Round 2! And we're kicking it off by flouting the rules once again (though I did play my founder first).



Sandy was last seen getting the boot from said founding family. She never imagined that when her (ex)husband finally discovered his backbone she'd be the one that he turned on.





Leaving her home, pregnant and alone and completely broke, Sandy had not known where to go.
Hamilton had basically given her to Rhett but she knew that was only his anger talking and he'd never forgive her if she ran after Rhett Hart—and she did
want to be forgiven—besides which, Rhett was a big kid. He had no shelter to offer her without his father's permission. And she'd had enough of that nonsense.

In desperation, she'd called up the Manns from a community phone, she didn't know them well but their house was enormous and that liar, Lana Mann, had the nerve
to tell her they had no room for her! No room to put her up for a night or two. The only other families to turn to were the Lands and the Weisses...and that really wouldn't do.

But Sandy was a survivor. She hunkered down in an abandoned old bunker by the highway. Winter was here before she knew it but nobody bothered her.
(And no one came for her either.)



"Shoo, dog. I mean it, get going! If you lift a leg on my mushrooms, you and I are going to have a serious problem. Shoo!"
(Sandy was a very smart woman but she didn't recognise a wolf when she saw one, for the simple fact that she had no expectation to see one.)



Sandy scraped by. She had a roof over her head and food enough. At least some things still worked in here.



Other things did not, like that television. The electricity must have been cut since whoever was last here moved on. Or something like that.
The lights worked. But not in the refrigerator. It was dark open or closed yet it kept her food cold. She didn't have much to store for more than a couple days
so that could have simply been the weather keeping the food room temperature—nights were especially chilly and there was no heat from the radiator. Sandy
was pretty skilled with mechanical things but she didn't understand electrics, she couldn't risk messing about with wiring so she braved it out, day by day.



Rich Mann was the one with contacts in construction. Daytona had been determined to keep his greed in check, hands off the highway and no backroom deals at the Clearings office. For once, Sandy agreed with her completely. He already had a near monopoly on real estate in Widespot. She believed he owned practically everyone's house, except for...their home and the Harts' house, she wasn't sure about Penny's father's house or that new family who just moved to the highway (she wasn't aware of the Ottomi until they moved into her field of view) but he definitely had a hand in new developments. That was of course. Daytona's griping aside—and Sandy was convinced all the bickering was mainly sexual tension, she's noticed (in hindsight, she's got not much else to do these days but replay her yesterdays) that there was less complaining once she started 'keeping company' with Valentine—it was obvious that Widespot would be far more backwards a place without Rich Mann's investment in the town. It was easy to deduce that she owed her little hideaway to someone from his crew.

Sandy couldn't help but appreciate that there was at least one man in town who knew what he wanted. And wasn't shy about going after it.
*Ha! If only she knew how true that was.*



Hamilton was a disappointment that way. He'd ordered her out in the heat of the moment; she couldn't blame that on his mother
but she did blame Daytona for keeping him from coming after her when he calmed down. She wasn't so hard to find, if he'd tried.



Virginia!



It was Virginia! Sandy raced out to her daughter. Virgie had found her, she must have come looking for her. Sure, she was upset, but she was here.



"Hi baby. How are you?"

"Ugh."


"Virgie, I know you're still upset with me. Believe me, I never meant for you to overhear my conversation with your father."

"Oh, I wasn't supposed to find out you cheated on Daddy?"

"No." Sandy didn't understand the challenge in her daughter's tone. "Virginia, no. That was...that was not for you to know."

"Maybe you should've thought of that before you got pregnant by somebody else. That baby is you cheating on me and Rocky, too. And I am not gonna forgive you."


Sandy let her go. She didn't how to explain to her, she wasn't sure she should.


Walking into town, Sandy had to go by the house. She half-expected to run into Rocky and Hamilton.
One look could set everything to right again and they could put this episode behind them.

