English Legacy: Suspicion (Chapter 30)

listen to the devils in my ear.
tell me what, what I want to hear
you're so funny, you're so fine.
you're so perfect, you're so mine.
that I never had an opportunity
to hide
no I never had a chance

"Are you sure about this, Brendan? There's no reason we can't give it a try."

"I'm sure, Liz. Maybe if we knew what the problem was, we could try to fix it, but I really don't want to risk not showing up for my own wedding, in front of your family. I think it will be better this way - less risk."

"Well, if you're sure," Elizabeth said, slightly unconvinced. "I just want to remind you, that once you and I get married, you'll become Playable."

"That kinda what I'm hoping for," Brendan said, suavely. Elizabeth grinned for a half second, then shook her head.

"That's not what I meant," she said. "I live in a Legacy House. Ever heard of those?"

Brendan's jaw dropped. "A Legacy House? You mean... you have a Creator?"

Elizabeth nodded. "Yep. So, don't be surprised if he talks to you every so often once you're Playable."

"Wow," Brendan said, taking it all in. "Does he eat much? Make a mess randomly changing wallpapers and furniture?"

"Oh, He's not that type of Creator," Elizabeth reassured him. "He mainly shows up as a voice in your mind, at inconvenient times. So He doesn't eat anything, though I'm not sure how housebroken He is."

I heard that.

"Doesn't change my mind, Liz. I wouldn't give you up for the world. Now, let's do this."
"... and I Brendan Fair, being of Slovenly nature, yet Ambitious and Frugal, if Childish, do take you, Elizabeth, to be my wife. I will now kiss my bride."
"Congratulations, Mister English."

"Same, to you, Mrs. English."

"I guess you know what happens next." Elizabeth said, taking her new husband's hands in hers.

"I do indeed, my wife. I guess it's finally time."

Elizabeth smiled, and spoke next in a singsong voice, quoting one of her favorite songs.

"Grab your things; I've come to take you home."

Creator's Note: Sorry about yet another private wedding, but like Brendan said, I didn't want to risk throwing a Wedding Party and have him not show up. Same thing for inviting him over first and having him Move In - Liz didn't have that dialog option while on his lot. One time when I had her invite him over, he said yes, and didn't show up. I sent Liz to the gym to find him, and he was on his way out. He went back home, instead of to her house. Anyway, back to the story.
"Anything yet?" Liz asked, as they came up for air once again.

"What's that make, four?" Brendan asked. "No, I didn't hear any chimes. Boy, am I glad I have a maxed Athletic skill - you're wearing me out Liz," he said, even as he cuddled close to her again.
"Well, I suppose we should give it a rest," Liz answered. "We can Try for a Baby again in a few days," she said, as they got under the covers again, but this time, to sleep. "Just let me know if you get any strange wishes to read prenatal books or anything," she said with a smile.

"Oh, I will," he replied, taking her into his arms. "Now, speaking of strange Wishes..."

Elizabeth sighed slightly, and stroked her husband's cheek. "I really think you should reconsider, Brendan," she said. "I really don't think the Creator is going to let you become the Emperor Of Evil."

I really don't think so, either.

"Why not? Any idea?"

"Well, first of all," Elizabeth told him, "You're not actually Evil. You might not be suited for the job. Besides my mother is a Dynamic DNA Profiler. I'd hate for your DNA to show up at a crime scene. There's one awkward family dinner I don't want to have."

"Yeah, you've got a point," Brendan said. With that, they both fell asleep.
With his maxed out Athletic skills, Brendan and Elizabeth thought the next best option for him was to become a Professional Athelte. So, the next afternoon, while Elizabeth was hitting the Cooking books for another promotion, he headed down to the Stadium to become a Fan of the Llamas.

Well, Elizabeth *thought* she would work on her Cooking skill, but what she learned instead was that you don't always hear chimes when Trying for a Baby, for some reason.
"Blue, just like Dee said," Elizabeth gasped as she cleaned up afterward. She was smiling, though, and was already picturing the glad smile on her husband's face when she told him. She did decide to wait a day or two, just to be sure.
When her sleepwear inexplicably changed by itself to what she would recall "The Pregnancy Shroud," her slight doubt that she was pregnant was removed.
The next morning, Brendan was still sleeping, but Elizabeth just had to tell someone she was pregnant, and decided to tell her best friend and sister, Deanna.

