Angels Unawares: The Seraphim Immortal Dynasty (Graveyard Please!)

[Deme]

I really, really don't understand how that happened. But now you know: be sure to put a fire alarm near your hot-tub.

Chapter 23: A Dark Photograph


One of the first things that happened after the party ended was that Evanthe decided to go off and become an angler; she's lucky that she can basically have any job she wants, any time she wants it. So right now, she's an angler, with no master but herself and the wild ocean!

And apparently she decided to celebrate by changing her colors.

I wish I could do that -- not turn into a doll, I mean, but change my colors like that. Change, change like a butterfly...To be rainbow when the mood strikes, or mauve; to be shimmering, incandescent candle of a person, to be a butterfly turning black in the smog-filled air...
You could be anything and nothing, and eventually you'd be invisible, and enjoy the secrets of the unseen. I'd like to paint me changing colors one day -- we'll see, we'll see...
Or was she always that pretty greenish color, and I'm not remembering it right? Or maybe she's always been changing color, and I never noticed. Maybe we've all changed color a million times, and I never knew. I don't know.
"She changed back, didn't she? She was grey in China, but here she's back to green...?"
"Are you secretly a chameleon, Vanthe?"
"No, I am not a lizard...But that would be really cool! Or maybe an octopus!"
"Oh, yeah. Thos bio-camouflage really beautifully...To be an octopus on the coral reef, fighting mersims...Crushing ships...Being self-loathing..."
"...Having an eye disturbingly similar in structure to a human eye?"
"Exactly!"


Reed's still workin on his music -- but now he has a nice new uniform to play in. Something about a collared shirt suits him.
"Hey, do you know 'I crush everything'?"
"I've never serenaded with Jonathan Coultan, but I can give it a shot."
"Uhh...Aster? That song was about a squid, not an octopus."
"Oh. Nevermind, Reed."
"Can I still serenade you? I can try and sound evil enough for a round 'Skullcrusher Mountain!'


This painting is a brilliant one, my third. This painting is my 15th painting. So now I'm halfway done two challenges.


Anyway, Evanthe tries to give Ross a call -- she needs to know if this is working. If they're working. I can sympathize -- with all the wedding planning Mom's into, and my jitters and my moodswings and my -- ooh shiny -- and I forgot what I was talking about.

Oh, anyway, Reed's been getting a lot of use out of

Though it's not always a smooth go...

"Maybe it's like a fairytale and a kiss will wake him up!"
"If a think of such a nature is occurring...I believe we're quite prepared."


"Stupid Billy and all that stupid snuggling..."

"...I'd drop it if I were you, Mr. Uriel. I mean, you and Aunt Ariel are going to be here forever; Uncle Billy doesn't have that sorta time."
"You think I don't know how little time there could be left, kiddo? I know. Me and her -- we know it more than anyone. So I gotta enjoy grumbling while I can."
That doesn't sound right...

But I need to go to work! Yeah, I know! I'm actually doing work!
I was supposed to just add a new TV, a new sound system, a bed -- stuff like that... But that's for sissies. What this man's room needs...

Is a giant Octopus sculpture. OCTOPI FOREVER!

Meanwhile...

"Have you been working out? it looks nice... Maybe you can show me your throwing arm later, stud..."
Not the approach I'd take, but...

It seems to work for her. Uriel's keeping me aware of the gossip while I wait for my review.


Whatever their troubles were, they seem over for now.

Anyway, the home-owner's here.

And he likes it! He really likes it! But he doesn't love it, except for how I came in under budget. Maybe the giant plant in the bedroom corner is too much?
I'll try better next time.


Mom's life isn't entirely kissy-face, just so we're clear. She also loves taking care of Rin, and watches her flying around the room.


So I can pick up her slack.
"I was thinking... Is it alright if we carve our vows into a giant ruby, the ruby-moonstone of the dream king maybe, forged of dreams itself? And then we launch it into space and it burns up on re-entry, so only the vows remain, floating up among the stars..."
"With what money?"
"...Well, we could sell the giant ruby and --"
"Well, then how would we launch it into space?"
"Hmmm...I just want...I just want something spectacular! Something amazing!"

