Before They Were (In)famous - the Class of '00 (May 14)

[Granny Lawlor]

Why would Eliza settle for Bob when she has a shot with Mortimer, her first crush? That infamous style!
Bella's beautiful, no question. But personality? Not so much. Whenever she's joined one of my clubs, she just sits around and leaves half-finished projects everywhere.

[MarianT]

6. Graduation

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Note to Self: Trying to play more than 2 students at university is a very bad idea. Juggling 4 classes and a part-time job is more than Bob can handle, especially when his heart is broken.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Even so, he repairs the computer when Eliza asks him to. Of course, increased handiness also helps with his grades.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
And now it's time for the birthdays to begin! Mortimer goes first. He ages up with the good manners character trait and the overachiever trait. With an aspiration to be an archaeologist, Mortimer plans to go to Selvadorada at the first opportunity.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Bob and Eliza are next. They're still good friends, but the romance is gone. Totally. Full red line. Bob picks up the neat trait. A D+ in one of his classes has made him decided to take a break from college and fulfill his service obligation by joining the military. Eliza picked up good manners and the vegetarian trait. She has also joined the military.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Nancy picks up the self-assured trait. She tried to convince the service board that an interior designer of her caliber was a first-responder, but they turned down her request. She'll go into the military after she finishes college.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Nancy and Mortimer are taking classes. Nancy is majoring in Art History, and Mortimer in Language and Literature. He also took an elective in Selvadoradian Culture and Cuisine, which he flunked.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
And so is Bella. Right now she is majoring in Psychology, with an elective in Wellness.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Geoffrey joined the military as soon as he aged up. He picked up the bookworm trait and the compassionate, good manners, and responsible character traits. Plus, he's valedictorian and was a star player. Way to go, Geoffrey!

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
But despite gestures of affection...

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
...his relationship with Nancy has hit a rocky patch. He keeps suspecting her of cheating, and his attempts to discuss his fears with her make Nancy cross.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Over the weekend, Mortimer asked Eliza out for a date. They went to Totter Park in Copperdale and walked over to the Pier.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
The Tunnel of Love was the only possible destination. They came out of it more romantically involved than ever.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Back at home, Eliza started working on her fitness with the new sparring machine.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Finally it was 6 pm on Sunday and time for graduation. Bella accompanied Geoffrey, having heard that teens automatically aged up to young adult at the ceremony. This information wasn't quite accurate. Everyone who was graduating was now a young adult, but Bella remained a teen.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
As valedictorian, Geoffrey gave an inspiring, if predictable, speech. All that time practicing in front of the bathroom mirror helped.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
The principal handed out diplomas. Hugo Villareal, Kaori Nishidake, and Sidney Price made their way slowly up the two steps.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
And then it was Geoffrey's turn. Let us all join him in singing the reindeer song:
My reindeer are good deer
Your reindeer are bad.
My reindeer are glad deer.
Your reindeer are sad.
My reindeer are glad deer.
Your reindeer are sad.
(To be sung to the tune of "Pomp and Circumstance.")

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Since Bella didn't become a young adult at graduation, she had her birthday at home. She picked up the adventurous trait and good manners. With an aspiration for inner peace, she might be visiting Mt. Komorebi.

IS THIS GOOD-BYE?
I've put Class of '00 Grads up on the Gallery. They're all young adults now. They do have the aspirations and traits I gave them, and the character traits (if any) they earned.  They also have the likes and dislikes they picked up as well as the lifestyles (quite a few health nuts). They do not have the traits from high school (chess master, early graduation, etc.). They do not have anything in their inventories, no photo booth pictures or trophies. Their relationships have all been reset.

I plan to keep playing rotationally as they continue in their alternate reality.

[MarianT]

7. Transitions

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Bob Pancakes was the first to move out. He was still good friends with Eliza and good friends with Mortimer, but he just didn't feel like being around them. He took the money he'd inherited from his great-uncle's cousin, along with one-sixth of the household income. He decided to move to Oasis Springs, where the dry weather meant that he could set up his robot station outside. At the moment, though, he didn't have enough money for a robot station, but that was next on his list after a kitchen.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Bob didn't know whether he would like fishing, but it was a good way to wind down after a day of marching and drilling. While he was fishing, he got a phone call from Mortimer. "Last night I dreamed that you and I were talking, and you turned into a banana. Can you explain that?" Mortimer asked.
"Easy," said Bob. "When I'm in uniform, I look like the dictator of a banana republic."
"Yeah," said Mortimer. "That makes sense."

