Chapter 1.5: Consequential Timing

One afternoon, Scarlett pulls Elijah aside to make a very important announcement.

"Y- You're p-p-pregnant?!" Elijah stammers. "I'm g-going to be a father?!"

Scarlett nods, her face shining with excitement.

"I've been carrying this around for a while now, looking for the perfect moment," Elijah tells her, fumbling around in his back pocket. "I can't think of any better time than now," he says as he drops to one knee.

"Scarlett, will you marry me?"

She never wanted anything else.

They decide to have a private ceremony, with just the two of them in attendance.

With a baby on the way, Scarlett gets into a nesting mood and remodels their house, renovating the unfinished attic to make room for the nursery.

To Scarlett, life is perfect right now. She can't wait to be a mother.

Surprisingly, Ryder is thrilled at the idea of becoming a grandfather.

While Scarlett's out with Ryder, a rather unwelcome guest decides to drop by and visit Elijah.

"Hello Elijah," Carmen purrs. "Don't you look sophisticated today. Plaid shirt and a vest? How... quaint," she says, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Eli clenches his teeth, trying to control his temper. "Well hello Carmen," he replies. "I didn't realize you'd crept back into town. Does Ryder know you're here?"

"No, I actually came to see you. I need to ask for a favor."

Elijah laughs, the hollow sound echoing against the walls. "What makes you think I'd help you?" he asks after a minute.

Carmen smirks. "Because," she retorts, her dark gray eyes glimmering with triumph. "I know what you did to Johnny Johnson."

Eli freezes. "You... what?"

"You remember Mr. Johnson, the kind old man that wound up in the hospital with three broken bones and a severe concussion? He's doing much better now, although he is still suffering from rather acute memory loss. The doctors have hope that one day he'll be able to remember who gave him such a violent beating."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Elijah lies, his voice flat and impassive.

"Sure you do," Carmen smiles. "You're the one who put him there."

Eli stares at her, his face burning with panicked anger. "What do you want Carmen?" he growls.

"I need you to start a little rumor for me. The divorce proceedings between Ryder and I are not going as well as I'd hoped. It appears that due to a couple of minor affairs I had years ago Ryder is going to be awarded the bulk of our assets. I want you to speak with a couple of tabloids and tell them that Ryder has been sleeping with Scarlett. You could even suggest that she's pregnant with his child, to make it more convincing. You do that, and I promise that no one will ever find out about your fight with Mr. Johnson."

"Are you crazy Carmen?!" Elijah yells, his temper snapping. "I'd rather die than put my wife through that shit! Get the fuck out of my house!" he screams.

Carmen glares at him and smiles cruelly. "Fine," she replies, her tone just a little bit too sweet. "You'll regret this though." And with those final words, she leaves.

That night, Carmen stops by again. With Elijah at work, the only one home is the very pregnant Scarlett. She's not happy about the intrusion.

Scarlett invites Carmen inside anyway. "What do you want?" she asks, jumping right to the point.

"Oh, Scarlett," Carmen says, a look of forced sympathy on her face. "You didn't hear?"

Scarlett frowns. "Hear what?"

"Elijah. He's been arrested."

The color drains from Scarlett's face. "Arrested?!" she whispers, shocked. "For what?"

"It's all over the news, my dear. He's been charged in the beating of Johnny Johnson."

Scarlett feels dizzy. She knew Elijah was upset about the incident, but she never thought he would actually hurt Johnny because of it. She walks over to the sofa and sits down, feeling dazed and confused.

"I- I can't believe it," she stutters. "Is he okay? How long will he be there for? Can I see him? Oh my God, what about the baby..." she babbles, her face full of worry.

"My dear," Carmen interrupts. "Do you know what the punishment is for assault? Five years in jail. He's being held with no bail. Apparently, there is some pretty solid evidence behind the charges."

Scarlett looks terrified. "C-Carmen," she says slowly. "I-I don't f-feel so g-good."

She gets up from the sofa, struggling to support her large, pregnant body, when suddenly she feels the crippling pains of labor set in.

"I can't have the baby yet!" she cries, grimacing from the sharp stabbing sensation in her belly. "Elijah's not here. I'm not ready!" she sobs.

