Settling In
Monica Drysdale and Randal Winfield stood before the soaring expanse of High Lawn*, the Winfield family home.
“This is your house?” Monica asked, tilting her head back to get a full view of the sweeping facade. “I’m not dressed well enough to be the maid here,” Monica still wasn’t used to the idea of having money or to marrying money and the thought of being the richest woman in Orion Bay was daunting, let’s be honest, it was terrifying.
“Welcome to High Lawn,” Randal answered, “Pretentious to name your house and all, but my grandfather liked it. I wouldn’t worry about how you are dressed, we can always go shopping if you like but I like you just the way you are,” he grabbed his fiance’s hand and tugged, “Come on, I’ll show you around.”
“We did it!” Kitty jumped into Xavier’s arms. “We sure did!” he answered, swinging her around.
Xavier had quickly realized that his sister was serious in her bid to pay off Kitty and just as quickly, he had realized that his father was behind it all. Elizabeth wasn’t that devious, but Francis was. With Veronica’s cooperation, she owed him a favor or two anyway, he and Kitty managed to have the last laugh and 50,000 of the Mendenhall Foundation’s money.
Xavier set his fiance back on her feet and took a deep breath, “Guess it’s time you introduce me to your mother.”
‘Everything is the same,’ Elizabeth thought with satisfaction, sitting before her vanity in the room she had left four years before.
She had yet to discover Kitty, Xavier and Veronica’s betrayal so in her mind, everything was as she had arranged it to be. She wasn’t used to being so manipulative, she hadn’t thought she had it in her, but creating a world according to her own wishes was empowering.
As was being the new VicePresident of Mendenhall Enterprises.
“I hope Mom and Dad are happy to see me,” Veronica said as she got out of the taxi in front of Bettencourt Manor.
Veronica, the one all the boys had 3 bolts for, left college without so much as a boyfriend. Turner had gone off to mediate in the woods or something after graduation and as far as her old flame Xavier was concerned, well, she had done her first unselfish deed and was feeling pretty pleased with herself.
“Now to do good deeds for the rest of the world,” Veronica’s 4.0 GPA (everyone was surprised) and her talks with her professor had set her on an idealistic course toward the stage and screen where she felt she could really make a difference in people’s lives.
“It’s unfinished, I hope that’s ok,” Jodie ventured, touching his fiance’s shoulder tenderly. He wished that he could have bought the biggest house in Orion Bay, but this little starter adobe in Rigel Heights was the best he could afford.
“Of course, it’s ok, it’s more than ok,” Maleena reached out to embrace Jodie. She had come a long way in her four years at Hunter, when she started college, she didn’t know what poor people were, now she was marrying one and didn’t care.
“I’ll get a job tomorrow and we can start finishing the house,” Jodie suggested. He planned to get a job as a commercial artist so he could make money doing what he loved, he wasn’t ready to sell out even for the love of his life.
The rain in Rigel Heights had stopped by the time the taxi arrived to take Catherine back to Mendenhall Place. Wayne lingered on the lawn looking wistfully at the taxi, “my time will come too” he called to Catherine.
“I’m sure it will, Wayne. You’re doing really well,” Catherine had grown fond of Horizons’ other residents, Wayne and his constant flirting, Rose and her worrying, Andie and her dreams of designing for the runway and Paul, crazy, loony Paul. “I’m going to miss you,” she surprised herself with her last words and gently slid the door shut.
The front door slamming shut had made Catherine jump, ‘what am I so nervous about? This is my house too.’
“Anyone home?” she called into the quiet house.
Her daughter’s light, airy voice answered, “In here, Mother.”
Elizabeth’s eyes narrowed, she could feel her mother gaze resting on the glasses.
———————-
Note: This was more of a straightening out than a real post. After the mess that was final semester, I needed to get everyone settled into their houses so I could keep them straight and see what there new list of wants were so the storylines could develop. There are now 7 households in the metro area:
Rigel Heights
- The Gibsons - Jay, wife Brenda, son Jacob and adopted daughter LC (Lydia) Gibson
- The Placers - Shelly Placer, secretary to Francis Mendenhall
- The Gundersons - Jodie Gunderson and fiance Maleena Bettencourt
Orion Bay
- Bettencourt Manor - Maxine, husband Robert and daughter Veronica Bettencourt
- Mendenhall Place - Francis, wife Catherine and daughter Elizabeth Mendenhall
- High Lawn - Randal Winfield and fiance Monica Drysdale-Bettencourt
- Cwik Terrace - Kitty Cwik, her fiance Xavier Mendenhall and Kitty’s mother Talia
*High Lawn created by Cerulean Talon at TSR
July 21st, 2008 at 6:21 pm
Whew, looks like everyone is settled in. It’s a shame Xavier’s not with Veronica, I know people would prefer Kitty… but I just don’t think she has the gall to kick Xavier into the shape he needs. Not to mention combat his nature. At least Veronica could push him around.
