Chapter 12: The Plot Thicks

Get out your swampers.
Things are starting to get deep.

When we left the Holldum Estate, Cleveland was discovering that his marriage was not all he’d dreamed it to be.

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Omaha was enjoying finally being a child (as well as enjoying her mother’s chihuahua Felicia)

What a face!

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And Kasson was getting up close and personal with Mr. Washie.

I’m surprised no one voiced concern, considering that appliances in Strangetown have been known to kill before.

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Mr.. Washie's appetite, however, leans more towards plastic sporks and Simmerware, so Kasson is safe for the moment.

After he closed up Mr.. Washie, he wandered off and started. . . this.

No, I don't mean the painting, though I do hope the gods that. . . thing. . . isn't supposed to be Keth.

"It's my Professor Will from college. I like got distracted while I was painting."

Sure you did. The "this" I'm referring is his getting all mopey and dreamy over Strangetown Keth. I suppose I should be thankful his thought bubbles aren't all wrapped up in little floaty hearts. . . yet *facepalm*

"Babe, that so doesn't mean I'm not like totally crazy about her."

"Unca Kasson, who ya talkin' to?"

Don't you have something you should be cleaning right now?

"Awww."

He should be thankful I'm actually vaugely toying with the idea of letting these two get together.

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Because otherwise I encountered some pretty eepy gals wandering around Strangetown and it's nearby settlements that a vindictive sim-deity could marry him off to.

"Babe! You wouldn't! I lo. . . "

I wouldn't continue that sentence if I were you. As I said, I'm pondering. I'm still not sure about letting any of my avatars fraternize that. . . intimately. . . with any of my legacyesque families. Especially when it's only Gen 2.

Let's leave the scary lady and move on, shall we?

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I was zipping the camera through the house and noticed this. Poor Felicia is so tiny as a puppy she can barely get into her doggie bed. Considering how cute she is, I'd love to let her remain a puppy (via various hacks) but there's one small problem. Puppies, like toddlers, can't climb stairs and since the Holldum Estate is on a foundation, poor Felicia can't get down off the porch. She's so confused. She can't piddle outside because she can't reach the bushes and if she piddles inside she gets scolded by Kasson. So in a day or so she'll grow up into a little yappy anklebiter. I'm a bit scared about what she'll look like. I know she's a chihuahua, because I downloaded two chihuahuas for Pets CAS. I generated a mamma and poppa chihuahua, dropped 'em on a lot, bred them, then had the SSPCA pick up the puppies and add them to the adoption pool.

I guess we're due for a surprise =)

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"Hi mistah papehboy. I'm Omaha. Will ya be my sweetie when I git ta be yer age?"

"Er. . . well. . . talk to me after you've done your birthday spin and we'll see."

"Coo!"

"Hey, your grandmother is that celebrity chef off the Yummy Channel, ain't she?"

"Yeah, Gwill of the Go'den West. Oh sowwy mistah papehboy. I gotsta wun and see my mama of ta wook."

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"Mama! Don't ya wanna hug before you leave for wook?"

"Ah'm sorry sweetie, but if'n Ah'm to git you inta private school, Ah gotta leave work early. Which means Ah gotta leave early. Ain't you got to git ready for school?"

"Yay! Skoo!"

::Why is everybody gittin' so needy? Omaha wantin' hugs, Cleveland wantin' woohoo. How's a woman supposed ta git ahead in business?::

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"Howdy Miz Bus Dwiver Ladee. I'm Omaha!"

"Get in yer seat kid. And where's the other green kid? The scary one that mumbles to himself about world conquest."

"Unca Orwee will be here soon as he's done puttin' his zit cweme on."

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*fast forwards through the day.*
*nothing exciting happens, except that Waylon and Texas woohoo a couple times, the usual*

*car pulls up and drops off Matthew Gibson, one of the headmasters for the Strangetown School for Special Students*

"Ah declare, Ah'm right honored ta meetcha Mr. Gibson."

"Headmaster Gibson, please. You're Mrs. Holldum."

"Yessir."

"You're not the. . . ah. . . television chef. . . are you?"

"Nosir. That's mah mother-in-law, Texas."

*muttering* "Too bad. At least then your child would have had fame to recommend her to our school."

"Pahdon?"

"Nothing ma'am."

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The headmaster started at me the entire dinner. He talked with Waylon and Shelby, but never looked at them. *is creeped out*

"Wonderful dinner Mrs. Holldum. You cooked this yourself?"