"Well, Dee, it looks like Kevin is going to have a cousin pretty soon, after all," she said.

"Oh, that's fantastic, Liz!" Deanna squealed, giving her sister a hug. "Is Brendan excited?" she asked, her eyes shining.

"I haven't told him yet," Elizabeth replied. "I just found out for certain last night, when this Shroud appeared on me, and he hasn't woken up yet. I just had to tell someone - I couldn't wait any more."
Deanna laughed, then her voice turned slightly serious. "Well, I certainly hope you and Brendan don't have any silly ideas about needing your own place or anything. You're going to stay right here, so I can help take care of your baby, just like you helped take care of Kevin so I could keep writing my novels."

Elizabeth laughed. "Oh, don't worry about that Dee. I fully plan on cashing on all those 'favors' I did for you while Kevin was growing up." She paused, listening. "I think I hear Brendan now... time to spill the beans!"
Brendan was thrilled to find out he was going to be a father, just like Elizabeth had known he would be. He immediately performed his sworn duty and gave his wife a Massage, since her back was already starting to bother her.
It was quite early in her pregnancy when Elizabeth started having craving for foods like Key Lime pie and cheesesteaks, but she also had immediate cravings to eat the three slices of watermelon that mysteriously appeared in her pocket.
One of the benefits of living in a Legacy House is that there's a good chance your sister's husband is a Trauma Surgeon, and therefore capable of determining the Gender of a baby. So, after the snack of watermelon, Elizabeth asked her brother in law, Zebulon, if she was having a boy, or a girl.
And now for something completely different. An old man Training the ghost of his mother on a weight bench.

English Legacy: Strange Currencies (Chapter 29)

the fool might be my middle name
But I'd be foolish not to say
I'm going to make whatever it takes,
ring you up, call you down, sign your name, secret love,
make it rhyme, take you in, and make you mine.

"Note to self: Don't be standing next to the oven when it blows up," Elizabeth remarked to herself, and she headed upstairs to her room. Just another day in the glamorous life of a Line Cook. She'd never known Lobster Thermidor was explosive.

As she scrubbed the singed remnants of her clothes off her body, Elizabeth had a lot of time to reflect on things, including why she'd seemed distracted lately. It was a combination of things, some within her control, and others not. After her bath, she went looking for her sister to take care of one thing she did have a say in.

Dee was at her computer, working on her next book, another Romance novel, this one named "The Caress of Her Curtains". She didn't know how window treatments could caress, but she didn't need to, judging by the royalty checks of Dee's last romance novel.
"Dee? can we talk for a moment?" Elizabeth asked her sister.

"Sure, Liz," Deanna replied. "I could use a bit of a break - got a tiny bit of writer's block... that same spot in chapter fourteen I mentioned the other day."

"Was that the part with the pickle jar, the feather duster, and the missing bottle of hair remover?"

"Yeah. But I'll get past it. Anyway, what did you want to talk about?"

Elizabeth's face fell slightly, but her jaw was set. "Dee, I've been thinking, and I really think you should be the Heiress, officially, instead of us sharing it."

Deanna's eyebrows rose a bit. "Why, Liz? You've got as much claim to it as I do, and besides, you're the Genius, remember?"

"I know, Dee," Elizabeth replied. "But, we'll be full-fledged adults in a few years, and you've already brought the next generation in, with little Kevin."
"Liz, there's still plenty of time for you to have a baby yourself. Just because Kevin was first doesn't give him first claim."

"I know, Dee, but the fact is, he *is* here, the little charmer. He looks so much like those old pictures of Dad it's scary. As for me, I can't even find my boyfriend."

"Aw Liz, don't talk that way. What happened to Brendan Fair? You and he have been friends since elementary school... I think."
"That's what I mean, Dee. I literally can't *find* the dumbbell. I keep inviting him over, and he says yes, but he never shows up."

"Liz... he lives right next door."
"Oh, I know. That's the first place I looked! I met his mother and brother, but they didn't know where he was either."

Deanna looked at her sister studiously for a moment. "Liz, do you love him? Is he the guy you want?"

