Date Number 1

Johnny turned up nice and early for their first date. Malia had insisted that he pick up Debra from home and she would arrange the taxi to take them into town.

Although Johnny seemed unfazed as he was introduced to her family, Debra wished her mother didn't have to go on about her "fabulous new greenhouse" and "the thing with growing peppermint in this climate..."

Well, at least she didn't bring out any embarrassing photographs!

Johnny let Debra choose the venue and activity for their first 'proper' date.  Although she would have been quite happy to have gone along with almost anything he suggested, Debra decided see just how cool he really was.

There was an early screening of cult classic "Clown in the Machine" at the Little Theatre; a sort of surreal horror flick that only really appealed to a certain type of audience.

Johnny said he had heard of the film, but not actually seen it and was really looking forward to seeing it with Debra.

If he didn't love it then Debra would have to decide if she was OK dating someone gorgeous but not 'cool', though she was pretty certain he was definitely both.

At last, the taxi arrived to take them to the cinema.

-- * --

They were both thoroughly engrossed as the strange Lynchian drama unfolded, occasionally turning to smile knowingly at each other as the bizarre, unexpected, and absurd twists were revealed.

However Debra's plan to remain entirely cool and 'sophisticated' was undermined by one scene.

She had seen it before, knew it was coming, but, just like every time before, the dead clown hand suddenly appearing out of the machine made her jump.  Without thinking she pulled Johnny roughly towards her.

Surprised by her action, Johnny gave Debra a sympathetic, understanding, smile but she wasn't looking for sympathy, that wasn't cool, so she decided to cover her embarrassment by going full eye contact as if she meant ...

... to kiss him.  Yes that was much cooler, and also way hotter!

-- * --

It was still quite early when they left the cinema but far too cold to stay outside so Johnny offered to treat Debra to a meal at the Bistro just next door to the Little Theatre.

It seemed that they were not the only people out romancing this evening, looking very loved up Debra noticed one of the new teachers from school, Mr Jackson, getting cosy with a lady friend!

This would be such good classroom gossip; Mr Jackson was a bit of a 'dish' and loads of the girls (and some of the boys) would get all dreamy in his classes - bet they would love to know he had a sexy girlfriend ...

But Debra was more interested in her own 'dish' who had just treated her to a very tasty gourmet burger.

A bit pricier than she was used to, but so worth it ... who would have thought to put beetroot in a burger!

And then, that was it; Debra's first Date Night was over.

It had been great.  Johnny had loved the film so he was definitely cool enough.  And he knew where to find the best burger in town!

There was only way way to say goodbye and until next time ...

Author's Note:

The other loved-up couple are two beautiful Sims created by some good friends from the TS3 forums:  Daniel Jackson created by glenkatko and Tasha OJ  by frozenorangejuic

And Then There Were Three

Malia was, indeed, pregnant again.

With looking after Debra and Dolly, as well as their busy work lives it seemed like no time before Malia and Carl were rushing to the hospital.

Every delivery is different and although having been here twice before their third child was not coming into the world easy.  As the due date approached there were concerns that the baby would not present in the best position, there was a good chance they would have to deal with a breech birth.

As Malia's third labour began it was clear that the new baby had not moved into the preferred and easiest position; Malia decided that the caesarean section they had thought might be needed was the safest choice for both of them.

Despite the extra stresses and strain of the birth itself, Malia and Carl were delighted to be delivered of a perfect little girl, Desirée.

There little house never felt busier.  Debra was becoming more independent but Dolly still needed lots of attention, especially now that she was in full 'explore and discover' mode; always in unexpected places and trying things out.

Even with the latest baby-rocker technology taking care of three children was still a full-time job.

Now that she had achieved recognition for her garden produce Malia was concerned that she may have to give up gardening as a livelihood.

Debra was happy to help out, looking after the two younger girls while their mother was working in the garden, but Malia knew a better long-term plan was needed.  It wasn't just having the time needed for the girls; she wasn't getting any younger and was finding it increasingly difficult coping with the harsh winters in Hidden Springs.

Fortuitously, while checking the eSimStore for supplies, Malia noticed that the SwiftGro Gardening Station was now available in their area.