"Because you deserve something so earth-shatteringly fabulous that it gets so awesome it breaks reality in half. That's how special you are."
"Honey...Anything you do is spectacular; you shatter my earth every day....Though, as a straight stylist, I should try and avoid the stereotypes, so I can't say if you're fabulous."

I decide we can plan better with the blood flowing up...and down...And up...And down...And up...

And anyway, we make our plans by the trampoline.


Mom's out collecting seeds...So I know it isn't her who took it...
I think it must have been Aunt Elaine. It may have been, anyway...Who added something precious to our museum while Reed and I were cuddling beneath the stars.




Aster Seraphim's Requirements

Lifetime Wish: Living in the Lap of Luxury
Career: Architect
Supermax Skill: Painting
Building, Property: Hogan's Deep-Fried Diner, Romper Recreational Park
LTR: Observant, Artisan Crafter, Extra Creative
Best Friends: Ariel Seraphim, Billy (Caspian) Seraphim, Reed Joy, Evanthe Seraphim, Lindsay Coulter, Helmut Roderickson, Jacob Roderickson, Ross Dorman
Black Ops: When Dream Come True, Scavenger Hunt: Rare Elements, A fishy science project, Outside Reading
Portraits: Toddler, Child, Teenager, YA
Sculptures/Photos: Child (sculp), Teen (sculp), YA (sculpt and Photo)

[MarianT]

I love Aster's insanity -- sure, I do all my planning on the trampoline.

[AnnBeiFong]

I loved it. Uriel is right! He deserves to grumble about Billy while he still can!

[Deme]

Thank you both for the lovely compliments! I'm certainly enjoying writing these...Hence the speedy turnaround into...

Chapter 24: The Wedding of Reed and Aster
I'm hoping it was Aunt Elaine who took the photo. I really want it to have been her.
Because if this whole 'marriage' thing is going to go down, I...I may need to ask. I mean, she's Reed's mom, but we don't really talk much and she may sort of think I'm crazy because I kind of sort of am. But which I mean 'exactly'.


And she's the one who fixes out toilets. If she gets mad at me for stealing her little boy, our toilet could be broken FOREVER.

"Ummm... Auntie Elaine... I'd like to... Well, I mean, I was planning... Well, we jumped on the trampoline and I guess that's the same thing as planning...And we were talking about stars and rubies and there was a Sandman reference in there and..."

"Aster, what is it? The dishwasher's broken again, and I don't have time to listen all day."
I'm losing her! I'm losing her! Get to the point!
"I want your blessing to marry Reed!"
Wow. That came out in a coherent sentence. I'm totally surprised.

And for a moment, she holds all my happiness in her hands. She holds it and judges its worth. Is it worth more than the possibility of her son one day married to a hula zombie or a goddess brought to Earth to fulfill a wish. Or an alien. Or any of those manic pixie dreamgirl types.
Or even just an ordinary girl, whose life isn't dedicated to a goal neither Aunt Elaine nor Reed will live to see, or will only see the start of. Someone who isn't insane.

"Aster..."

"Your mother is my most precious friend; I watched you grow up. I'm so happy and proud of you and Reed. You didn't even need to ask."
And just like that, she sets me free.

I call up my crew.

"This wedding. Is. On."
I mean, for petes' sake, we've been engaged for like two whole chapters. The fans are bound to be getting impatient.


Mom knows the moment I send out the invitations; there's a sort of magic in the air today. Or maybe that's more of her own natural magic, working on the gardens.

Heck, people start filing in so early -- I better get changed into my wedding clothes!

"Aster! Please, just once... Can you wear an outfit that goes with the day? Just once. For me and your mom."
"What's wrong with jean shorts?"
"Please, change into your nice dress? This is the only time. You just look so pretty, Princess..."
"Oh, alright..."

I can't resist flattery, after all.

I spend a while getting gussied up in my dress.


"We did it, didn't we, Billy?"
"We certainly did. Our beautiful little girl is sure getting married."
"All I can hope... Is that Reed makes her as happy as you've made me."
"I'm sure he will, my angel."


We've set up an area in the back for the wedding -- we can store everything in the family's storage when we're done, since we'll need it for later.


And all the guests file in.