Elizabeth thought for a second, then nodded firmly. "Yes, Dee, I think he is."
"Well, take a bit of advice from this Hopeless Romantic - go hunt him down. Do whatever it takes to find and capture this guy. Hit him with a rolled up newspaper until he gets the message if you have to. Make it a story worthy of my next book. You're the Athletic type, Liz, you can outlast him. Show him what happens to those who try to play Hard to Find with an English girl."

Elizabeth thought for a moment, then chuckled, and hugged her sister.
"Thanks, Dee. You're the greatest. I'll give the slob another try."
The next day, Elizabeth called Brendan again, and invited him over, and he said yes. However, two hours later, he still hadn't showed up, so Elizabeth hailed a taxi, and set out on her manhunt with a purpose.

The first place she looked was the place she had met him the most often - the gym on the other side of town. He hadn't been there today, but she did run into her Uncle Christopher.
It was a good thing Christopher was already an old man, after the Training session the frustrated Elizabeth gave him.

After wearing her uncle out, Elizabeth got back in the cab, and headed home. Where, she received a surprise.
"Brendan?" she said with astonishment upon seeing the figure on her front porch. He turned, and seeing her, smiled sheepishly.

"Oh, there you are, Liz? Boy, what a crazy morning I've had..."

"Where the Golgafrincham have you been?" she asked, puzzlement and anger mixing into her voice. "I invited you over over three hours ago!"

"Yeah, I know," he said, embarrassed. "Right after I hung up with you, the sewer line in our house ruptured, and while I was trying to get a plumber on my cell phone, I accidentally dropped it in the water, shorting it out. So, I had to scramble to find another phone, and get someone to fix the sewer line. I tried to call, but I couldn't reach you, your phone must have been out of range."

"Well, I was at the gym," Elizabeth replied, the anger fading from her voice. "That place is death on cell phone reception, it seems. I missed my sister calling when she was in labor that one time we were there."

Brendan nodded. "Yeah. Anyway, I was pretty grubby from the sewage, so I took a shower before coming over here, and just before I could press the doorbell, you showed up."

Elizabeth smiled, then felt her stomach rumble. "Well, you're here, but all this running around town has left me starving. Feel like going to the diner?"

Brendan nodded, slightly puzzled. "Sure, Liz, but you're a Natural Cook, why would you go out to eat at the Diner when you work at the Bistro?"
"Get in the taxi, Brendan."

"Yes, dear."
* Two hours later *

"Well, that was a nice dinner. Nothing a good helping of greasy food to make your heart earn it's keep," Brendan said, as they stepped out of the diner. Elizabeth smiled, and took her boyfriend's hands in her own.

"But, you still think my cooking is better, right, Brendan?" she asked, impishly.

"Oh, of course, Liz," he said, kissing her lightly. "I sometimes wish I could sample your cooking every day of my life," he said, blushing deeply.

At hearing that, Elizabeth's eyes lit up, and she squeezed his hands. "That can be arranged, you know," she said.

"Wait, what?" Brendan said, a confused but hopeful look coming to his face. Elizabeth smiled, let go of his hands, and reached into her pocket. Pulling something out of it, she got down on one knee in front on him.
"Put on this ring sweetheart, and I promise to cook for you every chance I get," she said, revealing the sparkling engagement ring to Brendan. "I couldn't imagine ever cooking for any other man but you. Will you marry me?"
Brendan stuttered for a few seconds, but they were garbled syllables of joy, not rejection, and he nodded, to let Elizabeth place the ring on his finger. "Of course, Liz, I'll marry you. Oh wow, I can't believe this! This is the best day of my life!"

As Brendan stared at his new ring in wonder, his freshly-betrothed fiancee dropped her head in exhaustion mixed with relief and love. Finally, Elizabeth's hunt for love had ended, happily.

English Legacy: I Dont Sleep, I Dream (Chapter 28)

I'm looking for an interruption,
do you believe?
You looking to dig my dreams
Be prepared for anything
You come into my little scene
Hooray hooray hip hip hooray
There's one thing I can guarantee:
You won't have to dig, dig too deep

Hello, Deanna.

Hmmm.... "The beauty of the sunset was nothing, compared to the love shining in her eyes..." Corny, but I think my readers will eat this up.