It was the most feature-rich gardening system available in the country and had been picking up innovation and 'best garden aid' awards in all the magazines and shows.  It wasn't cheap, and would need a greenhouse in order to get the best results but it seemed like a way of allowing her to fulfil her role as parent and also keeping her business going.

The cost would be substantial and many family discussions were had; talking around the pros and cons of installing a greenhouse.  Although Carl had received another promotion and was on a very good salary now there would not be a lot left over, certainly not enough to further extend their house for some time.

The girls were growing up fast and, especially when Dolly started secondary school, they would soon start wanting their own space; which either meant adding to the existing house or moving.  However, after much working out of figures, estimating of time-scales, and compromising of wants, they agreed that, right now, a greenhouse would be the best investment for their future.

It meant cutting down on some luxuries and even selling some of the gifts they had received from their generous friends but the greenhouse was eventually built and the SwiftGro installed.

The difference it made was quickly evident.  As temperatures plummeted outside Malia could still keep the majority of her plants growing and producing.  The composting and analysis bench also meant that good quality fertiliser was always available.

An unexpected bonus was that a nice warm and dry greenhouse encouraged the girls to spend more time in the garden helping out and learning about horticulture. 

But there were downsides to the decision to prioritise the greenhouse over extending the house...

-- * --

Debra had recently discovered that not all boys were gross and annoying!

Well, one boy in particular.  Johnny Christiansen.

For weeks she hadn't actually spoken to him, merely watched him from afar when he hung out with his friends and she always made sure she was there at the end of school to watch him catch the bus that took him away out of town.

What was merely a major crush was to became so much more at the end of year prom.

He was gorgeous.  He was smart and funny.  He was cool and so different to all the dull boys in her year.  Debra was in love!

At prom, she summoned up the courage to speak to him.  Oh, he was even lovelier than she had imagined.  He actually seemed to like her, he loved here dress, said that she looked beautiful and even smiled at her weak jokes.  Oh yes, this was the "real deal".  Debra and Johnny were going to be together forever!

Debra and Johnny exchanged numbers at the end of prom and Debra was determined to speak to him every day.

Bit in the cramped confines of home, finding some time and space where she could speak to him in private, away from people who didn't understand about how much she loved him - well, Dolly really - was often difficult.

It seemed that whenever he called or she called him, Dolly was always there.

But, somehow, she managed it.  Thankfully she had loads of free minutes on her phone contract, otherwise her parents would have had an enormous phone bill to pay for! 

Then, one Saturday, Johnny said it ... "Debs, how about, y'know, going out one night?  Just you an' me, like, umm, a date...?"




Author's Note:

The One Direction poster shown in Debra and Dolly's bedroom is part of a pop poster set created by lifelikesims and can be downloaded from lifelikesims CC Downloads.


The various gardening tools in and around the greenhouse are from the Around The Sims Gardening collection.

Rewards

Life was good on Cottonwood Crescent.

Debra was doing well at school, Dolly was already walking and talking; proving to be a very outgoing child with a keen interest in the world around her.

She seemed to find particular delight in watching Carl and Debra working on the old car.

Or listening to Malia recount tales of her travels with Carl before they settled in Hidden Springs.

In these days, though, it wasn't just at home that the Slade family was prospering. Within the space of a few days both Carl and Malia received significant recognition in their work lives.

Carl's diligence and innovations at the Lab saw him receive another promotion, with a substantial pay rise.  Equally Malia's horticultural prowess elicited a glowing review from the regional gardening circle and a nice cash prize.

On the very day that Malia was notified of her award she received a phone call from her long-time friend Jodi.  On a business trip to Hidden Springs Jodi was going to set some time aside to catch up with her old friend.  Malia had heard of a fabulous new clothes shop that had just opened and this would be an ideal opportunity to check it out.

Small, but perfectly formed, the Tres Chic Boutique was the smartest and most fashionable outlet in town.

As Jodi and Malia discovered, 'fashionable' came at a price!  With styles from some of the most respected international designers, it was certainly a cut above the generic brand stores in the town centre.

Unfortunately the leading edge of fashion trends was not quite within the budget of either of them, so they were delighted to see that the upper floor of the boutique had a good selection of slightly more affordable, but still very stylish and 'on trend', outfits.