"Vanthe? Why are you crying?!"
"It's -- supposed -- to be -- traditional! And I've never gotten the chance to cry -- it's great practice!"
"I'm glad I could supply you with another first experience, my little doll!"
I give her a hug.
"Get back up there before I start crying for real, ok?"

And so our wedding really begins.


"Aster. You are the light of my life -- you're the most magical person I know, always pushing the boundaries of a world that simply isn't wonderful enough to contain all of you in it. You make everything you see...Special. And I want to be a part of that every day, for the rest of my life. I love you, and I promise to hold and honor and be devoted to you for as long as I live.."


"Reed, you are my Joy. You make a safe place in my world, a place where I'm real and no one looks at me oddly and I'm believed. And you make me feel full of stardust and the wave nature of light. And when the stars have lost their glow and it's the heat death of the universe and everyone's died except me and my mom's family and we wish we could die, floating forever in the inky void of space and somehow, for having been destroyed in fire, it's so cold now... Even then, I'll be warm. Because I got to spend every moment of your life with you, and I got to call myself your wife."
"(I wonder if she knows that's not how immortality works?)"


"And with this ring, I do thee wed."


"And with this ring, I make one of those really derpy faces. Oh, and I thee wed."


Flowers the color of cream and love fall all around us. Rice is thrown.

And we share our first kiss as husband and wife.

"*sniff*"
"Awww...Even you're moved to tears, Uriel..."
"I'm not crying, Ariel!...I just have something --"
"In your heart?"
"Y-yeah, Ok... *sniff* I've just got something in my heart..."



We cut the cake (but do not smash it in one another's faces; I get to buck at least one tradition!)


And everyone's been hungry from preparing all day, so we all get a slice. I mention a proposed new painting technique.

And Dad decides to try it out.

"Billy! Stop breaking physics this instant! I've had enough of these shenanigans after the hot-tub incident!"
"I'm an old man. Time to live life on the edge!"
"X-TREME Painting, Uriel!" My mom chimes in cheerfully.
They sigh.

I pass them on my way to the bedroom.
And then I remember that I had forgotten something.

We never actually made sure my bed functioned as a double bed. It didn't for Evanthe and I when we were kids.


Uriel's solution is to just poke Reed out of bed and let us sleep together there as husband and wife.


Goodnight, Moon. Goodnight, unseen things. Goodnight, Reed, Love of my life.


Aster's Requirements:
Lifetime Wish: Living in the Lap of Luxury
Career: Architect
Supermax Skill: Painting
Building, Property: Hogan's Deep-Fried Diner, Romper Recreational Park
LTR: Observant, Artisan Crafter, Extra Creative
Best Friends: Ariel Seraphim, Billy (Caspian) Seraphim, Reed (Joy) Seraphim, Evanthe Seraphim, Lindsay Coulter, Helmut Roderickson, Jacob Roderickson, Ross Dorman
Black Ops: When Dream Come True, Scavenger Hunt: Rare Elements, A fishy science project, Outside Reading
Portraits: Toddler, Child, Teenager, YA
Sculptures/Photos: Child (sculp), Teen (sculp), YA (sculpt and Photo)

[alex51299]

Aww, what a beautiful wedding! Loving Aster in that dress and always her personality.

[loveSims]

The wedding was beautiful! Aster insane thoughs just crack me up!

[AnnBeiFong]

That was so- *sniff* -beautiful! I especially loved the last line. 

[Deme]

Aww, thanks y'all. Aster's such a treat to write, and she totally writes herself (as the intermission shows); I try to distinguish her from other insane sims, but just knowing she's appreciated is satisfying.

Unlike Reed. I had him booked to narrate the next chapter (their honeymoon), but.... Getting him to talk to me is hard. He's almost as bad as Elaine, who's not said two words to me this whole time! Some sims... I think I've almost got him, and I hope to get the next few chapters out soon.

[Deme]

Chapter 25: Honeymoon

Hello there, whoever’s reading this. It's Reed. I'm not entirely sure why I was asked to write this chapter in the family history. I mean, I haven't done a whole lot just yet, and I'm not a future immortal...
Oh. Maybe they want to know how I feel about that... A little worried. It's not like I ever hoped to live forever, or anything. I've never given dying a lot of thought. And I figure... Nothing I'll do will be really unusual. And that's fine by me.

