arranged marriage – Vicarious Living

Choices

The wedding went through, of course. “I’m so happy,” a grinning Ralph gushes, staring at Anselma with shining eyes. “This is definitely the happiest day of my life, and I feel so richly blessed! To think that I married the most beautiful woman in SiMobile!” Anselma nods, her eyes shining too, but hers are wet with unshed tears. Not the happy variety either, as this day definitely doesn’t fit her idea of the happiest day ever! In fact, the day would probably come in the category of Worst Days Ever. She hasn’t the heart to say that, of course, so she manages to pull her face in a smile. Ralph just sighs with sheer happiness, and after giving her another squeeze, walks over to some of the guests to thank them for coming.

“I just can’t believe it,” Anselma mumbles, feeling that the struggle against her tears might be lost any moment. “What will my friends say? How am I going to photoshop all my wedding photographs for those fans following my vlogs?” She looks around, smoothing her sweaty hands over her dress. “At least I can do some reports on the standard SiMobile wedding dress, that will help others too. Then at least everyone has an idea what to buy if they want different personal pictures, rather than the standard issue dress.” She relaxes a little, her mind busy with the few options for blogs and vlogs this might bring. “I could use the webcam, although it does break rather easily,” she mumbles, checking the dress in various lights and angles. This cheers her up, and she even manages to accept people’s congratulations without breaking down. Some of her friends seem rather puzzled over her choice of husband, which confirms to Anselma that she’s really trapped. She knows it’s actually not a big deal, but still, for a beauty queen like her surely she should feel it’s important to have a very handsome spouse?

Life soon settles down, and Ralph blossoms. He spends a lot of time cooking, with a grace and flair that surprises Anselma. Her vlogs are attracting more and more followers, in spite of the odd snide comment about some of her pictures… Soon she realises that Ralph hasn’t damaged her career, and she relaxes a little. Until Ralph suggests that they fill the bassinet… He spotted it in the main bedroom, and that evening he suggests it’s their turn. “You know Keziah and Nicholas have just met, and their courtship is going very well. Soon they will be married, and as Nicholas has to move in, coming from another well known family, they might want to start a family sooner rather than later…” He looks at Anselma, his huge mouth grinning, so she quickly looks at his beautiful eyes, suppressing a shudder. She takes a deep breath, clutching her sides, wrapping her arm round herself. Filling the bassinet? What if they find themselves with a houseful of little Ralphs? “We might have a little girl,” he continues, oblivious to her distress, “one as beautiful as her mother,” he laughs, looking pleased and excited. So the bassinet is filled, and a little boy is born, Roald. Anselma leans over the bassinet a lot that day.

“He’s beautiful,” she whispers, gratitude flooding her, cracking her voice. “Let’s hope he stays that way too, but at least he hasn’t got an odd shaped face…or gigantic ears, or…” she stops, feeling bad even whispering these things. She glances over her shoulder, but the room is empty, fortunately. “I’m glad it’s a son, though, and it does warm my heart to see Ralph so ecstatic! Having a new baby gives me a new fashion thread as well,” she smiles at Roald, tugs his bedclothes straight, and hurries back to her computer. Nicholas and Keziah will be here soon, ready for their reception. She can feel the little jealousy dragon flicker its tongue in her heart, seeing those two together… Nicholas is so handsome, probably helped by his Italian background, with a wonderful name, Ferraro…Such an improvement on Snowdon, she sighs. She just hopes that the little baby in the bassinet will do her proud, so that at last she has more options for family pictures!

Nicholas moves in, and as soon as Roald is a toddler, Keziah and Nicholas retreat to the large bedroom, and soon their baby Alonzo is sleeping peacefully in the bassinet. Roald is a sweet looking toddler, and Anselma feels herself relaxing, watching her little boy with anxious eyes. She is relieved though when he doesn’t show much in common with Ralph, even though his father is very fond of the boy. He spends a lot of time with Roald. “He is such a handsome little boy,” he says to Anselma, pride filling his rich voice. “Have you seen the way he walks, so certain of himself! He’s an absolute delight,” and his eyes drift towards the door to the large bedroom. “I wonder when Alonzo will be walking,” he says, an odd smile twisting his fleshy lips, making his ugly face even more out of shape than usual. Anselma swallows the panicky feeling she can feel deep down, as she still remembers her anxiety during the baby stage… They have a sweet, handsome son, should they really risk having another child?

Of course, Ralph prevails, and soon Ramon is born. Anselma cringes a tiny bit when saying her sons’ names, as they sound too modern and not stylish enough by half. “I mean, names are important, I did like Ralph, but that was before…” she explains to a friend over coffee at the café. “You see, I feel names say a lot about a person, their background, that sort of thing. Like Alonzo, Nicholas has an Italian background, so they chose a name to reflect that. They’re hoping for a girl, really, but Alonzo is really sweet.” She looks out of the large window, watching people walking round the park. She sighs, knowing that feeling jealous is definitely unhealthy. Every fashionista knows that your thoughts will have an effect on your face, and bitter, harmful thoughts definitely leave a bitter, ugly trace on your face… Subconsciously she rubs a hand over her face, as if double checking that her face hasn’t been ravaged by her envy. Alonzo is a name she likes a lot, he is very cute, and Keziah and Nicholas make a lovely couple. Her vlog, on the other hand, will never display her husband, and her sons are quite cute and handsome, for now at least, but somehow saying Roald and Ramon makes her vlog sound cheap and common. She sighs, feeling down and lonely. Her friend giggles, breaking through her morose thoughts.

“You look tired, why not go to the party tonight? You know it’s held at the Knight’s house? Their parties are amazing, if only for their four pools! Four! Imagine that, and the rest of the house is beautiful as well. You do realises that they’re a bit hush hush most of the time, although they cover it well? Just don’t ask too many awkward questions, and definitely keep them out of your vlogs, blogs and whatnots!” They both laugh, Anselma feeling a tiny thrill. The Knights! Some of her ancestors were Knights, and the whole mysterious aura around them is delicious in itself! Maybe she will manage to unearth something? She could always blog about it with made up characters? “Just don’t be too late, you know how SiMobile government disrupts most parties nowadays? The worst one is when they won’t allow you to let people know about your party, that’s just awful! The invites just never arrive, all party activities are hidden, and it’s impossible to attend most of the time! Some people have actually moved because of it, setting up in another town altogether!” Anselma had heard about party issues, and how most parties only seemed to last a short time. Somehow she hadn’t really thought about it, as she was relieved when their parties ended! Last time, just before the party was stopped, somebody had pointed at Ralph, and asked her in a whisper where on earth that guy came from… She had blushed, coughed, and escaped…

A party at a beautiful, stylish home is just the remedy, Anselma decides soon after arriving at the Knight’s abode. She smiles at people, a real, genuine smile this time, feeling free without anything to hide. She’s just a beautiful woman, mother of two sweet boys, with a caring husband, who isn’t here to show her up… She tries out the hot tub, giggling, “I haven’t been in one of those before, it’s so relaxing! Maybe I should do it more often, and then do a vlog about it, as it must be good for you,” she sighs with contentment, leaning back in the warm water. Some friend introduces her to Alex Knight, a tall, smiling, polite man. She can’t remember who introduced them, she has just eyes for Alex. “Why didn’t I get married off to a Knight,” she groans, “they are so handsome and tall. I know I have ancestors not too far down the line from the Knight family, but even so…” She feels sad and somehow finds herself spending quite a bit of time with Alex that evening. Alex is a real gentleman, polite and kind. Not once does he hint that she’s making a nuisance of herself, but entertains her with a kind smile. Anselma comes home with lots of happy stories. Ralph smiles and listens, his kind eyes never leaving her glowing face. If he is worried about the frequent mentions of Alex Knight, he doesn’t show it.

The next few days Anselma manages to contact Alex a few times. She has his SimMail address, and they even meet up for a coffee. Meeting Alex in her home would be very awkward, so they have a coffee at the café. Will, the waiter, is there as well, of course, his dark eyes taking in everything and everyone. He has a good memory and actually has the audacity to enquire after the other man she was with, the one with the large ears… “You mean my husband?” she asks, rather shocked. She glares at Will, who smiles, and winks at her! She gasps a little, honestly, who does he think he is! Then she giggles a little, for it’s a while since a man has made her blush. Alex is happy to chat, discussing various friends from SiMobile that they both know through parties. They talk about the awful way the government is clamping down on parties, driving people away from SiMobile, in order to meet more friends. The hour in the café is over before Anselma realises, and she has work waiting for her at home; so has Alex, who had explained that some of the work is a cover more than anything else. “I understand,” she had laughed, “if you tell me more, you’d have to kill me, and that would be unheard of in SiMobile!” They both laughed, then get up to go. Anselma wonders how to ask Alex to meet up again, but just as she thinks she has found a good way to ask, he dashes her hopes.

“It was nice meeting you, Anselma, but let’s leave it at that, shall we?” He smiles at her, still kind and polite, “I did enjoy the coffee, but we Knights make it a point to not get involved with anybody. So, yes, thanks for the nice time, and goodbye.” They shake hands, Anselma smiling, and assuring him that she’s really enjoyed it, making sure she mentions her husband and sons a few times, to show that there never had been any shady intentions on her part…! Once Alex has gone she does a quick walk round the park, then decides to grab a coffee to go before going home to update her blog. Will serves her, a cheeky grin on his face. When he hands her the latte, he leans over and says quietly, “As you come here with others for coffee, how about having one with me?” He waggles his eyebrow at her, a grey eyebrow, as he is definitely an elder. Anselma just manages to swallow the sharp retort, when she realises that he is actually still quite handsome. He is funny and flirty too, and she does feel bad for the older NPC’s, as they don’t often get to retire either. So she agrees, and a date is set.

The date with Will is a swirl, leaving Anselm breathless with laughter. His jokes are sometimes a little off, but she likes the naughty feeling it gives. “Ralph is always so serious, I’m only young once!” she whispers when she washes her hands, looking at her flushed cheeks in the little mirror. Anselma does feel twinges of guilt, but Will’s attentions and clear interest in her flatters her, and makes her forget everything. After all, it’s just a bit of fun, isn’t it? The date at the café leads to another date, and the two of them become quite close. Anselma feels uncomfortable, especially when she’s at home, watching the two boys, seeing Ralph’s steady walk around the kitchen, his grey eyes warm and alight whenever he sees her. “He trusts me completely,” she whispers in dismay, “not once will he think it strange that I go out, nothing in him makes him wonder what I do when he’s not there.” The whole thing is starting to feel wrong, and she wants to explain to Will. That’s not as easy as it seems though.

“What do you mean? You can’t just walk away now, and pretend we never met!” Will’s eyes flash with anger. “I’m an old NPC, you know that, and you are my one chance to have a full bassinet. At least give me that, so I have something to leave behind if I ever get to retire,” he pleads, his dark eyes calculating, unblinking. Anselma sighs, fill a bassinet with Will? No chance! Will pleads and explains, and when she still doesn’t give in, he threatens. “That business you’re always on about? I’m good with computers too. Easy enough to hack the stuff, and let all your followers know what you’ve been up to… that ugly husband of yours too…” he adds, sneering at her, laughing his horrid laugh. Anselma realises that she is trapped. Honesty would be the best policy, but shame keeps her stuck in bad decisions. “Just one baby, that’s all I want, I promise to stay out of your life,” he whispers, dark eyes gleaming like a snake’s, knowing the battle is won. Too late Anselma realises that Will meant the Mortina bassinet… Will just laughs at her tears, and soon the bassinet has another sleeping baby in it.

Ralph looks a little surprised, and assumes the baby is Nicholas and Keziah’s baby, and they assume the little boy belongs to Anselma and Ralph. Anselma finally realises how much she actually loves this large, sweet man, and is heartbroken over her betrayal. She sees now that she has moved past his face and lumbering figure, and learned to love his heart and his kindness. Now she has thrown it all away, just for a bit of fun. How could she? How could any Mortina break the most sacred bond in SiMobile? Granted, there are many loose relationships in SiMobile, but never in the Mortina Line. She cries bitter tears, and that’s how Ralph finds her. “What’s wrong?” he asks, his deep rumbling voice surprised, “I didn’t realise you were so desperate to have another baby too, so once theirs has become a toddler we could fill the bassinet, you know,” he smiles gently, thinking she is jealous. Anselma breaks down, and blurts out the ugly truth in heart wrenching sobs, wailing her regrets and remorse. Ralph is stunned. His beautiful wife has betrayed him? For an old NPC? He sits down, all strength drained from him. “What…what did you call the baby?” he whispers hoarsely in the end.

“Zachariah,” Anselma sobs, “meaning the Lord has remembered.” Silence reigns for a while, only Anselma’s sobs can be heard. “I’m so very, very sorry Ralph, and if you wish to return to your parents, I will totally understand,” she whispers, wondering how she will explain his absence to her family, and to Roald and Ramon… Ralph shakes his head, and goes to her, taking her in his arms.

“No,” he whispers, “no, I won’t go. You see, I know our marriage was very much one sided, and I can’t blame you. I think you’re wrong to judge people based on their looks, but I have my own faults too. I think this little baby is a reminder for you, but also for me. Your attitude to me hurt, you see. It hurt an awful lot, and I have been so incredibly lonely. In it all I trusted the Lord, though, and leaned on Him. I have found that in it all He was enough. This little baby has the right name, for it reminded you of what is important in life; and the name you chose is a reminder from God to me, that He has been with me all this time. Zachariah, yes, Jehovah has remembered me, and vindicated me as well, I think.” Ralph hugs her, kisses her head. Anselma just cries and cries, feeling ashamed of her terrible treatment of this man, this solid man. How she hurt him, and how sad he must have been to see her looking down on him, just because of his looks…

When she has calmed down they go to look at little Zachariah, walking to his bassinet hand in hand, one comforted, one taught, both wiser and kinder. Both remembered, with a sweet little boy as a daily reminder.

Ralph

The kindest eyes, and sweetest smile goes completely unnoticed by Anselma. All she sees is the worst face in SiMobile, a body out of shape, and ears…well…Anselma quickly averts her eyes, her cheeks burning with anger, humiliation and horror! This man in front of her is her Adonis, Ralph Snowdon? Her hero, her muscular man, with the handsomest face in town? The one that she was going to show off to all her friends, watching their eyes turn green with envy? Anselma gasps for breath, and suddenly mumbles a quick excuse, something about choosing bad leftovers, and dashes to the nearest bathroom. Not that bathrooms can’t be invaded, but she just hopes for a few minutes respite. Anselma just needs some quietness, in order to process this disaster. Staring in the mirror, clutching at the cool sink, Anselma tries to get her head round the facts. This young man, this…this man that must have the worst looks in SiMobile, is really and truly Ralph Snowdon? Could there be a mistake, somewhere? There are a lot of people called Snow, because of the Townie family with that name. The same could be true for Snowdon? Maybe he is not the one that she thinks he is? Surely her parents called him a good match? Surely they mentioned his good looks, and how they wanted to make sure she knew that good looks weren’t everything?

Anselma groans, bending over the sink in despair. In her heart she knows that there is no mistake, no doppelganger, no second Ralph Snowdon, with amazing looks and a body to match. She has just met her future intended husband. She starts to shake, and sobs flood over her before she can stop them. “No,” she whimpers, “no, it can’t be true, I can’t be promised to this man! There must be a mistake somewhere, oh…what will I do! I can’t even bear to look at him! Those ears..” Her sobs give way to wails and groans, and Anselma allows her grief to overwhelm her. How can she marry him? How can she even spend time with him? She can’t possibly be seen with him, what will that do to her aspirations and plans? How will she ever get a career in the fashion industry if she is spotted with a husband as ugly as that! She briefly stops when the word ‘ugly’ comes into her head, feeling guilty even thinking the word. Surely nobody should be called ugly? It can’t be right to call anybody by that word to describe them, and Anselma actually glances over her shoulder, suddenly worried that somebody could read her thoughts. She worries that somehow it will get known that she called her future husband ugly. She can feel shame wiggling into her heart, and suddenly she understands her parents words.