The baby doesn't care. It's time.


Challenge Notes:

Here is my generation 2 roll:

Marital Status: Single Parent with Help
Number of Children: 2
Primary Income: Busker
Secondary Income: Medical
Generation Goal: Hobby, or Obsession?
Miscellaneous Fun: It's So You

Chapter 1.3: Hit Me... Or Hit On Me?

Elijah cautiously enters Kanoa's brightly colored suburban house and wonders why the criminal mastermind chose to live here. Maybe the flamboyant tropical color scheme reminds him of his homeland in Hawaii or something.

"Aloha!" Kanoa greets him at the front door. "Welcome! Come, join me in my office. We have much to discuss."

They walk into his study, and Kanoa jumps right into the heart of the matter. "You'll start low, as all my employees do, and work your way up the ladder," he tells him. "But," he adds, "I have high hopes for you. You seem much more adept than the other members of my gang. I have been looking for a partner, and, if you prove to be as talented as I hope, then we may just be able to help each other out."

Elijah frowns. "Fine," he answers. "I have one condition though."

"This is not a negotiation Elijah. Take it or leave it."

Eli clenches his teeth. He doesn't like taking orders, so working as a low-level thug is definitely going to be an adjustment for him. "Mr. Parrott, I have but one small request," he says. "I don't want anyone outside the gang to know that I work for you. Especially not my girlfriend."

Kanoa hesitates. Elijah can't read his expression through his darkly tinted sunglasses. "Agreed," the criminal says at last.

Eli gets home and finds Scarlett waiting up for him. "I got a job," he whispers, smiling.

"Really?" Scarlett's whole face lights up. "Where?" she asks excitedly.

"It's not the best hours," he tells her. "But it's a steady income that will pay the bills. I'm going to work the night shift as a security guard at the bank in the next town over."

Scarlett kisses him. "I'm so proud of you," she says, a huge grin on her face.

The following morning, Carmen drops by for a visit.

"Um, hi Carmen," Elijah sounds more than a little surprised to see her.

"Why hello Elijah," Carmen smiles and glides into the living room. "Is Scarlett home?"

Elijah vaguely wonders why she's acting so friendly today. "Not right now. She's at work this morning. Is there something I can help you with?"

Carmen ignores his question. "I saw you out running yesterday. I never realized you were so attractive." She coughs. "I mean active."

"Um, okay." Elijah shifts nervously. Why is she standing so close?

"Do you enjoy all kinds of exercise?" she asks huskily.

"Sure..."

"I love dancing. Particularly the horizontal hokey pokey."

Elijah takes a step backwards. She seems to be getting awfully close. "That's great Carmen..."

"I've always been quite fond of our relationship. I hope you feel the same."

Eli frowns. "Okay," he replies uncertainly.

"Oh Elijah!" Carmen steps in and tries to throw her arms around him, poising herself for a kiss.

"Whoa! Carmen!" Eli yells as he dodges her advances. "What the hell are you doing?!"

"There's no need to act coy," Carmen says after a minute. "I won't tell anyone, I promise."

Eli opens his mouth in shock. "Carmen!" he sounds furious. "Get away from me!"

Carmen's eyes glimmer dangerously. "You'll regret this Elijah," she tells him coldly. "I could've been your ally, helped you in ways you could only dream about. Instead, you want to make me an enemy? Fine. But I'll prove just how dangerous an adversary I can be."

Finishing her speech, she turns and flounces out of the house, leaving Elijah to wonder if that really just happened.

By lunch time, Elijah's decided to confront Ryder about Carmen's behavior. He finds his father at the local bar.

"God I love this town!" Ryder proclaims as Elijah sits down next to him. "Who would have thought about putting a bar inside an old barn? How resourceful is that?!"

Eli can't help but smile a little bit. However much he resents his father, he finds his comments amusing.

"Ryder, I need to talk to you about Carmen," Eli says, the smile fading from his face.

"What about her?" Ryder sounds irritated at even the mention of his wife.

"She hit on me," Eli replies bluntly.

"She hit you?" Ryder asks with a confused frown.

"No. She hit on me. She tried to flirt with me." Elijah decides not to mention her awkward attempt at a kiss.