Or maybe they want to know about what happened after the wedding. Well, Evanthe decided that she wanted to give us a honeymoon. I know we have a home in China, but I've been thinking about France recently...A home of great art and culture and also beverages that Aster says are named to avoid increasing our rating. I'm not sure what that means, but Aster kind of gets things I don't.
And Evanthe decided to make the call.


And so off we went to beautiful Champs La Sims, France. Evanthe wanted to stay with us...

But her call to adventure and sudden new orange color was too much, and she's ready to find someone's "precious item." While she's there, she learns to clear rubble faster. Because that is a privilege, not a right, apparently.

Aster and I, in the meanwhile, decide to take in the local nectary -- we buy some supplies for Mrs. Seraphim.. Well, I mean, I guess it'd be better to call her... Well, living with both my mom and my mother-in-law is complicated. I'll just call her Ariel.
Either way, my blushing bride and I enjoyed some mighty fine nectar. I'm sure a lot of you wonder why I could marry someone who's... A little off-kilter, and thus a little high-maintenance.
And, putting aside her dazzling, fun-loving, and creative soul... Putting aside the way that she seems to just fundamentally get things other people don't... You know what? I'm not putting them aside. They're the most beautiful things about her.
But... I can give a simpler explanation, if those don't satisfy:


Coconut bikinis. In public. I am the luckiest man on the face of this earth.
"Do you think the museum has moon-people sculptures? They try and send them to earth, but the stone breaks to pieces and just ends up as little, broken shards...I'd like to see one whole, to see what art they dream of on the moon."
I can't decide if it's her or the nectar that's filling me with bubbles...


That said, giving Aster nectar maybe isn't the wisest move I could have made...
"Honey... Honey...
You are not a jungle cat, and I am not an antelope. I just want to emphasize that before you start biting me by the neck..."
"Awww, fine... I'll just have to pounce on you some other way! C'mere, you!"
She laughs and pulls me close, and all the higher functions of my brain short out as I carry her upstairs.


I am sincerely impressed at what the nectary staff allows us to get away with in a public building.


"Secretdoor, secretdoor, secretdoor!"
"What does that mean?"
"It means I'm excited about finding a secret door!"
"...Ok, then. Just as long as you're not expecting them to pop up, Beetlejuice style."


Now, Evanthe says she found a grassy hedge maze under there... But I'm not sure I believe it.
I mean, how can those hedges grow without any light. Or water.
"That's exactly what I said, but nooo. Dungeon designers just love breaking the verisimilitude!"
That's what she said.


Aster, for some reason, really wants to head to the graveyard. At night. *gulp*
Well, anyway, it's a great place for stargazing, if you don't mind the haunted-ness.


"A baseball. I came all of this way...For a baseball. The heck. Who loses a baseball in a freaking tomb?!"
"If you lost your ball, wouldn't you send an adventurer after it?"
"I'd go after it myself!"
Well, regardless of her complaints, it gets her a visa level.


Aster and I are still enjoying our tourist life... There's something so nice about a French cafe, watching the waiters walk down the streets in their uniforms and aprons...
And me and my love, sharing a late meal. Life is good.


And Evanthe is still waking up more and more of the poor locals. I guess adventuring doesn't care about jet lag, huh?


"Do these people actually need me to find a way into their shed? Because I think the glowing door might be a clue."
Man, that is a nice foosball table.


She apparently had a bit of trouble with this puzzle... I'm not sure I get it. All she needed to do was pull a torch, and the rest was as clear as day!


"A....A…sarcophagus… *gulp*"
"Come on, Vanthe'. Nothing ventured, nothing gained."


"That's right! No guts, no glory! H-here I go... Oh. Oh, it's just a jewel. I knew that."
"Baby."
"Hey, you try risking your life for once."
"...I'm not even alive."
"Oh, right. Awkward."

The next morning, Aster and I decided to hit up the art gallery.

"This is a terrible painting, you know?"
"...That's a chair, my little shooting star."
"Why do you think it's such a terrible painting?"