I said, Hello, Deanna!

* sigh * Well, that took longer than I thought it would. What do You want, Creator? I'm busy, here! Romance novels don't write themselves!

You should know the drill; I'm here to check up and see what the English family's been up to lately. So, what's been happening? Any exciting news to share?

Oh please, I may not be a Genius like my parents or my sister, but I still know crap when I hear it. Do you really expect me to believe that You don't know what's been going on around here? That You haven't had a hand in everything?

Hey, watch it, Deanna. You can't assume that everything in your life that happens is due to Me interfering. You're starting to sound like your mother, and you're not even Neurotic.
Oh? Explain this then. Sure, it's perfectly normal for a Hopeless Romantic woman like myself to invite her boyfriend over on a Saturday, and hey, I'll even buy that she Proposed to *him* the second he showed up.
Yes, that's perfectly normal for him to say yes immediately, and yes, Excitable Sims like myself can be expected to jump right into her new fiance's arms.
Yes, you're right. That's all perfectly normal. Is there a point to this haranguing?

Yes, there is! Where the heck did I pull out wedding rings from, and ask Zebulon to marry me, right there near the mail box? I Hate being Outdoors! Why wouldn't I get married inside? I guess I'm just lucky Zeb agreed right then and there!
From the same place your Uncle Chris did. Boy, I didn't realize I was so horrible... having you meet a boy who loves you, has decent traits and looks, and had you two get married as soon as possible, so you can get started on being happy. Oh, what evil did I inflict on you next?
Oh, that's right! I sent the two of you to your room to consummate your marriage!

Yes You did.... and then, You sent us back to consummate it AGAIN! What, no chimes the first time? My mom, grandmother, and aunt warned me what happens on wedding nights in this family! And what happened after that, did I and my Zebulon get to spend any quality post-coitus time together? No! You sent him off to the hospital to get a job in the Medical career!

Oh no! More deviltry on My part! Truly, I am a force of great destruction! I had your husband get a job that would get him his Lifetime Wish if he goes all the way!
Oh yes, Creator. I knew exactly what you were up to, the moment my dinner hit the toilet bowl later that night. My husband didn't even make it past Organ Donor before he had to start preparing to be a father.
I suppose I'm even more evil for making sure he spent a lot of time with you and taking care of you during your pregnancy, giving you Massages, and reading all the pregnancy books that you wanted him to read, missy.

You also made him grow his hair out, when he'd had a shaved head since he was a teenager. What was that for?

I had him Change his Appearance to find out his natural hair color, of course. Speaking of changing appearances, I will say I'm sorry that your parents' birthday came on a Monday, the one day a week your dad had to go to work until 1 AM. I'd kinda wanted to give them a birthday party.
Well, yeah, I wish they could have waiting until my dad got home, but I don't suppose that was very possible.... considering his carpool tossed him out of the car on his way home, just so he could transition on the sidewalk!
Hey, you can't pin that on Me! Some things happen that surprise and annoy even Me!

Well, okay, I'll give you that one. I'm just glad he was home when I went into labor - Mom and Zebulon were at work, and if i recall, Liz was at the gym with a dead cell phone battery.

Oh? What was she doing at the gym?
She was Training her friend Brendan Fair. I think she really likes him, but she's hasn't had much time to try to get Romantically Interested in him. She doesn't seem to mind that he's a Slob, though.

Oh? What has she been doing since graduation?

Well, she's been very busy working up her cooking skill for her job at the bistro. She Wants to be a Renaissance Sim, and master three traits, and Cooking will be the third. She's turned out to be quite a Natural Cook, though, I'll give her that.
Fascinating. Now, where were we, baby, hospital, labor, everyone working...

Yes, Dad was the only one home, so he took me to the hospital.... or rather, he came with me when I drove to the hospital. Dad drives like an old man. At least Zeb was already there, since he was working.
Boy, does this scene look familiar. What is it with you English women, driving to the hospital yourselves? Wait, I just remembered something.... let me check Zebulon's Traits. Holy frijole, he wants to be a doctor, but he's both Absent-Minded and Clumsy? I'm glad I'm not a patient in Riverview these days. This isn't going to end well.

