Changes in the air
The bassinet is in use again, and not by Guinevere and Sebastian…again. Lancelot and Adrianna, both looking as young and glowing with health and happiness as ever have another son, Jephta. Adrianna is so pleased, and Lancelot beams around all day long. The close observer in the family, Christie, notices how her son seems to avoid his sister and her husband, Sebastian. She wonders about that, and starts to observe them just a bit more.
Soon she gets a good chance to spend some time with Lancelot, as he is trying to do one of the Luxury events, and has chosen to do it with his mum. He loves his mum, loves her slightly exotic looks, and it’s a great pleasure to spend a few hours with her. Time flies, especially when he takes a bit of a risk with some questions..
Christie looks at Lancelot, and she sees his eyes full of pride when he looks at his little children, but she sees the anxiety when he spots Chris, who is really Tabitha’s age. He also avoids talking about Guinevere. In the end, Christie decided that being straight is sometimes the best cause of action, and asks him outright, “I see that there is something going on between you and your sister Guinevere. What is it?”
Lancelot sighs, rubs his neck, looks everywhere, but in the end he looks back at Christie, and sees her kindness and understanding and her willingness to just quietly listen. “It’s because of Jephta. Well, no, not really because of Jephta, it’s because of Guinevere. She is becoming very bitter and hard, and something is going on with her that isn’t right. She absolutely adores Chris, is always hugging him, and listening to his babbling, but she avoids our children. Since Tabitha, and especially after Jephta was born, she has started making barbed comments. Just little hints of unpleasantness you know, some of them so vague, you wonder if you have imagined it. When I ask her she denies doing it.”
Christie looks very sad, and as she helps Lancelot with his Event, she thinks about his words. She wondered if there was something like that going on! “What sort of comments? And what does Sebastian say?” she wonders in the end.
Lancelot waves his hand around the hobby room where they have just checked out his clothes, again. “She comments about Jeptha’s name, saying that if you want Biblical names, Jephta might not be top of the list…But we like Jephta, and he was a Judge, and…well, anyway, why I am defending myself now? That is the sort of thing she does, just little catty comments. Adrianna finds it hard as well, as she feels Guinevere is very sad. They both work in Downtown places, but she hardly sees Guinevere, she is working so much!”
This is true, Guinevere is out at al hours, working hard. It seems to be the one thing that cheers her up, something that gives her a sense of achievement, of being on top of things. Once she reached level ten there was no stopping her! Sebastian works hard as well, but it is clear that he just enjoys working with people. Also, being around Guinevere is becoming quite hard work, and Christie wonders if even Sebasian is starting to avoid her company!
Lancelot hasn’t discussed the Family Line with Christie, he doesn’t want to burden her, especially as no doubt she and Joash will soon have their papers that will force them to move into a retirement home. The last thing they need is the ranting of a bitter daughter, he explained to Adrianna once she asked. The story almost came out one day, after Adrianna returned from a party. The party was actually at a distant relative’s house, and she hadn’t thought anything of it.
As soon as she arrived at the party, virtually the first one to arrive, she saw Lancelot Line, Granny Garbriella’s cousin-once-removed son, or some such title. “I can’t remember,” chuckles Adrianna, adjusting her blue glasses, “I saw all those names coming past, and there was Simeon, who married Iris Coates from the Nightclub. They had a son, Leonardo. He moved out with permit papers, to marry Aurora, I think. Well, apparently, they had a son named Lancelot! Isn’t that an amazing coincidence? Fancy having two Lancelots in the family? I was so very thrilled! Well, Lancelot Line has a daughter, called Roxette. I didn’t get to see her at the party, I believe she is still very young. I love her name, so sweet sounding!”
Adrianna had been so excited when she found out. All the digging for ancestor Chris made her more interested in the Mortina family, and to actually meet a distant relative, well, she couldn’t get over it. The tricky moment came when her mother in law Christie wanted to know how come she knew so many names and generations…after a very awkward pause she managed to explain that part of her work was filing papers. That satisfied Christie, partly because of the new distraction in the form of Sebastian. She tried not to look too disapproving, but thought to her self, “I thought it was mother in laws that were supposed to be intolerable, but really, in this family it’s the in-law children that stress me out!”
Sebastian showed the family some papers that arrived that morning. He looked a bit sad, and excited, and thoughtful. “These came this morning, they are my retirement papers.” They all gasped, and all heads swivelled towards Guinevere, who looked very unhappy, and rather determined somehow. “Naturally, I will not take up retirement just yet, as I have still got many levels to go in my career, as well as a very young son.” Ouch, no mention of a young wife there!
Guinevere straightens up at once, “Don’t forget your very young wife, who also still has many plans for her life and her family! I might have achieved level 10 in my career, but that isn’t the only thing I want to achieve in life!” At the word career, Sebastian looks very uncomfortable. It seems that over time Sebastian has aged, not just outwardly in shape, but inside as well. He shies away from exciting things, doesn’t really like meeting new people and somehow reminds Guinevere that he doesn’t think her job as DJ constitutes a career. The fact that she brings in more money seems to slide past him somehow.
Life for Guinevere and Sebastian is becoming sad and at odds with each other. Guinevere is dressing more and more modern, using quite a bit of makeup, something no other Mortina women have done. The exception was Iris Coates who married Simeon, Lancelot Line’s grandparents. But then, she was a NPC, so there was nothing the family could say or do about that!
Sebastian on the other hand actually turned grey, not resorting to any treatment as most people in Sims Mobile would do if they were still working. He seems to relish the idea of growing old, and is determined to do so gracefully. When the new Quest boxes deliver a sofa, and more little tables, Sebastian takes charge. He has the back bedroom rebuild, has the bathroom moved, and before Guinevere is over her shock he has a purpose build granny flat! With granny wallpaper, and a tiny kitchen. Guinevere is stunned, but her parents love the little flat, so at the moment there is nothing she can say.
She feels the resentment growing inside her, and only feels herself relaxing and growing softer when she is with her little boy Chris. She dreads the day he will grow up, knowing it won’t be long! She is desperate for him to get three stars in Good Upbringing, and dreams of him taking over the house, maybe even in First Line! Somehow, even though she doesn’t know this great great grandfather, she has become rather obsessed. She doesn’t want to stop and think about it though, she is too keen hat things will go according her plan. He has convinced herself that it’s just to undo the injustice done, not about her or her son, but she sees her bother and sister in-law’s doubting looks when she defends her position. This just makes her dig her heels in even more. If only she had another child, or even three, like Lancelot, that would give her claim to the Line more support. She slumps down in her seat, feeling tired, and unaccepted and very, very low. What will happen when her sweet Chris grows up? And when will Sebastian actually accept the papers? Will he really expect her to move into the granny flat with it’s geriatric wallpaper? She feels the anger and resentment bubbling inside her, and knows that she will need to sort it out. After all, clinging on to such strong emotions can’t be good for you!