(Pretty sure I said something about not needing to break up the entries for the round
like I did in the beginning but for my own sense of story continuity, well, you'll see...)


Whew! This was actually written up and all ready to go 2 weeks ago, except for a handful of captions. I can't believe I've been too busy to even find a minute for my simmies but here it is, next up in the saga: The Weisses(es). And that means almost done with Round One! Woohoo! Hope you enjoy!




After Rhett bragged about how she would go fawning after him, and to her father no less, Penny
had determined to keep her distance. Until he made the first overture. It wasn't easy. All her friends
were busy with their own nonsense and she got the feeling they were keeping something from her or, at
least, something had happened in Widespot that she didn't know but Penny didn't worry about gossip.
She had her family and, for now, that was enough.



Skye would always be supportive of his daughter but he was very disappointed with the way her
future would now be encumbered because of that good-for-nothing rascal, Rhett Hart. It was difficult
enough raising motherless children but Skye had been prepared for that, in many ways he was their
mother. But his poor Penny...she would yearn for the generic experience of the nuclear family.



The uninformed observer might glance casually into the night sky and declare that there are
no stars visible from Widespot but, aha, Skye has a telescope. And a map of the stars etched
in his memory. But he leaves the stars to the amateur astronomers, Skye has his sights trained
on other galaxies. He has good reasons for seeking them out, if not the most capable equipment.

(I have an idea that there may have also been an expensive telescope when you first load the house. If so, I sold or swapped it.)



Virginia Beech was Woody's best friend, practically his only friend he wasn't related to, and he
wouldn't mind being more than friends with Virgie. He thought about her a lot. When she called him
up and told him to sneak out and meet her at The Makeout Spot Woody thought he'd hit the jackpot.



Woody was great with his hands. Woodworking started as a hobby but he's noticed he's got a real
knack for it. He's also been learning lately how to work a, well, a different kind of wood but it's hard
to become a real proficient when you share a room with your father! He erected these small barrier
walls (out of wood, of course) to carve out some boundaries for his personal space but it's nothing
like real privacy. But what does it matter, anyway? Things did not go well with Virginia.

She asked him to meet her! Actually, she told him. And then she pushed him away...
Rhett says all females are just teases but Woody's not so sure about that.
He didn't see the way Virgie looked at him. No girl probably ever looked at Rhett like that.