"Nosir. Mr.. Waylon cooked it up. He's almost as good a cook as Miz Texas."

"I see" *scribbles in notebook* "And what do you do, Mrs. Holldum?"

"Ah'm a senior manager at Landgraab Enterprises."

*more scribbling* "And your husband, Mr.. Holldum?"

"Ahhhh. . . Ah don't rightly know what Cleveland does. 'Cept he works nights."

*Matthew nods* *more scribbling* "And where is your child?"

"Mah daughter. Omaha is sleepin'. She's done tuckered out from public school."

"Omaha? Your child is named Omaha?" *the headmaster sighs* "Mrs. Holldum, I do not think your daughter qualifies for admittance to SSSS. While her grandparents are sterling members of the Strangetown community, an absent father and a mother who can barely speak are hardly good role models. Thank you for dinner Doctor Seavey-Holldum. It was wonderful."

"Please Mr. Headmaster. Lemme give ya'll a tour of the house. Ah'll do anything to get Omaha into private school."

"From what I have seen of the house so far, I doubt a tour will change my mind. But please, do lead on. A tour would be welcome."

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"Mr. Headmaster, as Ah done rightly tole ya, I'll do anything ta git mah daughter into yer school. Ah crave wealth an' status an' havin' Omaha prance off ta school in that lil uniform will me move me right up in societee."

"So. . . " *gulp* "ah. . . anything?"

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Yep. Anything. Shelby wants wealth, status, and a platinum plumb bob.

*insert 'Movin' On Up' theme song here*

Needless to say, Omaha is now in private school. Hopefully Shelby has at least an eensy bit of guilt over this.

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"Mama, kin you hep me wif my skoowook?"

"Darlin', Mama jus got you in private school. I'm sure you can handle your own homework."

"Why is you in yer undies?"

"Mama is a little tuckered out from gitting you in SSSS."

"Ah. . . okay Mama. Oh, I hear Daddy!"

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"Daddy!"

"Hello Angel. What are you still doing up?"

"Mama wuz gittin me in pwivate skoo in her undies."

*long pause*

"I see."

"Daddy. Is you a weferwee?"

I'd ask Cleveland what's up with the life of crime (he's not a bad boy) but I guess a wife like Shelby could drive a man to about anything.

"Daddy, will you help me wif my skoowook?"

"Of course Angel."

And at this point the whole Holldum Saga dissolves into a whole score of random plots and circumstances, all of them happening at once. In an attempt to maintain sanity (namely mine) I'm splitting them into separate chapters. This one will continue with Cleveland's story.

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"...then there-aftex setting-in the isolating wire and while fixing for MID, just putting in the most suitable depth of the grooves..."

"Daddy, that sounds wike steweo instwuckshuns, not my skoowook."

"Sorry Angel. Daddy's distracted right now."

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"Bartender, one please."

So Cleveland tucked his daughter in bed and headed downtown for a pint or two.

"Or for something stiffer."

You're undead. You can't get any stiffer.

"Bartender!"

With a wife like Shelby, well, can you blame him?

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Hey, now don't start tearing up on me. Last thing we need is a weepy vampire. At least wait until you've had a drink or two.

"I thought we were going to be so happy together. I knew Shelby was really career oriented, but I thought. . . "

So did I. If I'd known she'd be the sort to do anything to claw her way up the ladder and join the country club elite, I'd have hooked you up with someone different. Hmm.. I wonder if Shelby's been sleeping with her boss. I know there's a Landgraab living over in Bluewater, that little resort town on Lake Simmee.

"Hey!"

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"Somehow you're to blame for all this."

Cleveland, I'm surprised. You never get mad at me. Kasson usually does that. And you know I'm just the documenter. You guys do a good job of screwing up. . . er running your own lives.

"You're the mouse mistress. You control the horizontal and the vertical. You tell us what to do and where to go."

But I can't control what you want and what you think. I just nudge you in the direction to fulfill those wants.

"And I suppose you're doing it right now."

Only if what I'm nudging makes you happy.

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In fact, here's my nudgee now.

"Clevey-baby?"

Er, wrong legacy Veronica.

"Veronica's here? Oh gods."

Yep. She's right behind you.

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"Um, hi Veronica. What are you doing here? Oh, and don't call me Clevey-baby. It makes me feel like I'm in. . . domestic service."

"Sorry honey. I'm just so glad to bump into you. I haven't seen ya since you married Shelby."

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"Hey, what's wrong? You're all mopey."