Since Evanthe's latest adventure took her there...and back...and there....and back... we decided to meet up for a bit, just hang out and talk art.
And my cooking.
"It's not like it's a secret."
"Man, Reed, are you just going to have more skills than anyone and show us all up."
"Of course he's...skilled. Why else would I have married him?"
We laugh.
"I don't know," I tease, "Maybe you love me?"
"What is this thing you humans call 'love,'?" Evanthe jokes, miming up a more 'artificial' feel than she's ever had.
"Nope. I'm just using your l33t cooking and woo-hoo skills to power my perpetual motion-and-food-and-'motion' machine. It's all a nefarious trap! Keep it on the down-low."

We laugh some more, and go back to talking about the actual art before Evanthe's off for another adventure.


Aster apparently doesn't want to be 'shown up,' so she decides to start working on her photography skill. I won't tell her you're not allowed to take flash photos of the art if you won't.


Ooh, looky here..."
"Aaaaaaaah! They're everywhere! It's a global invasion!"
"He's got quite the commanding air. Let's take him home and call him Remy."
"...You're doing this on purpose."
"No one calls me a baby and gets away with it. Sorry, Uriel...Besides...Aster loves gnomes."
"...I noticed. She even does a morning roll-call."


I don't think Evanthe enjoys it terribly much, but squishing the grapes somehow appeases the credit-card company, so she's got to do it.
Maybe we should just check freecreditreport.com.


But all this nectar-making gets her visa up a level, to her joy...Allowing us to buy...

A house! We did some remodeling for the back yard, to add fun things like a hot-tub and a slide... And to the main house, we added a third floor with an art room and study.


This allows Aster to work on her paintings again, and for the two of us to just hang out and relax. We have a great time.


And Evanthe manages to catch some foreign fish (sadly, however, her real fish supplies -- including everything she was saving for her wish -- were taken by customs.)
She even maxes out her fishing skill! That's wonderful, since the fish in town haven't really been responding to bait all that well.

Eventually, our six days run out, and we go home...
“We left the trunk, didn’t we?”
”Oh, we’ll send someone for it in the morning...”

As for Aster and I, now that we're home...

I think we want our next adventure to be a little different. I'm going to have to start practicing my lullabies...


Aster's Requirements
Lifetime Wish: Living in the Lap of Luxury
Career: Architect
Supermax Skill: Painting
Building, Property: Hogan's Deep-Fried Diner, Romper Recreational Park
LTR: Observant, Artisan Crafter, Extra Creative
Best Friends: Ariel Seraphim, Billy (Caspian) Seraphim, Reed (Joy) Seraphim, Evanthe Seraphim, Lindsay Coulter, Helmut Roderickson, Jacob Roderickson, Ross Dorman
Black Ops: When Dream Come True, Scavenger Hunt: Rare Elements, A fishy science project, Outside Reading
Portraits: Toddler, Child, Teenager, YA
Sculptures/Photos: Child (sculp), Teen (sculp), YA (sculpt and Photo)

[Sims3Clacla123]

Hmm the last last line only means one thing.
Nooboos  .
Great update (as always).

[alex51299]

That's gonna be one cute little nooboo!

[Deme]

Happy thanksgiving or not thanksgiving, depending on what you're celebrating!

Chapter 26: New Arrival OR The Musical Chapter
And I'm back in the saddle! Not literally, since I've got no interest in horses, but metaphorically. The saddle is a word and the word is in my brain.
I guess that means that I left my brain, which happens often enough that I could believe it.

When we got back and sent Daddy for the chest quick as a lick (I checked by licking things), Mom managed to go and plant all those new grapes. She was really happy, and the garden's getting much bigger.


And so she decided to share her happiness.

“What’s all this stuff?”
 ”Well, I thought as a small wedding-present ... We could get you and Reed a puppy! I ordered him from the shelter this morning. I just couldn't think about those big innocent eyes, all alone in the cold, cold shelter...And I just had to make the request!"
"*sigh* I was trying to get her to get a kitten for herself, and then..."
"Well, a puppy's plenty good company! Let's not worry about it, Uriel. I can't wait to meet the puppy."


