Chapter 2.5: AWESOME! Holiday Intermission

 12 Hours Earlier

The families gather for a gift giving party at the Van Hofwegen house. Even Michael's family shows up. The fact that his father and mother have manged to put their differences aside for the day means a lot.

Israel shows up even though he should have headed home for a shower. No one seems to notice the cloud of funk rolling off his body. If Sally had noticed she'd be mortified.

Leila is excited to meet her future niece or nephew. Her son Rickey is a toddler and she is excited for him to have a playmate closer to his age.

"How is my little genius?" Claude asks.
"I'm good, dad."
"How is your job? Morgan and Jess?"
"The grocery store is fine. I just had my five year anniversary. I got a bonus. Morgan wishes he could have come but he had to work. Jess is doing well. He's a toddler now."

Claude can't believe that Selma has let all her genius go to waste working at the grocery store but she does seem happy.

Michael approaches his mother, Lolly, with a very serious concern.
"I've noticed something strange about, Amira." Michael confesses. "I think you might be able to help me figure it out."
"Oh? How can I help?"
Lolly's face is creased with concern for her son and her future grandchild."
"Remember when you told me that your father had a serious fear of cops? He'd avoid them at all costs?"
"Yes." Lolly nods. "My uncle was a policeman and my father refused to ever have him over."
"Was that because he was a criminal?" Michael whispers.
Lolly's eyes moisten with tears. She wishes she could deny this. She had spent so many years ignoring the signs and convincing herself that her parents couldn't be criminals.
She nods, "Yes, I am very sure that was the reason."
"Amira is the same way." Michael admits. "She cannot stand the sight of cops, let alone the mention of them."

"I married her because I love her. I'm happy." Michael admits, "But I'm also worried. What if something happens to her?"

Amira is distracted talking to her niece and doesn't hear the conversation happening just a few feet away.
"I remember when you were a baby you had this stuffed bear you wouldn't let go of!"
"Mr. Skishy!" Sally laughs. "I still have him."

"Perhaps you should consider divorce." Lolly says. "I hate to say it because I would love for you two to make it work but a criminal's life is never easy, Michael. It doesn't get easier when you involve children either. I should know."

"That would be so cold. I could never do that to her!"
"Do what to who?" Teresa asks.
Michael jumps, "Where did you come from?"
"Three feet away. What are you guys talking about?" Teresa asks suspicioulsy.
"The weather." Michael and Lolly answer in unison.



Maeve is happy to see her stepfather. He is just as happy to see her.

Varinia has more sense than Michael when it comes to having conversations about sensitive topics.
"I wanted to apologize," Varinia says. "I'm sorry for trying to push you to move in with Maeve and to seek treatment at the hospital. Just know that I was only trying to do what I thought was right. I realize now that it wasn't my decision to make."

"But you were right, mom. I'm in the treatment program now. It's helping me a lot. I mean, I almost lost custody of Rickey because of my condition. The program helped me get back on track."
"I'm so happy to hear it is working for you!"

It is such a relief for Varinia to know that Leila is finally taking care of her issues.

"Are we going to get to the gifts?" Jeffrey asks.
Amira shrugs.

"So when is this baby getting here?" Teresa asks. "Soon I hope. Sebastian and Geneva could use a cousin to play with."
Michael chuckles, "Sebastian is a toddler and Geneva is a newborn. They don't even know how to play. I think they can wait another day or two for a cousin."

Sally is getting tired. Lolly has taken a seat on the floor. Everyone can just walk around her.

"Presents!" Amira announces.
She's tired of waiting.

Michael wonders what Selma got but she's not telling. Amira gets a bicycle and Michael receives a new gaming console to replace his broken one.

"Have you read SuperSim #54 yet? It's great!" Michael gushes.

Roman dances with his stepniece. Sally is not amused by the picture taking.

As the night winds down everyone agrees that they had a blast.

Varinia and Claude have one more AWESOME! surprise. They have been working tirelessly to put together a collection of every instrument and composition known to the Simverse and they have finally completed the task. Amira is shocked that they managed to build a whole new area to the house and she hadn't noticed.

"This is amazing." Maeve says.
"Awesome!" Varinia corrects.

Instrument spam!

 

The new and very awesome music room sends Amira into labor. Michael tries to take her to the hospital but she hops on her broom and tells him she'll meet him there. He has to wait for a cab. Israel is just arriving for his shift at the hospital when Amira walks up.

While everyone else leaves, Maeve decides to wait to meet her new niece or nephew. Varinia and Claude usher Amira and Michael into the nursery they built off the music room for their new grandchild.

"This is amazing. Thank you!," Michael says.
Amira holds back her tears. It's the post baby hormones she tries to hell herself.

 

Maeve meets baby Vera.

"I love when they're so small and snuggly. It all goes by so fast," she admits.

Mother and daughter.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Vera Van Hofwegen
Brave
Genius

Generation 1 Rolls:
Marital Status: Single
Children: 5
Career(s): Music (Classical)
Generational Goal: Awesome!
Miscellaneous Fun: Luxury
 
Sorry for the super long update and also the super long break. I was really at a loss for what to do with Awesome! Finally I decided that with Varinia's obsession with music, it would have to be music related. I bought every instrument in buy mode and all store compositions. If I missed an instrument, please let me know. Gen 1 rolls are FINALLY complete.