"Oh, it's Shelby. She's been more obsessed with her job than with our family. And I think she's been getting 'friendly' with people in order to get what she wants, like promotions."

Actually it was into private school.

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"Clevey-hun I'm so sorry. I coulda told she was pretty gung-ho about gettin' ahead in her job. She always used to talk about she wasn't going to be running deliveries forever and that she'd do anything to quit being a delivery gal."

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"I didn't say anything 'cause I thought you guys were happy together. I didn't want to spoil it for you. I just hate to see you all sad and hurt like this. Is there anything I can do?"

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"That's okay Veronica. I. . . thanks. . . Mmmmm. . . Psst."

Yes Cleveland?

"Veronica smells nice. Even better than Shelby. And she. . . er. . . feels better too. Snuggly. Why couldn't I have her?"

Geez, you and your brother and your 'can I keep her' issues. It was because you and Veronica didn't show any romantic interest in each other when you were in college.

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But time has a way of changing things.

"Veronica. . . I. . . ah. . . "

"I like you too Clevey-hun."

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"I really like you!"

"Whoa! Oof."

That's your brother's line. And don't do what Karla did and fang her as a profession of your love. Although Veronica might like that. I think she's a knowledge sim too.

Let's leave these two alone for a minute.

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Meanwhile, back at the ranch. . .

Kasson got in a little quality time with his niece.

"Hey lil' babe, anyone ever tell ya yer like a totally awesome dancer?"

"Yer funny Unca Kasson."

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To no one's surprise, Shelby was engrossed in bettering herself in order to propel herself up the ladder of success.

"Laydees an' Gennlemen of tha board, Ah am here ta innerdeuce ya. . . "

"Grr. . . "

"Laydees an' Gentlemen, allow me ta show ya our new prototype. . . "

"Dang it. . . almost. . . "

"Members of the board, we at Landgraab Enterprises. . . "

"Yeehaw! I think I'm getting' it!"

Someone doesn't sound like the Shelby Cleveland married anymore.

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Oh, and Felicia grew up. Her nose is perhaps a bit short for a chihuahua, but all the rest looks right. One small yappy anklebiter. Anyone have a purse Shelby can carry her around in?

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Of course, when I checked back in on Cleveland and Veronica, I found them up to this. . .

*chuckle*

Ahem. . . guys. . . Omaha would like her dad back before he's too crispified.

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"Clevey hun, if you ever need a shoulder to cry on or a place to crash or, well, anything, gimme a call. Here's my number. I share a row house with my Grandma Constance over on Llama Creek."

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"Oh, I'll definitely be giving you a call, dear. I just need to figure a few things out first."

*gasp* "Cleveland!" *swoon*

Okay, let's go you guys, before you jump each other right here in the club.

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Okay, I had to post this in here because I have never, in all the time I've been playing TS2, ever seen a sim do this. I thought I'd see all the reactions to a flirt/hug/kiss command; the two handed "yeah", rubbing palms together, the whine, the resigned stalk, the "who me" look, the shy shuffle. I've never seen this, even from my three bolt couples. Cleveland never does it with Shelby, but he did it several times when I queued him up to flirt with Veronica. It just seems to confirm that I married him off to the wrong gal.

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"How was your. . . ah.. day Shelby dear?"

"Oh, hey punkin'. Where'd you go earlier? I heard ya come in and then go out a'gin."

"I. . . ah. . . went downtown to meet some of the guys from work for a drink."

"That's nice punkin'. I got our daughter inta private school."

"Yes, Omaha. . . er. . . mentioned it."

"How 'bout a lil' kiss to celebrate?"

"Really?!?"

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Ah, guilt woohoo, though I'm not sure who's feeling more guilty. Gotta love autonomous woohoo beds

*evil grin* And Risky Guilt Woohoo too. Was that just music I heard?

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"Hey! Over here! What about everyone's favorite family sim and future evil overlord?"

*facepalm* Dammit. I will be so glad when I ship you off to University and change that aspiration.

"Woman, you have ignored me all chapter!"

Well, the bus driver mentioned you earlier.

"She called me 'that scary green kid'."

Well you are. . . sort of. Anyway, you'll be getting your own chapter here in a bit.

"Excellent."

But I have other things to deal with before then.

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Like what to do about these two.

Hey, you missed a spot.

"D'oh!"

Guess we'll have to see what next chapter brings. Shall we go take a look?
Chapter 13: a.k.a Chapter (12 + 1)

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