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
When he returned from fishing, he found that Johnny Zest had come to welcome him to the neighborhood. At that moment, he got a call from Geoffrey. "I spotted a ring in Nancy's bag, and I think she's going to propose. Should I say yes?"

Bob sighed. The right answer was to tell Geoffrey to make his own decisions. But was that the best answer? The two of them were going through a rough patch, and there was no telling what they'd do if left to their own devices. "You two crazy kids were meant for each other," he said. "Go for it."

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Bob said good-bye to Johnny and went over to the gym before he could find out whether he loved or hated fruitcake. He did tell Johnny that he would have to meet his friend Bella Bachelor. "She's a great kid, but she always has crushes on the most unsuitable people," he told Johnny. "But maybe the two of you would hit it off." At the gym he became good friends with Becca the gym trainer. She reminded him a little of Eliza, whom he was not going to think about.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Meanwhile Bella had done so badly during her first term of college that she was on academic probation. She decided to do her community service in the medical field rather than the military. Her first patient was Rohan Elderberry, who was still in high school.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Her second patient was Miss Agatha Crumplebottom. "Ooh, you're much too pretty not to have a boyfriend," Miss Agatha gushed. "Come see me in Henford-on-Bagley, and I'll fix you up." Giving people their medicine was not a bad way to make a living, but Bella had already decided that she liked wellness and wanted to become a yoga and meditation instructor. Healing people was good, but teaching them how to take care of themselves so they didn't need healing was better.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
"Everything seems to be in the right place," she told Dominic Fyres, "but you should know that having an x-ray does terrible things to your chakras."

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
That night a vampire visited the household. He didn't take plasma from anyone, but Geoffrey talked to him for a while.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
"I mean, death can happen anytime," he told Bella the next morning. "You can be walking along, and the next thing you know, there's the Grim Reaper. Carpe diem, that's what I say."

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
And when Nancy showed up a few minutes later, Geoffrey seized the day, or rather, Nancy.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
The two of them decided to get married right away. "But there's something you should know," said Nancy. "I got this letter from my mother..."

Sweetie,
So proud of you, graduating early and getting all of those lovely scholarships! I do have a teensy bit of bad news, though. Your father made some foolish choices in the stock market, and we took some heavy losses. We've had to sell the house we bought for you, also all your stock, also our own house. Right now, we're "roughing it" in our vacation cabin on Sulani. A word of advice -- when you buy a second home, make sure you really like it because you might have to live there full time. Without servants. Hugs and kisses, Mumsy

"So we're not going to be moving into Afluista Mansion," she said. "And we're going to need more of an income than scholarships."
"That's okay," said Geoffrey. "I like being a soldier and the pay is good."
"And I don't really need a degree to become a home designer," said Nancy. "It'll be fun, building our own house from the start."

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
At La Coppia Serena, Mortimer sat down first. He hadn't had time to take a shower, so Eliza sat down on the other side of the room. She felt a bit awkward when Bob sat next to her instead of Bella, though.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
And then the ceremony began. Geoffrey was the first down the aisle.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Nancy was radiant. She hadn't been able to get a designer dress, but everyone agreed she'd looked like a million simoleons.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Nancy and Geoffrey exchanged their vows.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Their friends applauded.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
And the two of them danced to the strains of "At Last."

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Their new house in Copperdale was very small, on a very small lot. Geoffrey just hoped that Nancy would be happy there.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Even after attending the wedding, there was still enough time for Mortimer to make a quick trip to Selvadorada. He had decided to leave college for a while. He would get his military service out of the way and then support himself with archaeological digs and maybe some freelance writing.
 "Want to come to Selvadorada with me?" he asked Eliza. "You can read and relax while I go exploring during the day, and we'll have fun together at night."