It was here, in their 'On the Town' section that Malia found the ideal outfit for a night out.  And a good night out with Carl was definitely in her plans for the very near future!

 -- * --

So, a few days later Malia's subtle hinting led Carl to suggest a night out at the new cinema, the Juniper Lane Art Centre, and a meal at the new Italian restaurant in the town centre.

It was a beautiful late summer evening as they arrived at the cinema.

Although it was about thirty minutes or so before the first film showing started, the lobby bar was already getting busy as people had a drink or snack before the show.

Early, as they were, Carl and Malia found a spot on the sofas and reminisced about when they had first the seen the original, and 'classic', version of the film they had come to see - a modern retelling of Simspeare's story "Rudy and Julianne".

As different as it was in style from the original this new version was just as dramatic and moving; the human situation it told of was the same today as it was decades, even centuries ago; a story of love, doubt, loss, and redemption .

As the final scene faded to black and the credits rolled the couple snuggled together in the warm comfort of the cinema's "love seats" as they contemplated the meaning and beauty of the film.

On their way out of the cinema, Malia was suddenly overcome by a powerful wave of nausea and had to duck into the toilets.

Although she felt a little better, she didn't really feel comfortable enough for a big meal so, sadly, they brought their night to an early end and returned home.

At home Malia did feel a little better but that sense of queasiness never really went away, so she turned in early hoping the symptoms would disappear by morning.

That didn't happen, and in the early hours she awoke with a nagging nausea.  Well, she thought to herself, this does feel rather familiar ...

-- * --

Author's Note: I am very pleased to include in this chapter some custom content created by two good friends from The Sims 3 forums:

• Jodi Bishop by Me1620
• Tres Chic Boutique by Glenkatko

And my own Juniper Lane Art Centre makes another appearance.  :)

Dealing With Debra

Dolly had had a bad night, she was suffering with a tummy upset which wasn't serious but was sufficiently uncomfortable to cause her to wake several times though the night.

Eventually, as morning came round, Carl or Malia would take her out of the cot and spend a little extra time with her telling stories or practising her developing motor skills. It seemed that simply having that time and attention comforted the poorly child and helped distract from her unsettled stomach pains.

Putting Dolly back in her cot for a few minutes while she went to prepare breakfast Malia noticed that Debra was also already up and working on the family computer.

Engrossed in what she was doing Debra didn't notice her mother approaching until "That doesn't look like class work ..."

Quickly closing the screen, Debra attempted to explain "Umm, I, um, it's a new art project, I just remembered Miss Shadlock asked us to do ..."

Malia was unconvinced, "Oh, I didn't see it on your homework list; let me have a look."

"Umm, it's not finished yet, it won't be very good ..." 

"Well, that's OK, I understand, I just want to see what you've done so far."

Sheepishly reopening the screen, Debra's 'art project' was revealed to be a web site "Prank the Parents!"

"Well, I see," Malia started  as she closed down the computer screen, "I don't think Miss Shadlock assigned that now, did she?"

"We've told you about using the computer haven't we?  And you know that sort of thing is not what it is for!"

"If we can't trust you to use it sensibly then you won't have it to use at all."

Malia didn't like having to be so strict with her daughter but she knew that boundaries had to be set, especially on the computer where it was far too easy to find all sorts of unpleasantness.

As they sat for an uneasy breakfast Malia's mind was taken up trying to think of ways to divert Debra's energies to more appropriate activities.

It wasn't that she was a bad kid at all.

Indeed, she had a really good relationship with baby Dolly, really enjoying being a big sister and spending time playing with her.

But she did seem to spend a lot of time on pranks and the like ...

-- * --

A few days later Malia was in town to sell the produce of their garden when she realised that the new Juniper Lane Art Centre had opened.  The building, previously the Royal Order of Simologists meeting hall, had been closed for many years had been bought about a year ago by a small entertainment company with plans to convert it into a cinema.

According to the news reports the company had also converted the upper floor to an "art space" that local artists could use to create, display, and sell their work.  It also promised a lovely little café, and Malia loved little cafés!


She was not disappointed! In keeping with the "local artists" concept, all the cakes and pastries were hand-made by small local bakers and all looked delicious.