They were not urging her to get her priorities right before meeting her stunning husband. They were urging her to get her priorities right, because she would need to see beyond people’s outward appearance, before meeting her…her…”Ugly,” she whispers softly, new tears splashing on her cheeks, “there is just no other word available! He is just so ugly, and I could never look past that! If he had a few problems, you know, sticking out lips, or bright ginger hair, or if he was a bit overweight, of course I could learn to look past that. This is too much to ask though, for everything about him is awful! His face…!” and she bends over the sink again, clutching on for dear life, grief pouring over her in huge torrents. The party noises start to get through to Anselma after a while, and she somehow manages to calm herself down. She blows her nose, dries her eyes, and checks her appearance in the mirror. This brings new tears, as she has a vision of things to come seeing her beautiful face in the mirror. She can just imagine his ugly face with ridiculous grin next to her face… Anselma manages to pull it together though, and with a deep sigh, ending in a groan, she leaves the bathroom, and rejoins the party.

Within seconds Ralph is at her side again, his face contorted in a concerned frown, doing nothing to improve his looks. “I hope you will feel better soon,” he says, surprisingly beautiful eyes looking at her with kindness, “it can take eight hours before the effect has worn off! Could I get you something to drink?” He continues, his face with the huge mouth grinning at her. Anselma cringes every time she looks at him, and finds herself focussing on his eyes. They are totally the wrong shape, of course, and in the wrong position as well, but they sparkle, and are a beautiful stormy grey. It’s the only redeeming feature, she thinks, a seed of bitterness firmly planted in her heart. She manages to nod, and mumble something. Ralph nods enthusiastically, and lumbers off to get her drink. She watching his retreating bulk, and shivers.

“What were you two thinking?” she hisses under her breath, the seed of bitterness cracking open, when she thinks of her parents choosing this man for her groom! “How could you,” she moans under her breath, gulping down salty tears, whilst keeping her bright smile firmly in place. She looks around, and promptly gives up. Where ever she looks there are tall, handsome men, laughing, smiling with well shaped mouths. Their well trimmed bodies complementing their wives and girlfriends, and Anselma can’t bear to see anymore. Ralph returns with their drinks, and smiles his smile at her. Anselma accepts the drink, even somehow finds the strength to smile at him, keeping her eyes firmly fixed on his eyes. “Thank you,” she says, only the slightest tremor in her voice, “I wasn’t really expecting you at this party. I thought I would have to wait till the one at our house, and I was so disappointed!” She stops suddenly, and her hands start to shake, almost spilling her drink over her new Izzy gown. Yes, she had been so disappointed, and so impatient! She had been counting the days, she had been complaining about the delay…but all that was before he had actually met Ralph! Now she wished, oh how she wished that they had never met, that their party would crash before he managed to get in, that the party setting had gone wrong and the party had opened to all and sundry… Anselma can feel her cheeks burning again, and her eyes sting with unshed tears. So many things could go wrong, so many arranged marriages fail because of the Government interference. The one arranged meeting that she would have liked to fail actually took place before schedule. Not only were they at the same party, they met up early on in the party as well. They even established contact.

She clutches at her drink with both hands to stop the glass from slipping from her shaking hands. She tries to sip, hiding her face in the glass tumbler, hoping it will hide her tears and the desperate look on her face. As a fashionista in training she manages to control herself after a while, however. Ralph seems oblivious to her little breakdown, and the first thing she sees when she raises her face from the glass is his idiotic grin, making her shake all over again. “It’s a wonderful party, isn’t is?” His warm voice is rumbly and clear at the same time, his oddly shaped eyes roam the house where the party is held. “I’m so very glad to see you here,” he continues, his eyes looking at her, “I was disappointed too that we would have to wait so long. Here we are, all of a sudden, and it’s such a blessing too! I was just chafing against the wait, so I feel very grateful that the wait is finally over. Till meeting you I mean,” he adds hastily as he sees Anselma’s face turn as pale as chalk. “I really can’t wait to spend more time with you, and as all the arrangements have been made, and the papers can come any day now, I don’t think we ought to hang around! I know from somebody in the office that they will process my Moving Permit as soon as I meet you, so I will let them know straightaway when I get home. I’m so excited and your parents told me that you want to get married as soon as possible as well, which I think is great. It prevents a lot of common problems if people marry sooner rather than later, don’t you think?”

Anselma nods, and somehow manages to squeak out a sound that sounds like an affirmative noise. Marry this man as soon as possible? Really? How dare her parents suggest that to this man! Of course, she had been very keen to marry quickly, and to have a family as soon as was appropriate, but that was when she was still convinced that she was betrothed to the most handsome man in SiMobile… Not to the worst looking one! Anselma feels trapped. She feels that Ralph is kind and thrilled to meet her. Well, she thinks, with an edge to her words, at least he has good taste when it comes to women! “I can’t tell him different now, can I,” she groans in silence. “He might be ugly, and I just dread the thought of marrying him, but I couldn’t ever tell him. He has kind eyes, and it isn’t his fault, really.” She nods and makes agreeing noises whenever he says something, and Anselma manages to retreat into herself far enough to block Ralph out. Then his rumbling voice breaks through her slight trance, and Anselma hits the ground with both feet.

“Shall we leave the party now, and go to the café for our first date? It’s still quite early, and I’m sure you’ll agree it’s best not to waste any time.” She looks at the ugly face, his eyes happy and hopeful, huge mouth wider than ever, and just manages to nod. Then Anselma makes another dash to the bathroom, and throws up in the glittering golden toilet. Her legs are to shaky to support her, and she lowers herself on the tiled floor, sobbing, and groaning. The café! She really and truly has to go with Ralph to the café? She shudders, and wonders how to disguise herself enough to not be recognised. She runs through the list in her head of people she normally encounters at the café, and which ones will cause issues. She groans, thinking of the Simstagram posts going up! Pictures of her and Ralph sitting in the café, dancing, contemplating the beauty of nature…

Anelma decides to make it look like she is doing an interview with somebody. An interview with a random Sim, for her fashion blog… She giggles then, for who would believe that? Doing an interview with the worst looking Sim in town, for her fashion blog with its many glowing reviews! She drags herself back on her feet, and leaves the bathroom, determined to make the date look like a business meeting, in case any of her followers spots her with this man. Ralph is very polite and kind, and if he is surprised by her insistence to just sit at the table and chat he doesn’t show it. He gallantly holds the chair out for her, and orders their teas. They talk about all sorts, and Anselma feels herself relaxing a little. He isn’t pushy anyway, she thinks, and he is actually very kind. I like the way he treats the waiter, although I do think that waiter is a bit forward. Oh well, hopefully that means that this doesn’t look like a date, for surely the waiter wouldn’t be that flirty with a very young woman on her first date? “Thank you Will,” she says to the waiter when he brings their bill at the end, and flashes him a bright smile, hoping to convince him even more that this is definitely not a date, but a business meeting…

Ralph and Anselma leave for home, and she feels herself relaxing a little. Her parents are very pleased to see Ralph, treating his with respect and kindness. Anselma grinds her teeth, bitterness growing inside her. She watches her parents, and when she sees them sharing a smile, she spins round and storms off to her room. “I knew it!” she sobs, hot angry tears appearing instantly, “I just knew it as soon as I saw him! They chose him to punish me. They think I’m too vain, and too concerned with outward appearances, but I’m not! There is nothing wrong with liking beautiful things, is there? There is also nothing wrong with enjoying the company of beautiful looking people. I hate how they promised me to the most ugly lump in SiMobile, just to teach me a lesson! They have ruined my life, and everybody will be laughing at me!” This isn’t actually true, but there would be nothing her parents could have said to Anselma to convince her of that. They liked Ralph, and saw his kindness and godly character straight away. They found him a good listener, somebody with a great interest in others, and a calm and steady man, strong and capable. They realised that his character would be just right for Anselma, and that of all the young men in SiMobile he would be the best suited to her moods and vain personality. Neither of them paid much attention to people’s looks, having learned over time that looks can be deceiving… It hadn’t even occurred to them until Anselma told them…

The courtship is progressing well, and Ralph seems happier than ever. His large round face carried a permanent blush, and his large fleshy lips are puled into a fixed grin. His heavy lumbering steps seem somehow more bouncy, and his warm generous laugh can be heard in every room. Anselma on the contrary looks more and more sulky, struggling to keep an edge out of her voice. It isn’t that she dislikes Ralph, in fact, she has started to find him quite acceptable. In the Mortina House that is. She has learned to enjoy his company, still thinks his eyes are beautiful, and finds herself wanting to hear his laugh. Going out with him is a different matter though. She somehow manages to block out the terrible ears, ugly face and huge bulky frame when she is at home. As soon as they leave the house, she becomes painfully aware of his looks. She just imagines people looking twice in horror, expecting people to raise their phones to take a picture to put on Simstagram, and Anselma finds herself checking all social media anxiously every time they have been out together.

“No! Oh, I can’t believe it,” her voice sounds so desperate and distraught that her mother, Tessa, comes running up to the hobby room, in spite of her stooped shoulders and grey hair. “Look, she has put a picture of me and Ralph up!” Tessa opens her mouth to correct the grammar, but changes her mind when she sees her daughter’s face. Anselma looks like her life has just ended, and Tessa peers at the computer screen. All she can see is a lovely photograph of her daughter and Ralph at the restaurant bench, engrossed in conversation. “Can’t you see?” wails Anselma, when her mother looks at her with a blank expression, “everybody will know that we weren’t together for business! They will know that we are in some sort of relationship! Now the news will come out soon, for they will look into it, and more pictures will probably turn up! That’s it, I’m ruined!” Dropping her head on her arms, Anselma sobs and wailes and speculates about her ruined social life and career.

Tessa is stunned, she had never expected this! She genuinely thought Ralph and Anselma got on well together, and she was pleased that her daughter seemed to be over her obsession with people’s looks! “Sweetheart, what do you mean?” she asks, confusion written all over her face, “I think that is a lovely picture of the two of you! Such a sweet couple!” Her eyes widen when Anselma sits up with a shock, eyes blazing, her wet face red and blotchy, and her mouth pulled in an angry sneer.

“Exactly! We look like a couple, and I have done everything I could to avoid that! I don’t want people to realise that I’m in a relationship with him! How will anybody take my fashion advice or my career seriously if they know that I’m married to the worst looking man in the whole of SiMobile? This picture will ruin me! I will lose my followers, and what sort of fashion shop will promote me, knowing that I don’t even know what a handsome husband should look like?” She glares at her mother, and carries on in a voice filled with bitterness, “How could you do this to me? What sort of parents choose a husband as a punishment for their daughter? How could you do this, when you knew I would be unhappy for the rest of my life?” Fresh tears pour down her cheeks, and Anselma buries her face in her hands, and cries like her heart is broken. Tessa is stunned, and far too shocked and upset to speak. Erik has come in, drawn by the commotion, and it is Erik who answers his daughter.

“We had no idea, Anselma, and we hadn’t even thought about Ralph’s looks. We can assure you that the thought of punishing you didn’t come into it at all. Of course, we realised that he might not reach your ridiculous high standard when it comes to handsome young men, but we think that character is far more important. Somehow we never managed to instil that into you, and as such we have failed as parents. On the other hand, you are an adult, capable of making your own decisions, as well as responsible for your own attitudes and actions. I think it is scandalous the way you think about Ralph, and if you lose friends over him? Well, good riddance I would say! No proper friend would dump you over this, and if they do, it just shows how shallow and conceited they were. I cannot imagine that Ralph will harm your career, that is just the ramblings of a vain young girl, who has a lot of growing up to do! It hurts me to say this, but as your father I’m horrified by your attitude and your weak character. I can only hope and pray that you will change and mature, before you cause more grief. Your words and thoughts are harmful to yourself and others, and only a change of heart can bring healing, I fear!”

He storms off, worried that he may say too much, sadness clouding his eyes. Tessa is in tears, of course, and Anselma sits at her desk, looking sullen and grieved. Guilt makes her insides wobble, as she knows her father is right. Her eyes fall on the picture on the screen again, and she groans. She is still convinced that all her friends will look down on her and laugh at her behind her back. Why did she have to be promised to Ralph… Then she remembers his kind eyes, and his care for her. She knows deep down that her father is right, and she also knows that her attitude stinks. Anselma struggles, as she knows all that, but on the other hand is her glowing career prospects, and her blog with its beauty loving followers… She sighs, and looks at her mum, guilt winning it this time. “I’m sorry, Mum,” she sighs, hugging Tessa, “I will do better, I promise. I don’t know how, but somehow I will get there, and I accept that you didn’t choose him as a punishment. I do actually like his company, it’s just that…”

She looks at the picture, and ‘Beauty and the Beast’ slides through her mind, and she shivers. “It’s just hard for somebody like me, you know, somebody who makes a living out of fashion, it’s hard to…to…” mmmm, how is she going to put this, without getting in trouble again? “It will be fine, Mum, I’m sure it will be fine. Don’t cry over us, for I’ll manage…” She cringes inside, as somehow she doesn’t think that was the thing to say. It doesn’t sound like she has changed really, and she knows for a fact that she hasn’t. She also knows that she will have to find a way to deal with it, as she refuses to give up on her career and her dreams. On the other hand, she knows that she has fully accepted her pending marriage to Ralph. Somehow she will have to merge the two. She smiles at her mum, the effort making her jaws ache. It is one of the important skills in the fashion industry though, to smile at all times, and Anselma is a great fashionista, and Tessa soon smiles back at her daughter. Anselma sighs with relief as the drama seems to have passed. Now for some damage control, she thinks, turning back to the computer.