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Exploring, Mortimer discovered, was much harder work than one might think.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
When he wasn't swinging a machete, carving through vines made of steel, he was digging with a trowel. And it was hot.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
But the ruined temple was spectacular. And the treasure, a gold plate worth 8000 simoleons to a private collector in San Myshuno, was nice, too. Mortimer couldn't wait to get promoted and out of the army.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Meanwhile, Eliza was resolving never to return to Selvadorada.

[MarianT]

8. Beginnings

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
You never knew who might show up at the hospital, Bella reminded herself when she saw that her patient was Judith Ward. She was so nervous that she dropped the test tube with the swab sample 3 times. Judith, understandably, refused to give her an autograph.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
By the time Judith was due for her x-ray, Bella was thoroughly fed up with her. She didn't want to hear any of Bella's anecdotes from Drama Club; she didn't want to say what her favorite movie had been; and there was still no autograph. Bella decided to let her stay in the x-ray machine a minute longer than she had to. And then she felt guilty about it. She started to apologize to Judith, but Judith wasn't interested in her apologies either.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Nevertheless, Bella was promoted. With the bonus money and what she took from the household, she was able to build a tiny house of her own.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Settling down to meditate, she found she was rising up instead. This was very interesting, but as soon as Bella noticed that she was levitating, she lost her seat and fell. But it meant that her dream of teaching yoga and meditation could be realized, at least until her soulmate came along. Teaching yoga would have to wait, though, until she'd made a little more money. And anyway, medicine was a noble calling.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Even though he didn't have money for an actual room, Bob couldn't continue to live without cooking. It meant he had to wait longer for his robot station, though.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Jogging was something Bob could do to improve on his fitness. Sensibly he waited until the sun was low in the sky before exerting himself in Oasis Springs.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
And his jogging paid off! At the end of the next workday, Bob had been promoted and was ready to start a new job as a mechanical engineer. His first assignment required a computer, so Bob headed over to the library in Willow Creek.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Something Geoffrey hadn't realized when they picked out the lot in Copperdale was that it came with a waterfall. It was small, but very pretty. Nancy was trying to think of ways to incorporate it into the design for their house - pity that the name Falling Water was already taken.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Inside Geoffrey put up some shelves where they could put their trophies and photos from Prom. Sadly, it wasn't enough to make a difference to Nancy, who really wanted to be in a well-decorated place.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
The next day Geoffrey got a second promotion and decided to add a kitchen and entryway. He intended to stay in the military. The pay was great, and he enjoyed working out.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
The neighbors showed up as a Welcome Wagon, with fruitcake, and Geoffrey and Nancy realized that they already knew Sidney and Kevin. Geoffrey, being outgoing, was pleased to see some familiar faces; Nancy, being a snob, was not.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
The next day was Leisure Day, almost the last day of summer, and Nancy and Geoffrey decided to join all their former housemates for some water fun.
Eliza Hastings was the first one through the shark's mouth.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Bob Pancakes came next.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Bella Bachelor's belly-flop was not what she had wanted to do and was rather painful, so she exited from the line-up.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Geoffrey didn't have a spectacular slide, but it was competent.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
At least he was more dignified than Mortimer, whose attempt at a standing slide was a failure.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
But the real star of the show was Nancy, who showed everyone how it should be done, despite claiming to have no interest in the activity.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Back at the old house, Eliza declared Saturday to be the day that she and Mortimer would improve their fitness enough to get promoted out of the military. Mortimer felt that he was fit enough already.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
"I was so hoping you would go jogging with me," said Eliza, kissing him. "I was planning to start working on the artifacts I collected," said Mortimer.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Jogging it was.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Later Mortimer slipped out of the gym while Eliza was being mentored by the gym trainer.  Mortimer suddenly realized that he wasn't jealous at all. Could it be that his crush, which he had considered to be an eternal flame of passion, was really just a small candle? Did he want Eliza bossing him around for the rest of his life? True, she kissed well, but there were other things Mortimer wanted to do.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Mortimer caught the last flight to Selvadorada. He couldn't stay long enough to fully explore a temple.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
He barely had time to open a few passages in the temple, and he would have to take a return flight home to go to work on Monday. But once he got his promotion, he would be free as a bird.
His  dream was to become a world-famous explorer, but also to buy back the Goth ancestral home, Ophelia Villa. If he found lots of treasure and didn't spend much on non-essentials like a house, Mortimer figured he could save enough in a couple of years. He would have to explain all this to Eliza.

