5.20 Edit

Even as the sun chose to stay behind the clouds in the sky, it was more than warm enough to have the traditional summerparty. Neda kept her promise of keeping them family and friends only; no more officeparties. The ones that involved swimming usually didn't end very well for her.

From now on it was all about the family for her. Even if Irena and Signe- Catherine was to busy to show up. Something about working.

Might as well be for the best. She was done with drama in her life. Now, if just Tara could get off the slide, she could actually have some fun at one of these parties for a change.

Titania really wanted to try the waterslide, but with also grandma getting in line she decided on the pool instead. She'd had to wait for one of the oldies to break their pelvic before they'd let her have her turn.

As the pool smelled freshly, and suspiciously strongly of chlorine; she covered her nose. Tania was way to young to worry about footwarts anyway, so she just enjoyed summer and spending time with the family.

Summer was the absolute best!

Aurelius had taken it upon himself to cater the rest. Usually they'd just throw themselves at anything even remotely edible; like wild animals. But he was going to make sure it came off as atleast a bit classy. The most important thing was that this way mum could relax a bit, and enjoy herself.

He did his best not to mention Steve to anyone, but once and again the thought came back. Even if he knew the rest was right. He also knew that it had to be Steve that had done something to mum. After all, mum was practically perfect.

Oh no! I have that stupid article to write!

Served her right for beeing so greedy she didn't say no. Just one more article for a competing newsmagazine, and then Neda would start beeing all loyal again. Unless it payed really good ofcourse. Guess she'd had to stay awake for the rest of the night then, because she had the day off damnit!

Why had she even said yes to write an article about baseball, Neda wondered as she took some more nectar. She didn't know anything about baseball. They didn't even have a team. Like, who even knew anything about baseball? Why was it even a sport?

Scouting around a bit, she noticed her mum staring at her. Did mum know anything about baseball? No. Niko? No, definitely no. Damn. She had to do research online. She hated sport.

Just because Sam was really nice and calm today, didn't mean she wouldn't find something to get angry about. But it was difficult as everyone enjoyed the warm day. And reading a book whilst floating on water was an underrated joy.

She hadn't forgotten about Steve, but just had to believe that Lee wasn't dumb enough to do anything about it. Besides, just look at what mum did for everyone. Ofcourse it was that bastard Steve that had hurt Neda. Definitely not the other way around.

Well, Sam was almost at her best behaviour.

So you're a real witch? She really did her best to wipe a mean grin off her face: So, I bet you had a lot of fun with nerds in school. Right?

Oh yeah. Definitely. Lillian was all to happy talking about her youthful shenanigans with a fellow hothead. And the things she'd done was things Sam could never even dream of.

Kevin and Niko had gotten over the worst bumps to. He was an easy boy to get close to. Not surprisingly he'd chosen to stay with Neda, which Niko completely understood.

It made it easier for him to get used to his dad dating again. He was barely used to it himself after all. Niko hadn't really had any serious relationships since Kevins mum, but for some reason this one felt different. Or maybe not.

Neda and Tara sat down to enjoy the dessert her son had made. A dish she'd never be able to replicate no matter how much she'd wanted to. Which she didn't.

This is really good. Maybe he'll be a chef.

Tara was far from a racer in the kitchen herself. She'd love to have a chef in the family, that way she could get free meals, and would never have to cook again.

I wish, but my son is obsessed with making simoleons. 

Aurelius might think she didn't notice, but she heard the small comments and hints. And she suspected a chef wouldn't make enough for him to be satisfied. It was still really good.

Even as it kept getting darker, Titania kept hanging after her grandpa. She was definitely his favourite, because she was way cuter then the other kids. And she had so much in common with him, and with grandma. So this was the best thing in the world.

It did come as a surprise to them that he passed away that very night. He'd seemed so youthful, and then he was just gone.

Unfortunately it was how things went in simlife, and perhaps in was fitting to celebrate death and harvest shortly after. Because things always got better after some time passed.