Ryder laughs. He actually laughs. "Yeah, right. Whatever Elijah."

Eli's cheeks burn with embarrassment. It was hard enough to come here and admit it to him, but to be laughed at? The indignity stings.

"I'm not lying," he replies angrily.

"Look. I know you're pissed that we came to Appaloosa Plains to visit you. I understand that the whole jail incident still bothers you. But seriously? Making up some bullshit about my wife? That's just shameful."

Eli bites his lip, fighting the urge to hit him. The fact that his own father would side with that wicked, repulsive woman over him feels like a kick in the stomach.

"You're a lost cause Ryder," he says, getting up to leave. "I wish you and her all the best. You two deserve each other." Then he walks away, vowing never to speak to his father again.

 

Ryder shakes his head and pays for his drink, watching his son storm out of the bar. Elijah's story bothers him more than he would like to admit. He decides to go visit his old friend Jedidiah, to get his mind off the encounter.

It's been years since they've seen each other, but Jedidiah hasn't changed one bit. Ryder wonder what he think his hand is trying to tell him.

Jedidiah and Ryder catch up for a while. Jed can't stop gushing about his daughter Brittany, but after countless potty training stories (none of which Ryder particularly cared to hear), Jed's face grows serious. "What's bothering you, dude?" he asks, genuinely concerned.

Ryder attempts to smile. "Oh, nothing terrible. Elijah thinks Carmen tried to flirt with him."

"Did she?"

"No, Jed. Of course not! We're married after all."

"That's never stopped her before," Jed replies.

"Perhaps not, but Elijah is my son! He's just looking for some way to get even with me."

Jedidiah frowns. "That doesn't sound like the Elijah I know. He's not a bad kid, Ryder."

Ryder sighs and shakes his head. "He's always been rebellious, but I never thought he could be so malicious. People do stupid things when they're angry."

"He didn't seem angry to me," Jed says. "In fact, he seemed very much at peace with his past. He kept talking about how he wanted to start over with a clean slate." Jedidiah watches as Ryder face softens. "Think about it dude. Your son tells you that Carmen, who has a history of cheating and lying, tried to make a move on him, and you're going to discount his word? That doesn't seem right to me."

Ryder hangs his head. "I think I need to go," he declares after a minute. "I need to go talk to my son."

Meanwhile, Scarlett is busy as ever on the ranch. Bottle feeding Bella the foal is her favorite part of the job.

Johnny Johnson, her boss, makes a rare appearance out at the stables today.

"How is little Bella doing?" he asks.

"Fine, Mr. Johnson. She is settling into the routine quite well."

"Great. And how are you, doll?"

Scarlett pauses. He's never called her that before. "I'm fine Mr. Johnson. Just fine."

"Excellent. Would you like to come inside and take a break from all this farm work?"

Scar fidgets uncomfortably. "Um, I'm fine out here Mr. Johnson. Really, I enjoy being with the horses."

He chuckles and steps closer. "Do you enjoy being with a man to?" he asks, quirking an eyebrow.

"Mr. Johnson," Scarlett begins. "I-"

"Come here, doll, and show me just how much you like a man's company," he interrupts, pulling her into his arms and kissing her. Scarlett screams and ducks, pushing him away. She runs until she can't see the ranch any more, leaving Mr. Johnson and his horses far behind.

Once home, she goes into the bathroom and cries, her fragile world turned upside down. A knock on the door startles her out of her tearful state.

 
"Mr. McKinley? Elijah didn't tell me you were stopping by tonight."

Ryder smiles amicably. "He didn't know. Is he home?"

"He's at work right now. It's his first night on the job." Scarlett tries to smile, but her eyes fill up with tears instead.

Ryder gazes at her with worried eyes. "What's the matter Scarlett?"

They sit down on the couch, and Scarlett tells him everything. "I- I trusted him," she sobs. "He t-took advantage of me."

Ryder wrinkles his nose in disgust. "You can't go back there Scarlett. If he tried once, he'll try it again."

"I have to, Mr. McKinley. I love the horses, and Eli and I just aren't making enough money right now for me to quit."

"Buy your own horse," Ryder declares. "Start your own ranch. I know that's what you've wanted all along."