[MarianT]

9. Mostly About Eliza

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Ah, freedom! His new living quarters might not offer much in the way of creature comforts, but Mortimer was happy. No one was telling him what to do. Given that his lot was called Mid-Nowhere, Mortimer didn't think anyone would be able to find him and tell him what to do either.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
By "anyone," he meant Eliza, of course. He had known he would have to move when he started showing her pictures that he had taken inside his first temple, pictures of the many fascinating traps and artifacts he'd encountered.
"They're nice," Eliza had said, "But I don't think they'll fit in with our decor once we move." "Move?" Mortimer had said.
 "Yes," Eliza had responded eagerly, "to a cute little cottage in Henford-on-Bagley. We could raise llamas, and I could use the wool for my knitting projects."

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Knitting wouldn't buy back the ancestral home of the Goths. Mortimer knew that he might have to face a few dangers, but the golden treasure of the Omiscans would be worth it.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
And perhaps Eliza could be persuaded to join him in his tent, if -- no, Eliza was not someone who would be willing to sleep in a tent, ever. But perhaps he could find someone with a more adventurous spirit.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Meanwhile, Eliza was reacting the note that Mortimer had left for her:

Dear Eliza,
I do love you and have enjoyed the time I've spent with you, but I don't see a cottage in H-o-B in my future. I wish you all the best and hope that you'll have many llamas with all different colors of wool. xxox, Mortimer

Eliza immediately tried Mortimer's number, but it came back as "unavailable." She called Nancy next.
"Mortimer's left me," she sobbed into the phone. "And...and..."

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
"You're pregnant!" Nancy exclaimed. "How could he leave you? That rat!"
"He doesn't know," said Eliza. "He left before I could tell him. Do you know where he's living?"
"The middle of nowhere, I think he said. But he'll probably be in Selvadorada most of the time," said Nancy.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
"Anyway, I've decided to stay here, at least until I make enough money to buy my dream cottage," said Eliza. "But that means that I'm benefiting from all the furniture that you guys left behind. So I've decided to give you and Geoffrey, and Bob, and Bella, some of the money in return."
"That's sweet of you," said Nancy. "Of course, Geoffrey and I should get a double share, since we're living together."
"I thought of that," said Eliza.
"Are you going to stay in the military?" asked Nancy. "The pay is good."
"No," said Eliza. "I'm going to make money from painting, at least until the child is old enough that I can pursue a legal career."
"Well, good luck," said Nancy, "and stay in touch."

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
After Nancy left, Eliza did some redecorating. Green was her favorite color, and there wasn't anyone around now to object or insist on some purple or black.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
And then she settled down to do some knitting. She wasn't skilled enough to make a onesie for the baby, but maybe it could wear one of her hats.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Bella was the next person Eliza talked to. "I'm kind of nervous about having a baby on my own," she said.
"Come to the hospital," said Bella. "We'll look after you."

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Indeed, Bella was waiting when Eliza showed up.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Neither the doctor nor the machine they put her in gave Eliza much confidence. "Maybe I should have stayed home..." she thought.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
But the next thing she knew, she was holding a baby girl. Bethany, she named her. That would go well with either Hastings or Goth, but Eliza was pretty sure that the next time she saw Mortimer, she would break up with him. They'd never gotten engaged, so she didn't have a ring to throw at him, but she'd figure out something.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
It wasn't long before Bethany became a toddler, with Eliza's red hair and Mortimer's pasty white skin.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Bob sighed. It was Sunday morning, and he'd planned to spend the day fishing and finding things that would bring in some money. But he had received several more texts from Nancy and Bella telling him that he really should go and visit Eliza now that she'd had the baby. No, Bob thought, the person who really should go visit was Mortimer, but he was wandering around in the jungle somewhere.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Eliza seemed happy to see him, and Bethany was a cute little kid.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
She chattered away about tanks, while Bob gave Eliza a product survey. He'd had a hard time finding people who were willing to talk about what kind of robot they would consider most useful, but Eliza seemed thrilled to give her opinion.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
It was evening when Bob returned home. His plan for the day had been to make enough money from fishing to buy a robotics station. The tabaqui he caught was the biggest he'd seen, but it wasn't worth much in the way of simoleons.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
He went to Desert Bloom Park and played chess with Elsa Bjergson while he waited for the frogs to come out. The frogs weren't worth much either, but the fossil alien skull that he found was enough to put him over the top, with enough left over for his bills.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Even though it was after midnight, Bob started tinkering with his robotics station as soon as he got it. Perhaps he'd be an expert in his field by the time Elsa was old enough to date. Or maybe he'd find someone else.

