Chapter 14 - End of a Legend

At #1 Heritage Trail - home of founder Hester Genester and her grandson and heir Kester (continued from chapter 10)

After the birth of Celestial, life resumed its normal pace in the Genester home. Kester (gen 3 knowledge, age 27) happily returned to work, glad that his ordeal was over. And each day when he returned home he spent time with each of his children. He would cuddle and play with Celestial, then spend time playing with and teaching Brewster.


Later in the evening he would help Prester with homework or play a game with him. Something had changed though in his relationship with Kaylynn. Since Celestial's birth she had been sleeping in a separate room. When he would try to talk to her about it she would just turn away, saying she didn't know what was wrong with her. He tried to get her to seek counseling but she refused, stating she would work it out on her own. He had to accept that, but as a doctor he felt particularly helpless when he could not get through to her. He suspected part of it had to do with their age difference. He had noticed her searching for gray hairs and appearing miserable whenever she found one. He had repeatedly assured her that her age meant nothing to him, that he would always find her beautiful. But it seemed to make no difference. Finally he gave up and concentrated on his work and his children. Kaylynn had said nothing more about wanting another baby herself since Celestial was born.

Hester had a long talk with her boyfriend, Bordeau Pander, about trifling with her granddaughter Spring. But she didn't boot him.


She even made him the subject of her latest painting.

Occasionally she would have one of her other men join them for a threesome. It seemed the older she got the more adventurous she was.

Despite being well past 80 now, Hester seemed to have the energy of a young girl. She was constantly on the go. If not painting or romancing she was visiting relatives or inviting them over for dinners. And she established loving relationships with Kester's children too. Yes, Hester was one busy woman.

Kaylynn's idea of how to work through her problems continued to center on long walks and parties at the Pander house. Cassius Pander had no scruples about romancing a married woman if she were willing. And he figured that if Kaylynn were there, she must be willing. So eventually their relationship progressed beyond just talking


On more than one occasion.


Kaylynn was 45 now. After the many attempts to become pregnant again before Celestial was born failed, she assumed she was in menopause. So she didn't worry too much about protection in her encounters with Cassius. She was very much surprised - and horrified - to finally realize that she was pregnant.


Yes, she had wanted another child very badly. But not this way. How was she going to explain this to Kester? There was no way she could pass this baby off as his, at least not to him, not after avoiding his bed for several months. Maybe she could say she had been abducted by aliens while at the mall? She laughed bitterly to herself at that idea.
But Kester surprised her. The first time he saw her in maternity clothes he appeared shocked. But then he came to her and smiled, patted her growing belly and said, "well, it looks like we were successful after all. Why didn't you tell me before?" She looked at him, stunned, then stammered, "I, I, didn't realize before. I thought I was in menopause." He put his arm around her and gave her a hug. "Well, I am glad you are getting the baby you wanted." Kaylynn couldn't believe her good fortune. Could he really believe the baby was going to be his?
No, Kester did not believe any such thing. He knew the time span since Kaylynn had shared his bed made it impossible. But how could he say anything about her infidelity when he had fathered Cosetta before he and Kaylynn had been married a year? He only hoped that Kaylynn's mental state would improve now. And for a while it did. As her pregnancy progressed Kaylynn seemed happy again. The long walks stopped and she didn't seek out Cassius anymore. She even spent time with her sons.
The time soon arrived for Prester's next transition.

He was 13 now and as his body grew into it's next stage, his personality crystallized also. He was now definitely focused on making friends and influencing people. Although he would always have a love of learning it was no longer one of his main goals in life.


A few hours later Prester got the honor of assisting baby Celestial in her first transition.

Being allowed to do this made him feel very proud and grownup. And very protective and loving toward his little sister. From then on he saw her as his special charge. While Celestial continued to have the wisdom of ages in her expression.


On Hester's 84th birthday she celebrated by having her latest boyfriend, the young grocery deliveryman, Mitch Wolosenko, over for a session in the hottub.


Afterward she was feeling quite strange and felt that she was going to be seeing Abhijeet again soon. She called several other boyfriends whom she wished to have last words with and by 5 PM the house was full of people. She just had time for one last woohoo before 6 PM but unfortunately decided to go the long way around the house to the bed and was met by the Reaper at the back door.


As Hester protested that she wasn't quite ready yet, family and friends gathered round.

