Chapter 13 - In a Pickle

at #4 Heritage Trail home of Lester Genester (continued from chapter 8)

Lester Genester (gen 2-romance- age 54) was verging on elderhood now, but kept himself in shape and the gray rinsed out of his hair. He looked years younger than he actually was. People who saw him with his daughter Spring often thought she was his sister. or perhaps another of his many girlfriends. His romancing lifestyle continued unabated with 15 girlfriends to his name now, though not all were current. He continued to hold the position of mayor but would probably retire soon after becoming an elder although he was not ready for that yet.

Spring Thayer (gen 3 - family - age 26) achieved the rank of detective in the Heritage Police Department. However, her quest for love and family had taken a wrong turn. She gave up on Alvin Futa when he quit calling or coming by and turned solely to Bordeau Pander. Bordeau was not the least hesitant to embark on a flaming romance with Spring and she was confident that they would soon be married. After all he was spending nearly every night with her although he had not officially moved in. She was so confident that she was not as careful woohooing as she should have been and wound up pregnant. When she was sure of her condition she told Bordeau.

He was quite loving and reassuring but when she woke up the next morning he was gone. And she hadn't heard from him since. When she called his number his roommates always said he was working and would call her back. Hah. What was she to do now? She had blown her best chance. She asked her grandmother to come over and poured out her story to Hester.

Hester didn't mention her own acquaintance with Bordeau but privately thought that she would have a few things to say to him the next time he showed up at her house. Over the next weeks Spring and Hester became very close just as they had been when Spring was little and lived with her grandmother.
Lester was supportive also. He assured her that she and her baby would never want for anything as long as he was around.

He was kind of looking at her situation from a new viewpoint for him. But at least he was responsible enough to provide financial assistance to his girlfriends who wound up in this position. Seeing the misery she was going through though made him vow to be even more careful in his romantic dealings and not to get involved with any women who wanted more from him than he was willing to give. But despite the love and support of her family Spring still felt betrayed and lost. And after she was placed on maternity leave at the police department and was home all day by herself she found she had way to much time to think about how she had messed up her life.

Yet she felt love for this unborn child growing as her pregnancy progressed. Laser had suggested she try meditating. She did so and found that it helped so she began spending many hours meditating and found herself beginning to accept the situation.

She stopped thinking about Bordeau and began looking toward the future and the birth of her baby with anticipation. After all she was a family sim and having children was something she had wanted all her life. She just hadn't expected it to happen this way.

Laser ( gen 3 - popularity - age 18) was no closer to making any life choices than he was a year earlier. All he thought about was having fun with his friends. The more the better. He did his best to cheer up his sister but privately thought she was making a big deal out of the whole thing. He was quite relieved when she began spending so much time meditating. It was sure a lot better than the moping around that she had been doing. He did enjoy Grandmother's frequent visits and spent a lot of time with her. Dad didn't let him have a party very often but his friends were always welcome at the house and there was always someone around to chum with. Relationships with his younger brothers were growing too as they continued to visit.

Life was fairly tranquil at the homes of Lester's younger sons. At the home of Fester Copur (age 14), #1 Vintage Road, his mother Ivy (age 36) had finally married the man she had been living with for some time, Randy London(age 28). Ivy's other roommates, Joe Carr (age 54) and Trista Shaw (age 44) had a baby girl they named Isolde.


After her birth, Joe had proposed to Trista and been accepted.


Most recently Isolde had become a toddler.


It seemed that everyone in the household was getting along for a change.

At Dexter Bruenig's(age 11) home at #6 Vintage Road his baby half sister, Christiona, was doted on by their mother, Marsha (popularity age 45).


And by her father, Christopher.


And she too had transitioned to toddler. Dexter guessed she was okay but couldn't quite see what the appeal was.


Youngest son Tesler Go (age 9) still lived at the Lillard-Stratton home with his mother. But he had acquired a stepfather when Tosha married Orlando Bertino. It had been a quiet, hurry-up wedding at the JP office due to Tosha's advanced state of pregnancy.


Orlando was another of those romance sims. He had managed to avoid complications in his relationships until middle age but when Tosha became pregnant he felt marriage was the right thing to do. Tesler wasn't sure how he felt about it. He had liked Orlando really well before as Orlando had always had time for him ever since Tosha had started seeing him. But that night after the wedding when Tesler walked into their bedroom to ask a question he was really upset by what he saw and heard.

Brightest bedroom fireworks I have seen
So now he was upset with both his mother and Orlando. He started rebuffing their attentions. Not long after that the new baby arrived. It was a boy and they named him Roland.


Tesler wasn't very happy about that either. Everyone was all gaga over this new baby and he wasn't getting any attention at all. Well, so what if he had been surly and distant. That didn't mean he wanted to be ignored, now did it? Even the other kids were all gaga. There were two of them, Kristor and Branna Stratton. They were the children of Christy Stratton and Brandon Lillard. Kristor was a teen now and a romance sim just like his father.

Father and son have a chat about the birds and the bees.

Branna had transitioned to toddler shortly before Roland was born. She didn't get a party. Both her parents were at work at the time so Tosha helped her.


So Tesler was feeling pretty alone. Kristor felt much too grownup to play with a 9 year old very often and Branna was way too young. Feeling very put upon, Tesler went outside to see what he could find to kick. Maybe the trash can if nothing else. But then they would make him clean it up. Not a good idea. He often fantasized lately about going to live with his father. He really enjoyed the visits he had at Lester's home. And even though his big sister, Spring, was already grown up, she still had time for him. And so did his older brother Laser. Yeah, he really wished he could live there all the time.

at #6 Heritage Trail

Lester's youngest sister, Opalessa Genester (gen 2- popularity - age 26) lost her job as executive chef at the Mincing Llama due to missing too much work while promoting a kitchen gadget she had endorsed. However she quickly found a position as a senior manager at Llama Industries Inc. utilizing all those things she learned in her ill-fated venture. But her sunny personality was unfazed and she continued to make new friends whereever she went. Her current boyfriend was Travancor Pander.

Hey, isn't he one of Hester's new boyfriends too? Those Panders sure do get around. Bet she doesn't know he is also seeing her mother.

at #5 Nostalgia Lane, the home of Spring's other siblings, the Cormiers, the kids kept growing up and Meadow(family age 45) kept getting pregnant again. Valley, the eldest girl child in the household learned all her toddler skills quickly and was a delight to everyone.


When she transitioned she became an equally bright and lovely girl.


The same day was baby sister Leigh's first transition. Oldest son Field (fortune age 18) got to take her to the cake.


And assist her with her transition.


She was only a year old but Meadow was already in maternity clothes again. Strangely for a romance sim, Ricky (age 46) had never developed a fear of having a baby. Instead he had welcomed every one of his children and seemed perfectly content to provide Meadow with as many as she wanted. He worked hard at his job as a scientist with the military and helped out with housework when he got home as well as taking an active part in toddler training and helping with schoolwork. His romantic forays had been few and far between.

Will Spring and Bordeau get back together or has he disappeared from her life for good? Will Tesler get to move in with Lester? Will Opalessa find out about her boyfriend two-timing with her mother? Stay tuned for the next chapter of All My SimChildren.

next episode: End of a Legend