[MarianT]

10. At Home with the Landgraabs

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Geoffrey has been promoted to 4th Lieutenant, and has decided to stick with the military. The pay is great, and Nancy likes the way he looks in a uniform.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Nancy has decided to follow her dream and become an interior decorator. "There's nothing more satisfying than walking into a tastelessly decorated home and coming out a few hours later, knowing that you've made a difference," she explained to Geoffrey.
"But your clients might have their own ideas about what they like," he pointed out.
"Not when I've finished with them, they won't," said Nancy.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Her first client was easy. All she had to do was remember that Eliza liked green. A new table, a new couch, and a television set that wasn't shaped like a penguin, and Eliza was weeping tears of gratitude.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
But she had never met the Calientes before. "We need a space for my grandson, Isiah," Katrina told her. "He's the son of my daughter Dina and my friend Don Lothario. It was the biggest surprise of my life when she told me she was pregnant, and I don't think my other daughter Nina has gotten over it yet. But we're all very fond of Don, and of course we want his child to be happy."

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
"This has been Don's room," Katrina said. "He didn't mind it being so dark -- Don's more of a tactile person than a visual one. He said it's okay to turn it over to Isiah because he can sleep anywhere. Isiah likes purple, and I suppose he might like some toys..."

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
A few hours later, Nancy displayed the new room. "My bed's gone!" Don complained to the ceiling. But everyone else was pleased with how much lighter the room was. And Isiah was delighted with his toys and his new violin.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Things were going so well for Geoffrey and Nancy that they decided to have a baby. Or rather, Nancy decided and informed Geoffrey of the good news after the test came out positive.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
She couldn't wait to tell other people, especially her friend Bella, who still wasn't in a relationship. "And how are things going with you?" Nancy asked, after she finished saying that if the baby was a boy they would name him Malcolm.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
"Great!" said Bella. "I've been promoted again at the hospital.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
"I really enjoy living on Mt. Komorebi. They have this lovely Festival of Lights every so often, where people send candles down the river.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
"I've taken up skiing, which I love.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
"And I'm at the point where I can maintain my levitation while meditating now."
"Wonderful!" said Nancy. "Any news about your love life?"

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Bella sighed. "The doctor at the hospital is good-looking and single, but he's strictly focused on work -- not interested in flirting at all."

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
"Well, in a way, that's good," said Nancy, "because Geoffrey and I think you should do something about Mortimer."
"Shouldn't Eliza be the one...?"
"She wants a cottage in Henford-on-Bagley, and Mortimer is trying to scrape together enough money to buy back the ancestral manor of the Goths," said Nancy. "Let's face it, they're not compatible.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
"Mortimer has been working hard as an archaeologist, but there's one slight snag."

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
"Oh?" Bella prompted.
"Geoffrey said that Mortimer told him that women are beginning to find him irresistible -- you know, that intrepid adventurer mystique. Not only is there a woman in Selvadorada who's attracted to him, but Sofia Bjergson and Morgan Fyres are starting to take an interest."
"So they can do something about him."
Nancy shook her head. "Think about it," she said. "You know he'd be an improvement on those guys you tend to get crushes on."
Bella went home with food for thought. She didn't want to tell Nancy, but she was a little susceptible to the intrepid adventurer mystique herself. "And after all, I am adventurous," she thought.

[oshizu]

I really enjoy how different the base game premades appear in your story. 
Got a little confused about Bob because the moustache made him look like Mortimer, haha. 
Awww, I'm not happy about Mortimer neglecting Eliza after the baby.

I especially love seeing Bella in medical scrubs instead of her usual tight, red dress!
I'm hoping she won't switch careers later, but will they all?

[MarianT]

Thanks for reading, @oshizu! Bella does plan to keep her job -- the next time you see her she might be in a white coat.