Moving Around

Solveig comes into the house, her usual red cheeks brighter than ever. “The Gems are here! Oh, I can’t believe it! They were in time as usual, which is great. With the complex arrangements for the Active Papers to be handed out in order, I’m not sure what we would have done if the Gem had been late!” SiMobile Government isn’t known for its punctuality, but this time the Gems arrived in time. Solveig and Anselma do a rather wild dance, Anselma’s long dark hair neatly braided. Her large eyes sparkle, for now things will start rolling! She feels ready to burst with excitement, and finds it a little hard to look at Solveig and Bjorn. Both of them are filling in their Promotion Papers, and Solveig keeps a very close eye on the mailbox, hoping that the party invite will come soon…

Zahra and Michael fill in their retirement papers, Zahra looking a little anxious. When Tessa asks her, she admits that her main worry is that this short Active time in SiMobile hadn’t been enough. “I just don’t know,” she had said, a sad undertone to her voice, “I feel that my time had just been so short. When I look back, what have I actually accomplished? Of course, hobbies had been completed, job promotions had been received. Somehow that feels so empty though, and I feel so many regrets… There are so many Sims aimlessly walking along the streets, and some of them so young! They look like Active Sims, but they seem so lonely and clueless. I should have spent a lot more time with others, I realise that now. Michael said that when we’re retire we’ll still be able to talk to people. I hope so, as I feel I want to spend my last days amongst people, befriending them, helping them, giving advise like about careers or hobbies, mentoring people in the family…” She had looked dreamy then, and a little sad. Tessa’s eyes had looked like large pools on a cloudy day, filled to overflowing, and her lips had trembled in sympathy. Tessa and Erik were staying Active a bit longer, but she was dreading the day already! What if she really needed something? She couldn’t actively ask somebody…

Bjorn and Solveig were elated when their papers arrived. Both got Llama Flu, but just the Weebles Strain, and they had laughed it off soon enough. Solveig was the one that spotted the invite of course! The day of the party arrived, and both went off in high spirits. Anselma felt a bit lost that day, and she actually hinted at the unfairness of life to Keziah. Keziah just smiled at her and with her sweet voice said, “Oh, our time will come soon enough! Don’t worry, we’re not going anywhere, and it’s actually quite relaxed to just hang around the house, getting to know people… Once we’re Active, we’ll be working and doing stuff all the time… The thing that worries me the most is having to work when the baby is still small, you know, it just feels a bit sad…” Anselma had smiled back, and agreed with Keziah of course, but inside she had thought Keziah was soft like Tessa…

“She should have had my mum, really,” she had grunted later, “I like Aunt Zahra, she is so pretty, and no nonsense, apart from the stuff lately about making a difference in SiMobile… She’s great fun though! Now, let’s find an empty bathroom, I just want to redo that one braid.” Anselma is often found in the bathrooms, chatting, or checking herself in the mirror, wondering if she will have to wait long for her Promotion opportunity. “The best thing about it is the fact that I can actually choose my own outfit,” she sighs, stroking her top smooth, checking its colour, and wondering which colour would suit her dark hair, grey eyes and slight tan the best. She would love some of those cropped tops, but she knows that there isn’t much chance of getting the family approval…

Soon Bjorn and Solveig return from the party. Bjorn is grinning, a special gleam in his eyes, and the name ‘Nadia’ is often mentioned. Solveig smiled, and says that Damian looks sweet, and then the days begin to fly by. Bjorn is gone for hours on end, hardly spending any time with the family. Anselma makes sure to hang around when he comes home, just in case he has met Ralph. She is desperate to know what he’s like, and she hangs on Bjorn and Solveig’s every word. Soon Bjorn and his sweet Nadia are married, sending pictures home of their sweet wedding. Anselma sighs as Bjorn leaves, partly with relief that she is one step closer to her own Active Papers to arrive, partly because the wait seems forever. Keziah’s eyes sparkle as she fills in her papers. She is still hoping to meet Nicholas somehow. Bjorn leaves in a whirlwind of emotions, leaving Tessa in tears, Erik grinning proudly, Solveig bursting with excitement as Erik will be calling her over a lot now, and Keziah will a sweet smile now her own papers have arrived.

It’s Solveig’s turn to be gone a lot now, and again Anselma hangs around every evening when Solveig returns. She feels the jealousy growing, as Solveig is full of wonderful stories of the stuff she and Bjorn discussed. Anselma loves her younger brother, and misses him, and to hear Solveig’s accounts…well, it grates on her! How she wished it was her turn instead, as she feels it should have been anyway, being older than Solveig and all that. She does value the Dynasty of course, and she does realise it’s an honour to be chosen to carry on the Dynasty It’s just…it’s losing her brother, and missing his fun and cheerful voice! It’s hearing and seeing Solveig get closer to him every day… Solveig hasn’t mentioned Damian very much, or given a very good description yet. She is obviously concentrating on her friendship with Bjorn, for that needs to be at the right level for her to apply for the Moving Permit. The fact that she is Bjorn’s sister doesn’t make any difference to the application. All the SiMobile Government wants to see is that you have one of the highest levels of relationship possible with somebody before allowing you to move in.

When the day finally arrives, and Solveig comes home, they all celebrate, apart from maybe Tessa. She is relieved to see two of her children married or getting married to other Sims, and therefore setting up new homes, building new families. The idea that she won’t see them again, or at least hardly ever see them again, makes her very sad. Anselma feels like rolling her eyes; honestly, she really doesn’t get her mum sometimes… Here she is, with four children, two married to other Sims, and one taking over the Dynasty, and she still weeps and wails! She watches Solveig fill out the papers, and actually feels sadness deep inside as well. Solveig was her little baby sister, and she had watched her take her first staggering steps after the blue cake had appeared. Now she’s off and they will both be busy soon. Until Anselma is allowed her Active papers she won’t even be able to call Solveig! She sighs, and wishes again for the Government to allow more people to be active. At least let us have different outfits, so even if it’s Mum choosing an outfit, I will have some input at least. She pulls a face, thinking about some of her parents’ friends whose kids grew up into dreadful looking adults. Potbellies, camo shorts, plain t-shirts… Anselma shudders, fancy some of those styles, she’s be mortified if hat had happened to her! She would definitely have protested strongly at the Family Meeting in that case, as she would just refuse to walk around in that sort of getup for longer than necessary…!

Anselma’s papers arrive, and she’s off! New outfits are tried, makeup styles are tested, jewellery comes out… Anselma loves it, and finds it hard to be with Keziah! The sad news had come that Nicholas and his sister would definitely not receive their Active papers till almost the new Gems arrive! Keziah was heartbroken, and nothing would console her. Of course, she refused all offers of new traits, as the worst thing would be to look like an old spinster, she had said. Anselma had rolled her eyes, as the traits only become an issue once you accept the last one, but Keziah had been adamant… So she is not interested in Anselma’s new outfit and keeps her own style simple. Anselma sighs, and for the umpteenth time thinks that really, Tessa should have been Keziah’s mum! Anselma is a bit hurt though, for she feels that Keziah could make the effort! After all, it’s just a short wait, and the date for the party has been set. Nathalie, Nicholas’ sister will be throwing the party. Keziah seems to cheer up a little whenever the party is mentioned, but apart from that she’s very upset. She has been Active for a while now, and the waiting has become unbearable, which Anselma thinks is a little melodramatic.. “Nothing really changes,” she explains, “you still need to work and have a hobby, the relationship is done in between all that.” Keziah promptly bursts into tears, and leaves the room, complaining bitterly about Anselma’s lack of understanding.

Anselma heard that she would have to wait as well. The family isn’t quite sure how the arrangement with Ralph will play out. Her parents have met him, and said he was a wonderful young man; kind and helpful, polite and sweet, they said. They wouldn’t describe him though, and Tessa pointed out that Anselma was far too obsessed with the outside, and people’s looks. “Looks isn’t everything, it’s the heart that’s important. It is time that you grow up, Anselma, and realise that the most beautiful looking people can have the blackest hearts. The other way round is true as well, that the most common looking people, and the plainest looking people can have hearts of gold. This is a time for you to grow, and to learn to focus on what is really important in relationships, before you get to meet Ralph.”

From that vehement statement Anselma came to the conclusion that Ralph was very good looking, and that as far as her parents were concerned that was the only problem about him. They thought she, Anselma, was vain and shallow, and they feared that an incredibly handsome husband would feed into those ideas and ideals. She grins to herself that evening, looking into the starshaped mirror in the golden bathroom. “Oh hi, Mr Handsome, you must be Ralph… I know a great man when I see one…” Mmmm, as pick up line it would be way too cheesy, but the dream was sweet enough, she smiles, eyes in her mind feasting on the well build, handsome young man, with smoky, smouldering eyes, “Whatever that looks like, it just sounds so poetical… I can just see his muscular arms, his strong chin, and his slow grin, as he drawls back his answer, complimenting me, seizing me up, and…” Anselma has to hug herself, and wishes almost as strongly as Keziah that the party was here. She even starts to feel a tiny twinge of sympathy for her cousin, for this waiting game is really awful.

Life is exciting though, and Anselma fills her days with the Internet Hobby. She absolutely loves it, and whenever she is at a party she asks people for their contact details. In between some more important internet stuff she messages them, and chats with them. Some of the young men are truly very handsome, and Anselma longs for their own party, where she will be standing next to her husband, pointing him out to her friends, watching their envious looks when she stands that little bit closer to him…

Anselma loves parties, especially the big ones, with all the family friends; so when the day comes when there are no large parties she goes to somebody she has never met before, and her parents are very vague about it. Her father remembered adding the party goers to his list; they were friends of friends he remembers, but that is all he knows. Anselma is the one to go, and soon after her arrival has been announced she hears a calm, steady, smiling kind of voice saying her name, double checking that her name is really Anselma Mortina? She turns round, blushing, the blush turning into a painful scarlet as the young man before her introduces himself as Ralph Snowdon.

Arrangements

“Well, I can’t see why not? After all, you have your traits, you have your retirement letter, your children have all grown up, so why ever not?” Erik doesn’t sound angry, or even annoyed, but Tessa can tell that he is fast heading that way. She sits next to him, her large grey eyes looking anxiously from face to face. She hates confrontation, hates heated debates, and she never imagined that this meeting, this family meeting is turning into exactly that. Erik had casually announced the day before that there was going to be a Family Meeting, and Tessa had actually felt excited! A Family Meeting, how civilised and organised! “Trust the Mortina Family to do things properly,” she had grinned.

Erik smiled back at her and said, “It’s important to get this right. We need to reserve the Dynasty, and it’s important that the right person is chosen to take over the running of the family home. We have four children, so some of our children can be married off, but that will need to happen before the Family heir is married, as there are only so many adults allowed in charge. This generation somehow seems more complex than other generations, so hopefully it will all work out.”

Nothing had warned Tessa for this debate though, and she can feel her shoulders getting tighter by the minute! Zahra is looking daggers, her beautiful face slightly red, “The thing is, I have only got two daughters, and one marriage has been arranged. Bethany has made other arrangements, so Keziah is the only one from our line to carry on the Dynasty. Surely you’re not suggesting that our Line should die, just because we only have two daughters? The fact that you have four children does not give you more rights to the Dynasty, you know!” She leans back in her seat, lips clenched, eyes angry, refusing to look at Tessa, for Zahra knows that Tessa’s eyes will probably look like pools after a rainstorm, filled to the brim! That really would make her lose it!

Erik sighs, he feels so caught. To turn his children out onto the streets of SiMobile without any provision made for them hurts his heart, and he knows that Tessa would be crushed! He look at Michael and Zahra, notices her flushed face and feels grateful for Michael’s calm smile. “I’m not suggesting that your Line should die,” he says calmly, and looking at Michael with a sudden grin he continues, “Michael is a Knight, you know how special arranged marriages are with friends, so no way would we let your Line die. All I am saying is that as we have four children, I would like a chance for at least some of them to marry out before settling the Dynasty. It…” Erik suddenly feels very hot, and clammy, and he has to stop for a moment. “It would be awkward for example if Bjorn took over the Dynasty. You know he was named after my Dad’s cousin, so we feel that is special. Too special to just push him out of the family home, and have him roaming the streets.” That was probably not the wisest thing to say, for he hears Tessa gasp, and her small hand clasps his much larger one.

“The streets? You mean…you mean that our children who do not carry on the Dynasty will be made to roam the streets?” Tessa’s voice is shaking, and so are her hands. Tears hang of her eyelashes, making them seem longer, magnifying her eyes. “Is it really not possible to have more adults active in the home? I mean, do spouses necessarily need to be active?” Her voice is starting to reflect her desperation, and Erik hugs her. Tessa sobs suddenly, “What about my precious children? What about my little Solveig, she is still so young, and…and to see her wandering around the park…Is there nothing that can be done?” Her voices rises on a wail, and she cries, her heart breaking for her children. Her sweet Kari, her eldest, so strong and capable. Her Anselma, strong willed, impulsive, needing so much guidance, if she lives on the streets, what will ever become of her? Bjorn, her one son, strong and manly, looking just like his dad. Little Solveig, smiling and happy, but not for long if she has to sleep on the streets! Tessa weeps, and the others wait, uncomfortable, embarrassed and wishing this meeting was over!

Erik explains to Tessa as well as Michael, as he is from outside the family as well. “The Dynasty has had people who married Townies, who moved into the house upon marriage, but never had the Active status granted. This made many things very complex. They couldn’t change their names for example, or what they were wearing. They couldn’t contribute to the family either. So quite a few generations ago it was decided that really the spouses of the Dynasty ought to move into an Active position.”

Once Tessa has finally calmed down, they all look at the family list again. Michael speaks up this time, very unusual for him. He is normally happy to watch proceedings, and will only step in when necessary. His calm voice breaks through the fog in Tessa’s brain, and calms the stormy thoughts in Zahra’s mind. “Actually, I’m sure it can be done. Maybe not for all four of your children, but certainly for some.” He smiles at Tessa, and his strength stops her from breaking down all over again, and she even manages to lift the corners of her mouth in reply. “The thing is, Keziah has been promised in marriage to the son of one of our friends. Seraphina and Noel got married very late, as you all know, and they had a son, Nicholas.” They all nod, yes, they even went to Seraphina’s wedding, glad that she had found true love after all! “Well, her son hasn’t grown up yet, and Seraphina and Noel want to delay their retirement a bit. They still have jobs with pending promotions, so therefore Keziah could delay her promotion as well.” He smiles at Keziah, who smiles back, but both Tessa and Erik can tell that she isn’t happy about it!

She is a very pretty girl, with a sweet face and dark hair. It is clear that Keziah has many plans, and the fact that she will have to wait till Nicholas’ parents retire doesn’t make her happy! “Child, you have plenty of time,” grins Michael at his youngest daughter, “there is lots of time to get all your traits, to have a family, to make friends and go to parties. We need to make sure that nobody in the family loses out though, and there is no reason why you should apply for promotion, only to wait for Nicholas till he has got his!” This makes sense of course. Life in SiMobile is short, and you don’t want to waste it hanging around for somebody to get promoted! Keziah sighs, she can’t wait, and she just hopes that Nicholas will get his papers soon. She isn’t sure how long she can hang on, doing nothing, just counting the days…

Michael looks at the papers again, and then looks directly at Erik. “Which of your children have other arrangements already?” he asks, his finger resting next to the four names. Erik looks at Tessa, then at his four children.

Kari speaks up straightaway, flicking her long hair in dreads over her shoulder. “I have, Uncle Michael,” she says, with her kind smile. “I have plans to go as soon as things are sorted out. I’m quite excited actually!” She laughs, and looks at Keziah’s dreamy face, and only just about manages to swallow down her words. She would like to tell Keziah to grow up, and to learn to be patient; to accept that life will be very short, and that it’s sometimes better to relax, and just walk round the house without pressing duties!

Bjorn speaks up as well, sending a shock through Tessa, Erik can feel it through her hand in his large hand. Bjorn smiles at his mum, to encourage her, and says proudly, “Well, I know about a girl that I like. Her name is Nadia, she lives in the home where my mum comes from. She seems very kind and sweet from what I have heard, so I would love to meet her and marry her. One of her relatives will be throwing a party any day now, so I’m planning on going along.” Tessa gasps, and Bjorn laughs, “You will like her, Mum, she is lovely. She has beautiful brown eyes…” He dreams off a little, his own eyes shining, and suddenly he turns round to his father. “Dad, Nadia has a brother, a nice looking guy, called Damian. He would like to marry as well, but he doesn’t want to leave their home. As you know, the house is fairly new, so it needs some good families to live and work there. He is very young, much younger than Nadia. How about Solveig?”

Solveig shrieks, and jumps up. “Me? Oh, Mum, surely you can’t make me marry yet? There are other guys, surely, surely?” Erik laughs, and strokes Solveig’s arm. She looks very pretty, with short, curly blond hair and brown eyes, her face red and hot at the moment.

“Sit down, Solveig, it won’t happen today! Listen, finding a good husband is not easy, and I think this idea sounds very good. We know the family, and it is important to become closer with our friends. This young man sounds fine, and it seems your brother has met him already.” Solveig pulls a face, but the others can see that she is no longer opposed against the idea. In fact, they can see her thinking about it, and he face relaxes each minute.

