finished about five minutes before this happened:
Happy Birthday, Minnie!
I'm slightly irritated that Jaycen didn't become a Master Sculptor in time to increase the value of Minnie's YA sculpture. Oh well. At least Darren's portrait is pretty valuable (despite being so dark as to be almost entirely black), thanks to the Local Artists' Gallery opp.
The worst thing about mods being banned for dynasties is that I can't use the deco removal tool
. The Diesel bed looks really good with that horrible pattern removed from the bedclothes. I think I'll probably buy Minnie and Jaycen a new bed that's properly CAStable and pass that one on to a descendant.
*Grumble, grumble, grumble…*