Evanthe, meanwhile, has been feeling lonely lately, so she invited Ross over. I guess it's my fault, with my lavish wedding and my beautiful husband and my sappy-romantic honeymoon and my parents and their perpetual making out...
I'm sorry, Evanthe. I will build you a boyfriend, so you'll never -- no, wait. I can't invent! I will paint her a boyfriend. I will steal a magic paintbrush that can make any portrait come to life and...
No. Wait. She has a boyfriend. She invited him. That is the argument of this point in the story. They seem happy, anyway...


Reed's working on some other post-wedding fall-out: thank you letters for all the paintings we got as gifts! I guess they know who they were writing for.


And that's when the shelterman shows up with our puppy, Gabriel. He's a Friendly little black-and-tan dachshund. He's so tiny it's absolutely precious; you could fit him in your pocket and be a momma kangaroo!


...Well, I thought Evanthe and Ross were doing well. But when she wants to take things inside...It's not so good. He pulls away.
"There's something that you're keeping back. I just don't know..." He keeps saying.


Apparently it's something in the air. Anti-love fairies? Or maybe Gabriel just didn't want to be picked up by someone he met five seconds ago.

"Evanthe. Aster. Ariel. Huddle."
"What should I doooo?"
"Well, have you tried some sort of orbital mind-control device to summon some sort of butterfly swarm to spell out 'I love you, you idiot'?"
"Let's save that for plan B."
"And plan A?"
"Ariel...I need your help for this one..." Oh, my. Is he...
"He isn't, is he, Aster?"
"I think he is, Evanthe..."
He's singing.
"Tell him about it -- tell him everything you feel."
And now Mom's taking a deep breath to help him out.
"Give him every reason to accept that you're for real. Tell him about it -- tell him all your crazy dreams..."
"Let him know you need, him let him know how much he..."
"Stop, stop, stop, you two! This is serious!... We need to break out the big guns!"
"Awww, but I like 'Tell her about it'..."
"What do you propose, then?"
"We blast 'Just the way you are' from EVERY STEREO IN RIVERVIEW!"
"...I think I can handle this myself, you guys."

"Why was your...umm...Mrs. Seraphim, you know...Singing?"
"It's a complicated story, Ross. Almost as complicated as mine. I... I'm not a real sim. I mean, I am now... I guess you'd call me a sort of magic sim."
"...Really?"
"(big guns, Evanthe. Big guns.) And... Part of that means I'm bound to Aster in very special ways, and I love her very much. I'm not going...to be able to be with you the way maybe we'd like to, because it's jeopardize everything she's worked for all her life. Not now, anyway. But...
If it were entirely up to me...I'd marry you. And I want to know if you feel that way, too."

"Ross Dorman, would you marry me?"
"Yes, I would! And will. One day."

"I hope so, kids...I hope so."


After that, all his hesitation melts away. I think I hear some water running upstairs, followed by a lot of giggling...Followed by chimes. Everyone said they didn't heard chimes, but I totally have heard chimes twice since we got back. What gives?


"Who's a good little fierce doggy? Who's gonna try and bite all the flies, like a good little hunter? Who is it? Oh my goodness, is it you?"
You know, no one praises me when I catch and bite flies...


But it is nice to be greeted at the door by a puppy when you've been off delivering sculptures, yapping happily at the...
Urg... I don't feel so good...


“I think I may be allergic to Gabriel...”
”That’s unlikely, princess. Let's just keep an eye on things."


Even Dad gets involved in the puppy love, painting a portrait of our little friend.


And it turns out I'm not allergic -- not after the way I play with Gabriel, unleashing my wild side!


...But Evanthe's not feeling too well either. She's sick as a dog... I think this is the first time she's ever been sick.
I hope that it's not a stomach bug...


Ha-ha! This absolutely brilliant painting of a swamp as seen through the eyes of an invisible spider allows for me, Aster Seraphim, to complete the proficient painter skill challenge! That's one down, two to go!


Training your puppy starts early -- Gabriel's doing a good job learning to be Non-Destructive, and not chew up the entire house. As much as that toy lying out.
In the middle. Of the floor... Must...fix...toy...Must...Fix... You can't just have a single green chew toy -- that's freaking messy!
"Leave the toy where it is, Princess. Your eyes are bugging out again."
"Oh. Right. Thanks."
Anyway, leaving it there helps him give a safe outlet to his feelings.


