The Flowers waiting for Grim - Completed

[Schipperke]

Chapter Sixteen

The students take turns getting up early to help Leo in the garden.





Alice likes to run around in her underwear.  Maybe this is because she's inappropriate, or maybe she just likes showing off how double-jointed she is.



You may remember that Leo lives above the garage, which is a separate building from the main residence.  There is no reason at all for any of the students to go there.  But I keep finding them in Leo's apartment.  Brenda carries her meal all the way over there, ignoring the table and far more comfortable dining chairs in the main building.



Delia carries the dirty dishes over to wash them in Leo's sink.  Why not put them in the dishwasher in the main house?



I was looking for Alice and found her just standing in Leo's apartment.  What was she doing there?  Apparently she just went over to soak up the atmosphere.



Leo's apartment is really not convenient in any way, and all the furnishings there are lower quality than what's in the main building.  So why do the students keep going there?  I don't understand what the attraction is.  Or maybe I do.

[CandyHeartedSim]

Haha, Leo is very good looking 

Maybe put a lock on the door? 

[Schipperke]

Maybe put a lock on the door? 

Excellent suggestion, Candy.  It never occurred to me that it would be necessary to lock the door, as I didn't realize the girls would ever go over there.  Which probably goes to show how little I've had to do with "young ladies," especially of the Inappropriate sort. 

Thanks for the comment!

[Schipperke]

Chapter Seventeen

Thursday afternoon the faculty and students visit the park.  Leo acts as chauffeur.



It's a chilly day so they're all wearing their new sweaters and scarves.  Or maybe it's just an excuse to use Ausette's marvellous fair isle knit pattern, which looks great in many colourways.



While I'm busy trying to keep the students from fighting with each other, Leo runs off to chat with the nearest female.  Here he is with Pauline Wan, who's put on a bit of weight since I last saw her.



That evening Nick Alto drops in.  It's a bit of a surprise since nobody in the household knows him.  Maybe he feels that as one of Sunset Valley's leading citizens he's entitled to check on the new school.  Between Candy's mean-spirited trait and Nick's own less than charming personality, the two are soon at loggerheads:



Not wanting Nick to go away with a negative impression of the school, Sunflower invites him to stay for dinner and serves her perfect cheesesteak.  Notice Alice in the bathrobe.  After she kept going around in her underwear, she was made to change her night attire for something less revealing. 



After dinner, when the students had gone to bed, I was trying to find Nick to send him home.  I finally found him asleep on Sunflower's bed.  Talk about making yourself at home!  I thought I took a screenshot of him but can't find it.  I hope Sunflower's delicious meal made up for any negative impression the students may have made on Nick.  After all, he's rich and important in town.  It could be disastrous for the school if Nick decided to spread negative stories about it.

Tomorrow is the last full day for this group of students.  Only one more day to get through!

[Lilygirl]

The girls' new sweaters are awesome! I love having our very own Swap Shop.

I also approve of Alice's new night time turned day time wear.

[Ausette]

N'aaaw, I'm flattered  . I'm really liking the story, and I'm proud to be a part of it! It's nice seeing the Flowers in their new life and Leo's a certainly hottie.  

[TheChronicR]

Haha, Leo is quite muscular, ain't he?

What a coincidence - I also love the wonderful pattern Ausette made, in fact, I love all her creations, she does deserve a round of applause - hip hip hooray!

Awesome update, Schip!

[Schipperke]

Chapter Eighteen

Friday all the classes are finished and the students are sent out to town to get jobs.  Brenda is eager to join the Criminal career, so off she goes to the Warehouse.  The other three don't really care about work so I send one of the Virtuosos to join the Music career.  The two Anglers get jobs as Test Subjects at the Science Centre, and I take a certain perverse pleasure in imagining them being subjected to unpleasant research studies.  The students arrive home to get ready for their graduation party and Candy pops up with two wishes:  one to be mean to Brenda and the other to make friends with Brenda.  Does anyone wonder why I'll be glad to see the back of these four?

Sunflower spends Friday afternoon making key lime pies, and at 5 pm the party begins.  All of Sunset Valley's eligible bachelors are invited, along with a couple of women to make up the numbers.  The party is crashed by a couple of not-very-eligible types who think they should have been on the list.  By the way, the fellow dancing with Agnes is Leo, who has been persuaded to comb his hair for the occasion.



The key lime pie is a big success but there are major complaints about pathing issues.  Sims just don't seem to have any concept of queuing and waiting their turn.



Would you believe the party is formal dress?  Xander Clavell needs someone to take him aside and point out that a dirty t-shirt just doesn't cut it.

Marigold and Sunflower have never had a party before or even been to one, but they get right into it.



It's late.  Everyone has gone home.  The students have been sent to bed so we can get them up early and boot them out the door first thing Saturday morning.  One party guest lingers on, talking to Sunflower:



In case you don't recognize him from that angle, it's Christopher Steel, and he and Sunflower certainly seem to be hitting it off.

Next morning the students move out.  Good bye! [Good riddance] Be sure to call or write! [But please don't ever come back]



Well, our first group of students was definitely challenging.  Talk about a baptism by fire for our new teachers.  Here's hoping Create-a-Sim will be kinder to us with the next four.  But the classes went well, and the students all left with at least one skill point (and in some cases as many as four) in each of these skills:  Logic, Painting, Charisma, Cooking, Gardening, Guitar, Handiness and Martial Arts.  A couple of them picked up one or two Fishing points the day they went to the park.  And I learned that having a Sim tutor another is quite a fast way to build skills, although the two tutors were kept very busy.