Woody alternated between his new hobbies to relieve some of that frustration.



~~~



Dora Ottomas was a firebrand, a surefire go-getter when she knew what she wanted. No one could turn her back
when once she'd made up her mind so the family had to choose. And they decided to come along for the ride.
She didn't mind that idea one bit, she wanted them close and she knew her Peter'd make it so. Some way, somehow.
But Dora did ditch them once they got near that new highway, the 13.5.
It was easy enough, the kids had to stop for a pancakes and potty break and they probably didn't even notice Gran was
gone between breakfast and begging for them cheap touristy knickknacks their parents can't afford to waste any money on.

She hitched a ride down the highway, nice feller too—truck driver, real decent-like—and she spruced up out of her travellin' togs at a gas station outside town.

He plunked her down right in Widepsot, right where she needed to be, and Dora
made her own way through to the back street, to 15 Valley Road, her new home.





So this was the face on the other side of those letters?
Not a bad face. Not a bad face at all.

Dora Mae never figured herself for a 'mail-order companion' but she was gettin' on in years and
yearnin' after one last adventure. Havin' a pen-pal was kinda nice and how it all started out.
She exchanged letters with quite a few randy old geezers—some of 'em fit to make you blush (she's
got one or two tucked away inside her travel case). But there was something about this one.
Their letters got longer, and more involved, and next thing anybody knew here she was.



"Well now, you must be Penny. I've heard a lot about you," Dora said, "but not everything, mind."



"The baby? Yep. Just a few weeks now."

"Weiss, why didn't you tell me you was about to be a granddad?" Dora called out.

"Oh, Dad doesn't like to think too much about that. Me and the daddy, we're
not really seeing eye to eye right now...since this happened, you know."



"Oh, don't you worry none about that, you'll be just fine. The ones that's
good for makin' 'em ain't always the ones for takin' care of 'em. But
you'll know just what to do when it gets here, take it from me."

Penny liked her already. But Skye wasn't sure exactly what to make of all that...personality.



He called out to Woody to come meet their new housemate.



Dora didn't take to Woody quite so easily because he didn't take to her.
He spoke only when she spoke. One word answers. She knew Skye was shy but
his son had it bad. And he was deathly pale. This one really needed taking in hand.



Woody took the first chance he got to run off and Weiss had promised to show her his school.



Dora was a midwife for most of her life but she couldn't see sitting around, retired, so she started
substitute teaching. That was the thing that really started her and Weiss to bonding in their letters.

He was a science teacher in his day and he's opened up his home to educate all the young folks
in this town here. That's quite a noble undertaking and it's a lot of work! Dora can't wait to get
started helping him out. She's waited a long time for a sincere partnership, they both have.



Skye was still showing her around, explaining his plans to try and accommodate the children
inside, on activity rotations, once it gets too cold to stay out here when Dora spotted the RV.



"Looks like we're here."



She spun around and smiled at Skye. He was wondering who that could be, they don't
get much traffic around these parts. Nothing to do but tell him the fact of the matter.
"That there is my family."



"Ooh, I see her. Who's that man she's talkin' to up there. That him?"
"I guess so. He looks nice. Right, honey, don't you think he looks nice, Pete?"
"We'll see soon enough."





Sharla took off running, yelling, "Hey Granny, you played a trick on us. We was lookin' an' lookin'
for you and you wasn't even there and then Dad said how you musta came without us and you did!"



"Me? Play a trick? Now have you ever known me to do a thing like that?"
"Yuh-huh. But we found you anyway, so there."

"Sharla mind your manners," her mother said, huffing and puffing
with every step, "And watch how you talk to your Gran."

Now Dora never had any trouble keeping a child, anybody's child, in line before and certainly none
o' her own blood so she figured Samantha was just concerned about making a good first impression.



Peter took it upon himself to go introduce himself to his Ma's intended.



Dora had hoped to get a day (and a night) to herself. As it was she wasn't
sure how to read Skye's expression. She knew he'd be polite, that wasn't the
question but he'd gone on and on about Penny and Woody and here she'd kept
the most important man in her life a secret. He was bound to wanna know why.



Now wasn't the time to explain. Not with Petey and the kids all hanging about. But she
had to make sure she understood it herself before she could explain it. There was nothing
she loved so fiercely as her family! But for once she needed something just for her, needed
to be just Dora Mae. Not Ma, not Gran...it's different for a man, but would Weiss understand?



Penny was worn out so she missed out on meeting the family.
So many new people to meet, too, she would've been in her glory!



Woody heard the commotion but he hung around the back of the house, hiding, and also working
on his latest project, building a crib for Penny to use, maybe, hopefully...but he couldn't hide forever.



He was excited to see another kid, a guy his own age, but Woody felt more
comfortable approaching the little girl first but that looks like it was a mistake.

"Ee—who are you anyway? And why're you so blue?"



Woody tried to laugh it off and remember what he used to say to the other kids back when he
was her age. Well not that, not the truth, that caused way too much trouble, but the other thing.

"Hey, I'm not blue. I'm tickled pink to meet you." It was his dad's corny line and it worked
better when he was standing somewhere near Penny, she was a lot pinker
when they were younger. "Like your pink bunny ears."



"Aren't they great! My mom hates them. She told my dad the devil box was cor— um, corruptionin'
me but she don't know David gave 'em to me, just like this cool girl on tv. Hey, you know what?
You're not even all that blue. Just your face kinda. Gran says it takes all kinds. They got this
really blue guy on this other show I think I like. We don't got no tv of our own so—"

"That's enough, Sharla."



David took over.
"Hey. I'm David, by the way. All that and she didn't even bother to ask, so what's your name anyway?
The big mouth is Sharla, my sister, and the little one is Tommy. We're Dora's grandkids.
How 'bout you? You Weiss's grandson?"

Weiss? Woody was a Weiss and he wasn't used to hearing his father called out
like that, especially not by some kid, a stranger. But David didn't seem like a
bad guy. Woody managed to sputter out that he was the son, not the grandson.

"Whoa, wait, that means, what, you're gonna be like my uncle or something? Weird."

"What? No!" Dora was just coming to live with them, they weren't getting married or
anything...were they? And her whole family, they didn't—they didn't come to stay, right?




"Sharla, I know you heard me, young lady. Now get out of my seat and get in back like I said."

That daughter-in-law of hers. She sure didn't know how to handle no girl children. Sharla was
gonna run all over her without her Granny around, no doubt about it. She'll have to
have a word with Petey. Samantha didn't always take kindly to her advice.



Woody was relieved to see them leaving.
It was altogether too many new people for him but he braved it out. It wouldn't be so
bad if it was just David, they're not from the same city but most of the other kids in Widespot
were born here, it's not the same for them. Anyway it'd be cool to have a cool new friend.



Dora's pretty intuitive about these things. She told David it'd be just fine if he wanted to stay but
he decided to stick with his mom and dad while they try to find a place to bed down for the night.



That wasn't too bad. Skye endured the Ottomas onslaught without so much as a grumble.
Dora had a powerful good feeling about this man.



She continued making herself right at home and got started on dinner.
Woody was intrigued, that stove was hardly ever used for cooking.
And definitely not for anything that smelled that good.





"This is truly delicious," Skye said out of the clear blue ;-)
"it is not often we get such a culinary treat in Widespot."

"Unless you go to the Lands'" Penny chimed in. "Ms. Beulah and Mary cook like it's
nobody's business. Hm, I guess it kinda is their business now, but really you
should meet them. You're probably gonna love Ms. B. She's got a big family, too."



Dora's powerful feeling was really starting to settle in as the night wound down.
She barely noticed Woody thanking her for dinner. If she had she would've paid
extra attention, knowing it couldn't be easy when he wasn't warmed up to her yet.



Skye started to explain that the sleeping arrangements were not quite settled.
All throughout their correspondence he fully expected Rhett to straighten up his act through
the salutary influence of not being allowed to see Penny. Then she would get married and have
the family she wanted and Dora would, naturally, be able to take over her room. Skye considered it
but it did not seem quite correct to offer to Dora Penny's room to share. They seemed to get along
well but that would not do, nor would it do to have her in with Woody and himself. Heavens no!



"Don't you worry. I'm game for whatever comes to mind."



Skye stood stock still. He was not accustomed to deciphering
innuendo but there was yet a lilt in her voice and a look in her eyes.
He cleared his throat. "Well then. I propose. Well. Follow me, please. Oh, pardon
me. You will probably want to get tidied and changed. The, that is, the restroom is
in the corner there. I suppose I should collect a few things of my own as well.
Yes, so we'll meet upstairs, all the way up, in a few—that is, whenever you are ready."



Dora Mae can't remember the last time she swooned.



When Dora went all the way upstairs she only found herself in a tiny little attic
stuffed with old toys and such like. She was surprised to find Skye on the other
side of the door, out here in the night air all ready for bed. Spending their
first night together on the roof, under the stars, now that was romantic.



Perhaps not what she had in mind.
She saw the blankets he had spread for them but when he got down on his side,
wrapped his covers up around his collar, and said good night without so much
as a—nothing, she had no choice but to join him. Good night, Skye Weiss.



What Dora didn't know was that this is the closest he's ever been to a real live woman.
It's what Skye couldn't possibly explain in a letter or ever bring himself to say out loud.
Penny and Woody are his children, yes, she knew that much but he never dreamt
that might lead a woman of her years to have...expectations. Not of that sort, surely?



Skye rose with the sun.
This had not been so bad but he wasn't sure his back could take many nights of this.


Dora woke up when she felt him moving about.

It was not the night she'd had in mind but it felt pretty special all the same.
She went to hug him and he pulled back. From a little ol' hug, he pulled away.



Dora wasn't sure what to do. This is the man who asked her to basically be his companion
and it seemed only natural after the letters that they shared. Maybe the problem was he
wasn't attracted to her when he finally saw her. They never swapped pictures, at their age, she
figured what was the point? But so far this wasn't working out like she hoped. She can bide a
while with Petey while Skye figures out whether he does, in fact, have room for her. Or not.