But for the rest of his feelings, he must put them into music! Do I smell another musical number, maybe this time revealing the puppy can talk?
...
...No?
I guess that's just a sort of synesthetic moment, then. I could have sworn it smelled like strawberries.

That's when I get the news. Wonderful, frightening, earth-shattering news.

I'm pregnant.
"Called it!"
"If you don't say so out-loud, Uriel, it doesn't count as 'calling.' I think it's more like 'guessing,' or such. Also, congratulations, sweetheart! I'm going to be a grandmother..."
What do I do? What do I do?...No, I'm not sure how covering myself in marmalade and running down the street declaring myself to be the queen-mother would help. Thanks, though.
I know! I tell Reed!

"Hey there, honey. What's up?"
"Reed, it's a little bit funny...This feeling inside..."
"Aster, not that I don't appreciate musical numbers, or Billy Joel, but I think that ship has sailed. But thank you."
"Well, then...How do I say...We're gonna need names -- I'm thinking Orchid for a girl and Heath for a boy. And we're going to need to air out the cradles and I want one of those new-fangled swings and blocks. Can we get blocks? Do blocks do something harmful to the dynasty, even though they could be used to build a staircase to the moon?"

"Are you trying to say... That we're..."
"Gonna be a daddy! Well, I mean, you're going to be a daddy. If we were both going to be a daddy, I'm not sure where this nooboo would be, but probably not in my womb."
"Eeeee! That's wonderful!"
We embrace.


Reed immediately begins reading books about nooboos and pregnancy, to make sure he'll keep his head when the little one's born. That's important -- I probably won't.

And, as it turns out...

I'm not the only one with expectations. My best friend and I are going to have nooboos that grow up together, like Reed and I and Evanthe did.
Let the pre-emptive shipping commence.


"How is my little Rin? How's my favorite birdy?"
"*Squawk* *whistle* Jealous of the dog!"
"Oh, don't be silly. You know I still like you, my little feathered one."
"*whistle* won’t believe. Wanna biscuit."
"But you're perfectly fine for..."
"BISCUIT!"
She sighs and gives the bird a biscuit.
"...Man, you're just totally whipped by that bird, huh, Ariel?"
"Sometimes, I can't help but indulge greedy and foolish creatures; It's a long history, dating all the way back to the beginning of time."
"Yeah, you are kinda a... HEY! You were talking about me!"
"Well, as long as you're the one who said it, I can't help but agree. *giggle*"


My pregnancy's not my only good news: that right there, that wonderful portrait of the way I feel right now, all jumbled up and radiant like mother-of-pearl...
Is my first masterpiece!

---

Aster Seraphim's Requirments
Lifetime Wish: Living in the Lap of Luxury
Career: Architect
Supermax Skill: Painting (1/3)
Building, Property: Hogan's Deep-Fried Diner, Romper Recreational Park
LTR: Observant, Artisan Crafter, Extra Creative
Best Friends: Ariel Seraphim, Billy (Caspian) Seraphim, Reed (Joy) Seraphim, Evanthe Seraphim, Lindsay Coulter, Helmut Roderickson, Jacob Roderickson, Ross Dorman
Black Ops: When Dream Come True, Scavenger Hunt: Rare Elements, A fishy science project, Outside Reading, A larger-Than-Usual Doorstop (or something like that; I'll correct this later)
Portraits: Toddler, Child, Teenager, YA
Sculptures/Photos: Child (sculp), Teen (sculp), YA (sculpt and Photo)

[alex51299]

Ooooh, if they are different genders, maybe Evanthe's and Aster and Reed's kids will get married!

[AnnBeiFong]

Congrats Aster and 'Vanthe and Reed! Orchid and Heath are very pretty names. Maybe you can have both! *hint*hint*

[Ricalynn]

I like Orchid and Heath, too!

Wink is as good as a nudge to a blind man *nudgewink*

There is something about that gothic table with the mushrooms on it that reminds me of a spider lol.  Great update and I can't wait to see the nooboos!