Scarlett shakes her head sadly. "I can't afford it right now. We're barely scraping by as it is."

Ryder's face brightens. "I can help," he says, smiling. "I can give you and Eli a loan, to cover the start up costs and help pay the bills until you start making money."

"You'd do that?" Scarlett asks skeptically. "But when we left Anne Arbor you said you wouldn't give us any support."

"Think of it as a temporary investment. I want to help, Scarlett."

Scar grins enthusiastically. The idea of finally owning her very own horse excites her.

"I've got to go now," Ryder says as he stands up. "I need to talk to Carmen about something. But you and I can sit down tomorrow and discuss the details."

Scarlett jumps up. "Thank you Mr. McKinley," she replies, pulling him into a hug. "You have no idea how much this means to me."

Ryder smiles, feeling good about himself for the first time in a long time. "Please, call me Ryder," he tells her happily.


Challenge Notes:

Lots of unwanted advances in this chapter, hah. I really didn't intend to do that; it just worked out that way. Carmen totally flirted with Elijah autonomously. I wanted something to happen between them (like a fight or an argument or whatever), but I really wasn't expecting that. She and Ryder are not *actually* married in the game or else she wouldn't be allowed to flirt with Ryder's son. I had intended to marry them before moving to Appaloosa Plains, but I just forgot. So, when I invited her over, she started flirting with Eli, and I thought, hmm. That's an interesting idea. I already had the pictures and plot line figured out for Scarlett's encounter with Mr. Johnson, and I didn't want to cut it out. So I went ahead and wrote both of the events into the chapter.

Also, Ryder is not actually giving money to Elijah and Scarlett, fyi. That was just part of the story, in case you were wondering.

You might have noticed last chapter (or maybe not), but there is one photo with a food bowl in it. I went ahead and adopted Scarlett and Elijah a cat, because I really, really wanted to. His name is Milo. Here's a picture of their kitty hissing at Carmen (which he did completely autonomously, btw). Apparently, cats really do know pure evil when they see it, lol.

Chapter 1.2: Can't Forget The Past

Ryder, Carmen, and Zane arrive in Appaloosa Plains today, so Scarlett decides to work an extra long shift at the ranch. Her old boss, Chuck Hobble, recently married Oriole Bird after word got out about her... condition. Although Mr. Hobble was publicly dating the famous country music star Honey Darnell, Oriole wound up pregnant with his child. Needless to say, he left the ranch and moved in with his mistress, letting his partner Johnny Johnson run the stables.

Scarlett quite likes having Mr. Johnson as her boss. Unlike his partner, Mr. Johnson takes a very hands-off approach to teaching. He often leaves Scarlett alone to tend the horses while he entertains his lady friends in the house. Scarlett pretends not to notice, but it seems as though every single woman in Appaloosa Plains has visited the ranch at some point or another. She doesn't really mind though because it allows her uninterrupted access to the horses.

As expected, Ryder drops by Elijah's house that afternoon.

"Nice to see you Ryder," Elijah greets his father gruffly. His words sound flat and hollow.

"That's the best you can do?" Ryder laughs. "A handshake?"

Elijah glares at the older man, his eyes hard. "Where's Carmen and Zane?"

Ryder looks away, trying to hide the disappointed expression on his face. "They're paying the taxi driver. Apparently the man doesn't know how to make change for a twenty."

Seconds later, the door swings open and Carmen sweeps into the house. "GODDAMN HILLBILLIES!" she yells, charging past them. "I had no idea that math was only taught in city schools!"

Ryder shoots her a withering glare, trying his best to get her to shut up, but it doesn't work.

"...I mean I know that our education system is in shambles," she rants. "But SERIOUSLY! He kept claiming that four Simoleons was the correct change for a twenty, when the fare was clearly sixteen Simoleons. I may not understand calculus, but even I know that he owed us five Simoleons. Damn hillbillies. Stupid crooks, all of them!"

Elijah bites his tongue, trying his best to avoid a fight. Carmen has only just arrived, but she's already testing his patience.

"So," Ryder jumps in, trying to ease the tension. "How is the job hunt going?"

"Fine," Elijah replies shortly.