Elizabeth, what are you doing? Are you trying to see if she has the will to stay sober? Dangerous games, girl, dangerous games. You’ve fouled up once, don’t let it happen again…
edit: After graduation, I dropped everyone into an unoccupied lot so they would roll new wants to determine the course of the story. Veronica’s want was “Fall in love w/ Turner”, Kitty - “get engaged to X” and Xavier (who happens to be in love and have 100/100 relationship with both) rolled “flirt w/Kitty”, 4 grilled cheese related things and meet new. Thanks a lot guys :S
This might not be so bad though, I agree Kitty is weaker than V, but the new Elizabeth (who is heartily enjoying toying with people…including her mother) is going to be pissed
July 21st, 2008 at 8:57 pm
Good on you, Xavier and Kitty! And how impressive of Veronica, to do a good deed for someone else. I’m sure a girl like her won’t be alone for long.
I can’t wait to see what everyone gets up to in their new homes
edit: Veronica surprised everyone (including me) with her willingness to give up Xavier.
I can’t wait either, I’m off to play now that work is done!
July 21st, 2008 at 10:57 pm
Veronica surprised me-selfless behavior? what?
ooo, can’t wait until Elizabeth discovers her scheme failed and I really want for Francis to discover his little girl had a baby-probably wouldn’t care-I mean, how could he have missed it. Ooo, I want for the gossip to fly concerning LC so bad!
Loved how you did a post to straigten things out-clears everything up in my head so I can go forward with more stories!
edit: I figured if I needed a post to clear things up, so did everyone else lol
I don’t know what Francis would do, or if he’ll even find out. Catherine isn’t going to tell him, she is considering telling Elizabeth though…which is probably just as bad as telling Francis.
July 22nd, 2008 at 8:45 am
Ah, i’m jealous of you be able to update so often, i can’t find time to update even one. Enough with my babbling.
Veronica actually doing a good deed? Good for her! Elizabeth not going to like it! She is mean isn’t she,purposely testing her mother like that? She want to see if she still weakminded is she?
edit: My updates fall on the days my husband has to work and I don’t. It gives me something to do so I don’t keep asking him “are you done yet?” Basically, the sims keeps me off his nerves lol
When Catherine came in from the taxi, Elizabeth was walking down the stairs. I thought, how cool, she’s going to greet her mother, and got ready to write a nice mother-daughter greeting but E walked straight to the bar and made drinks instead. I guess she is nasty at heart
July 22nd, 2008 at 3:17 pm
Firstly, I’m a total nerd, every time I see the name LC I giggle a little bit.
Secondly, ELIZABETH HOW COULD YOU. Ann, you know how I am, I AM NOT LIKING THIS GIRL. She’s about an update away from me hating her. I like Catherine though, she’s strong, hopefully she’ll get through it.
I love Veronica’s new look, and I’m glad she gave up Xavier, it’s really nice of her. I like Kitty as well, she seems so nice- she and Xavier make a great couple.
(Oh, I left the links for the Sites in the comments at my blog, for your CC Hunting Pleasure.
)
edit: You nerd! lol jk You did name LC, so she’s kinda your sim. Yep, I know how you are by now
and I suspect that you are going to end up hating Elizabeth. Giving up Xavier is the first nice thing V’s done, though I was up for her and X being together. If that had happened, she would have been the driving force behind him, with nice, meek Kitty as his wife he’ll have to show some initiative of his own.
Thanks for the links, I added Raon’s to the downloads page here. Don’t be surprised to see a toddler with a barrette soon
July 22nd, 2008 at 11:59 pm
Elizabeth! I guess she’s harboring some resentment over her mother’s reaction to her pregnancy.
Xavier and Kitty still being together was a sweet surprise. And I find myself hoping we see more of Horizon’s residents.
edit: I guess that mother-daughter shopping trip wasn’t so healing after all
I created the Horizon’s residents as extras, but they really grew on me. They’ll definately be popping up again
July 23rd, 2008 at 10:27 am
I’m finally caught up. I don’t know how I got so far behind. As always very good update.
I use to like Elizabeth. Now she is starting to act like her father and that is not cool. Hopefully, she gets a mind of her own.
I wish Catherine would have gotten her own place. That house is just going to be too stressful. With her cheating controlling husband and her daughter who acts like she is a child. I hope she is able to cope.
It is good that Xavier and Maleena got what they both wanted. They deserved it.
edit: Thanks
Between living in that house and her daughter (not to mention Francis), Catherine may have a rough time of it, but there was no way that she was going to give up her social standing and be replaced by that tart of a secretary! Xavier has yet to roll a want for Veronica, so that’s a good sign.
July 28th, 2008 at 11:23 am
Go Kitty and Xavier!
And Veronica too, I’m eager to see what becomes of her. And I love Maleena and Jodie, and Monica and Randal. So cute and relatively drama-free, heh.
edit: I was disappointed at first, I wanted Xavier to roll for Veronica but Kitty is growing on me the more I play her. Maleena, Jodie, Monica and Randal are all too drama free…they need some spice in their lives.