Virginia would come around, in time. She was a young woman now, headstrong, but it could be good for her to see them overcoming this obstacle as a couple, to know
that family requires just as much diligence as career. Probably more. And that it wasn't all her fault...But Sandy knew the difference between her fantasies and her reality.


This was her reality. She was hungry.
Fish, a single fish, could sustain her and the baby for a few days.
(That's her shack there in the background so, clearly, she only went the long way around to the lake to indulge the possibility
that fate, or her husband—ex, ex-husband might smile her way...but now it was time to get down to the business at hand.)



She'd never been fishing before so she wasn't absolutely sure she was doing this correctly, but how hard could it be?



There was something about seeing a pregnant woman out here on her own like that, didn't seem right.


It wasn't so cold that that lake had frozen over yet but it was definitely winter.



A-ha?


All that and all she "caught" was a putrid old boot. She and the baby surely couldn't eat that.



Sandy tried to try again and she landed flat on her ass.

She can't believe this is so hard. It's fishing! And for someone who's always picked up new skills so easily it figures that the one time she's really struggling
is when she's depending on it. She's had a little bit of luck, finding some place to stay and food to eat, up until now. But being self-sufficient, it isn't easy.
She sat slumped over, wallowing in her defeat and self-pity for a couple extra minutes, and then she heard someone call to her.

"Fish aren't biting today, eh? I'm not surprised. Why don't you come on over by the fire."

He didn't say another word. It was the greatest kindness she's been shown since her life took this turn.





"And where have you been?"


"Work. You know how it is. I brought food!" Rhett remembered. "Mary made it so you know it's good."



"I can cook very well, thank you," Sandy said, aggravated because if she'd been able to catch a fish she wouldn't have to rely on
his lousy handouts. Knowing him, she was probably only an afterthought and he brought her a plate of what he'd already eaten.



"Did you give any more thought to what we discussed? What did your father say?"

"Aw, Sandy. Can't we just eat in peace, please. Pop's got a lot on his plate, with Candy an' everything. I'll get to it."

"She hasn't come home yet? Are you worried?"

"Nah. Candy's just like that, y'know."

"So...that means you've got room?"

"Not, uh, not really. I mean she'll be back pretty soon. With her own baby. Aw, Sandy, don't look at me like that.
I mean, I know it's my responsibility. I know. I'll see what I can do."




"Here we go. Come on with it, Hot Mama! I been thinkin' about you all day!"

"First, don't say things like that. To me or anyone else, ever. Second, how about you do something for
me for once? Get the television fixed, at least, get the heat put back on! Then, perhaps, we'll talk."



Sandy sighed, she changed into her pajamas and slipped into bed.

She couldn't blame Rhett, completely, their situation wasn't ideal. But if she wasn't going to be able to
go home she needed a backup plan for the baby. It didn't seem like she was cut out for survivalist mode.



Rhett stripped down, ready for action. It was cold outside but he knew how to warm her up!



Then this chick started snoring! Rhett couldn't believe she really went to sleep on him.

Sandy was always horny—she said it was the pregnancy but Rhett knew the deal, she couldn't get enough of her young buck and he was happy to oblige (another one of Rhett's borrowed
Sandy-words, he loved the way she talked...sometimes). And here she upped and went to sleep on him; he knew she did it on purpose, too. He should just leave and go home to his nice warm bed...


...but what the hell, he's here already. Rhett wouldn't admit it out loud but he just liked being next to her. Not like she didn't know it already cuz, boy, when she got going...it was
worth puttin' up with the 'tude every now and then. (With him pitting youthful enthusiasm against her years of experience it was no wonder poor Penny couldn't compete.)



Ironically, Sandy felt the same way. Rhett might be in her bed but it was Hamilton in her dreams.