Despite beeing  a weatherlady, Neda still took assignments for other magazines. Without her boss' knowledge ofcourse; didn't want to get fired. Journalism also meant she had to stay at the top of her game, and it payed some extra on the side.

This time around, she'd barely managed to say her name before the firesim interrupted her: Well well, we're supposed to quench fires, not start them. She winked at Neda, who took a second to understand that the firesim thought she was hot. Oh my.

Smoothly Neda came off as beeing as professional as possible, and pretending not to be flattered at the same time.

I'm not a new recruit. I'm a journalist. We contacted the chief here for an intervju.

The department had taken out some massive fires and recieved some rewards and stuff. It was mainly a followup intervju. What was the plan from now on, disasterprevention and such. Especially now. Winterseason was the one with most housefires starting.

The firesim smiled at her: That makes a lot more sense. You look a bit scrawny for this job. 

When she was right, she was right. Neda pretty much just did cardio to stay thin. That was, the viewers would hopefully stop complaining about her weight. Even if she could stand to gain some of it.

Well, you are looking at the chief here. 

Oh. That was great. She probably had a lot of work to do.  

Are you sure you're straight though? Because if you're not...

Ofcourse the entire thing didn't bother Neda. Her subjects kept hitting on her all the time. But she wasn't dating, and that was final.

Yes. I'm sure. I like men.

Why?

 I have no idea. Neda mumbled: But you were one of the first on spot at the subway?

Yes we were. They always said we. She probably meant the personell.

Unfortunately, the articles she wrote on the side, meant her boss eventually found out. He'd shown up on set and went:"My office afterwards". That was it. Bai was never that short. He might be an old fart, but he never talked to her that way. That was how he talked to dumbarse Benny.

She was getting fired. She was going to get fired, then she'd be out of work and she was to old to get a new job now. They'd have to move in with her mother. She hadn't even had time to wash of the clownmake up she had to wear on screen.

Oh no. That was her article about the firedepartment! And it wasn't even particullarly good. If she was going to get fired, couldn't he atleast fire her ower a one of the good ones?

That was it. Her whole life was over. Why did nothing good ever come her way? This was the life of a professional looser. Well, atleast now she didn't have to look anyone at the office in the eyes, after she fell over the postsims cart and it took off with her. And no more puddingtrick, it was getting a bit annoying.

You wanted to see me Bai? She absolutely refused to call him by his surname, even if she really wanted to.

Mhm. I did. He flipped the pages back and forth a bit, reading here and there.

Every cell in her body, told her to growel at his feet, and do everything he wanted.  She had no pride when it came to these things.

This is a really good article. Who edited it`?

 I did. Poorly at that.

She practced the speech in her head: please don't fire me! I'll work for half the paycheck. I have four kids at home! Was it possible to kneel in this stupid skirt?

It's a shame, wouldn't you say? Wasting all your skills like this?

This was it! Quick Neda! Growel! Growel like you've never groweled before!

Bai. I just wanted to write a bit again. Not that I don't LOVE beeing a weatherlady! Which she didn't.

Neda, you told me you hated it. 

I was just joking! Why did she always have to open her giant mouth?! Stop saying everything you think about!

There's no need to worry. I'm promoting you to editor in chief. I'm clearly getting to old to do everything around here. And who else is going to do it? Benny? Or that other idiot; Vegard? None of them have the skills you do. Congratulations on your new title. 

Really? Wow. This was how it felt not to be a looser: Thank you so much Bai! I won't let you down. Ofcourse I'm better than Benny! 

Ofcourse. And I'll let him take over your post as weatherman. 

Ahahaha! He was going to be graded beneath her. Take that for ruining her relationship all that time ago.

You start tomorrow. 

Yes! I'd love to start tomorrow! Fuck you Benny. And the rest of her coworkers! Soon, she'd be able to fire them if they ever pranked her again. This was to good to be true. No more clownmakeup!

