5.11 Tasting the salt

The squeaking from the rockinghorse would end up driving her mad. Someone should really fasten the bolts on that thing. It was so typical of cafèowners to throw in some old toys that kids could play with, but never do anything to upkeep them.

Kevin kept making sounds and talked to himself. A typical thing that kids playing alone did.

So, that's him? He looks perfectly normal.

He is. I woke up a few days ago with an enormous dog in my bed. Turned out he'd decided we should adopt it. Or, you know; he fed it, then it never went away. He had it stashed away in his room so I wouldn't notice. He calles the dog Doug. 

Classic. 

Not that it's a problem, because Kevins cat Kitty, and Doug really likes eachoter.

You have a cat? 

Well, no. Kevin has a cat. Another stray he invited to stay just a few days ago. Neda nodded to herself; I just couldn't say no. Poor cat and dog needed a place to stay.

So, how is motherhood in general?

Loud. I manage ofcourse, but it's a bit crowded.

Well, you look...

Fat, Neda interrupted Tara: I look fat. I'm having problems breathing, so the babys coming really soon. 

Like, when I'm here soon?

Don't worry Tara, not this soon. 

She kept an eye on Aurelius while she sat there. The chest looked a bit old, she just hoped he wouldn't get splinters from beeing inside it. She couldn't even be bothered to care if the shopowner would come and yell at her or something. He should take care of the toys for the kids, before he dared judge her.

I bet in a little while you'll be dragging three, no five kids around all on your own to.

Neda tried to keep her spirit up. Maybe Steve breaking up with her wasn't the worst that had happened. After all, this way atleast she didn't have to be constantly irritated about that tv gaming.

Tara seemed like she was about to panick, without knowing what to answer, so Neda did it for her: Don't worry Tara. I won't be offended if you think having kids, or beeing alone with them is the worst thing ever.

That's not it, Tara said. Okay, it was a bit of that; But how are you going to make it? You have two others already? I can't believe Steve dumped you like that! 

I cheated. Remember? I slept with my fishfaced co- worker Benny. Ofcourse she'd filled her in on that. Not her proudest moment. And she still had to meet him at work.

Yeah, but he could just have gotten over it. Tara was definitely on her cousins side in this, just like she would've been on hers: Atleast until the baby's born. Does he ever meet Aurelius? 

Neda wasn't entirely sure how to answer, but decided against painting Steve as some dreamguy. Especially since they weren't together anymore.

Yeah, he stoppes by regulary. But, he always just sits and stares at the tellie whilst Aurelius sits close by. He doesn't interact or anything like that with him. 

She had a pretty good suspicion that he would become one of those dads, that would eventually visit rarer and rarer, to eventually fade away.

Ugh, typical. Tara said: Guys just want to spread their dna then think they have some kind of ownership of their offspring. 

Yeah, typical. 

It felt so good to badmouth Steve a bit. She kept forgetting that she was supposed to be a good sim. But, she donated to charity and stuff, so that made her kind right? 
 
Does he have the appartment now? 

We sold it. Turned out he already had a small flat in town, that's where he spent so much time. Instead of coming home to me. When she thought about it, she didn't get why she'd been so surprised. He'd been writing books all along, so ofcourse he had a "quiet place" to go to.

Taras jaw just dropped, so Neda kept talking; So turnes out the jokes on me. I cheated, end up with several kids and sell the flat because I wanted to be "nice" so Steve had some simoleons to get a new place. And he had one all along!

It was the last time she'll ever be kind to anyone. From now on, she was only going to care about herself and the kids. And Tara ofcourse. After all, she couldn't meet her parents, her sister hated her, her halfsister was missing again, and her brother skipped on them everytime they found him; and her and Dragan only ever spoke on the phone.

I mean, I could've told Steve that Bennys dick was bigger than his, even if I really want to forget that! And I could've told him that I fucked like half of campus whilst we were dating. But I didn't! Because I'm a nice sim! Ofcourse Benny also has no idea what a clitoris is, so it was just annoying anyway, but that's not the point! 