Now we all have a bit of a breather until the next group of students arrives on Sunday at noon.

[CandyHeartedSim]

What a great update 

May I suggest a young again potion for Sunny and Mary? 

[Schipperke]

May I suggest a young again potion for Sunny and Mary? 

You definitely may.   

Thanks for the comments, Candy, Lily, Ausette and Chronic!

[CandyHeartedSim]

By the Way, I all number 1 fan 

[Sophie98]

I haven't posted for ages, but I still love the Flowers.
Good riddance to the Alphabet Girls, as I've suddenly decided to name them.
And belated thanks for the job offer, but I'm rather busy at school myself right now

[Schipperke]

Thanks for the comments, Sophie and Candy.  If anyone is wondering why there hasn't been an update lately, it's because I'm having trouble with the Gallery and have been unable to log in there for a couple of days.  Hopefully that will get sorted out soon.  I do have the next chapter written and ready to put up, but I'd rather not post it without the pictures.  Thanks for your patience.

[Sophie98]

Okay, don't worry.

I just realised you also wrote Riches Galore? I read that before I joined so I never got to say how much I loved it.

[Schipperke]

Chapter Nineteen

It's Saturday at last!  No students!  What will the 3 faculty members do with their short break?  Marigold has been wanting to complete five upgrades but couldn't find time for it when the students were here.  She heads over to Leo's apartment to work on his cheap television.



Leo is just waking up.  When he opens his eyes he finds that Marigold has stopped working on the television and is examining the boxing gloves hanging on the wall.
Marigold:  Are these yours?
Leo:  They sure are, Red.  I was a boxer once upon a time.  I fought in 15 matches.
Marigold:  Were you any good?
Leo:  Oh, yeah.  I won all but 14 of my matches.
Marigold:  But that means -
Leo:  It means I won a grand total of one match.  Yeah, I was lousy.  But all the girls can be grateful that I got out before this handsome face of mine got damaged.
Marigold rolls her eyes and goes to repair his shower.



Leo:  Red, I have to say you're pretty handy with that wrench.  Almost as good as a woman I once knew named Atauserk Otokrak.  That dame really knew how to wield a wrench.  I heard she once took down a burglar with it.



Marigold goes on with her repairs and upgrades.  Leo goes down to the garage to find Sunflower gazing at his motorcycle.



Leo:  Don't worry, Supergirl.  It won't bite.
Sunflower:  I've never been on a motorcycle before.  Will you take me for a ride?
Leo:  Well -
Sunflower:  I don't have much time left before Grim comes for me, you know.  I'd really like to have this experience before I have to die.
Leo:  Two on a motorcycle is against the rules.  You'll have to get a bike of your own.
Sunflower:  I'll rent one for the day! 

She does, and they set out.  I wanted to take a screenshot of the two of them riding along.  But Leo refused to wait for her.  By the time Sunflower set out, Leo was miles ahead.  So we have Leo speeding off:



Followed by Sunflower, who doesn't seem to understand that she's supposed to be watching the road in front of her:





I'm glad I wasn't on the road when Sunflower was having her first motorcycle ride.  But she manages to arrive safely at the Wolff house where Leo is already trying to chat up some girl.

Sunflower:  I never dreamed!
Leo:  Yeah, Supergirl, riding a bike isn't for everyone.  It can be pretty scary.  Don't worry, you can call a cab to take you home -



Sunflower:  I never dreamed a mere physical experience could be so stimulating!  The speed!  The power!  The wind in my hair!  Oh, now I understand why you love it!  Where shall we go next?
Leo:  You mean you want to ride some more??
Sunflower:  I want to ride and ride and never stop!

They spend the rest of the day riding all over town.  Sunflower looks a lot more confident, wouldn't you say?



By the time they pull up in front of the house, the shadows are growing long.



That's one motorcycle that won't be going back to the shop.



Sunflower returns from her day of riding exhilarated and feeling quite rejuvenated.  Leo's Rebellious trait (newly given to him because I wanted to try it out) gives him a +10 moodlet from riding the motorcycle but for some reason he returns with a feeling of - I think the word is disgruntlement. 

A lot of the time Sims seem pretty dim-witted.  But sometimes they do things that surprise you.  The evening after Leo and Sunflower's day-long ride, I caught Leo giving Sunflower a massage.   



I sat and watched while he autonomously gave her a massage.  Then she complimented him and he gave her another massage.  She complimented him again, and they kept it up until I finally sent the pair of them to bed.  I've never seen either of them do massages before.  Is it possible that he knew she needed a massage to prevent stiffness after all the unaccustomed riding?  Nah, can't be.  Sims aren't that smart.  Or are they?

By the way, Sunflower was right about there not being much time left before Grim returns.  I am playing on Long lifespan, but time's definitely passing.  For some reason, even though the two girls are twins and became Elders on the same day, Marigold is now at least 5 or 6 days older than Sunflower.  I don't have the game open at present so can't check on their exact ages, but I think Marigold has just over a week before her age bar will be full.

Edit:  I don't know what's going on with the bizarre aging in this game.  After writing the last paragraph, Sunflower is now 19 days older than Marigold and Leo has magically been rejuvenated back to the very beginning of the YA stage, where before he was almost at his Adult birthday.  I've temporarily turned off aging until I figure out what to do about these wild variations in age.   I'm almost afraid to look at their age again - who knows what age they'll be next.