It wasn't just Neda that was winning all over. Sam had learned that by not punching one nerd, the rest of the geeks flocked to her. Like, what was she? Their saviour? And it was so different. Instead of punching one into doing her homework for her, they actually helped instead. Almost like punching sims wasn't the solution to all her problems.

And when she didn't understand something, they actually explained it to her. Maybe... maybe nerds wasn't as bad after all. Like, punching other bullies was a lot more challenging. Sometimes they even punched her back.

Why was he acting all weird though. She swore, if he started crushing on her, the fists were coming out again.

No, no. It's true. Sam is so much calmer. She hasn't been hauled off by the police in ages. She's so different than before. 

Neda was flabbergasted by the relative change. 

Sometimes she even comes down to my room when I'm working, and reads on the bed. She'd never done that before. Not even as a little girl.

I mean, she keeps the shoes on in bed. So I have to clean the sheets all the time. But that's not important. 

She still have tempertantrums where she leaves, but not to the same degree as before. 

Neda still had no idea where she went and asking just made her angrier. She'd love to follow her. But as tempting as it was, talk about not showing trust in your kids.

Well, that's pretty good atleast. Tara agreed with her in that.

That didn't mean life was perfect. Blinking away a few tears was the best consolidation for now. But in the end it wouldn't change anything. Why did change always come when the weather was dreary?

There's always room for you here, you know. You don't have to leave yet. What about university?

No wonder sims always thought Kevin was her son. He looked a lot like his dad, and they were siblings; thus he also looked like her.

I'm just saying it's not necessary for you to leave just yet.

Well, I'm kind of grown up now Neda. You know. An adult. 

 
You weren't an adult yesterday. So you can pretend you're not one for a little longer.

Why was it so hard for him to understand that. Just because he was an adult now, didn't mean he'd been it for so long that it meant something.

I've gotten a job at the science sentre already. And dad has helped me get a small place. Dad had recently gotten married, so he'd never move in with him either. Not that he'd done that either way. But dad had suggested it.

I'll remember to thank him later. She would definitely remember thanking her dumb brother later.

Everything will be fine. I'll visit as often as possible. And you have my number.

She was such a worrywart. Neda wouldn't be happy until he slept in a crib again. Kevin wasn't an idiot, he knew it was hardest with the first and last kid. But come on, technically he wasn't even hers.

It was a lot more empty around the house without Kevin. But they'll get used to it eventually.

And even if Neda didn't like admitting it, it was a lot less crowded around the house. Now she just needed to find out where Sam was off to when she was upset, and all would be fine.

Smile! It was so rare they did anything together, just the small family.

Mum. Just take the picture. Aurelius thought it was a bit annoying. The only one posing was Sam anyway.

Smile a little then?

No. Tania rolled her eyes. Mum was so embarrassing. Why did she have to be here?

Other than that, Neda enjoyed her new jobtitle. She still chipped in doing intervjues. Beeing editor in chief, she liked helping around a bit; editor in chief. Such a nice ring. Unfortunately, the new title hadn't stopped anyone from pranking her. She definitely wasn't going to fire anyone for it either, because that would be a bit mean.

You're shorter than me!

Putting on her best smile, Neda did her best to get it over with. Editor in chief. Things couldn't get a lot better now. Even heightcomments. She saw sims shorter than her all the time.

I don't think you understand what that means. The lady looked around like she'd seen the light for the first time in her life. Come on, it was like max half a centimeter. Just answer the question already.
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Daniel died just a few simhours after the chapter was done. For some reason noone got the mourning moodlet. And Kevin aged up. He started dating his childhood friend Erland straight after. But they ended it after a few days unfortunately. Now he's living as a hermite.

I've had homosexuality turned off in the RLC until this generation. But, now every damned sim flirts with eachother all the time. So, I think I've done something a bit wrong in the settings. Neda has never been more popular with the weirdos around town.

Thanks for reading