~~~




Woody had a pretty good night with the room all to himself for once. He even had this
dream...whoa! He hopped out of bed and went straight to his easel to see if he could capture
some part of it. His painting skills weren't really up to snuff but try telling Woody that.

Penny walked in on him flirting with his dream girl.
"Who's that supposed to be, little brother? Oh, I see. It's Virginia."
"It is not!"
"Yeah right."
"Look, would you just get outta here. I have to get dressed."
"Sure. Just remember to wipe the paint off your lips before you go up to class."



Dora didn't come back until Monday morning. She had resolved to leave
Skye be on that front. But that didn't change how she felt about him.



It was the first day of school for 3 of the Ottomi clan.
Dora took over teaching the class of young ones where Sharla took her place, front and centre.



And David's slipping into a seat in the front row of Skye's class turned out to be kind of a big deal.*



Woody thought he might be able to help David get settled in or
something but he didn't look like he needed his help. He wondered
if David knew that was a girl he was giving the noogie of her life.



"Hey, that's what she gets for talking smack," David said, "but for real, Viola's cool."

Dixie just hung around making girly-flirty eyes at him. Dixie! She's never like that.
Man, this was his first day! How could he already have more friends than Woody?



Virginia didn't stay and hang out with Woody after class or call him up on the phone or
anything anymore ever since that night she didn't want to makeout at the Makeout Spot.
So he's been spending more time with Penny. They took a walk together and Woody
ran right into Virginia. With Scot. And she wasn't pushing him away!
Woody's feet were itching. He wanted to run, run all the way home and bury himself where none
of the other kids—girls—kids, would turn away from him and play with each other and not him.
But he didn't run. Penny had taught him long ago, don't run.



All the same, he really, really wanted to get out of there.

And then Rhett showed up.


Damn.



