The original Widespot families each have an aspiration theme. The Beeches are Popularity.
All of them. This works out rather well for Daytona as the Founder.





Daytona Beech runs this town. No matter what that "Mr. Mann" from across the way has to say.

Everybody in Widespot knows she's the motor that keeps the town going. She jump-started the plans
to get the electricity stable and supervised the waterworks. She even found and convinced the best
possible teacher to establish a makeshift school for the children, despite serious misgivings. She set up
the Municipal Clearings office for mere pennies on the dollar in preparation for the boom coming their way
with the highway. She has plans to fund a proper camp-site adjoining the Forest Lake park (where they are
standing) the same way. She gets shit done and that's what he can't stand. Got up in her face, accusing
her for putting the town into debt before it gets off the ground but you gotta spend money to make money.
Who knows that better than Rich Mann?



All the dirty money in them deep pockets of his can't change the fact that she's in charge.
It won't take long before these people elect her mayor, just you watch!

She knows this game. He's mad because she refused to contract out the highway job to his 'connections'.
And he can stay mad. She may have mortgaged the town's future but she won't sell Widespot out.

She knows she taken some risks by interfering directly with the town's economy.
It's a big responsibility but she genuinely wants to do a good job.



Apparently there was a lot she didn't know.

At least she's got someone she can trust in the office. Daytona doesn't have to
like her daughter-in-law but she's book smart and she's a hard worker. Plus,
keeping her busy is probably best for their family...since she is in their family.



But the real burden will fall to Hamilton since those debts will come due under his
tenure. She's not sure he'll be up to the challenge as her successor. Her real faith
is in her granddaughter, Virgie, but it's never too soon to start grooming Rocky, too.



Miss Virgie does have a mind of her own. In that sense, she's her mother's daughter,
with an added dose of her grandma's feistiness. Her fate will not be dictated.



Virginia wandered over to watch them play chess. Dad and Grandma aren't
especially good at it. No one, not even her mom, can outwit her at chess...except
Scot Land. He beats her every time! But she's been practising, so the next time
they play after school she'll show him he's not the only whiz kid around here.



Sandy didn't get a lot of mother-daughter time these days.
Virginia's a young lady already and here she is, having to
start all over with a baby again. How did she let this happen?



Well, Virginia may not have much to say to her mother but she'll always
have her Rocky. Hopefully, he won't mind sharing his room for a while.



Sandy's plan of action didn't rest on one incidental date night.
She was a methodical person by nature and she intended to leave
no room for doubt. Constant woohoo would keep his memories
fuzzy with all the 'fun times'. No room for nitpicky details.



Bonus points!!

For the best-laid plans...*



Woody Weiss is Virginia's best buddy, next to Dixie Land. He's so shy, it's—what's the word?—endearing,
it's endearing and it's like she's the one in charge. She wanted to sneak out tonight and he agreed to meet
her at the Makeout Spot...but that's just what it's called! She didn't expect he would take that literally but as
soon as they sat down in the grass—she wanted to look at the stars and he knows a lot about 'em, to just enjoy
a bit of stolen freedom—but he was all over her, trying to kiss and touch her. It was like he wasn't Woody.
Gonna be awkward at school in the morning, at his house. Right now she's concentrating on not waking anybody.


(How barren the hood looks here! This pic is probably what inspired me to fill it in a bit more.
Also that's the Makeout Spot at the end of the block, to qualify the real nature of "rebellious" Virgie.)


Home free!



Sandy had good reason to worry. There was no way to conceal this pregnancy any longer.
She tried to trust in the 'woohoo daze', she had kept on Hamilton every spare moment they
got so that the man probably could barely see straight, let alone...calculate. But suspicion
could still creep in, couldn't it? It was a fine line, but Sandy would much rather deceive her
husband than dupe him. She hated to be the one making a fool of him. If he accused her
she would lie. Absolutely lie. But if he didn't?



She didn't want to think about it any longer.
Her regular pants were too tight on her stomach, she
couldn't button them, so she needed something else to wear.



Sandy couldn't understand how she ever believed that she loved Rhett. She didn't even like him.
But she convinced herself that there was no way she'd have gambled with her marriage and her
family for only a quickie here and there. It had to be real because the consequences were.