Quickly glansing over at Kevin, she was glad to see that he still wasn't paying attention to them. That was the good thing with kids, with the ammount of sound they made, it was pretty free to talk as long as they didn't raise their voices to much.

He's probably care more about the dick- comment.

Tara liked when Neda was petty and mean. Not that it wasn't a shame that her bitchsister pretty much stopped her from contacting any familymembers, but it was so much fun when she was like this.

Yeah, I'm never letting any of those arseholes near me again. From now on it's just me and the kids. A man looks at me again, I'm going to waddle over and sit on him; crush him with my elephantweight. 

Neda sighed, having trouble breathing with that enormous belly; I really just... I don't really want to talk about this anymore. Can we talk about you instead? How's work? I saw your newest book sold well.

Not really, it just sold better than the others. Still sold like shit. 

Okay, that wasn't so interesting then: But it's good that it sold better than the other right?

Ofcourse, but I won't be satisfied before I'm a household name. I also want to write shitty books that sells great, just because the names wellknown. Tara had her future planned.

I thought the point was to revolutionize litterature?

No, it's about getting rich. Maybe if I write about shaving my balls, I'll get rich to.

What?

What? You're not the only one that petty and mean. You think I'd get a bestseller like that creep Benny if I wrote about shaving my lowers?

Maybe Neda should've gotten upset that Tara called her mean, but she was right: He wrote a book about that? 

Yup. 

Gross.

Great, now she had to think about that to whenever she met Benny at work. Not only had she slept with him, he'd outed her affair to Steve and now she had to know that. Ugh. He just got grosser. And yet it was her the dumbarses at work kept pulling pranks on?

I hate him.... She chose not to specify which "him" she meant. It was mainly Benny, but Steve was pretty high up on that list to.

Tara leaned closer and smiled: Tell me more. Let it all out to old Tara. 

No, I don't want to talk about it. More about you.

I dumped my boyfriend, and I never get to do anything fun anymore because all my friends are domesticated?

Shit. I'm so sorry Tara. I never thought I'd be one of those women that just thinks about herboyfriend and kids, and forgets all about friends. 

Don't think about it. We'll meet when we get older. 

No, I mean, I'm really terrible. I've always wanted a relationship like mum and dad, but it's just not realistic for me.

And now I'm having another child. I'll never leave the house again. I really should've waited. I'm sorry Tara. It's just... They need me pretty much twentyfour seven, so I don't see the point of even having anyone over. I bet you'd be sick of them after twenty minutes.

Probably. 

But, like, maybe you could come over for twenty minutes once in a while? Or we could meet like we do now when we're on our way home from work? Let the babysitter just spend a tad more time with them? 

It should be possible to do. 

It's just so stressful to plan things when the kids are so small. I mean, Kevin will be fine, but Aurelius and the fetus not so much. The babysitters are pretty expensive to. 

Well, I haven't been helpful either. I've not exactely made it easier for you when you did try to plan something. 

No, that's true.

And I had no idea that Steve was so lazy and didn't help you take care of the kids or anything. Why didn't you say anything?

I didn't want to sound like a nag or that I was complaining about him. I mean, he was so perfect when I met him. I thought that if I gave him some more time, he'd just grow up already.

Oh! I bet that was why you've been cheating for so long! 

Nah, that's just my lack of morale and judgement. 

I liked my version better. Tara said. Neda kind of did to.

She'd never cared about boys in school, so she had no idea why she'd been so crazy at uni. It just felt like it was supposed to mean something that guys liked her, and now she was alone with three kids.

You know Neda, it's no big deal beeing single. Women are happier, lives longer and are healthier than the married ones.

I know. I just don't understand what got into me. It doesn't matter.

She was going to dedicate herself to her work now, and the kids. She was going to be the best journalist Jericho had ever seen! Well, it wasn't likely because she didn't have an ounce of talent, but atleast she'd make sure that sims wanted to read what she wrote about.