[GlazeyLady]

What fun! I never play with the Townies, but taking them back to teens and high school was such a fun idea. Looking forward to seeing if their do-over is really a do-over or a do-new . . .

[MarianT]

@GlazeyLady, who knew? I'm trying to stick with the crushes and wishes, so I can't really say... Before playing this out, I would have said that Geoffrey and Nancy would go their separate ways, but no, they got crushes on each other, just in time for graduation. And it's hard to believe that no one, either in the household or the rest of the Sims' universe, has had a crush on Bella.

[MarianT]

11. Something is Done About Mortimer

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Mortimer didn't think there was anything more beautiful than the waterfalls in Selvadorada at night. Beautiful and evocative. Could the ancient Omiscans have seen figures in the falls, gods even? It was an idea for a future paper on their religious traditions.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Wondrous as the falls were, nothing quite compared with the joy of finding treasure in the ruins.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
This little fellow was worth more than 8000 simoleons. And Mortimer didn't feel any guilt about benefiting from its sale. It would go to a museum somewhere, a much better alternative to being melted down for its gold, which was what would happen if a tomb robber found it.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Back at home, Mortimer busied himself with authenticating the other artifacts he'd found. A passing stranger mentioned that he'd met an Eliza Hastings the other day and her little girl Bethany. Little girl?

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Mortimer called Geoffrey to get confirmation. "Why didn't anyone tell me?" he demanded.
"We thought you knew," said Geoffrey.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
It was time for a visit to Eliza, no matter how awkward it might be. Mortimer expected angry recrimination, but Eliza merely greeted him like an old friend. And Bethany was as cute as a button.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Before leaving, Mortimer gave her a present, a little cloth doll he'd picked up from a vendor's table.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Mortimer's next trip did not go nearly so well as his previous ones. A Selvadoradian military helicopter seemed to be monitoring his activities when he was out in the open.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
When he went deeper into the jungle, he was stung by lightning bugs. Bats, spiders, and thorny bushes seemed to confront him at every turn.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
But it was the temple itself that gave him an infection. Among its defenses were poison darts. Luckily Mortimer knew that he would be able to get an antidote in the cantina.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
And that was where he discovered that he was about to become a father again. "I made sure of that," Romina Rangel cackled maniacally. That was Mortimer's first clue that the woman who had been impressed by him on a previous visit was actually evil.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
He didn't want his offspring to be raised by someone evil, so he invited Romina to move in with him. Perhaps he would marry her, or perhaps he would persuade her to give him the child. He was a fine baby boy, and Mortimer named him Theodore.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Of course, he had to add another room for the baby. And for his older brother, Ferdinand. "You didn't tell me you already had a child," he complained to Romina. "Well, you didn't tell me you had one either," she retorted.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
A short while later, Romina was gone. Mortimer realized that he was now the single father of two. As he helped Ferdinand with his homework and watched Theodore play with a toy monster, Mortimer pondered his future. It would be a long time before he could go exploring, that much was clear. And winter was coming.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Just then, he got a phone call from Eliza. "Bethany just did the cutest thing," she said. "She was playing with that doll you gave her, and she called it 'dada.' Isn't that sweet?"
"Adorable," said Mortimer. "Why don't you join me in the park this afternoon?"

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
He tried to be honest. "So basically, I need someone to help me take care of my two boys. And I still want to accumulate enough money to buy back the Goth estate, so we'll have to live frugally." It wasn't the most romantic of proposals.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
But Eliza said yes.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
"And you'll be able to stay home and look after the children while I go to work," she added. "I might even look into returning to university for my degree." That wasn't quite what Mortimer had had in mind, but at least he would be sleeping under a roof instead of in a tent. Assuming he could get some sleep, that is.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Nancy couldn't wait to tell Bella all about it. "But -- you said someone needed to do something about Mortimer," she protested.
"And you said Eliza should be the one to do something," said Nancy, "and you were right."

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Bella was not her usual cheery self at work the next day. Dr. Lamb asked her what was wrong. "It seems like all my buddies from high school are becoming parents," she said. "And when I check on the news, lots of other people are having babies, too -- the Sigworths, some people in Sulani, the Bjergsons even, at their age. My biological clock isn't just ticking, it's chiming. And the last guy I had a crush on was gay."
"Well, that's no reason to mope," said Dr. Lamb. "And if it helps any, my romantic preference is for women."