Michael clears his throat, taps the paper with his finger, and his calm voice states the facts, “So Kari has her own arrangements, Bjorn is betrothed to Nadia, and it sounds like Solveig will soon be promised in marriage to Damian.” He smiles, polishes his glasses, and looks over at Anselma. “That leaves just you, Anselma,” he says, and somehow manages to keep his kind smile in place when he sees her face. Anselma rolls her eyes, smooths out her hair, and shrugs her shoulders in as graceful a way as possible.

Her lips pout even more than usual, and she sounds a little bored, “I suppose so. I’m not that familiar with the whole Dynasty thing, but I do know it’s a big issue. I do think it’s important to raise awareness, you know, get our family on the map so to speak. Not that many people have heard of the Mortina family, I have to keep explaining to my friends.” She sounds aggrieved, making it sound as if she blames the rest of the family for this lack of knowledge. “I know SiMobile is only small, you know, just one club, one small fashion studio, that sort of thing. I do believe it’s important to work together as a community though, and to get the SiMobile Government to be more proactive in raising a standard. I mean, when you see some people walking round, covered in flies… It really needs sorting out.”

Michael looks down at the paper, suppressing a groan, or a sigh, he isn’t even sure which one. Honestly, he thinks, the girl needs taking down a few pegs… When Michael looks up he sees Erik watching him. Erik looks a bit flushed, and he pulls an embarrassed grimace. When he turns to Anselma, Erik manages to keep his voice even though, and says kindly, “I’m sure we can find you a suitable husband, sweetie. Of course, he needs to be from a suitable background, and he needs to be prepared to live here and take our name.” Anselma nods, her face sullen.

“I’m sure I could sort it out once I was promoted,” she says, her voice cool, “I could look it up using the internet. I don’t know why not more people use it to find spouses. Anyway, I understand, and I accept the fact that he has to have a good background.” She looks sideways at her uncle. He might be from a good family, and a kind and smart guy, but she prefers somebody even more handsome than her uncle. No glasses, for starters, bad genetics, she pouts to herself. She catches Erik’s look, and hastily explains, “I was just thinking about the sort of husband I would need. I agree that his background is very important, not for wealth reasons, “ she adds quickly, seeing her mum’s shocked look. “I’m not like that, people are far more important than stuff. I meant in looks and hair colour. It’s just that genetics are important, so the right man is needed to secure the line. I mean, Llama Flu is very prevalent nowadays, although it tends to be the Weebles Strain. Even so, it’s just something to remember,” she ends, coolly, and dreamily tugs at her curly hair, wondering what hairstyle to choose. Not too short, she decides, I want it long, maybe long dreads, like Kari. It will make my eyes stand out more.

Erik looks at Bjorn, who is already getting up out of his seat, his phone in his hand. “I’ll give Nads a calls,” he grins, making Anselma roll her eyes. “Nads! They haven’t even met properly yet, how cheesy… well, I hope she’s good looking and pretty and all that. Bjorn deserves it, so she better be worth his time and effort!” Soon a broadly smiling Bjorn is back in the room. “I presume your ‘Nads’ thought of somebody?” Anselma asks, intonation leaning heavy on her brother’s future wife’s nickname, as if trying to put pressure on the poor girl from a distance already. Bjorn is looking very pleased with himself, looking at Anselma with an enigmatic smile.

“Yes,” he smiles at Erik, “Nadia knows a chap called Ralph. He is a lawyer, and a very nice man. She says he is one of the kindest guys she has ever met. He is very generous, patient and great fun to be with, apparently.” She says that after their family throws the party for me and Solveig to meet, they will arrange the next one soon after, so Anselma can meet Ralph.” Erik nods, smiling and looking relieved at the arrangement.

Michael takes over again, and tapping the sheet once more, says, “So, that means that Bjorn and Solveig will need to be active first. Once they have their Active Papers, they can go to Nadia’s house to meet her and her brother. They will also make connections and links to make sure that Anselma can meet Ralph. That could be done as soon as one of them marries and moves out though.” Michael smiles at Zahra, who is looking tired and very bored! “Well, dearest, how about we go and accept our papers? We can then spend more time at home, meeting friends, helping out with stuff. In that way, Bjorn and Solveig can apply, and we’ll set the ball rolling for the next generation!”

The rest of the family agrees, apart from Keziah, who looks very sad and disappointed. She had so hoped to meet Nicholas, and it seems they have forgotten her! This is not the case of course, and she is relieved to see her name appearing on the list drawn up carefully by her dad. “You could be promoted as well, as soon as Solveig and Bjorn are both gone, I suppose?” he winks, “seeing that you are so keen on starting adult life!” She is, and you never know, there is always a chance of bumping into betrothed spouses at other parties… Anselma doesn’t look too happy either, feeling that really, she actually has a plan to improve living standards for everyone in SiMobile, and why should she wait anyway? Solveig is younger, so is Bjorn, so surely she should be given priority? She is wise enough not to express these thoughts, although she has the uneasy sensation that her uncle, Michael Knight Mortina, somehow knows what she is thinking… very awkward!

Tessa and Erik

“Mum, do I really need to be there at the reception?” Tessa’s large grey eyes are already filled with tears, and she can feel her lips trembling. “I haven’t been to work yet, and nobody in this family has completed the fashionista career yet. At this rate I will have all my traits before I finish the career. I had to do the exercise Bootcamp as Brandon and Camilla didn’t want to leave the baby with Brooklyn, so can’t I go to the studio now?” Tessa feels desperate, not so much about her career, although she does love fashion. She is desperate to escape Brandon and Camilla’s wedding reception. “Why are they having a reception now? With Brooklyn’s toddler running round, and their own baby in the bassinet? They really have no shame, have they?” she says a bit more vehemently to her mum. “Mum, I don’t want to be here, I don’t want to meet Brandon’s friends, and I don’t want to lie…what if somebody asks me if they really have two children, what can I say? ‘Just one, the older one is from Brandon’s concubine…’, Mum, please say I can go to work!”

Her mum is adamant though, “It’s your own brother, of course you need to be there! We’re expecting just a few guests, which means that it will be difficult enough to get the party up to the high standard that the SiMobile Government demands from parties. We need the Gems, and the blue tickets. Brandon has already used up four tickets to have his two children, we will need more. You are part of this household, so you need to contribute. Besides, your career is not that important, as you will be married off soon enough. Brandon says he will look for a good husband for you. Careers don’t transfer, so no need to get too high up. Maybe Camilla can work in the studio once you have left…” Tessa has gone very pale, her freckles standing our like little dark mud splats. That is the main reason that she does not want to be at the reception! The fact that Brandon is looking for a husband for her!

She rushes back to her room, tears streaming down her face, sobbing, gasping for breath. There is no escaping the party though, and Tessa dresses as conservative as she dares for Brandon’s party. Brandon and Camilla are waiting for the approval of the SiMobile Government to start the party. Papers have to be checked, and Brandon and Camilla have a quarrel about the question that lets you choose between ‘Anyone in SiMobile’ or ‘Friends only’. Brandon wants everyone to turn up, you never know if somebody good looking will be there… Camilla insists on Friends Only, as she really hopes somebody from her family might turn up. However much she wanted to escape their lifestyle and what she sees as narrowmindedness, strangely enough she does miss them. Misses their hearty laughter; misses her mum’s rather wild ideas; misses her strong Viking uncle and his lovely wife; misses her many siblings and little Viking cousins… She secretly admits to herself that she is just a little homesick…

Finally the approval is granted, and Brandon dashes out to get all the party things: the board next to the post box, the table with the cake, the book for guests to sign…he comes rushing back, and it’s a real scrum to get the house decorated before the first guests arrive. Tessa helps with the decorating, as she loves it. She is very good; her grey eyes taking in the décor, studying it, looking for ways to improve it… Once she is satisfied she finds a very quiet corner, and from there waits to see what will happen. “I wish I could make myself invisible,” she sighs, “and just hide in this corner till all the guests have gone… What will I do if Brandon brings one of his horrid friends to me, to introduce us? What if one of these louts makes a flirtatious introduction? What if they want me to come to the little café? How can I refuse? The SiMobile Government only lets you refuse the risky advances, but not the small standard ones… I have no way out…!” Panic is climbing up her, twisting round her, choking her like bindweed, and it seems just as impossible to eradicate… Tessa can feel herself sinking deeper and deeper into a panic attack, when suddenly Camilla appears.

She could tell from her side of the room that Tessa wasn’t doing very well. She isn’t surprised, as she has met quite a few of Brandon’s friends herself. There is Brooklyn as well, of course. No, Brandon hasn’t got the best reputation, and now that she has come to know Tessa a little she can just imagine the young girl’s fear! Quickly she sidles up to Tessa, and says softly, “Don’t panic, Tessa, I’m quite sure some people from my family will come. I will make sure that you get introduced, and then we can ask them to take care of matters! Brandon is so busy with Brooklyn and me, and our children, that he’ll be more than happy to delegate… Just trust me, I won’t let you down,” and she smiles at the terrified girl. Tessa just nods, fighting her panic, willing it to stay under control…

Whenever she looks round the room she can feel it wriggling at the base of her throat though, trying to get her to scream and run… Some of Brandon’s loud friends are already here, but at the moment Brandon is kept entertained by Brooklyn… Brooklyn’s huge blue cat eyes have taken it all in, and she overheard some of what Camilla said to Tessa, and thoroughly approves of the plan. She has no regard for Brandon at all; all she wanted was to be made active, and to leave her job behind. Brandon was her ticket out, and all she needs now is for Tessa to leave, so Brooklyn can take her place. So she decides to lend a helping hand by distracting Brandon, so he won’t have time to drag Tessa over to one of his friends, or to even point her out to his friends.

Tessa stands in her sheltered corner, feeling her bare knees shaking, rubbing her freezing, clammy hands dry on her little skirt, when she hears her name mentioned. Her heart stops, then starts its rhythm again, but at twice the normal speed. She glances up, and gasps in horror! Camilla is talking to this huge, blond guy, and is pointing where Tessa is trying to blend in with the paintwork! “No,” she breathes, “no, please, Camilla, no… Lord, please, not me, don’t let him come to me…” Her voice trails off into a little whimper, as the big blond man lets out a loud, hearty laugh, hugs Camilla, then turns round, and strides up to her with purposeful strides. Tessa can’t breathe, and she can feel her body starting to shake. She can hear his footsteps stopping just in front of her, but she daren’t look up.

Then, a warm, deep, manly voice says, “My cousin Camilla tells me your name is Tessa. That has such a sweet ring to it; I think it suits you. Please allow me to compliment your hairstyle as well, my cousins will be very jealous. You see, my family is saving up for one of the expensive hairstyles, so they won’t be able to afford that cut. I think it’s beautiful, and makes you look like a pixie.” He laughs, a warm, caring laugh, rumbling like thunder in the distance. Tessa looks up then, and meets the kindest eyes imaginable, with cute blue eyebrows above them! She can’t help it, she has to smile, and her little face lights up. So do the young man’s eyes, she notices.

She blushes a little, and says softly, “I love your blue eyebrows… And that was the kindest flirtatious introduction ever heard in SiMobile, I’m sure!” They both laugh then, Tessa’s light, tinkling laugh, its silver bell effect matching her grey eyes. The blond young man’s laugh is loud and hearty. He stands at a respectful distance, not crowding her at all. He doesn’t look her up and down with leering eyes, like Brandon’s friends do. He doesn’t try to impress her; he just stands there, smiling, patient and with an inner calmness that calms Tessa as well. She can feel her heartrate settling down, and realises that there is no sign of panic now at all. Just a curiosity about this giant! “I’m sorry,” she says, going red, “I didn’t get your name… You say that you’re Camilla’s cousin?” She looks over at Camilla who is chatting to another guest, and looks back at the blond man with the blue eyebrows. “I can’t spot anything blue on Camilla…?” She makes it sound like a question, as the blue eyebrows somehow really intrigue her!

The giant laughs, and says with his deep voice, “Sorry for the oversight; my name is Erik, son of Magnus, the Viking. As for my blue eyebrows, well that is quite a story. May I buy you a coffee at the little café and I can tell you the story if you’re interested? It’s…ah…rather noisy here?” His voice goes up at the end of his sentence, making it sound like a question. He looks round at the other guests, and looks at the little toddler, Deborah, with her cat like eyes and dark hair. A look of great sadness glides over his face for a moment, but when he looks back at Tessa the look has gone, and only kindness can be seen on his smiling, handsome face.

Tessa feels ashamed of her messy family, and greatly relieved that Erik has offered her a way out of the party… “Yes please, I’d love a coffee,” she says, blushing at her eagerness. I won’t need that Izzy Creation effect with the fire at this rate, she thinks, my face will self ignite any minute now if I keep blushing like this! Erik looks relieved too, and he guides Tessa out of the house, somehow, without touching her. People make way for him, only glancing at the slim girl next to him. One of Brandon’s friends, one that Tessa really can’t stand, tries to look at Tessa too long. Erik moves so he is blocking the guy’s view, as well as glaring at the man. The man goes bright red and hurries off into the hobby room.

When they pass close by Camilla, Erik says softly, “I’m taking Tessa for a coffee at the little café. We will see you later. You better let Brandon know, so he doesn’t get any ideas in his mind with regards to his cronies!” He looks quite stern, his green eyes looking right into her heart it seems, and Camilla can feel the heat creeping into her cheeks. She can only imagine what her burly cousin must be thinking… She looks over at Brandon, sees his burning eyes fastened on Tessa, his hand resting on the arm of one of his obnoxious friends. It is clear that he was just about to point out Tessa to the guy. Now he is too late, and Brandon is too much of a coward to even dream of confronting Erik, or to try and argue with him. Tessa is safe, and Brandon’s evil plan has come to nought. She knew he would find a nasty piece of work for Tessa, as he can’t stand his sister’s faith, and always tries to hurt her emotionally or cause her distress. This time he is too late, and when Camilla looks at Brooklyn she can see the bright blue cat eyes sparkling with malicious pleasure. The two women look at each other, and their glee is a precious shared moment.

Camilla almost does the fist pump used for pulling off a risky action, for Brandon’s friend has just missed out. Her plan worked, and her handsome cousin has obviously taken a liking to the petit girl. “Good for him,” she grins, “good for him, I’m really pleased. Tessa is a sweet girl, way too emotional for my liking, but in the Mortina household she’ll be fine. They will look after her, and show her the kindness she deserves. As she doesn’t mind looking modest, and staying faithful and all that, she will feel right at home! I hope the first date goes alright, and I just hope, or maybe even pray, that they will continue in a relationship. I like Erik, he’s lovely, just like Uncle Magnus. I think its nice that he dyes his eyebrows blue, as a sign of belonging to his father. He really is a great guy, and it’s a shame he is my first cousin, hahaha, otherwise Tessa might have had some competition!”

She is shocked out of her pleasant daydream by a harsh voice in her ear, “You look like the cat who got the canary. I take it you planned this? Arranged a marriage for my sister without bothering to tell your husband, who happens to be the girl’s only brother?” She looks round, and can see the fury in his dark eyes, but Camilla doesn’t care anymore.

