Is time up?
Raised voices can be heard from the Granny Annexe. Adrianna and Lancelot look at each other with raised eyebrows, curiosity and weariness on their faces. This must be the third argument this week, although this one sounds a lot more dramatic and involved. “Will it have anything to do with the letter that arrived for Guinevere this morning? Do you think it will be her retirement letter? She looked absolutely horrified when she opened it. After all, it has been a while since she got her last trait…” Adrianna’s whispered voice trails off as Lancelot holds up one hand to stop her, tilting his head to hear better.
“I’m sure I can hear Chris’ voice as well!” he whispers back, a frown screwing up his face in what should be a concerned look, but because of his new hair do makes him look like a weird teenager with beard. Adrianna looks away, as the new hair style still annoys her. She loves class and great taste; Lancelot seems to just have reached a midlife crisis, dressing in gaudy colours and a wild hair style. She sighs, and in the silence that follows she can hear the three voices quite clearly. It sounds as if Chris is really agitated. Well, nothing new there! The poor chap is a mess, to be honest.
It isn’t that long ago since Chris reached adulthood, which did nothing to improve his moods or his attitude. He can be very charming and sweet, but only when he will benefit from it. When a situation feels slightly out of his control, well, you will see a totally different Chris! Adrianna is convinced that he grew his hair long just to wind up his parents. It doesn’t actually suit him, and Adrianna, like all the others in the Mortina household bar Chris, can’t stand long hair on the guys. She might be old fashioned, or rather, they might all be old fashioned and prejudiced and what ever else people like to call it, but the fact remains that they don’t think it looks good.
Of course, Guinevere moaned and fussed over Chris’ hair, and Sebastian made his usual vague but snide comments, and Chris just sneered at his parents, enjoying their discomfort. He dresses in ripped jeans and a hoodie, and glowers at everyone he meets. That is, until he needs something. It’s like the sun comes out then, he is fun and charming, and you would never recognise him as the sullen overgrown teenager.
“Extended adolescence,” says Lancelot suddenly. “That is all it is, and I’m afraid they had it coming too, with all their crazy schemes and talk of ‘Injustice’ and needing to put the record straight!”
Adrianna looks confused, “What are you on about?” she says, trying to keep the edge out of her voice. She is tired and actually a little worried about life in Sims Mobile.
“I mean the lad, Chris. He is a basket case, he is. One minute crying, next minute laughing and spreading charm like a farmer spreads manure… It’s all this talk about ancestor Chris that has done that. The boy doesn’t know whether he is coming or going, he doesn’t even know if he will be able to stay in the Mortina Home! Who knows what will happen, no decision has been made yet with regards to the Line, and who will carry it on. I’m not even sure that the boy should be considered, he isn’t particularly a great representative now, is he?”
Lancelot walks off, ready to do more work. The garden patch is almost cleared, and in a very short time they should have enough Simoleans to clear the next patch! What about those shoes he saw the other day…he does fancy some new shoes, but reckons that the ladies will want to go to town first. After all, he did pay quite a bit for his new hair do! He touches the wavy bits, worried that it will all go down and just look flat again. So far so good though, and when he passes one of the many mirrors he can’t resist a look and a smile.
Adrianna is left behind by herself. She sits down for a moment, tired and worried. She has been so distracted lately, thinking and fussing bout the future. Somehow she feels drawn to the past, and people have already commented about her frequent visits to her old home. I just need to touch base with my roots, she argues in her head. What is wrong with me visiting the old Family home? Anyway, I’m sure I can be of help there to, the Knight family is growing as well, and there are bound to be younger people there who need an auntie’s input!
The thing is, Adrianna is scared. Scared of changes ahead. After all, the children are all grown up, even little Jephta, and it seems that all four of them have been served their retirement papers. They can hold off, naturally, but really only for so long. For one thing, it is always possible to accept the next reminder, and you’ll be retired before you realise. On the other hand, the next generation will want to live out their lives, find spouses, have careers, and how much longer will they wait?
It isn’t that long ago that Jephta had his birthday, so obviously nothing has been mentioned yet. Also, she is quite sure that Guinevere had her notice only this morning. She must have waited till after the Events, between shifts, to show Sebastian. What is Chris doing, though, how did he get involved in all this? Mind you, he is very hyper vigilant, always worried that he will be the victim of some imagined injustice, so he was probably hanging around, watching everything with those black eyes of his…!