Tara was nice enough to go to the playground with them, and even got Neda to join in a game of hopscotch. By the laughing she did, she seemed to be more interested in seeing a pregnant lady jumping around. It didn't matter, because Neda finally won for once.

Kevin climbed onto the highest spot and looked into the horizon. He waited for his mum and dad to come and fetch him every single day, so he spent a lot of time looking for them. Aunt Neda said they were coming home soon, so he knew it was true.

But he also understood that "soon" for a grownup often was a bit longer than "soon" for a kid. Still, they could show up any day now! He knew how dad looked, because Neda had showed pictures and videos of him. He wasn't entirely sure how mum looked though, Neda was a bit quiet everytime he brought her up.

Kevin found one kid to play games with at the karaokeclub. He was thrilled about it, because it was infested with oldies. Not that oldies were always bad, but it was still more fun spending time with other kids.

Neda and Tara decided to sing a duet to a cheerful audience. It was just something about a heavily pregnant sim singing and showing off, that made the audience go wild.

Aurelius decided to pretend he didn't see them and demostratively turned his back against the singing sims. Even toddlers could get embarassed by their mother. Him and the teddy was also the only audience present, so them turning their back was a clear indicator of how terrible they were.

Neda was a bit jealous at Tara, since she could use the bull. She'd never tried one of those before. Why hadn't she? And now she couldn't because she was pregnant. Pregnancy was so restrictive.

On the other hand, Tara could have that thing all to herself. Neda wasn't going anywhere near it, pregnant or not. That looked like it hurt.

Seeing a woman beeing thrown off the bull, made one of Nedas coworkers want the challenge to; both of them pretended they didn't see him. What a copycat

You did not just do that! 

Clearly Tara payed a bit more attention than Neda thought: Did what?

You just bumped into the table on purpose!

I did no such thing! Neda tried staying serious. She never won anything!

You did to! You bumped your belly into the table on purpose! It's not going to do any good!

It was a pure accident! I can't help where my belly goes!

Oh come on! Tara noticed her bumping the table again.

That was also an accident! Neda said.

Then the sight of Vidar flying off the bull caught her attention instead. How was that thing even legal to have? Look at him flying off like that!

Did he.... I think he's broken his neck...

Neda and Tara stopped playing when the guy went headfirst into the ground. That looked absolutely terrifying. Though, if he died, maybe she'd get a promotion since they were both journalists.

Thanks for taking me out Tara. It's getting late, so I should take Kevin and Aurelius home.

I get that. I'm tired to. To much excitement for me on a saturday... Yeah, I know. And no, I don't really party a lot. 

Okay. 

Are you okay?

Neda did her best to pretend: Yeah. It's just my fake contractions getting worse. Think the accidental tablebumping made them worse. 

That was not an accident! You did that on purpose. Only reason you won to.

Yeah... Tara?

Their not fake! Shit! She had no idea that a lot of secondtime births were quicker.

What?! 

The baby' s on it's way!

What?!!!!

Another contaction grabbed hold, and Neda wasn't able to answer for a second. The menfolk around were more than happy to share their experience wisdom and help a pregnant lady out.

Hnnng.... hospital. Finally she was able to squeek something out. Now she could just hope Tara had heard her.

....okay... she didn't look happy, but Neda didn't have time to think about her feelings.

Titania was a healthy babygirl. It wasn't before after naming her that Neda realized that her nickname would probably end up beeing tit. Not the best idea. But, Steve hadn't been present, so it was something they could argue about later.

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So that's it for poor Neda; she'll be a single mum: single parent. But atleast now she'll have to make better decisions for herself.

It wasn't supposed to be this dramatic, but it turned out that Steve had the meanspirited trait. So instead of the usual, I just pretended he was very selfish. Which he was to btw. Anyway, last chapter he kept on arguing with her on his own accord, so I figured it was a fitting time to break it off for them.

Thanks for reading