She looks as haughtily as she can and over her shoulder, whilst walking over to one of the nicer guys, she says, “I didn’t arrange anything. In fact, you know that I wasn’t sure anyone from my family would attend. As the guy is my cousin, I think Tessa has made a perfect choice; as Tessa is a sweet, kind girl, I think my cousin has made a perfect choice too!” She briefly makes eye contact with Brooklyn again, who looks more like a cat than ever, and Camilla is sure she can actually hear her purring happily to herself…

Erik and Tessa have a lovely time at the café, and by the time the choice for relationships crops up, Erik doesn’t hesitate to apply for ‘Soulmate’. He adores Tessa, he loves her lithe frame, and those grey eyes…well, they’re large enough for any man to drown in! As they are walking over to the Mortina home to start their courtship, Erik realises with a shock that he has fallen for the girl hook, line and sinker! He tries not to worry about that fact, but he keeps seeing his cousin, bare midriff and all; his cousin’s husband with his piercing eyes; he remembers the disgusting guys at the party…and for a split second he wonders if Tessa fits in the same picture… Immediately those nasty images are replaced with his first sighting of Tessa. The tiny girl, more modestly dressed than anyone else in the house, standing in the corner. He actually could see her knees knocking together, and when they shook hands he felt the icy cold fingers; could feel the trembling of her hands and his heart had melted for this young girl, who was obviously not having a great time… No, he decides, she is nothing like anybody in that family. Let’s hope she’ll get on with cousin Zahra…

She does, and Erik is relieved. He likes Zahra, and values her opinions. She has recently married one of the Knights, Michael, who has just moved in. The wedding was very special, as it’s not the first time that a Mortina married a Knight. Zahra had glowed with happiness, and kept saying, “He is so wonderful! I just feel so honoured, I mean, think of all the things Michael has to give up… There is also the risk of…” and she had stopped, a worried frown appearing. The others knew what she meant though. The last time a Mortina had married a Knight, it turned out that he was suffering from Llama Flu. Not the Weebles strain, which was very easily cured. No, this Knight, Richard Knight, had been struck down, literally, by the Pink Blob strain, and his life had hung in the balance for several days. He was cured, eventually, but the stress had been terrible on all the family. His cousin Victoria had been in the house at the same time, as they had had a double wedding. Erik can’t imagine what it must have been like… After Michael and Zahra are married, and Michael moves in, Erik can tell that the whole family is holding their breath. It turns out that Michael is as fit as a fiddle though, and life had settled down.

Tessa is amazed at how her life has been turned round. Here she is, little Tessa, with nobody to talk to, nobody who understands her, all alone; transformed into Tessa, Erik’s girlfriend. She has to keep pinching her arms to check that she isn’t dreaming. Surely this is too good to be true? She adores Erik, and thinks the world of him, even after a few dates, and time with his family. She loves the house, and they are more than happy for her to use their yoga mat. She loves it, as the yoga mat is near the piano where Michael is playing. He smiles at her whenever she looks at him, and is very kind and polite. He loves to help, she can tell, and she likes to watch him interact with what he calls ‘his three girls’, for Michael and Zahra have two daughters.

Tessa leans over, and this time happy tears drop onto the yoga mat. “Thank you, Lord, thank you! I can’t believe how my life has changed. I’m so very grateful; I love Erik, and I love the way he speaks to me; I get goose bumps from the way he looks at me, with respect, and warmth, kindness and love…He makes me feel special. Thank you Lord, for sending the right man at exactly the right time…” Her thoughts drift off for a moment, and she shivers. In one of her few moments at home Camilla had told her in quiet whispers what had happened at the party; Camilla had in just a few words made crystal clear to Tessa what sort of life she had narrowly escaped, for Tessa knew the man Camilla described.. How awful, she thinks, how utterly and profoundly unhappy my life would have been…

Then Tessa looks up again, catching a glimpse of one of the Mortinas in the kitchen, and smiles to herself, and breathes out, relief flowing off her in huge waves. “Thank God for this family, and thank God for my…well, fiancé in just a few hours!” It is true that Erik has been patient, not wanting to push Tessa, but the proposal comes at the right time. The whole family rejoices with the happy couple, and before anyone realises it they are wearing the SiMobile Government issued wedding gear, their faces beaming. They make a striking pair, the blond, giant, muscular Erik, his Norse blood showing. Standing next to him leaning on his strong arm stands the frail looking Tessa, with her tanned skin and large, grey eyes filled with happy tears! Tears that splash onto her freckled cheeks when her blond Viking leans over and kisses her under the wedding arch, and whispers with his face aglow with wonder and happiness, “Welcome home, Mrs Tessa Mortina, wife of Erik the Viking!”

Tessa

“Why? Why am I so different, Lord?” Tessa leans against the window, her grey eyes looking larger than ever, brim-full with tears. “Nobody in this house, in this family, is like I am. Why?” Tears drop onto her cheeks then; the drops magnifying the freckles dotted across her nose and cheekbones. She leans her forehead against the cool glass, her unseeing eyes drifting past the people on the pavement outside the house. Some just walk by, with maybe a very short pause, before walking off briskly again. Others loiter on the pavement for ages, standing, twisting, checking their phone, doing nothing at all, before suddenly walking off. Unless somebody from the house speaks to them, then they will come in and hang around in the house. Brandon likes to bring people in; it’s artistic, he says.

Tessa gives a small sob, “Lord, I don’t want to be…so different; why am I so different? It’s too hard…” She sobs quietly, making her tiny frame fit into the window, as if drawing strength from the glass; as if by hugging the window pane people will see through her just as much; becoming like a glass figurine. “I wish I was invisible,” she whispers, her tiny hand trailing the glass. “I wish…” She stops, as a verse comes to mind, making her blush under her tanned skin, showing up her freckles even more… ‘who art thou to reply against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Has not the potter power over the clay…’ She sobs even harder now, unable to stop the tears flowing freely. “I know, Lord, I do know, but…but it is so hard, I don’t know how to do this anymore…”

After a while Tessa stops; she is exhausted, her frail frame supported by the window, her eyes still glittering with unshed tears. She wipes at her eyes, sniffs, her shoulders still quaking slightly from the exertion. Just as she turns away from the window she spots a dark shadow out of the corner of her eye, on the far end of the house. Brandon! That makes her forget all self pity, all questions and even her tiredness. Tessa rushes over to her room, and slides into her yoga outfit as fast as she can. “Quick,” she whispers frantically to herself, “quick, before he is in the house; before he comes looking for me…oh, do be quick! Oh! This zip, oh…oh!” she manages just in time, and Tessa is found, standing on the yoga mat, looking serene and composed when the door to the hobby room bangs open, and Brandon struts in. Tessa wills herself to stay looking serene, refusing to look round; making herself stretch and lean over to one side. She has learned that with Brandon that is the quickest way to get him out of the room. It works this time as well, and Tessa breathes out a huge sigh of relief, feeling her eyes filling up again. She takes another quivering breath, determined to stay calm, to not let the tears win again.

Brandon… It is hard to stop the bitterness, the anger rushing up into her heart. Brandon. Spiteful Brandon, hateful Brandon; Brandon the Charmer, as she calls him. His intense eyes always following her, despising her, mocking her. Her brother, just a little older, but totally different from her. She has their father’s darker skin, he has his dark eyes. From their childhood his dark intense eyes have taken things in with a ferocity nobody could tame. He claimed to be an artist, with a temperament to match his claim. He grew his hair longer, let a beard grow, and the dark hair seemed to frame his dark burning eyes, always following people, following girls especially. Trouble started as soon as he was promoted, although their mother stayed on with him for a while. Their mother had married a Townie, and Tessa had heard the rumours. Heard how marrying a Townie was asking for trouble. “You don’t know anything about them,” the whispered remark loud enough for Tessa to hear, “you don’t know anything abut their family, their heritage, or the sort of heirlooms they could give you. Of course, there are never any good upbringing traits either! You see, you never know what sort of genetics they will bring along. Marrying them is bad enough, but to have a child with a Townie…”

The voice had stopped rather abruptly, as the speaker had spotted Tessa nearby, her pixie like face scarlet with embarrassment. Tessa had spun round, and fled he room, throwing herself on her bed, crying buckets of tears. Tears of grief, of shame, and of embarrassment. That is when she had started to look at her family more closely. It didn’t take a genetics expert to see the problems in their family. Brandon was very much unlike their quiet father. Their mother was not the brightest, although she was very kind. She didn’t even have a job, just did her yoga, speaking to them in a calm, drawn out voice. Brandon was incorrigible, and made it clear that he was going to do things the Brandon Way, as he called it. He would sneer at his mother, and look down on his father. Until they had visitors.

Then suddenly Mr Charming would appear. Tessa feels tears welling up again; how she despises his charming act! He could trick anybody, she thought; anybody at all, even close relatives. He can be very witty, and kind, and very sweet. Until he feels at home with you, then the real Brandon will appear. She had hidden in her room the day he was promoted, fearing his spiteful remarks; fearing his choices and actions now he could make them independently. He had been pleased as Punch, looking down on his father even more vehemently than usual. Brandon had always felt Townies were there to serve, to be used, and the fact that he was now Active, and his father had never been served his Promotion papers was used to make his father feel less valued. Tessa had cried, feeling her heart breaking with sadness; she loved her father, thought he was the kindest, most patient man in all of SiMobile. She couldn’t bear her brother treating their father like that, but she was shaking with fear when she even contemplated talking to Brandon about it! So Tessa had watched from a hidden corner or a quiet room, as Brandon made himself the head of the new household.

Brandon had taken on their mother’s surname, Snow, for he said, “I don’t want the whole of SiMobile to realise my father was a Townie who managed to persuade my vulnerable mother to marry him.” This wasn’t true of course; Caitlynn Snow adored Layton Johnson, and had been thrilled to marry him. Many Townies aged at an alarming rate, so falling in love with one could easily lead to heartbreak. Caitlynn and Langton had been fortunate, and although he couldn’t have his promotion papers as the Active household was full, Layton appeared in all the family portraits. Tessa was proud of her parents, their achievement, and their long and happy marriage. She was pleased to have the Johnson surname, and as it turned out, some of the Johnson traits as well.

Tessa is in the bathroom, having a drink and a quick freshen up, when Brandon barges in. She freezes, and clutches on to the sink with one hand, to stop her hand from trembling too much. Brandon leans against the wall with one shoulder, sneering at her reflection in the mirror. “At least, when you’re promoted, or rather If you are promoted you will never need a Moving Permit, the wind will carry you anywhere in SiMobile!” he taunts, making her grey eyes sting, tears forming and making things look misty all of a sudden. “Anyway, just to let you know, it will be a while before you’re promoted, as I have just arranged a marriage with somebody. So of course, my wife will be promoted when our uncle lowers himself enough to actually accepts his Retirement papers.” He scowls the way only Brandon can scowl, his face contorted in anger. Tessa can feel her hands starting to shake more and more. Once Brandon is angry, he tends to wind people up…

“Anyway, you’ll meet her soon enough, as she can’t wait apparently! She is a fashion designer, so she will suit me perfectly. She’s obviously the arty type, so she’ll understand my sentiments, no doubt.” Brandon marches out as abruptly as he had come in, leaving Tessa standing at the sink, shaking. She clutches on to the ceramic washbasin, her legs trembling so much that they wont support her slender body anymore. Feeling sure that Brandon won’t come back in, she lowers herself onto the ground, tucking her chin between her knees, and feeling like a hedgehog seeking protection. Tears drop on her bony knees, sobs make her shoulders heave for a while, then she grows calmer. She blows her nose, and leans back, the cool tiles helping her body to cool down as well. She dries her tears, and breathes in as deeply as she can, then slowly releases her breath.

“Brandon has found a wife… I wonder what she’ll be like,” and hope plants a tiny seed in Tessa’s heart. To have another woman, about her age no doubt, here in this house…she smiles a little, and her tiny face lights up. Brandon would never agree to a marriage with an older woman, or somebody with three traits already, so it must be somebody young. Tessa leans back, her eyes staring at the ceiling, dreaming happy, wistful dreams of another young girl, a smiling girl, in the house. “Somebody to talk to, and laugh with,” she murmurs quietly, her grey eyes shining, “somebody kind and generous, and who will accept me…” Tessa sits there for a while happy daydreams making her cheeks glow, and her lithe body relax.

Suddenly, a shadow sweeps across her face, and she gasps in horror, “Oh no, Brandon says she will be like him, the artistic type; the one who will understand him!” And the spacious bathroom shrinks it seems, so Tessa struggles to catch her breath. The idea of another copy of Brandon living in the house, taunting her, and making biting remarks all day long…”Oh Lord, please not that! I couldn’t bear it, Lord, I just can’t live like that…” All during her yoga practice Tessa does what she always does during practice: she prays. She begs God to send the right kind of woman along; a kind and gracious woman. She prays for strength, for…for peace in the house as well as in her heart.

Brandon goes off one morning, wearing his smartest coat, a special Izzy Creation coat. Tessa can’t stand Izzy or his shop, so she refuses to wear any Izzy Creation clothes. Brandon doesn’t say anything, but he looks at Tessa with his dark eyes, mocking lights dancing in them. He is daring her to ask him about the girl he will meet, but Tessa refuses to fall into his trap. Brandon looks a little disappointed, he obviously had thought of a way to tease her. His parting remark is made with his sharp eyes looking at her directly, even though he addresses his remarks to their mum. “Well, I’m off, Mum. I might bring the future Mrs Snow along, you know, just to show her the house, get to know her a bit, that sort of thing… As soon as I’m gone, can you make sure to set the party things up? Don’t get it wrong please, first impressions are important…” He had laughed a mocking laugh at Tessa’s distressed face, and then he was gone.

Caitlynn had rolled her eyes, and in her calm voice had complained, “I don’t know why he always has to be like this. It’s not necessary to speak to people like that. It’s unkind as well, and it will give him a reputation if he isn’t careful!” Tessa had somehow managed to refrain from pointing out that Brandon already had a reputation which is why he so desperately needed an arranged marriage through a private network, rather than the usual SiMobile dating site. Instead she asked her mum about the girl Brandon was going to meet. “Oh dear, I don’t really know that much about her, your uncle arranged it all! Said he would retire as soon as the relationship was progressing well. He knew the family, I can’t remember just now, Italian sounding name I thought. The girl’s name reminded me of a flower, Camomile, something like that; oh no, it was Camilla, I remember now.”

Camilla it was, and a proud and beaming Brandon showed off his new girlfriend later that day, right at the start of the party. He was all over her; Tessa, watching from a distance, was horrified. The girl was falling for him, that much was certain. Tessa noticed the tiny tremors though, and the shocked expression on the girl’s face when Brandon kissed her right in front of other party goers! She saw the girl trying to slow Brandon down, but to no avail. By the time they went off to the little Café for their first official date, their relationship had progressed a lot already. Way more than usual, Tessa noted. “Camilla seemed alright,” she thinks, looking at their disappearing forms at the end of the pavement. “She has a nice smile, and a friendly open face, and she dresses very conservatively, so I think she might come from a nice family. I wonder what she thinks about Brandon, and whether she trusts him and his charm, or whether she realises he’s an actor; putting on a show to catch a girl. They do look happy together, and I’m pleased she managed to persuade him to tie his hair back at least. Now he doesn’t look so wild, and…and untamed…”

Tessa’s eyes mist over, she just fears what the future will bring. Her mum has talked about retiring, which means that Tessa might get the Promotion Letter. The idea of running the household with Brandon makes her feel physically sick every time she thinks about it. Yes, Camilla seems nice and friendly, but Camilla is also very outgoing, and ready to laugh. Camilla was dressed very modestly for the party and the relationship events with Brandon, but she already told Tessa that as soon as she is moving in, her wardrobe will make a most dramatic make over. Tessa’s heart sank at those words, especially when she sees Camilla lovingly fingering the material of various short tops, a dreamy glowing look in her eyes. Tessa frowns, and again wonders why she is so different! What is wrong with her; why can’t she laugh with abandon at Brandon’s edgy jokes, just like Camilla? Why do tears spring in her eyes every time Brandon mocks her, or says something nasty? Camilla just laughs, and elbows him, saying something witty back to Brandon, and the two will laugh and hug… Why can’t she do that? Tessa sniffs, her nose is running, and she walks to the bathroom to blow her nose, grief churning inside her; doubts flooding her heart, and the weight of loneliness making her feet struggle to carry her through the house. “Why am I like this, Lord?”