Adrianna gets ready, relieved to be able to still make it to work at the Court, paranoid that she will accept the retirement call when it comes again! How awful that would be, in the middle of your shift, really in the middle of your life, to accept the call and find yourself back home, grey and useless…It has happened to others recently; even one of the Starlettes retired like that. She shudders, if it can happen to Betty, it can happen to anyone!
Things have changed in the Mortina Home, that is for sure. When Adrianna comes back from the Court she can just sense it. Things aren’t as they were. Guinevere looks different, even has a new (expensive!) haircut, and brand new boots, and a totally different style of clothing. What is that all about? Then there are her angry comments that keep reminding the others that she is not old, that she is not ready for retirement, whatever the Sims Mobile Government might think, and that she has still many years of service left.
Sebastian, Lancelot and Adriana avoid her, Adrianna feels her own adrenaline rising whenever Guinevere goes off one. She knows the score, she knows that the papers are served soon after your last trait, and she knows that once the next generation is all grown up, you really can’t avoid reality. Guinevere isn’t so good at reality though. The arrival of the letter took her completely by surprise. Yes, of course she knew she’d had her last trait, but this feels so final. To hold a bit of paper that coolly states that it is really time for you to end life as you know it…the cruelty of it took her breath away.
“I’m not ready yet!” she wails to Sebastian that evening. “I have still so many things that I enjoy. I have friends I want to get to know better, I have just become better acquainted with Audrey Hepburn of all people. Do I really need to give all that up, all the chances I have at this stage, just to move into some dreary old people’s flat somewhere Downtown? It’s just so unfair, I’m not ready at all, and why should I give everything up?” She sobs as if her heart would break, and Sebastian runs through a list of tranquilizers in his mind. He hates sedating people, it never really helps long term, and it takes away healing tears as well. Guinevere got herself into a real state though, and he knows the number on her birth certificate, even if she herself denies it… Soon she falls asleep on the double bed in the Granny Annexe, and Sebastian breathes a sigh of relief. He can’t think of anything worse than Guinevere’s hysterics! Fortunately, she is usually quite calm and self controlled, something that hasn’t been passed on to their son, he thinks, scowling in the semi darkness of the room.
Guinevere is not the only one that had a letter that fateful day. The postman seems to have a regular beat to their postbox, with many letters in a sprawling handwriting found there in the morning. Tabitha is the one making off with these, her pretty face looking prettier still under a blush. Even Chris seems to get some post, and he looks a bit less like he’s suffering all the world’s ills after the post has been.
Days go by, but before too long, the children ask for a Family Conference. Guinevere promptly bursts into tears when Sebastian tells her. “This is it! This is the end, I know it is! They want to throw us out, stuff us in an old people’s home, tuck us away! What about my Chris, what about my boy, will they cut him off as well, just like ancestor Chris? Will the injustice in this family be perpetuated? What if I refuse, what if I carry on working, will they really force me to accept my retirement? Can they actually do so?” She cries and throws herself on the bed. When she is calmer she goes into the gold bathroom, and upon seeing her face in the star shaped mirror burst into new floods of tears. Sebastian is at a loss, he hates dramas, and he suspects that a lot of these tears are crocodile tears…caused by fear, and a dislike of change.
In the end the whole family sits in the spacious lounge of the Granny Annexe, as it has more sofas to sit on. Josiah scrapes his throat rather pompously, and looks round. “Ahh well, ehm..we as children would like to discuss a few things…ehm..you know, about the house and all that…eehm…well, yes, just to see what you think.” Guinevere stops herself just in time from rolling her eyes. Adrianna is watching her, and however pompous and over the top Josiah might seem, his mother adores him.
The adults look at each other, and in the end Lancelot speaks up. “Well, as you know, we all have been served our retirement papers, irrespective of how we feel about that.” He looks down at his bright red trousers, new red loafers on his feet, and sighs. “You know that we love this house, we love the family, and we don’t really feel old enough to go into a home and just play snooker all day…or darts…or whatever they do Downtown…” he trails off, unsure of what to say next. He certainly doesn’t feel ready to leave, but then, on the other hand, the children must feel ready to leave Limbo, and start living their lives and building their dreams. Surely they have a right to be heard in this matter?