Dora was dividing her time between her intended and her default homes.
She never spent the night again after that first day in Widespot but she didn't uproot her life and
her whole family to give up on her shy Skye that fast. When she thought back on his letters
she wasn't surprised at all at how that night turned out and she wasn't gonna rush him.

For Skye's part he, in his innocence, did honestly expect she understood it was her own room he had
offered her, nothing less. But it was Penny's room and that rascal Rhett—that is, unavoidable
circumstances had interfered in the plans but he didn't want either Penny or Dora to feel uncomfortable
about that. He would figure out a fix for them. Woody had some great ideas about the attic...



Woody came up to the roof a lot these days. The attic was too small and too cramped to find
much refuge there even if it was a good hideaway for, uh, private times. But so much is changing
Woody needs breathing room for thinking, too. With Ms. Dora around and realising Penny's going to
actually have that baby one of these days, it dawned on Woody that he was the one in the way :(
But not up here, up here he could just relax and think about his own future.

His dad had taught him an appreciation for the stars and the planets but on his own Woody kept
his distance from that thing, the telescope. He was afraid of all the things it might teach him.



The school kids had gone for the day but Dora was still lingering around when she
heard a noise come from Penny's room. She was afraid the girl had fallen.



Shoooooo-fleeeee!!!
"What's that?"
Shoo-flee!!
"Oh, it's time is it? Come on then, child. Here we go."



Penny wasn't sure this was such a good idea anymore, this motherhood thing.
It hurt and she was just getting started and she was going to have to do it all
alone. Rhett wasn't here, he didn't care. They were all alone. All alone.



Then at some point, focusing on Dora's strong, wise face; the face of a mother, a face
like she had never seen looking down on her, Penny realised that she was not alone.

She had family. And friends everywhere. She had a life worth sharing.



"There you are," Penny said when Dora handed over her baby girl. "I am so happy to meet you."



"See now, that wasn't so bad was it."
"Yeah. Right."
Dora laughed. "You got through it anyways and here
she is. Now go on and lay back down before you pass out."



Skye ran upstairs and was waiting outside the door the whole time Penny was in labour.
At the first cry his heart swelled. Dora had cleaned and wrapped her up to be presented to Grandpa.



"Yes, come to me, little girl. Penny, what is her name?"
"Una," she drawled out, followed by snores as soon as her head sank into the pillow.



"Una. Yes, you are home now, child of my child. You are home."

Dora eased out to give them some privacy.
It was almost too much for her to see what a gentle soul he was, this man who wrote such wonderful, searching
letters that she picked up her whole life to join it to a stranger's, and knowing now that he could only see her as a friend.



"I am very proud of you," he whispered to his snoring child. "You have
grown so brave, my Penny. You will know how to teach Una to be brave."



Skye was overwhelmed, so grateful that Penny had someone like Dora there for her. He left her
and Una both sleeping peacefully and when he found Dora in the hallway he hugged her!
There may be hope yet, Dora.


*So, I doctored that photo a bit, as you can probably tell by the askew thought bubbles, because I was seconds late to catch it where everyone was thinking about David. Except for Woody, he really was thinking about Goldie and Goldie tends to think about Scot, who in his turn is always thinking about Virginia. It's obviously the popularity sim thing but it's funny how it fits into the story. Virginia really is the queen of the teen scene, they're always thinking about her and David Ottomas as the new blood has come in as a clear second. I forget Goldie's a popularity sim, she's not even on the radar it seems. Woody only thinks about her when Scot is around, otherwise he's Virginia-obsessed.

Also, I realise that the brief interlude where Woody finds Virgie with Scot at the Makeout Spot figured in the Late Autumn part of the Beech updates but where that showed up sooner in that Part 2 and later in this Part 1 I'm just going with a mid-autumn overlap. I don't expect anyone else to notice, it was just important for me to have Una Weiss born first since Penny is the one who's been sporting that preg-belly since the intro so I made that the cut-off.

Baby Una has Skye's baby blues (and her mother's). Skye's eyes are not my defaults, though; changed as part of the intro makeover and given to Penny (making her original eyes recessive) and Woody has different eyes altogether so I guess all the Weisses have been genetically altered from how they'll look for most players. I'm not sure Penny's eyes shine through her makeup but they practically sparkle on Una—I love it!

My interpretation of Dora has definitely been influenced by all the different Ottomi configurations I've read over the years, right down to calling her Dora Mae though I've got no idea where that one originated. Same goes for my ideas about Samantha but she might still turn the tables on me. Sharla came to life all on her own. BaCC style stuff: townies are unlocked so as a townie Dora could have been moved in (with her whole family since I've got BO's Unlimited Sims) and then moved out. I didn't do it that way because that's just silly but it still works as far as the rules and my story.

Oh, and Skye is the final Overachiever of Widespot. His kids, despite their lineage, are not quite as gifted.


Happy Simming!