Camilla

“Mum, when will you two retire? Surely the Gems will be here soon, so how long after that will you step down?” Camilla’s beautiful face is spoilt by the pout; she looks at her mum expectantly. Miriam laughs, but is doesn’t sound anything like her loud, hearty one. It is a rather sad one, the hurt vibrating through it, as she looks at her eldest daughter. Several sons have gone and left the house already, making their own way in SiMobile. Ursula has gone as well, and now Camilla is desperate to go, but not into the unknown, but to the Snow household. Camilla heard about Brandon, and very early on she has been promised to him in marriage, an arrangement both parents agreed to. Now she is grownup, and impatient to join him, going as far as to ask her mum and dad to step down sooner rather than later!

Miriam sighs, she loves her children, and although in a way she knew this day would come, what with their crazy scheme of populating SiMobile with young people, it still grieves her. She is happy that at least Camilla has a wedding arranged; back to Miriam’s own family home no less! Saying goodbye will still be excruciating though, especially saying goodbye to her daughter. Zahra will still be here, of course, but that thought doesn’t cheer her up too much. Zahra is single, and no young man or his parents have come forward… She never realised how sad this time of her life would be, and how reluctant she would be to let go! In a way she is excited about retirement, but that excitement fades into the background now that she is confronted with the losses that accompany her retirement.

“I don’t know, sweetie, I still have things I like to finish. I know your dad has finished his goals, so he might be more inclined to go straight after Gems arrive. You could ask him,” she says, then wished she could swallow those words back down, as Camille walks off, looking very determined! She finds her dad, and asks him straight out, her face emotionless, totally oblivious to the distress this question brings! All Camilla can think of is the changes she would like to make, and the opportunities she has once she is made Active.

Samuel Vince Mortina looks at his beautiful daughter, and sadness changes his whole face, as he knows what the question means. Is he really ready? Ready to leave the active position, ready to accept that he has done his share in the Mortina Dynasty? Has he really fulfilled his destiny, and restored Justice? He sighs, just like Miriam; when he finishes his shift, his last ever shift, he goes home, looking for his wife. They hug, Miriam has a little cry and Samuel looks like he could do with one himself… “I will accept, love, for I know that Brandon Snow is having his party soon, and Camilla will need to make sure she gets in early… I hope he will be good for her, good to her as well. I know he is related to you, but I have heard that he is a bit of a hippie…I hope Camilla will remember us, and will stay in touch, somehow!”

So Samuel Vince Mortina accepts his retirement papers, turning grey, stooped and old straight away. Camilla’s face lights up, and she can’t wait for the promotion papers to come through, so she can choose an outfit, get a bit of makeup on and just make her own choices! She has it all worked out, studied her mum’s wardrobe so she knows what to wear. To her horror, and everyone else’s in the family, Camilla has a bout of Llama Flu as soon as her promotion comes through! There she is, looking like a Weeble, just as many friends have done recently; no chance of choosing clothes: she’ll be lucky to survive! No man, not even Brandon, would be the slightest bit inclined to marry her… Miriam gasps, and clutches her grey headed husband, doing her best to swallow down the hysterics she can feel worming its way out of her throat… Together they manage to put a brave face on it all, and after some simple treatment Camilla is as well as can be expected! The whole family breathes a sigh of relief that is was the Weebles Strain, and not the Pink Blob one, as that one is so much harder to cure! Camilla cries big tears of gratitude, especially as she hears via a card that Brandon had suffered the same fate, but fully recovered as well. She is so happy, she hugs her mum, dances around, even dresses quite conservatively, like all the Mortinas down the ages have done. Her relief is sweet to see. She can’t wait to meet Brandon, and drives Miriam to distraction with her restlessness; pacing up and down waiting for the party announcement…

The announcement comes, of course, and Camilla is the first guest to arrive, almost before the house is decorated for the party! The party is just to meet up of course, but it does put the whole family under considerable strain, as they are honourable enough to make sure it reaches Level ten status. Camilla is a little shocked by Brandon’s greeting. He doesn’t waste any time, but even outside the house, on the little strip of grass, he greets Camilla in a very flirtatious manner. She blushes wildly, and feels shy, hoping that if she is a bit reticent he will slow things down. Obviously, Brandon doesn’t get the hint, and he sticks to Camilla like a leech all during the party. He leaves the levelling up, the handing out of stickers and greeting the other guests over to his uncle and mum. Brandon clearly has a one track mind, and Camilla is starting to feel a little uncomfortable. She squirms, and gasps as he kisses her soundly in front of all the other party goers; strangers that she has never met before, she doesn’t even know their names! For that matter, even Brandon is like a stranger; she has only just met him after all.

Camilla goes home that night, totally overwhelmed; wondering if this arranged marriage is the biggest mistake ever. She looks at her parents, and envies the fun they have together. Even now, with her father all grey and stooped, her mother’s laugh still brightens up the entire Mortina home. Brightens it up like lightning during a thunderstorm, not once but time and time again. Camilla sighs, “Oh, I’m jealous…jealous of what my parents have! I do like Brandon, he is very arty and clever with a camera, but…but he is so intense! I just wanted to…” She stops, what is it she wanted? She stares ahead in the dark, trying to think back to before her promotion, but it’s all a blur. Probably an after effect from the Llama Flu, she sighs. She does know that things are not really going the way she expected. Brandon is so in her face, it drains her! His dark eyes staring at her with a burning intensity that makes her nervous, as she feels she might say the wrong thing!

She lies down, eyes glued to the ceiling, or where she knows the ceiling to be, rather. She thinks about her near future. Soon Brandon will propose, in fact, she is sure that the very next time she will see him he will start the Proposal event. She sighs, even before their official first date, the one everybody goes on at the little café, even before that he had brought their relationship to level three! He is very pushy, she thinks, and I wasn’t banking on that… My mum has firm ideas, and I thought I was getting my freedom by marrying an artist. Mum isn’t really pushy though, although she is usually very much in love with her own ideas. Brandon…well, Brandon insists on his ideas, in a nice way, but definitely insisting on them… Oh dear, this could be tricky!

The next morning Brandon proposes to her, and Camilla accepts, of course! She is excited as well, as Brandon seems to relax a little now their relationship level is going up steadily. Camilla has a shock when she pops back home though, for Miriam insists on her taking a job! Camilla drops down in the nearest chair, shock written all over her beautiful but proud face. “A job? You want me to take a job? Here, in town, today? Why? Why do I need a job, I mean, Brandon is already doing the Proposal, I’ll be at level eight before I would finish my job! Mum, really?” Miriam however is adamant, even though she is filling out the Acceptance forms for her own retirement.

“You must do all you can to help this family,” she says, voice more determined than Camilla has ever heard her before. “This family has been very good to us all; they took me in, even though at that time the Snow family had only just arrived. We were totally insignificant. They took me in, introduced me to friends, gave me stickers…” She has to swipe at her eyes there, realising that no more stickers will come her way! “You have met several of them, Uncle Magnus’ family for one, and my best friend Lucille Ball…Not to mention myriads of other wonderful and supportive friends. This home has been good to you too, Dad has allowed you to be Promoted, and it is the family’s loss when he did so. He had reached level ten, bringing in a steady income from hobbies and jobs. You don’t really think you can just sit around, twiddling your thumbs, waiting for your artist to come and carry you off on his white horse, do you?” Miriam’s blue eyes had been blazing by then, as Camilla’s face had become sulkier and sulkier during this tirade.

“What will I do? Work in the office, wearing that awful suit? I don’t want to be a doctor, not after… after the awful Llama Flu; what if I get infected at the hospital again, this time turning into a pink blob…” Her voice breaks, and tears roll down her well shaped face, for Camilla can switch the tap on at any given moment. Miriam is not impressed, as this trick has been used too many times now… “What about Daniel?” Camilla continues, tears switched off as she can tell they’re not making the right impression, “What about him? When is he going to get promoted, and are you forcing him to work too?”

Miriam sighs, “Goodness child, what a choice of words. It is important to contribute. You know we’re almost able to afford the next bit of ground to be cleared. It will be good to be part of that, to share the burden. Yes, Daniel will be promoted as soon as his papers arrive, just in case he meets his betrothed. You know he has been promised to Giada… Both of you will soon be gone as well and we’ll be alone, save for Zahra… Of course, Daniel will work too, he wants to be the photographer.”

Camilla wails straight away, “Ooooh, mum! I wanted to be the photographer! You can wear your own clothes, and you get to meet lots of important people! That is so unfair, why was Daniel allowed to be the photographer, why did nobody ask me if I wanted to have that career…?” Tears appears as if by magic again, and Miriam waits patiently, even though she feels like rolling her eyes, and shaking the spoilt girl! Camilla finally finishes off with a few sniffs, and says, “Well, in that case, I’ll do the fashion career. I’m good at fashion, and I might even be made a model, who knows! Serves Daniel right if he has to do a complete photoshoot of just me!” Miriam pulls a face, knowing that the likelihood is extremely remote…!

Off to work they go, the newly promoted Daniel, with his beautiful face, dark eyebrows and smiling eyes, and the sulky looking Camilla. Daniel reminds her a little of Brandon, because of their longish hair, although Brandon’s isn’t as neatly kempt as Daniel’s hair. Daniel loves his job, taking pictures everywhere. Camilla doesn’t enjoy her work, or any work for that matter! She is just filling in time, waiting for their relationship to progress. She doesn’t have to wait long. Brandon is in a hurry it seems, and even before the wedding the official SiMobile Government Moving Permit arrives. Camilla’s parents and aunt and uncle gasp; they can’t believe she will move in without being married to Brandon! Camilla doesn’t mind, doesn’t care, as her only concern is to start a new life, as she keeps telling herself, and her bags are packed; she is ready to go, ready for her new life as Mrs Snow, being an adult in her own right, choosing a hobby, doing what she wants, wearing what she wants! “I can’t wait,” she whispers in her room whilst packing her few personal belongings, “I can have all the makeup I want, wear whatever I want, do whatever I want… I can’t get over it, it’s going to be amazing! I can’t wait to ditch this top for one, it’s so stiff and starchy!”

The first thing Camilla does at the Snow’s house is change her outfit. That is, after the quick treatment for the repeat bout of Llama Flu, the Weebles variety again, fortunately. Both Brandon and Camilla were quite relaxed about the Flu this time, trusting the treatment. Fortunately for them, the treatment worked. Camilla appears again, wearing a short top, showing her bare midriff…unheard of in the Mortina household. Nobody ever, in the entire Mortina Dynasty, has ever showed bare midriffs… Camilla feels great, the cool breeze on her stomach a totally new thing. The first thing Brandon does when Camilla moves into the Snow residence is to start the wedding Event, Camilla secretly feeling relieved…

Miriam is chatting to Eva, a close relative of Brandon; Eva being Eva Mortina before her marriage into the Snow family. Eva pulls a face, and Miriam suddenly remembers Eva’s childhood nickname of Miss Stroppy, and thinks to herself that nothing seems to have changed on that score! Eva sighs, and says, clearly doing her best to be tactful, “Camilla moved in as you know, and Brandon started the wedding event. Fortunately, they can just do the event, not the entire Quest, like Paul and I had to do… Camilla seems to be alright, she changed her clothes straight away, obviously making a statement. Mind you, I think it backfired a little… She was crying and complaining to Brandon’s mum how all the guys make comments, pat her back, give her funny looks and what have you… I don’t think she realises she is sending out a dodgy message with her dress code. Of course, those guys are wrong, but sending out the wrong message is…well, it’s the wrong message, isn’t it!”

Miriam leans against Samuel that evening, looking sad, feeling weary. “Do you think she will be alright?” she asks, and she puts her hand on her heart, as she feels that each day another shard splinters off, shrinking her heart; hurting her heart… Samuel smiles at her, hugs and elbows her at the same time. They would have had a wild game, using cushions, rolled up newspaper, anything, but Zahra walks into the room, recently promoted! Her sweet face glows, and she is waving a note at them. They both sober up, and give Zahra their full attention.

Zahra shows them the note, and explains that she has been accepted in the Fashion studio, as an ASOS Fashionista. A position had come free in the atelier, as Camilla had left to move in with Brandon. What a difference, Miriam thinks, what a difference between my two girls… “This note is amazing news as well,” Zahra continues, “it’s from the Knight family. Their son…” she tears up, overwhelmed by happiness and excitement, “their son…he…he has indicated his willingness to marry me!” and she cries a flood of happy tears, hugging Miriam, and showing her the letter. Miriam is relieved, and hugs her back tightly! She reminds herself that all things are in God’s Hand, even her daughters’ lives, and that some people just have to learn the hard way that the grass is not necessarily greener on the other side… She is suddenly convinced that Camilla will be fine, and that it will all work out well. It might take time, some people are slow learners, but she is sure that Camilla will grow up in all respects, some time! As for Zahra, well, Miriam is bursting with happiness, and feeling blessed that she will be able to share in her happiness, at least for a while. Will she be around long enough to meet Zahra’s Beau…or will the retirement cake be served before then…

Growing closer

Even good parties have to end, some sooner than others. Esther is just so relieved that she managed to meet Magnus at his own home, however daunting it was! It is nice to meet at parties, she thinks, meeting somebody amongst friends and family, although I wished it had been somewhere private really. Esther is sitting in the lounge, photobook on the brand new coffee table made of beautiful light coloured wood, matching the wooden floor. She sits there, looking at recent pictures. She strokes the pictures of her and Magnus, grinning, remembering her nervousness, and Magnus’ kindness. It seems so long ago, for so many things have happened. She chuckles when she remembers the first date at the café.

“I thought we would never get away,” she whispers, smiling broadly, when she sees the next picture, “the party went on for ages, and I was so nervous! Björn was there, watching, and lots of other friends and relatives… we managed to leave together though, and how wonderful the date was!” The café had not been too busy, so they actually got a table, rather than just sing, talk to he plant and check mugs. Her smile fades a tiny bit, for it was in the cafe’s bright light, sitting opposite Magnus at a tiny table that she managed to get a good look. She loved his smiling face, his kind eyes, and his broad shoulders. It was his hair…she hadn’t quite realised how blue his hair was… he had even dyed his eyebrows and stubble!

Esther hadn’t said anything, of course not, but a tiny shiver had rocked her heart. She looks at the pictures in front of her; Magnus in his bright red jacket, and blue beard and eyebrows. She sighs a little, as it feels so petty! He is such a wonderful young man, so helpful and kind, and here she is, moaning about his hair colour. It is just that I imagined him as a Viking, she thinks, smiling a sad smile now. I have let my imagination run away with me again!

She turns the pages of the album, the pages of her heart as well, for she has to move on from these feelings, somehow! She looks at her phone, looks at the door. Magnus will be here any minute now. She feels her heart skipping a bit faster, her breath speeding up just by thinking about him. He really is a great guy, she thinks, her smile growing with anticipation. Miriam has already arrived, to spend time with cousin Samuel. She can hear them in the kitchen, stirring something to eat no doubt, as well as stirring up trouble… Miriam’s raucous laughter can be heard all through the house. Esther looks at the album, biting her lip. Is Miriam really the right person for Samuel Vince? Samuel likes a joke, he is quite noisy himself, laughs a lot, but Miriam takes it to a completely new level!

“I’m glad my Viking is a lot more refined,” she thinks smugly, “he just knows how to behave towards a girl!” Then she remembers her first meeting, and how she had heard him laugh from the next room. Esther giggles to herself, “Oops I think I’m biased! His laugh is not coarse though, it’s a good manly laugh!” She can hear the door being opened, and quickly puts the album away and gets up to smooth her clothes before briskly walking up to the main doors. Magnus’ smile grows very bright indeed when he sees his girl, his Esther. He hugs her, almost lifting her off the ground! He goes to say hello to Samuel Vince and Miriam, before having some tea with Esther.