Ryder raises an eyebrow. "Fine?" he repeats. "So you've found something?"

Eli grits his teeth, his temper wearing thin. "No," he answers slowly. "Not yet."

Carmen snorts. "That's a shocker," she mumbles.

"Right, and how long did you guys say you were staying?" Elijah asks, his eyes flashing with anger.

Carmen fiddles with her nail polish, a sour look of disinterest on her face. "Too long, if you ask me," she says before Ryder can stop her.

"Carmen, darling, why don't you go check on Zane?" Ryder glares at her and forces a smile, his tone just a little too sweet.

Carmen flounces off, leaving Ryder and Elijah alone to chat.

"About that job," Ryder begins, lowering his voice so only Eli can hear him. "I know it must be difficult to find an employer willing to hire someone with a criminal background like yours. I won't give you financial support; we had that discussion before you left Anne Arbor. But, if you want, I can maybe pull a few strings and open a few doors. I can't promise that you'd get the job, but if you'd like I can line up a couple of interviews for you."

Elijah narrows his eyes dangerously. "You don't think I can find a job on my own," he states, his voice matter-of-fact.

Ryder shakes his head. "Elijah, I didn't say that."

"No, but that's what you meant. You don't think I'm capable of making it without your help."

"Elijah!" Ryder's speaks sharply, a warning tone in his voice. "I didn't come here to argue with you."

"Hah!" Elijah laughs. "Then why are you here? To keep tabs on me? To make sure I'm not further destroying your perfect reputation? Or, was it merely because I asked you not to? Do you enjoy torturing me, father?"

Ryder stares at him sadly. "That is what you think? That I'm just some sort of sadistic monster who likes to watch his son struggle?"

"Have you ever given me reason to think otherwise?" he asks bitterly.

"If you want me to leave, I'll be gone in the morning."

Eli clenches his jaw, fighting the temptation to say yes. "I'm going to go say hi to Zane," he says at last.

Zane McKinley is Elijah's half-brother and Carmen and Ryder's only child together. He looks a lot like Ryder did at that age, but personality-wise he takes after Carmen.

"Did you know EVIL.com has a great selection of do-it-yourself guides for building short-range ballistic missiles? Pretty killer, if you ask me."

Elijah worries about about the future of Sim-kind.

Scarlett gets home late that night after Ryder and his family have already left for the hotel. Elijah sweeps her into the bedroom, eager to take his mind off their visit.

"How were they?" Scarlett asks between kisses.

"Scar," Elijah says, pushing her onto the bed. "Do we have to talk about my family at a time like this?"

That night, Ryder sleeps restlessly, dreaming about his and Scarlett's financial issues.

He wakes up early and sneaks out of the house for a jog. It's a beautiful, clear morning, but all he can think about is Kanoa Parrott's job proposal.

As a teenager, Ryder often found himself in trouble with the law, but usually it was for relatively minor offenses like breaking curfew or drinking underage. However, on his eighteenth birthday, he and Carmen got into a huge fight, and as a result he decided to steal his father's Berratti sports car, sell it for parts, and use the cash to move out of town. It was a stupid, impulsive decision, and he immediately got caught and tried for grand theft auto. He ended up spending two years in jail but was released after his father's lawyers convinced the judge to let him out on parole.

Scarlett was his high school girlfriend, and she stayed faithful to him throughout his entire stint in prison. As soon as he got out though, she made him promise that he would never break the law again.

He loves Scarlett dearly, but he desperately wants to start providing for them. If he joins Kanoa's gang, he will be breaking his word to her. He doesn't want to betray her, but he can't stand sitting around the house waiting for the phone to ring. Besides, who is going to hire a guy with a felony on his record?

When he gets home, Scarlett is still asleep. Elijah dials Kanoa's number, memorized from the business card he tried to give him.

"Mr. Parrott?" he says. "It's Elijah McKinley. I'll do it."


Challenge Notes:

I plotted out Elijah's back story before I realized that Anne Arbor was unplayable and I would have to move my family right away. So I decided to use a shortened, summarized version of the plot instead. It sets up the future story very nicely, I think.