[oshizu]

Wow, Eliza took Mortimer back with two little boys?  At least, she has her job and he'll be in charge of childcare, hehe.
But we're glad that Mortimer the Dreamer and his little boys have a little more security.
Their original teeny-tiny house plus tent made me giggle.

Dr. Lamb, that's no way to console Bella! Or is it?
Can't wait for us to meet up with Bob again.
Also, Geoffrey and Nancy made the cutest teens.  Geoffrey, especially, was a surprise!

[MarianT]

Soon after I wrote the last chapter, we found out that we would be getting infants. I thought about rushing through the second generation so that they could be ready to have children, but that didn't feel right. And then once I got Growing Together, I wanted to wait until I knew what I was doing with the new pack. Well, I still don't know what I'm doing. I've only played with 2 infants and haven't tried social compatibility at all. But the hiatus for my high-schoolers has gone on long enough. Look for an update soon.

[MarianT]

12. Infant Incoming

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Rory agreed to see Bella outside of work.  "I'm not very good at flirting," he told her. "That's all right," she said. "I'm romantic enough for two people."

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
They became friends, and Bella soon asked Rory to move in with her.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
When he gave her a rose, she was thrilled. "This means so much more coming from you," she said. "Because I know it's not the sort of thing you would normally do."

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
It wasn't long before Bella had big news to share. "I'm pregnant," she told Rory.
"I have some news, too," he said. "I'm having a mid-life crisis. I've decided to quit my job at the hospital and take up painting. I have this need to do something creative with my life."

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Meanwhile, Bob Pancakes was going out for a late-evening walk when he encountered Sofia Bjergson. "Hey," he said, "you look just as good as you did in high school."
"Possibly that's because I'm wearing the same outfit," she answered. "You can't imagine how envious I was of Bella, Nancy, and Eliza because they got to change clothes."
"What brings you to Oasis Springs?" he asked.
"It's always chilly in Windenburg," said Sofia. "You're so lucky to live in a place where there's sunshine."
They agreed to meet up in the park sometime.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
And when they did, Bob proposed. "I don't have a big house," he began, "and I'm currently sleeping in a tent, but..."

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
"Yes!" said Sofia. "Get away from my three younger brothers -- two of whom are toddlers, get to wear my favorite color, you betcha I'll marry you."
"About toddlers..." But Bob didn't want to spoil the moment by suggesting that they might have some of their own.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Later, Sofia was so happy that she serenaded Bob. "And I'll become a famous songwriter, and we'll make lots of money," she sang.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Being a watched Sim was not entirely the bed of roses that Sofia had expected. She still had to go out and play for tips, although now she at least could wear warmer clothing.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
She still had contact with her younger siblings, taking a moment to chat with Talon.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
And she hadn't realized that being able to celebrate holidays meant coming into painful contact with a gnome who didn't like salad. But on the whole, Sofia was happy. Bob might not be the guy she'd had a crush on in high school, but he was a pretty good husband. And if he still carried a small, flickering torch for Eliza, she could live with that.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Back at Mt. Komorebi, Bella and Rory welcomed a new member of the family -- Michael. Rory was now a stay-at-home dad, painting and taking care of the little fellow.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Michael looked just like Bella. He was a calm infant but a bit gassy and apt to have a tinkle when his diaper was being changed.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
On the whole, though, he was a happy self-soother, sending himself to sleep without much effort from his parents. And he was already able to roll over onto his back, and laugh, and reach for the bright objects above him. Bella couldn't be happier.
Except...One morning before leaving for work (she was now an R.N.), she turned on the radio to listen to the new Soul station. What came on was "I Will Survive."

Go! Walk out that door.
Don't turn around now. You're not welcome anymore.
Aren't you the one who thought to hurt me with good-bye.
Did you think I'd crumble? Did you think I'd lay down and die?

And immediately she thought of Mortimer. Which was ridiculous because they'd never been together, and he certainly hadn't dumped her. Strange...

[oshizu]

I really love Bella in your story.  So glad that Bob found true love, too!
Looking forward to learning vicariously as you explore infanthood!