She watches him, and notices how well he gets on with Samuel. They both laugh, and chat, standing straight, making themselves bigger and taking a wide stance, like sailors on a moving ship. She can’t hide the grin, until she sees Miriam watching the men as well. Miriam is laughing her wild laugh, and sidles up to Samuel Vince, tugging his arm to get him closer. She doesn’t take her eyes off Magnus though, and Esther all of a sudden feels something like panic starting up in her chest. “Hands off,” she whispers to herself, glaring at Miriam, who looks back with her bright blue eyes, laughs loudly, tosses her black hair over her shoulder, and drags Samuel out of the kitchen. “Come on, Samuel, let’s go. Where were we? Was the proposal next, or were we still on the last short event?”

Magnus sees Esther’s upset face, and laughs, taking her in her arms. “Ignore them,” his voice rumbles in her ear, “she’s just winding you up! Samuel will have to watch her, she’ll run rings round him! It’s much more important that we remember where we got to last time, don’t you think?” He turns her round, so she is facing the kitchen counter, and whispers’ “You promised me your favourite pudding. Don’t you realise that a man’s love goes via his stomach?”

Esther feels her heart becoming closer to Magnus every day. He is great to be with, listens well to her chatter, and is so patient! Samuel likes him as well, although when he tells Esther what he and the lads get up to, she wonders if they are really talking about the same Magnus… Esther loves how Magnus takes charge, making her feel cherished and cared for. He opens the door for her, guiding her through it with a strong but gentle hand. She smiles to herself, yes, she has fallen for him alright! “You are everything I need in another person,” she confides in him that afternoon, when she is trying to hide her clammy hands on the sofa. She really wants to explain to him how she feels for him, but doesn’t want to go all weepy on him! “You see, I get so worried about things; what people think of me, and if I have upset somebody, or if my work is good enough… I know it’s silly and I know that in Jesus I’m perfect, and the only thing that really matters is how God sees me. I forget, though, and I start worrying about little things, never feeling good enough…” she stops, as she knows that if she carries on, her tears would come.

Magnus smiles his extra kind smile, and gives her a squeeze. “Don’t worry so much; you are a wonderful person, and you have so much strength and courage, nobody will be able to get you down!” Esther looks at his strong face, and smiles back; she has too! Something inside her wobbles though, for she knows that nobody is perfect of themselves; there is nobody in the world that you can trust all the time for all things. Every person is fallible, had faults, issues, failures… She looks at her strong, brave Viking, and feels a little sadness spring up, like a tiny warning sign, reminding her that even her handsome Viking will not do for everything. “God, you’re my all, my everything, my Peace, my ultimate Protector, and I am grateful for this wonderful man, who is such a special gift!”

Magnus seems to have forgotten the incident with Miriam within minutes of them leaving the kitchen, helped by Esther’s pudding no doubt, but Esther is worried. That Miriam, honestly, you never now what the girl will do next. She isn’t one for hanging around either, and before Esther and Magnus have finished all the events necessary, Miriam and Samuel Vince Mortina are officially engaged! Esther is very upset; she manages to hide this from Samuel who comes to tell her the exciting news, his smile almost as wide as Miriam’s. At least he is kind about it, and says, much quieter, “You and Magnus will get there soon as well. Also, you know that Magnus’ Moving Permit will have top priority, because of his family? Miriam’s parents are new in town, and they’re not even married, they didn’t have the money. Eva has just received her Moving Permit, as she got engaged to Paul recently, so that will speed things up. We will have to wait for her to actually move out though. She and Paul are getting married, but as they are the first couple in the family to do so, it will be a long and very expensive process. Eva insisted on it though, said she wanted to be made an honest woman.” Samuel had suddenly laughed, one of his mischievous laughs, and adds, “I wonder if she really does, or whether she just wants to annoy people; make people wait, string Paul along to all sorts of endless appointments, you know, shopping for clothes, checking the menu, that sort of thing. I wouldn’t put it past your sister…!”

Neither would Esther, but all she can think of is her own marriage, and the wait for her and Magnus if Miriam gets her papers first. Especially as they’re engaged, they now will be able to get married, and she is quite sure that Miriam really doesn’t mind waiting for her permit, even if she has been married for a while already. Esther and Magnus agreed to marry at the very time that his papers will be in the post. That way they will be able to have their wedding night in the Mortina House. Esther looks round her room, and all of a sudden she feels the tears dripping on her hands! She just cracks after all the stress and worry, the excitement and anticipation. It just is too much all of a sudden. She lies down on her bed, and sobs and sobs. Half her tears are happy tears, the other half are sad, worried, scared and disappointed tears.

After a while she calms down, and she sits up, looking round the room. She wonders who will have the big room, the blue room with the bassinet. If Magnus gets his Permit first, and…and they fill the bassinet first…she puts her hands on her belly, trying to imagine the baby growing, with typical SiMobile speed, lying in the little family bassinet. She looks at the bassinet, a sweet, warm smile softens her face, making her look like a beautiful young woman, a woman loving, living. Then, her smile disappears just as suddenly, and she gives a little gasp. “Oh! Oh, I had forgotten…I wonder…No, he said, didn’t he? It…it just felt so wrong… Lord, I don’t know what to do, or say, or even think,” she breathes, “it was such a strange incident, and well, I love Magnus, he is such a good and kind man, so I’m sure what he did was alright? I just feel worried about it, and…and I have to admit Lord, that it just doesn’t seem to line up. With the verse about being unequally yoked, about light and darkness not having fellowship together…But then, this is Magnus, and he seems so full of light and life…I can’t see…Oh God, I just don’t know, but it feels wrong.”

She lies back on the bed, arms behind her head, thinking, staring at the ceiling. It had happened the other day, soon after the Proposal event. She had come into this room to get a special dress for a party they both wanted to go to. She had found Magnus, standing by the bassinet, holding something in his hand, whispering, mumbling something, and then he put the item, which looked like a little silver cross on a leather string in the bassinet. When he spotted Esther, his face had become one big smile, like it always did on seeing her. She had asked him what he had done, curious, as the little item seemed like a cross. He had laughed his loud, warm, rumbling laugh, and explained, “No my love, it’s a very old Viking thing that we do in our family. We have done so for endless generations, as long as I know. It’s a little Viking symbol, and you put it in the bassinet, you know, as a token for the little one; to show that he belongs, you see.” From this, she had guessed that it wasn’t a little silver cross then…she had wondered what it was, but didn’t want to ask; didn’t want to hurt his feelings, although he never seemed to think in those terms.

Esther sits up, suddenly overcome with nosiness, unable to constrain herself any longer, and after a very quick peek outside the door, to listen to where everyone was in the rambling Mortina home, she quickly goes up to the little bassinet, and her fingers curl round the little cool object on the leather strap. She brings it out, and stares in horror. No, it’s definitely not a cross. It’s a little hammer, a Mjolnir, Thor’s Hammer. A Viking symbol. A Norse symbol, here, in her home, put there by her fiancé, and even knowing what it is, she still is unsure what to do, if she should do something that is…Well, apart from slipping it back into its place, her mind whirling, hands clammy, her mouth dry. She turns away from the bassinet, and all she can think is, “I need to think. I’m sure it’s alright, but I need to think…”

Expectations

Young Esther Mortina looks round the bathroom, the room still smelling of the special glue used on the tiles. She is pleased, a smug smile lighting up her face. When she hears the door open behind her she turns round, and her smiles grows even bigger. “Hi Mum,” she says, voice vibrating with excitement, “do you like it? I just love the softer colour in this bathroom. It makes it look more…I don’t know, more Scandinavian.” Her mother laughs, shakes her head, and gives the excited Esther a hug. “I just wanted he house to feel more ‘me’ and I thought, if I do this room, then somehow it will feel more real, you know?” she says to her mum, looking a little worried now, wondering if her mum will be upset.

Tabitha smiles, shakes her head again, and comments, “Don’t you worry girl, I think it does look lovely. Not sure about it looking Scandinavian, but of course, if you feel it does, well, that’s all that matters!”

Esther looks shocked at that, and reacts with a “No, it’s not for me, Mum! I want Magnus to feel at home once we are married and he comes to live here!” She looks round her again, her frown growing steadily now. “Do you think he’ll like it? Of course, their house is lovely, and he’ll probably take ages to settle, don’t you think? I mean, he loves his family, and they all have Norse names, so I just wanted to have at least one room that felt a bit more homelike…” Yes, the frown is now fully grown, and firmly in place. Tabitha sighs, Esther is as changeable as the weather. English weather that is; English weather in…in Autumn, or early Spring!

“Sweetheart, I’m sure the young man will be fine, and I’m sure he’ll only have eyes for you. Unless he is really into design, or a professional decorator or whatnot, he’s probably not even going to notice the colour of the tiles. Don’t worry about it, I’m sure it will all work out!” She hugs Esther a bit tighter, a little sad to see the worry lines still in place, eyes wandering round the bathroom, inspecting it, imagining her Viking in it… Will it be good enough?

The worry lines disappear soon enough though, for Esther checks her emails on the computer and sees the party invite! There it is, the party of all parties, as far as Esther is concerned! The party of her life, as it will be the very moment she will meet Magnus. Magnus her Viking, promised to her in marriage, and this party will be the start of their future together. She will get to meet him, in person, at his home… His cousin is throwing the party, and she is a little in awe of Bjorn. He seems so grown up and mature from what she has heard, and to actually meet him at this special party…it all seems a bit daunting! Somehow, meeting Kiera, Magnus’ mum seems less frightening than his older cousin. She has seen Kiera round the house before, talking to her parents, arranging matters no doubt. Her hair is a beautiful shade of blue, and although Esther would never dye her hair, she secretly thinks it suits Kiera.

The countdown to the party starts, and Esther’s heartrate goes up in sync with the hours. She keeps looking through the home catalogues, wondering if she’ll be able to persuade her slightly boisterous nephew and morose sister to part with some of the Mortina money…just to buy some Norse looking furniture. It would be a nice touch, she thinks. She looks across the room at Eva, who is actually looking quite pleased with life for a change. Probably because of her own party invite, where she’ll finally get to meet up with Paul. Esther starts to take a breath to make the suggestion, then quietly breathes out again. She has just remembered the awful time she’s had with Eva not that long ago. Eva had been terrible, accusing Esther of all sorts of things, complaining and attacking her. They made up, of course they did, they were sisters after all. Cousin Samuel had helped a bit with his comments, but Esther was quite sure that Eva would have come round of her own accord as well. To ask for money at this point might be asking for more trouble though.

Esther sighs, there isn’t that much Norse looking stuff in the catalogue anyway, so it might not be worth digging up the hatchet for that. Now dresses, well, that is a different matter all together! She will need a dress, something pretty, something that makes her stand out. Probably something colourful; judging by his mum’s hair, he might like strong colours. She fleeting wonders about genetics and hair colours, but dismisses it from her mind, as she knows exactly what a Viking, Her Viking, looks like. Her looks are what matters at this moment, as she wants to catch his eye, wants to make the right impression on Magnus. She knows the marriage is all arranged, promises made as much as possible, but nothing is set in stone. The SiMobile Government can easily overthrow things like parties, or refuse to give out a Moving Permit, or… Esther shudders, the Government is very powerful, who knows what could go wrong!

The last thing she wants is for Magnus to regret the whole thing. It would be awful if he will just agree to the date at the café, out of a sense of duty, but nothing more. What if there is absolutely no spark between them? What if he looks down on her, thinks she is dowdy and plain, boring and not worth his time? He could pull out of the arrangement easily enough! Esther can feel her hands starting to get clammy, little dewdrops start to appear on her nose and forehead, making her auburn hair look darker. She takes a deep breath, and when that doesn’t help, decides to do what she does best: check the web! He dashes over to her computer, legacy of her Dad and uncle, and types in what she fears the most: ‘Pulling out from Arranged Marriage’.

Her heart beats a wild, skipping dance when she sees the amount of pages coming up. “Oh no,” she whispers, her hands shaking so much that she can’t type in any more. “Oh no, it’s so common! Look, party cancelled last minute, unable to meet. Party full, unable to attend meeting up party. Sibling refused Permit, so unable to move in my newly wedded husband.. Oh no, Ohhh, what am I going to do? If it falls through…I can’t cope, I will never be able to bear it, I…I won’t be able to carry on with my life as if nothing happened! I want to retire straight away, I want to…to just disappear! I know something will go wrong, look at the statistics, it’s bound to go wrong… Lord, what am I going to do? I couldn’t bear it, I just couldn’t bear it…” She drops her head on her arms next to the keyboard, and sobs, and sobs…as if the disaster has already arrived!

That is how her aunt finds her. She only came to dust the grand piano, as the dark red wood shows up the dust so badly, when she finds her niece sobbing as if something dreadful has happened. “Esther dear, what has happened? Come on, dear child, come on, calm down a bit and tell me! I’m sure we can assist you somehow; come on now, it used to be my job to counsel courteously, so let me try and help you!” Victoria K. Mortina also used to assist as a superhero in her younger days, but she doesn’t normally mention that, and she is sure that her niece doesn’t want to hear that at this time.

Esther sits up, and dries her face, calming herself down a little with great effort, and looks at her aunt, despair in her eyes, “Oh Auntie Victoria,” she begins, sobs still stretching some of the syllables in awkward places, “I just looked up about arranged marriages not working out…so many pages came up, there is just so much that can go wrong! I just feel all may be lost, and if I don’t get to meet Magnus, or if he changes his mind, or…or if SiMobile Government refuses to give out the permit, then…Oh auntie,” and new grief overcomes poor Esther, and she breaks down in wails again, “I couldn’t bear it,” she wails, “I just couldn’t bear it, and I wouldn’t know what to do!”

Her aunt is so astonished that she doesn’t say anything; she just stares at Esther with her mouth open. Gracious, this entire emotional outburst is all for the ‘worst case scenarios’ of SiMobile life? Seriously? Victoria takes a deep breath and using her well polished court room voice says, quite sternly, but kindly, “Esther, calm down at once. This won’t do, you can’t go and meet Magnus with red eyes and a drippy nose. The poor lad won’t know what hit him! Listen child, you are wasting energy on ‘what ifs’. That’s a foolish road to travel, as it leads you nowhere. Yes, it’s possible that calamity is waiting for you down the road, and you’ll have to deal with it as best you can. There is nothing certain in SiMobile, nothing. Not even retirement, as the Llama Flu can prevent people from retiring. You have to do the best you can though, and trust in God for the rest. As a famous general once said, ‘Trust in God and keep your powder dry’. Do what you can, and leave the rest to Him.

Esther is starting to feel a little embarrassed over her outburst; well, more than embarrassed really, it all of a sudden looks so silly! What has gotten into her! Going off on one like that? Her aunt smiles at her, and gives her a careful hug, trying to keep her purple dress meticulously neat. “Don’t worry, sweetie, we all get jittery about something or other! It’s just the nerves, we totally understand that. It’s such a big occasion, that very first party! I still remember mine..” her eyes glaze over, and a very dreamy smile grows and grows. “There was your uncle, standing in room, by himself, and I recognised him straight away, went up to him, we got chatting, and well, here we are! Married for many years now, retired, enjoying our twilight years still together.” Esther didn’t think the dreamy smile could grow anymore, but she was wrong: it could and did!