Also, I used Twallan's porter mod to move Ryder and Carmen and Zane to Appaloosa Plains along with Elijah and Scarlett and Jed and his family. I put Ryder and Carmen in a house, because (obviously) they can't actually stay in a hotel. I didn't want any surprises, at least not yet, so I set their story progression settings to disallow pregnancy and divorce. When I checked on them, they're relationship bar was completely red. They absolutely hate each other. Furthermore, I attempted to have some scenes with Elijah and Carmen talking together, but every time they interacted, Carmen ended up screaming at him. Seriously, I have never met such a cranky, unfriendly Sim before.

Chapter 0.12: Expecting the Unexpected

Ryder tries to relax as he soaks in the hot, bubbly water, but the gorgeous (and stark-naked) woman lounging in the seat next to him makes relaxing seem like a foreign concept. The fact that she's an international superstar doesn't really help either.

"So you, uh, you like music?" Ryder asks nervously.

Carmen rolls her eyes. "I am Carmen Winters. The Carmen Winters, pop diva extraordinaire. What do you think?"

Ryder mutters a soft "Oh," before looking away awkwardly. Noticing his embarrassment, Carmen backtracks. "Not that you would have known that or whatever," she concedes with a fake smile.

"So Ryder," she continues, playfully bumping her leg up against his, "what's a handsome guy like you doing alone on a Saturday night?"

Ryder grins. Flirting he can handle. Small talk... not so much.

The steamy rooftop setting, the tantalizing pulse of the music, the romantic starlit night... Ryder quickly finds himself giving into the evening's temptations. He is so absorbed in the moment that he doesn't notice the dark man approaching them, he doesn't see Carmen angling herself for the best shots, he doesn't hear the quiet click of the camera.

As the club begins to shut down for the night, Ryder pulls away from Carmen.

"When can I see you again?" he whispers quietly.

Carmen grins. She was hoping he would ask that. "What about tomorrow evening?" she replies. "Meet me at the Underground dance club. I promise I can show you a good time," she tells him with a wink.

Ryder has heard enough. He eagerly agrees. Vaguely, he wonders why Carmen Winters, the Carmen Winters, is suddenly so interested in him, but the thought quickly fades. If he really stopped to think about it, he might realize that her new album comes out next week, that his latest blockbuster movie made him a highly sought after celebrity. But the only thing on his mind right now is Carmen's beautifully addicting smile.

"You look amazing," Ryder whispers as Carmen walks into the nightclub.

She smiles and runs her fingers through his hair. "You're not too shabby yourself," she replies.

After a bit of dancing (or in Ryder's case head-bobbing)...

Things begin to heat up between Ryder and Carmen.

"You know what would be fun?" Carmen asks, a mischievous glint in her eye.

As Ryder shakes his head, Carmen pulls him close and motions suggestively to the elevator. Ryder quickly gets the hint and grins at the idea.

Carmen and Ryder both look rather pleased with themselves, albeit for very different reasons.

They agree to go out again the next time Carmen's in town.

A few weeks later, Ryder picks Carmen up in his brand new sports car. He tells himself that he bought the car as a reward for his latest acting trophies, but really he just thinks that women find the expensive red convertible irresistible.

"Nice ride," Carmen comments. "I didn't realize actors were paid so well."

Ryder grins, satisfied. "Thanks," he replies.

For their date, Ryder takes Carmen to the local movie theater to see his latest flick. Half way through the film, however, Carmen starts feeling ill and quickly excuses herself.

Ryder stops her before she leaves. "When will I see you again?" he asks quietly. The paparazzi are beginning to swarm, and Carmen is looking greener than ever.

"I don't know Ryder" she snaps. "In a few weeks, I guess." Before Ryder can even offer to drive her home, she's already gone.

A few weeks come and go, and Ryder doesn't hear a word from Carmen. He begins to think that her reputation as a heart breaker is well deserved when he gets a call. Carmen's voice sounds sharp and edgy on the other end of the line, but he agrees to meet her at a local park that night.

Ryder frowns as Carmen approaches him. Something about her looks different to him, but he can't really put his finger on it. "Why'd you want to meet so late?" he inquires.

"Ryder," Carmen begins cautiously. "I'm- I'm pregnant," she says after a minute.