When Hamilton got home from work he noticed
the change in her immediately. And he was thrilled!



It worked and he was happy.
She felt a throbbing pain in her stomach, almost
like the baby was kicking her but that couldn't be.

This was absolutely for the best, for all of them.
No child could ask for a better father, so settle down!
Her job now is to keep Hamilton as happy as he is now.



That boy...45 years old and still so dumb. But his mama loved him.



He's been a good son, done as he was told. Always. Except when it came to that woman.
She wasn't at all thrilled by his fixation with that little blonde slip of nothing when he first
started bringing her around but he called himself putting his foot down. Daytona believed
she knew exactly what it was he loved so much about her but she let him keep his trophy.

Fifteen years of marriage later and he still can't see the truth about her?
Dumb, just dumb. But Mama can't fix what he doesn't know is broken.



In fact, Hamilton was so excited he couldn't go to bed yet.



He called the kids out of their rooms so he could talk to them together...



...and he shared the good news.
"Mom's pregnant guys! You're finally gonna
have a little brother or sister, Rocky."



Virginia was pleased because her dad was so happy.
Another baby around the house wouldn't be so
bad even though Rocky might need convincing.



Sandy woke up in the middle of the night with a distinct craving for red meat. She
found a steak in the freezer and started cooking at 2 o'clock in the morning.



Her mind kept wandering back to Hamilton.
She hated herself for what she was doing
to him but she didn't have a choice.



She climbed back into bed, well fed. Intent
on ignoring the gnawing in her stomach.



Going through their morning routine Hamilton casually informed Sandy
through a mouthful of toothpaste that he'd told the kids.



"What do you mean you told the kids? You're not
serious. You told them without me?"

Hamilton tried to tread lightly but he didn't see what
she was getting so agitated about. "Um, yeah, I let
them know we're having a baby. They were excited."

"I can't believe you! I'm the one actually having the baby.
Remember me? The mother? How could you do that!"



Hamilton didn't understand what the problem was so he chalked
it up to hormones, they have been through this before.
Downstairs over breakfast he said, "Since you wanted to be the one
to announce it, why don't you confirm it now, while we're all together."

Sandy didn't respond to him. Announce, confirm, he did it
wrong. You can't do it over again, make them act like they
didn't already hear the news and it wasn't from her.



Before breakfast was over she relented. She
didn't want the kids to know there was any tension.



When the kids had left the table Daytona looked up and said, "Accidents do happen,
don't they? But don't go worrying about your age. Look at the Lands. Beulah was
older than you when she had her last. Things tend to work out for the best. How
far along are you, anyway? You look about 5 or 6 months in to me?"

"Not quite," Sandy replied. "I think 4 is more like it." Interfering old bitch! Thinking
she's slick with her insinuations. But Sandy was not about to be worried by Daytona.



A wife's got ways to appease her husband beyond any influence of his mean-spirited mother.



Woody hasn't really talked to Virginia ever since the weirdness of that night they snuck out
together. She thinks he thinks she led him on even though she tried to explain, again, that
what something's called is just what it's called. So Virgie's been spending more time with
Dixie's brother, Scot. She was ready for a re-match at chess but he didn't want to play.



He had other things on his mind, like Virgie herself.
She invited him out back to get away from her
mom sleeping on the couch.



He told her how much he likes her. She
was surprised, but so glad he said it first!

(Nope, not a beauty mark, Virginia's face just pokes through itself sometimes.
Scot, however, is freckly all over so it's disappointing it's not showing distinctly.)


If Sandy can snack on a t-bone in the middle of the night
then she can have eggs for dinner, what's it to you?

She did happen to catch a peek of the young man who
came in through the front door and left by the back, though.



Virginia cannot believe she just got the woohoo speech!
All cuz one boy came by? He didn't even kiss her, he didn't even try.

But now that Sandy knew her own faults a little better
she figured it was probably a good idea to stay vigilant.



Meanwhile, it was a surprisingly timely topic of conversation.
Grandma's just been doin' the do!
Not so surprising ever since Valentine started providing her with regular benefits
to their friendship. But Daytona never expected to fall in love. Not at all.

But what does one call the one-sided love? Unrequited? Infatuation? De Clérambault's Syndrome?