Oh, quit pretending it wasn't Your doing! You knew exactly what his traits were when You sent him down that career path! It's all been your doing!

Well, maybe, except the part where your Aunt Latricia is his boss. That gave Me a chuckle or two.

I suspect everything that happens in our lives is by Your interference! Sometimes I think I don't ever take a shower without You clicking on the bathtub!

Well, as much as I'm enjoying our little "chat" here, it's time to wrap this up. Anything else you want say to Me?

Yes, there is!
This is Kevin Alexander English, born healthy, happy, Brave and Athletic. He loves Classical Music, and the color turquoise. He's such a beautiful baby boy, and I know he's here because You had a hand in it, so I will close by saying...

Thank you. *smooch*

English Legacy: Stand (Chapter 27)

Stand in the place where you live
Now face North
Think about direction
Wonder why you haven’t
Now stand in the place where you work
Now face West
Think about the place where you live
Wonder why you haven’t before

Deanna English's Weblog
Mood: Contemplative

Greetings, again, readers! It's Dee here, and I thought I'd catch you all up on my life so far, while I take a break from writing my latest book, "That Spot on Her Cheek". As I've mentioned before, this one is going to be a Romance novel, after my Humor novel, "Upper Class Twit of the Year" didn't so as well as we hoped. I would like to thank all of you that bought it.

All five of you. *sadface*

It's been kinda strange in this house, now that Uncle Chris, Aunt Trish, and my cousins have moved out - it's so empty, and everyone's sleeping in different rooms now.
I think it was hardest on Aunt Trish, though. They had literally just driven away in the taxi, and we had barely gotten our rooms redecorated when she walked back into the house, went up to her previous room (now Liz's room), and made the bed!

That reminds me - how do our rooms get redecorated so fast? One second, they're one style, then literally the next second they're another! What's going on? I asked Mom about it, given how much she Talks about Conspiracies, but she just smiled and said "You're not going crazy, Dee, if these strange things really ARE happening."
She has a point, considering she and Dad found Grandma's old room made up to resemble their old room, which is now mine.
Back to Aunt Trish, though, I was asleep at the time, but after wandering Liz's room, she came into mine. I know she's Absent-Minded, but this is a stretch for her to come back to this house literally after moving out.
Creator's Note: Especially since Latricia DROVE THE CAB when they left. What, did she leave Chris, Danny, and Justin by the side of the road?

She finally woke me up when she turned on my boombox, then headed out the upper deck, so I got out of bed and told her "Aunt Trish, you're always welcome here, but you and Uncle Chris have your own house now, over on Cypress Lane." This snapped her out of it, and she apologized profusely. She then used Grandpa's teleporter to beam home.

That Saturday, it was time for Liz and I to have our birthday! We combined it with our grad parties, so we invited our cousin Danny (It was his birthday too, of course), and my "friend" Zebulon Bagley.
Liz is still on a manhunt, so she asked to make the dress code "Swimwear". Dad had inherited Grandma Laurel's Legendary Hostess trait, so I knew everyone would show up no matter the dress code. Liz's other suggestion of "Toga", was struck down. I will say, my Zebulon looks very fine without his shirt. Sure, he can be Childish at times, and Excitable, but darn, isn't he a fine chunk of Sim.
...even more so after we blew out the birthday cakes. I apologize for the quality of the pics - it got dark early, and they're wasn't time to set up proper light. Still you can see, Adulthood was *very* kind to my Zeb.
It was pretty nice to my sister, too. Beth had an awful time for a while with her looks as a teenager. She's gotten past that, of course, but when she became an adult, her chin became somewhat less prominent. She looks even more like Mom, who has a very loving spouse in our Dad.
Speaking of loving, for some reason, I felt very Romantic, Hopelessly so, after blowing out my candles, so impulsively, I asked Zeb to Go Steady, as the party was winding down. He of course, said yes!
The readers will be happy to know that his muscles aren't just painted on.

Every party must end, however, and soon after that, all the guests told me they'd had an Epic time at our party, and they all headed out.
Including, strangely enough, the ghost of my grandfather. I guess Grandma's story about him going to bed when she was in labor with Uncle Chris was true.

And now for something completely different. A woman surrounded by sparkles.

* SHAMELESS TEASER IMAGE*