Ryder looks shell-shocked. "Oh..." he manages to force out. "And it's mine?" he asks the obvious, hoping for a miracle.

"Yes," she replies without hesitation. "Ryder, you don't know how bad this is going to look." Carmen speaks quickly, her voice edged in panic. "I mean, come on. You're married. And I'm single. And this was just supposed to be a fling. And... Oh my God! What are the execs at my label going to say?! I just- I just-" Carmen looks like she's on the verge of tears.

Ryder reaches out to comfort her, but she pushes him away. "Ryder, I need this... event... to look planned. I need it to appear as though we knew what we were doing."

Ryder stares at her blankly, so Carmen continues. "This is what is going to happen. You are going to dump your miserable little wife, and I'm going to move in. I will tell my agent to play up the pregnancy angle, and who knows? Maybe the attention will help both our careers."

"Dump Jane?" Ryder sounds overwhelmed. "But, I love her..."

"Loved," Carmen corrects, her tone uncaring. "You love me now." Ryder opens his mouth to argue, but she cuts him off. "Ryder, darling, we are going to have a baby. This is no time to get sentimental. We need to think about what is best for our careers and ourselves. Jane will get over it. Besides, you couldn't possibly have loved her that much anyway, considering my current condition."

Ryder hangs his head. Carmen's words cut deep, deeper than he would like to admit. But she's right after all. His current predicament is a direct result of his own actions.

Back at home, Jane puts baby Elijah in his crib for the night. She kisses him one last time before heading downstairs. Ryder still isn't back yet, but she's not worried. She rarely sees him these days anyway.

Ryder arrives home and cuts right to the chase. Despite their rocky relationship, his sudden desire to get a divorce takes Jane by complete surprise. She begs him not to do it, to let her stay around and help raise Elijah, but Ryder stoutly refuses.

"We're done Jane!" he shouts. "DONE! I want you out of this house by tomorrow evening!"

She doesn't even wait that long. She packs up her clothes and leaves that very night.

...But not without letting Ryder know how she feels about him first.

Carmen Winters moves in with Ryder and his family the following week. She finds her new home unsatisfactory and doesn't hesitate to let Ryder know how she feels.

Elijah has a birthday, but only Beatrix and Brian are around to celebrate it.

Elijah becomes a child and inherits the rebellious trait.

The day after Elijah's birthday, a strange feeling comes over Beatrix.

She suddenly feels all tingly inside.

Having lived a full and satisfying life, Bea goes with the reaper willingly.

But Brian is not ready to let his wife go. "I was supposed to be first!" he cries. "Take me! Take me!" he begs. But the reaper does not listen. The reaper never listens.

Elijah takes the news of his grandmother's death particularly hard. He was very close to Bea. She, along with Jane, raised him since he was a baby, and now that they're both gone, Eli feels empty. With Brian deep in mourning and Ryder occupied with Carmen and her pregnancy, Elijah turns to his doll for comfort.


Challenge Notes:

Bea died. *Cries* It was completely unexpected too. She was only a few days past her 95 day life span, and she had the marathon challenge completed. Brian is now 12 days past his expiration date, and he's still going strong. I didn't realize how much I liked her until she wasn't around anymore. Sadness.


For Beatrix's generation, I need to take screenshots of the parks she bought for her awesome goal. I was going to feature it in the story, but I got lazy and forgot. I will post some pictures in next update though. Also, now that she's passed on and Carmen has moved in, I will move the family to their wonderful new home (SO EXCITED!). I can't wait to show it off! (Melissa, I will link to your MTS creations page unless you tell me not to. <3)

In case you were wondering, Carmen Winters is cloned from Savannah Sperie from the Sperie Random Legacy, but with some modifications. I tried to go for the modern pop starlet type look, but I'm horrible at tattoos. Please forgive the eyesores that now cover her body.

So, I was intentionally pretty vague about the custody issues regarding Ryder and Jane's split, because I honestly could not think of a reason why Ryder would get custody of Elijah. In the real world (at least in the United States), custody almost always goes to the mom, unless there is some horrible reason why it shouldn't. Even then, the kids usually end up with their mother eventually. But this is the Sims, and I am doing a random legacy, so whatever. It's just gonna have to be a hole in the story I guess.