She doesn't know what it means to be in love, especially at this stage of her life, or
with a smooth character like Valentine. Her ex served his purpose, just, but the only
thing she'd ever loved about him was Hamilton and that's the truth.



Pop!!



Hamilton got to sleep like a log while she tossed and turned all night, every night.
She didn't feel right waking him up like she did when she was pregnant before as
it's not technically his fault this time. Why couldn't she find a comfortable position?



Comfortable position found!
(For the time being, anyway.)



Sandy heard a whooshing sound like a waterfall when she walked by the kids'
bathroom. She thought it was Rocky in here playing but the sink had broken.



Then she found that so had the 'fancy' new dishwasher her mother-in-law had
installed. She's the only one with any substantial mechanical know-how in this
house but she does like feeling useful even when it means crouching down
against her third-trimester belly. When Hamilton's got the day off she likes to
stay home with him but the odd jobs give her something, besides him, to do.



Hamilton found his wife in that impractical position when he came into the kitchen
but he's learned not to ask...she's been very snippy with him lately, when she's
not jumping his bones. So he's happy to lose to win. Story of his life, really.



She was in a pretty good mood, though.
They started talking about baby names.
Hamilton Jr. was shot down before he
could utter the second syllable.

"Aww, c'mon, babe."
"No."
"But—"
"I said no."

So that ended that round of cordial
conversation. Nothing to do now but
finish breakfast and head back to bed!



Daytona was offered the opportunity to run for an office she wasn't
technically qualified for yet, it was an opportunity she couldn't resist
but it backfired and her reputation has taken a hit.

(In other words, she lost 3 charisma points to a chance card.)



She was furious with herself!



She set right to work on practising how she was going
to appease and win back the trust of the community.



Her professional setback lingered in her mind and Daytona knew that recovering her
footing in a small town like this would depend primarily on the image and reputation
of her family. She summoned Hamilton to her 'chambers' to talk tactics.

"When was the last time you woohooed your wife?"
Daytona never minced words with her son.

"Today," he said, trying to sound smug.

"I know you know what I mean, boy. Before all this baby business. When was it?"

Hamilton didn't know what she was getting at but he knew he didn't want to hear it.
His mama needed to learn when to mind her own damn business.

Daytona wasn't about to let it go, though. She knew what she knew.

She had always known but she kept her mouth shut (for the most part) for the sake of her son
and his career as well as her own. But the political atmosphere was changing and she wasn't
sure if it was better to absorb the little bastard and let folks snicker or go for the pre-emptive strike
with the truth, playing the sympathy card; Hamilton might come out stronger for being the victim.

She couldn't vent any of that to Valentine, not until she decided, but she stormed over there anyway to
complain about his good-for-nothing son doing anything, and everything, but what he was hired for!
It was worth a warning, she wasn't about to let Rhett ruin all her hard work.



BaCC Related Stuff:
Daytona is at Lvl 6 in her career, State Assemblyperson, which means there was room for her son (and others) to join her. Hamilton is Lvl 4, he is his mother's Campaign Manager.
She is best friends with Skye Weiss (mechanical whiz) and Beulah Land (home business owner) which unlocked some of the stuff about which she was bragging to herself.
She has been making judicious use of mortgage shrubs to stimulate the economy, which may well come to bite her in the ass one day when she eventually runs for mayor.
Meaning she's got a ways to go, we'll see if she lives that long. Honest to goodness stats should be updated at the end of the round.

In other news, using eien_herrison's formula for motivation has been pretty spot on, the underachievers and overachievers make so much sense while the large chunk of the majority fall right into the middle of the bell curve as they should. I see no reason for motivation/ambition to be equivalent to intelligence, though, so I will be applying or withholding the smart milk effect at my discretion. This means that there may be geniuses who are limited by their own desires or lack thereof as well as super-motivated sims who must plod along at the average pace to maximise their potential. Thus far in the hood all the overachievers do have the intelligence boost because it fit. In this family, Sandy and Virginia are Overachievers hence the allusions to their smarty-pants-ness.

I don't foresee this "strategy" of playing the whole hood rotation to get a feel for what happened that season working out for me long-term. So the format's experimental because the storylines are so intertwined. As per the last pic, the Harts are up next!