After washing her face, and shaking her head at herself in the mirror over the sink, she walks over to the wardrobe. The big decision: what to wear! She grins then, remembering her Dad quoting, ‘A woman has two problems: nothing to wear, and not enough space in her wardrobe’. How true, she grins, how very true, Dad. Mmmmm, that red dress..? Nope, not with my hair colour. Pink? No, too sweet. Ah, this is the one, I just know it! Blue and green, and bold and beautifully cut, that is it!”

Esther twirls around in her dress. It really is a lovely dress, if not a little short… She plucks at it a little; she doesn’t want Magnus to think she’s giving out the wrong message! It does show off her shape in a lovely way though, making her feel special, beautiful, attractive. If only Magnus thinks the same, she sighs, feeling a funny flutter in her stomach, travelling up into her throat. She is nervous, very nervous, but it’s a happy nervousness, her eyes sparkling, her auburn hair soft and a little wavy.

The first person she meets at the party is Bjorn. Yes, his is everything she imagined him to be, the strong older cousin, gauging her, assessing her, not in an unkind manner, but definitely feeling protective when it comes to his younger cousin. Esther tries to look as graceful and assured as she can under Bjorn’s scrutiny, actually appreciating his care for his younger relatives. She walks up to Bjorn, feeling shy, and struggling to breath. She would love to look around her, glancing at the other people attending the party, convinced she can spot a Viking a mile off. Spot her Viking better than anyone keeping watch along the coast was able to spot the ‘dragon-ships’! Esther forces herself to look ahead at the man in front of her, and keeps her smile in place, somehow. She can tell the regard Bjorn has for Magnus, and she is suddenly glad. “So, Esther? Have you met my little cousin yet?” Bjorn asks her, a small smile making him look a little less threatening. She tries to laugh lightly, but can hear herself give off an odd giggle, “No, not yet, I just arrived, and wanted to come and thank you for the party first,” she says, feeling her cheeks starting to warm up.

Bjorn smiles, and waves his hand round, encompassing the house. “Well, he’s here somewhere, just follow the sound of laughing, that’s probably him! I like your dress, by the way, very good choice, if I may say so…” Yes, time to go off into another room, her cheeks now feel like they are on fire! She hastily mumbles something polite, and walks off as fast as she can without looking as if she is making a dash for it. She comes into another tastefully decorated room…and another…and just as she is about to open another door, she can hear a laugh. A deep, manly laugh, full of vitality; full of life and kindness; the sort of laugh that warms your heart, as it does now, she thinks. She just instinctively knows it’s him: Her Viking!

Their eyes meet, his laugh dies away, but his eyes light up even more, and his smile is the best she has ever seen… she walks over to him on shaking legs, regretting the short dress for a short moment. She drinks in his handsome, kind face, gasps a little at his hair, blue as the ocean after a storm. Yes, he’s her Viking, her Magnus, and the colour suits her mood after the emotional storm she has just been through! It also matches her dress, something that they laugh about on many happy occasions. “He’s a dream come through,” Esther sings in her heart, “Thank you Lord, he’s my dream man, he’s my man! At least, he will be shortly, very shortly if it’s anything to do with me!” Feeling his strong arms, feeling his warmth, his manly scent…Esther fleetingly observes that it’s a good thing he’s so good at hugging her, for otherwise she would probably float away, far off into SiMobile’s blue skies…her heart lighter than anything imaginable, her head filed with giddiness, legs only vertical because of Magnus’ embrace. It is his gentleness and kindness that pleases her the most. He makes her feel special, the way he listens to her nervous chatter, the way he smiles at her jokes, and the way he looks after her at the party. She desperately wants to look at her phone, to check the time, to see if it is possible to slip away from the party without appearing rude, just to start their courtship, to meet up at the little café, to begin this amazing new chapter in her life, the one she has been desperate to read, if only it had been there…

Retirement

Tabitha is standing in the large bedroom, looking in her large mirror, stretching and turning like a model, even though she will be grey in just a very short time. Any time now, in fact, which makes her regret her hearty breakfast. Retirement, the dreaded stage of life for so many people. Retirement, which has been hanging over her and her Richard for a while now. She smiles at the mirror, and says to her image, “Never mind, dear, as long as you wear something suitable, something that goes with grey hair. Make sure you don’t look too washed out, and don’t look frumpy!”

She hears a hearty laugh behind her, and knows that Richard has heard every word of that… “You couldn’t look frumpy if you tried, my darling,” he whispers, hugging her, holding her tight. In the mirror she can see his face, looking a little sad. He sighs, and tries to smile at her in the mirror, making his face look all crooked. “I just wished I had time to get those final promotions… Suffering from Llama Flu was not helpful to my career as a doctor. On the other hand, there is now a new chef in the restaurant! I really got fed up with that old woman, Jalisa Key, working in the restaurant, ignoring all calls for retirement. So I had some words with her… Ha, she absolutely hated my guts in the end, but at least it worked! They have a new girl now, which is an improvement!”

They both laugh. Yes, there are many elderly people stuck in their jobs, refusing to retire, making it very hard for the younger generations to find spouses spontaneously. It has to be through arranged marriages, which is very complex. Tabitha sighs, they made some very careful plans for both their daughters, and she hopes and prays the arrangements will work out. Eva has a boyfriend, Paul, which she hopes to meet up with soon. They actually hope to meet without having a party, but Tabitha is not too sure about it. It is so difficult, and as all four of them will need to retire, the logistics are giving her a headache.

“Mum!! Mumm, where are you? Look, it’s here! It’s finally here! I can’t believe it…!” Eva’s loud voice can be heard through the entire house, and, thanks to the lattice windows, throughout most of Sims Mobile, no doubt…! Tabitha rushes out of the kitchen, to see what Eva has got, knowing almost for certain that it’s the Gems allocations… She is right, the Gems have arrived… Today, today will be the start of all the chaos, new roles, new jobs, new hobbies…new everything it seems, apart from us four, Tabitha thinks…There will be nothing new about us, all grey and bend and decidedly old!

That evening they talk about it and try to arrange everything. “It is just so involved,” groans Victoria, looking through their plans, permits, applications, schedules… The large dining table is covered with papers. “I don’t even know where to start. Who needs to be promoted sooner, rather than later? That is probably the most important factor. Then we can decide who will retire to facilitate those promotions.”

Tabitha sighs, her headache has definitely not improved, and Victoria speaking like some sort of official does nothing to help. Victoria looks round at the all, shuffles a few papers around to look at proposals and Marriage Arrangement letters. “Right, from what I can gather, Eva is hoping to meet Paul sooner rather than later. Eva, that makes you top priority.” Judging by the way she looks over Eva’s outfit, you can tell that Auntie Victoria feels that the promotion is not the only thing that deserves priority… “Of course, it means you can choose an outfit, and even have your hair done. Excellent, who else needs promoting now. Samuel?”

Samuel looks up from his phone, and shakes his head decidedly. “Nope, not me, dearest darling mother. I’ve made arrangements to marry Miriam, and she needs to be an adult first, which will be very soon, but not today. No rush, I’m happy to just hang around a little longer… Wouldn’t want the age gap to be any wider than necessary now, would I!” He grins at his mother, who pinches her lips a little, which means that she is very annoyed; Samuel Vince Mortina knows exactly how to wind up people, especially his mum. He know she hates the over-the-top endearments.

“So, that is you further down the list then,” his mother says, professional voice and face back in their places, “Esther, how about you? When will you meet your Viking?” She looks at Esther, who is busy on her phone. Honesty, that thing seems to be an extension of the girl’s hand, Victoria thinks, irritated, and a little smug, wondering why Tabitha and Richard have allowed it… Esther blushes at the mention of her Viking, Magnus.

“There will be a party, to meet up properly,” she says shyly, “but it won’t be for a while, I fear. The thing is, with so many friends around in Sims Mobile I’m hoping to meet him at somebody else’s party, even before we have ours…” She looks round, nervous, wondering if they will think her pushy, but all she can see is smiling faces.

“Let’s promote you too, then, dear, at least you could start a hobby or a job, and meet Magnus whenever you can. I really hope for you that it will be soon!” Esther’s name is added to the priority list. Victoria looks at her sister in law and cousin, and also at her husband. “Now to decide who will retire first…” she doesn’t quite know how to carry on, as it’s rather awful to suggest to somebody else to hop it, as her cheeky son once called it. “I…I am not sure if it matters who will accept their papers first, so, I suppose it depends on who is most prepared?” She ends up making it sound like a question. Tabitha bends over the papers, partly to hide the tears in her eyes, partly to look through them to see if they have overlooked something.

“Eva needs to meet Paul, that is very important,” she says, “so as long as there is somebody who is friends with Hadley or Albert, or even Paul, it should be alright I suppose? I really have no idea which way to work this out to be honest. I still don’t know if it is possible to meet up outside parties. I mean, being friends with Hadley, Paul’s mum, doesn’t mean enough really, as it doesn’t say she is friends with you. Sims Mobile Government doesn’t encourage meeting people outside parties. I really can’t see from these papers that it will matter.”

The room has gone very quiet, the only noise is the soft humming from the fridge in the corner. Esther’s phone vibrates. Of course. Victoria and Tabitha look at the other faces, Chris looks down, Richard looks up, rubbing his chin. In the end, Tabitha speaks up. “I think it ought to be Richard and I who will retire first. After all, it is our daughters who need to be promoted first. It is only right and proper that we should allow them to take our places. That way, you can still spend more time with Samuel Vince. We knew this time was coming,” she continues, her voice softer than ever, sounding different, tighter, thinner, as if it’s only just held onto by a lead, struggling to run away from her control. “We have been preparing ourselves, not just our belongings and plans, but we have prepared our hearts also. It’s no point stretching this out, Richard and I will retire, and our girls will take our places.”

You can actually feel the relief in the room. This could have been a very awkward moment; it could have caused so much hurt and upset; anger could have dominated the meeting. As it was, the meeting was very calm and smooth, thanks to Tabitha’s grasp of reality, and her ability to put others first. That evening, she hugs Richard very tight, and is glad that the darkness hides her tears, voice wobbling ever so slightly, and says, “When you were so ill…and I really thought I was going to lose you, you remember, at our wedding reception? Well, I sang. I sang at the microphone when there was nobody around, and I sang, ‘Who Wants To Live Forever’, and at the time I was so, so sad! I felt that I would like to live forever, or at least almost forever. I don’t feel like that anymore. We have been so blessed, and I know it’s time now to bring in new blessings, new life.”

She sighs, listening to Richard’s heartbeat, strong, steady, feels his arms around her, and all of a sudden a dark room is not enough to hide her tears any longer. He holds her tight whilst she cries; cries for all that she will miss out on, cries over missed opportunities, cries over myriads of memories made in this house, cries over memories forgotten over time. Other memories come in then, flooding her mind, and by doing so, they stem the floods of tears. Yes, there are so many happy memories, so many treasures in her heart, stored away, never to be forgotten. After a while she finds her face dry, and the corners of her mouth curving upwards.

The first soft chuckle comes, “Do you remember…?” Before they know it they are both laughing, and Tabitha finds her face wet again, this time with happy tears. She sighs contentedly, “You know, I’m alright about retirement, really. I know I will miss this house once we have to leave, but it will be lovely to spend more time together. We have been through so much, met so many amazing people, been to the best parties in Sims Mobile, and the greatest gift we have is each other. We will go into retirement together. The thing I’m excited about is the girls! I’m so pleased they are able to be promoted first, I just can’t wait to see what will happen!”

The deed is done, the papers are filled in, there is no way back… Richard and Tabitha hugged each other, and soon the household had gone through a change that made the two girls smile and dance with glee! Eva didn’t spend too much time on her appearance, much to Tabitha’s sadness, and Victoria’s annoyance… She did change her top though, and who knows, the rest might follow, Tabitha thinks. Esther on the other hand changed her outfit several times, she just can’t decide what to wear in case she meets her Viking, Magnus. She chooses a little dress, showing off too much leg, Richard grumbles. Esther argues that it’s fine, and anyway, what’s wrong with her legs…

There are growing pains, difficulties to overcome once the girls are promoted. Esther is pleased as punch when she finds that her Dad and uncle finished the Internet hobby just in time. In the hobby room the computer desk appears, and Esther is hooked! She loves social media, and is on different sites all day long, Llamatube being her favourite, as she loves to take selfies. She signs up for the internet hobby of course. She isn’t too worried about getting a job, “I want to talk with Magnus about that,” she says when her parents ask her. “I would love to work in the same area as him, like you two did. I like that, and anyway, I’m sure I prefer something with access to computers…Mind you, the office outfits for women is appalling, not sure if I can cope looking like that all day…What if people put pictures of me like that on Llamatube?”

Tabitha is pretty sure nobody will bother, but she doesn’t want to upset her daughter. It is clear that Esther is giddy with happiness and expectation, talking about Vikings, reading on the internet about Norse legends, even looking up free language learning sites online to learn Ancient Norse, but she can’t find anything that comes close, so that idea is dropped.

Eva on the other hand is not a happy bunny. She wasn’t the happiest smiliest girl to start with, but her mood has definitely nosedived. The reason is that meeting Paul is definitely more complex than they were hoping. She was convinced that if someone in the family was friends with Paul’s mum, they could then call Paul over at the same time. The problem is, nobody in the family is friends with Paul. When going to Paul’s house to meet his mum, it’s actually impossible to add Paul to your contacts. There goes the happy scheme…

Eva is inconsolable. Now she has to wait till Paul can throw a party. “That will be ages,” she wails, her nose red and drippy, “I was so sure we could do it! We even scoured the list of parties to see if we could quickly go to the same one. Nothing! Hundreds of parties, and not one in common! I hate it, it’s so unfair! What am I going to do all this time? I will have three traits by the time I marry him!” She sobs and sobs, louder and louder, until Tabitha steps in. It’s fine to be upset of course, but going into hysterics isn’t.

“I’m sure it will work out absolutely fine,” she says soothingly, “You said Paul could have a party very late Tuesday night. Well, I’m sure you could manage to quickly pop over and meet him. Also, we will all do our best as much as possible, keeping our eyes wide open, in case we spot him… Don’t give up hope just yet, dear, it will be fine. There will be a very good reason for it, there always is. Nothing, absolutely nothing happens in this life without a very good reason. We might not know the reason now, but it will be there.”

Eva grunts, and shrugs her shoulders. “I can’t see any reason for this delay. We were so looking forward to meeting up, getting married…how on earth can there be a good reason for delaying this…this good thing? How do we ever know that there is a good thing to come out of bad? That just doesn’t make sense, I can’t see how that can be true.”

Tabitha hugs her daughter, feeling the stiffness, the anger, the disappointment hardening her muscles, making her tense, hurting not jut her heart, but her whole body. She kisses her daughter’s cheek, and says, “Well, once there was a well known old lady, who went through more than we would want to think about. She wrote a beautiful poem, one that your dad and I actually talked about late last night, when talking about our journey here, in Sims Mobile. This wonderful lady wrote this poem,

My life is but a weaving, Between my God and me.
I cannot choose the colours He weaveth steadily.

Oft’ times He weaveth sorrow; And I in foolish pride
Forget He sees the upper And I the underside.

Not ’til the loom is silent, And the shuttles cease to fly
Will God unroll the canvas, And reveal the reason why.

The dark threads are as needful In the weaver’s skillful hand
As the threads of gold and silver In the pattern He has planned.

He knows, He loves, He cares; Nothing this truth can dim.
He gives the very best to those Who leave the choice to Him.” (Corrie ten Boom)

Eva hugs her Mum, clinging to her a bit tighter, feeling herself relax, accept, mature. Retirement is a time for change, and a time for choice as well. Not just to choose jobs, hobbies, spouses, or even outfits; time to choose attitudes as well. She sighs, life is really complex…but good, and exciting too! After all, just one day, and Paul is able to throw a party…they will meet…and then…the future!