As she ate her generous portion of carrot cake Malia looked around the space that had been created.  It was certainly well equipped with easels and drawing tables for those artists working in two dimensions.

That was pretty much as expected, but she was delighted to see that they had managed to find room for a sculpting table.

As she sipped the last of her herbal tea, an idea began to take shape ...

As she was about to leave an energetic and effusive man introduced himself; "Hi, I'm Erwin Fraser, one of the directors of the Arts Centre.  Thank you so much for visiting us; is there anything I can do for you today?"

"Well," Malia smiled in return, "there might be ..."

Erwin listened thoughtfully as she explained how her daughter had plenty of creative energy but little in the way of constructive outlets.  How a place like the Arts Centre might be good for her ...

Nodding eagerly in agreement Erwin described how they were just setting up a number of classes for both adults and children.  In a couple of weeks, he said, they would have both a mid-week after-school session and a week-end class that would be ideal for enthusiastic children, to introduce them to a variety of arts and craft skills.

And so it was, just a few weeks later, that young Debra realised she had something of a talent for painting. Her parents were delighted she had found a way of expressing her boundless imagination - and, best of all, in a way that didn't involve colourful surprises dotted around their home!

-- * --

As the months and school terms passed Debra continued to hone her skills and quickly became a regular at the Arts Centre.  Being able to spend time in such a creative environment had other, 'knock-on' effects; her school reports frequently contained glowing commendations from her teachers and she was turning into a fine role model for her little sister.

When Debra had a idea for a painting she would often turn it into a story for little Dolly who would sit, rapt, as another exciting tale unfolded.

--* --

Having successfully completed an especially challenging series of experiments Carl's lab team decamped to Han's Tavern for a celebratory drink or two.  On that particular night Bert Alto was also in the bar and the two men got talking about family and legacy - a subject Carl wasn't always comfortable discussing. Bert mentioned, in passing, that he still had his grandfathers old classic car in storage and how sad it was that the car was probably going to rust away before he ever found time to restore it properly.

Perhaps it was the exuberance of the successful day in the lab, or maybe it was the drink, but Carl had a brilliant idea occur to him ...

"Better someone give it a new life than just leaving it to rot wouldn't you say?  If you don't have the time ... y'know ... maybe I could take it off your hands ...?"

Somewhat taken aback by the unexpected offer Bert paused to consider Carl's suggestion, "y'know that might not be such a bad idea. Let me think it over, I'll give you a call tomorrow, we can sort out the details."

And so it was that a few days later, and with the exchange of just a few hundred Simoleons, Carl became the proud owner of a classic roadster.  Well, it was a roadster many years ago and hopefully would be again but right now ... more just a pile of parts.

As he explained to Debra when the car was delivered, "with the family growing it's getting expensive to use public transport and I expect you'll be learning to drive soon as well ..."

Debra wasn't convinced, this was, after all, a pile of junk! Though when Carl suggested that she could help out with the repainting working on the upholstery she agreed that it might be a fun little project ...

When she starting working on the car with her father, trying out a number of different colours and patterns Debra felt a particular affinity to the spray paint she was using; that it could be used to realise some of the creative ideas she had.

On her next visit to the library, Debra was a little surprised to discover that 'Street Art' was a thing and there were many recognised and respected artists in the field.

One of the books she borrowed, "The Word On The Street: The Story of 'Simski'" really spoke to her.  Describing how the legendary street artist had created his  most iconic works and the way he drew inspiration from the political artists of previous centuries; she was certain this was something she just had to try.

-- * --

Author's Note: The "Juniper Lane Art Centre" is a version of the "Little Theatre Picture House" lot that I have previously uploaded to the Sims 3 Exchange.

In this version I have added the 'art space' to the upper floor and put in a Rabbithole Door so that the lot also works as a Theatre location.  The ground floor has been changed just a little to accommodate the stairs up but the basement cinema area is exactly the same as the original.

Download Links:

• The Juniper Lane Art Centre: Google Drive Link
• Jynx Rabbit Hole Rugs and Doors: Mod The Sims Link
• The Original Little Theatre Picture House: TS3 Exchange Link

 You can see more pictures of the ground and basement floors on my Tumblr: page 1 and page 2.