Wait, I can't go yet. I still have people to do.
"Honey, there are a lot more for you to do in Avalon," said Grimmy. With that encouragement, mai tai in one hand and suitcase in the other, Hester shuffled off to Avalon.


Her attendents were stunned. Everyone had kind of felt that Hester was so special that she would go on forever. They couldn't believe that she was really gone.


Sadly, she did not receive a platinum tombstone. She was survived by 5 children, *20* grandchildren, and 5 great-grandchildren. Her insurance paid off to 27 people with her 5 children all getting large bequests. Of course grandson Kester was her principle heir since he got the house and bank account. As the reality of her passing began to soak in those who loved her began to break down. Some in public and others in private. Kester was bereft. He would miss Hester's love and wise counsel so much


Great-grandson Prester, who is the gen 4 heir was inconsolable. He cried off and on for days.


Son Lester, who was the only one of Hester's children who was present, was also very distraught.


But the most ardent mourner was boyfriend Travancor Pander. He was unable to leave her death site for hours, while he wept and wailed. Even headmaster Kenneth Scott, who had only recently met Hester was bereft.


Finally Travancor was able to stop crying. But only long enough to paint her face on a paper plate attached to a mop and romance her effigy one last time before going home.


One other was deeply affected by Hester's death. Robi Charvat, who had first been Hester's son-in-law, then later her sometime lover, was as stunned and shocked as the rest. He wondered why Hester had asked him to come over today. She had never gotten around to talking to him. But he could not display his grief openly. So he went to the nursery where little Celestial was crying for attention. And he gained comfort from comforting her.


There would undoubtedly be several individuals in the neighborhood requiring shrink visits as a result of this legendary lady's death. Her tombstone was later placed in the front yard cemetary next to her partner's for ease of community mourning.


At the time Hester was dying, little Brewster, Kester's second son, was transitioning to child. Poor Brewster seemed to be the forgotten middle child.


The household was in turmoil with frequent outbursts of grief by Kester and Prester for several days. Kaylynn again found herself in the shadows as her third pregnancy came to a close. But a few days later her moment came as she was painting on the back porch. Kester and Prester were both at home and rushed to her side when they heard her cries, just in time to witness the birth of her daughter.


Kester already knew this was not his child but now Prester knew it too. The baby was very, very dark. Much too dark to belong to Kester. Prester turned and walked into the house.

Once inside he gave way to the rage he felt inside. His fists clenched and his whole body trembled as he fought the urge to cry. He couldn't believe his mother had done this to his father. Several times throughout the evening he would get the same expression whenever he thought about what had happened.


When Kester saw the child he was stunned. Although he had known all along that the baby was not his he had not expected this. A baby that he couldn't even pretend to have fathered. And when he saw Prester's face something inside him broke. This grief, coming so soon on top of his beloved grandmother's death, was more than he could handle. He didn't break down or even cry. But his love for Kaylynn evaporated and was replaced by an icy feeling in his heart. He berated her for what she had done to her sons.


Then Kester too left the porch. Kaylynn just stood there for a while with a blank look on her face, holding the newborn infant. Then she laid it down on the porch floor and walked off, seeking sanctuary in her bedroom. She lay down on the bed and curled up, thinking about her adolescent desire to have 10 children. And also thinking about making friends with yet another man. She seemed to have slipped even further into the abyss.

Later Prester heard a mewling cry from the porch. When he investigated he found the baby. He was overcome with compassion for this poor little thing, who was after all his baby sister, just as much as Celestial was. So he picked her up, fed her and put her to bed. It was not until the next day that he was able to approach his mother who he found lying out in the backyard, to ask what the new baby's name was to be. She looked puzzled, as if she didn't know what he was talking about. But a few minutes later she said, "Oh, just call her Cassia." Then she went back to contemplating the clouds. And so the unwanted and unloved infant received a name. Kaylynn had not yet been to the nursery to see her daughter or even asked about her. She seemed to have almost forgotten the baby's existence.

Will Kaylynn come out of her funk and begin caring for Cassia? Will Social Services arrive if she does not? How will these events affect Prester and Brewster in the long term? What will Kester do about the situation with Kaylynn? Stay tuned for more drama among All My SimChildren.

next episode: Passing years - part 1 It will cover the same time period as this chapter has but at #2 Heritage Trail, the home of Hester's daughter Pendillis.