“I understand that you will have a view about all this?” asks Adrianna, her courtroom voice clear and crisp, but Lancelot can hear the tiniest tremor in her voice. “We do understand that now you’re all grownup you might want to share your ideas with us.” She looks at her three children, cute little Josiah, so grownup and sure of himself, even if he is not the best speaker in Sims Mobile. Tabitha, her little girl, beautiful and sweet, considerate and kind…and her baby, Jephta, how did he get to grow up so fast?! Then there is Chris…looking sullen and stubborn, twisting his fingers in and out, shuffling his feet, glowering at whoever looks at him.
In the end it is Jephta who explains what is on their minds. He is a lovely young man, Arianna had high hopes for him; saw him as the next Mortina Clan leader. It isn’t to be, she realises as soon as Jeptha takes the floor. “We know that you all have had your papers served, we also know that you’re all four young at heart.” He pauses for a second, hesitates, and the others all try to avoid looking at Sebastian at this point. Sebastian who actually allowed his hair to go grey, who looks, dresses and walks like an old man…
Jeptha looks around at the family, and carries on. “We do know how you feel, and it’s not that we want to get you out, or stuff you away somewhere Downtown. The thing is, though, Josiah has got plans already, even got his eye on a little apartment, and so have I.” He looks at his mum apologetically, as he knows the dreams she had for him. “Tabitha and Chris, well, that is a different matter. You see, we can see aunt Guinevere’s point, and Chris has really been well prepared to take on the Family Line. It would be a shame to stop that from happening. We, as children, feel that there is no reason why he shouldn’t stay here, and carry on the Line.”
Apart from his mental health, Lancelot fills in quietly to himself. On the other hand, being placed in a position of responsibility might do him some good. Who knows, he might find a good wife who will be able to help and support him?
“Tabitha also would like to stay on, she met somebody the other day, and has been in touch with him a lot.” Jephta smiles at his older sister, who is blushing, and looks even prettier than usual, sitting on the warm coloured sofa, looking round with her large eyes glowing.
Tabitha takes a deep breath. She doesn’t like these type of meetings. Her parents look anxious, and Aunt Guinevere looks like she is on the edge of a breakdown! She smiles at her brothers, glad for their kindness and support. “Yes, I met somebody, the son of one of mum’s posh friends,” she laughs, “His name is Richard, which I thought was really providential. You know, with our Founding Father being called Ricardo,” she explains as all the faces around her have gone completely blank. “He is very kind, considerate, and has excellent manners. I love him, and really want to marry him. His parents have already agreed, and he even has a Moving Permit promised to him as soon as we need to. In one of his letters he explains how he is conferring with his parents about his career and hobbies. Just as an example of his character, which I thought said a lot about him!”
She breaths out, only then realising that all this was said whilst she was holding her breath! Honestly, how stressful families can be!
Then Chris speaks up, and waves a letter that he has just pulled from his pocket. “I’ve also been writing to a girl,” he states matter of factly, “Her name is Victoria, she is Richard’s sister, so she comes from a very well to do family, Mum’s friends, the Knight Family. She is very sweet, and loves me a lot, and is prepared to move in as well. Of course, we talked about this at great length, and she totally gets my important position in the Mortina Line, and will do all she can to support me in setting past injustices to rights.”
His parents gasp, they had absolutely no idea he had found a girl! Sebastian’s eyes are dark, he blames Guinevere, and her hysterics, for this oversight. If she hadn’t taken up so much of my time I might actually have noticed something, he thinks. Who knows what this girl is like, and what she really has promised Chris? I know she comes from a very well to do family, and is she really prepared to give that up, just to marry Chris? I hope she knows about his moods…! The boy has a very skewed take on life, I just pray the girl can cope with that…
Not much is left to be said after all this. It seems very much a done deed, Adrianna thinks to herself. In a way she is relieved, this dreaded retirement has been hanging over them all for sometime, and at least it’s all out in the open now. The decision is made that nothing will be done until the Gems are handed out by the Government. After that they will retire, and Tabitha and Chris will take over the house, and a double wedding will follow soon after that.
Guinevere is secretly relieved as well as upset about having been kept in the dark by her darling boy! Not much time is left them, so Guinevere is determined to make the most of the little time she has! There is a party to attend…friends to chat to…work to be done. Then there is the packing and sorting for the retirement home…No time to waste!