English Legacy: We Walk (Chapter 12)

Up the stairs to the landing,
up the stairs into the hall, oh, oh, oh
Take oasis, Marat's bathing
We walk through the wood, we walk

Greetings, readers. It's the Creator here. It's been a while since we've checked in with Brian and his family, so I think it's time to get status updates straight from the horse's mouth.

Ah, here's our Founder now, fresh from another day fighting crime with a microscope.

Oh, it's You again. It's been a while since You've come to interrupt my life.

You're awfully cranky for someone who only works four days a week.

Oh, everything's been fine, except like I feel like I'm getting old.

* checks the Simology panel * Well, you've got a day or so left before that happens.

Thank you SO much for removing the doubt from my mind. I heard you do children's parties, too.

I think I'll let that slide. Anyway, how are the kids? Christopher doing all right?

Oh, he's fine. He's already a toddler.
Looks like he inherited your brown hair. And Laurel's blue eyes, I see. That house must be pretty crowded now.
Well, it was in the beginning. Alex got woken up one or twice by his baby brother, which didn't seem to bother him much, but it was clear we needed to get the second floor built.

Did you?

Oh yes - it took a lot of paychecks, not to mention running some Forensic Analyses from home, but I think the house is looking pretty good now.
We put the bedrooms upstairs, and put the bathroom at the top of the stairs. We gave each of the boys their own room, and had room left for a nice upper deck. Alex loves that telescope - it's hard to get him away from it. I think he wants to be an Astronaut when he grows up.
Of course, like his old man, he's happiest in front of a computer, and he's quite the Whiz at it already. I made a joke that all our first-line heirs are going to be Computer Whizzes. He was really happy to get that old Mr. Sponge computer for a birthday present - his mom refurbished it, good as new.
With the bedrooms upstairs, we've got all this free space on the bottom - we turned the old nursery into an office/study sorta deal. Just needs furnishing at this point - Laurel wants to make that area above the kitchen into a dining room. That reminds me, guess who Laurel ran into on one of her trips to the art gallery...
Diana Holder. Your ex-dinner companion. Looks like she share's Laurel's tastes in maternity attire.

Apparently. Laurel said "It's not like you can actually CHOOSE what your maternity clothes look like..." Anyway, Diana even showed up to Alex's birthday party, which I know you were here for.

Oh, I was. It's when I learned the chaos a Flirty Sim can cause at a party, even if she's married. I hope there were no consequences of her using a Pick-up Line on your boss, Hal.
Oh, nothing that we couldn't work out, one way or another. (Creator's Note: Chaos indeed. I didn't get any pics, of at least three party guests left with red broken heart symbols. Might want to be watchful if you let a Flirty Sim loose in a mixed crowd. Brian only witnessed her using a Pick-up Line on Hal, but it didn't seem to bother him.)

She's just been getting a bit of cabin fever. She loves spending time with the boys, and working on her Painting, but we've been talking about her getting a job once Alex is a teenager. She's always wanted to be a Robot-Creature cross-breeder.

Everyone needs a hobby, I guess... anyway, how are the boys getting along?
They get along fine. They really didn't have much to "Talk" about before Chris learned to talk. Right here, Alex is telling his brother not to shove blocks too far into his mouth, he won't like the medicine they use to get them "out". (Creator's note: Apparently, Children and toddlers can only gain relationship if the toddler can talk, and they're playing with the same toy. They can't interact at all otherwise. That's still messed up, ever since Sims 2.)

Indeed... anyway, does he know what's in store for him? How's he's going to inherit everything?
Yes, actually. We were out playing Tag in our big empty yard the other night after dinner, and I said, "Son, I know it may be a little early to discuss this, but one day, you're going to inherit all this. It will be your job to carry on our Legacy, here on this plot of land, where we have our house."

I was kind of surprised... he just looked over at our house and said "I understand," when I expected him to be confused. I know this kid is a Genius, but I swear he's twenty pages ahead of the rest of us, sometimes. "Does it have to stay this way?" he asked?

"Oh no," I told him. "You'll be able to do whatever you think is best for you and your family. With one exception - you can never sell it, and neither can any of your descendants. But you, as the first born son, are the Heir, and you must live here."

"Oh, I'd never move from here, Dad," he said. "With the wide open sky, it's perfect for Searching the Galaxy for stars and planets and such." He then looked puzzled for a second, which I rarely ever see from him. "What about Chris?"

"Christopher?"

"Yeah. Little kid, brown hair, about so tall..."

"I know who he is, smart aleck." He may not have our Sense of Humor yet, but the kid does have his moments.

"What about him? What will Chris inherit when he grows up?"

I considered for a few moments before answering. "Well, Chris isn't going to inherit anything, since you are the first born son," I paused here, when I saw that Alex looked slightly shocked. "But," I continued, "like I said, you'll be the one making the decisions - if you want to add on to the house to make room for Chris and any family he has, that's up to you. No one's telling you to cast out your brother."

Alex relaxed at that. "As long as he doesn't break my toys, he can stay."