What he didn't know wouldn't hurt his precious ego but there was one time when he got cocky that she felt obliged to spell it out for him: Before it had settled into habit,
before the kids and the comfortable lifestyle, there was a reason she put up with that meddling mother-in-law. But even before Hamilton, Sandy had lived. Rhett needed to
know better than to assume he was the best thing to ever happen to her bed. Perhaps it was a harsh lesson but he lived through it, and he learned. That was the main thing.



Rhett had interesting dreams of his own. Not Penny but...their daughter.
He still hadn't actually met Una but his Pop never shut up about her.



Rhett was surprised at himself when he woke up to the sun shining in his face. He never spent the whole night with a woman, he considered it like a policy.
Never let 'em get too comfortable. And his own bed at home was mighty comfortable. Not like this raggedy pallet, all itchy and rickety.



And he ain't even get none for his trouble! Pop said—eh, but who cares what Pop says.
Rhett held his own in the sack, better believe that, but that wasn't all it was, Sandy needed him.








See, Sandy needed him.


*Just try not to break the bed, or the boy, Sandy.*




Sandy was due any day now but she was still getting bigger, she couldn't even squeeze into her 'fat clothes' any longer.
Luckily, she'd managed to grab an old shirt of her husband's, it was her favourite, she used to sleep in it.

(Unluckily, Daytona had caught her in the act of sneaking back one lonely day after the blow-out. No one
else was around and she knew Daytona made sure the family would never know she'd tried to go home.)


She regretted not standing her ground. Perhaps Virginia wouldn't be so angry if she understood that her mom did not abandon them.

While she was cleaning up what could only be her daughter's mess, Sandy noticed the shadow of a man.

"Are you here to kick me out?" she cut to the chase when she saw to what Mann that shadow belonged.

"Not at all, my dear, not at all."

"Good, because I'm not going."

A short laugh rumbled up from his chest. "Is that so? Then I suppose we ought to have the power turned back on for you, hadn't we?"

"Oh. You don't know how much I'd appreciate that, Mr. Mann, I—"

"Think nothing of it," he brushed aside her gratitude, "If you insist on staying here then we'll have to make it habitable, that's all. If you insist on
staying here," he repeated. "There may be more comfortable quarters to be found, for you and your unborn child. They should be ashamed, your family
and neighbours, turning you away. Such a shame. I know that you appealed to Lana as well. What can I say? My ex-wife is a jealous woman."

"Your ex-wife?"

"Indeed. If you had come to me directly...ah, but I'm sure a woman like you would not hold such a fruitless grudge. I'm sure we might come to a very nice arrangement now that we share a
common...cause. Family is family, I know," (said the man who basically threw his away). "But you see how The Beech repays loyalty? She must be made accountable for the good of us all."

He talked in circles but Sandy thought she was starting to understand him. She had information, information that he assumed must be for sale.

"Daytona is a piece of work but, I'm sorry, I don't think—"

"Tut! Stop right there. You need time to think carefully before burning yet another bridge. Still, the shed is yours for as long as you want it."

"I...I can't afford to pay you. If the heat and everything is going to be too much of an expense—"

"Consider it already done, pretty one*. It is nothing. I'll be going now. I trust you will think better of your answer."

"This shambling life will soon lose its charm for a woman like you. And then what will you do?"




Sandy had a long talk with herself until she couldn't take it anymore. She had to get away from herself for a while.



"Hammy, I—"



"Save it, Sandy. Just what the hell do you think you're doing anyway?"

"I just—"

"What? Lost your mind? Lost all respect for this family? This is my home, Sandra. You're not welcome here."



'Oh, screw it,' she thought, 'And screw you, too, Hamilton Beech.'

This was not the meeting she had dreamed up, where their eyes locked and he took her in his arms, promising to never let go.

It was childish, what she did, but she needed to vent. She was afraid for her future. And then when she saw the house, so safe and warm and closed to her, Sandy felt a
rage come over her. She admitted she was mostly to blame but they were making her take all of it—she shouldn't have to take all of it! And Hamilton...he had abandoned her.
In his heart. After all she'd put up with for him and all the years they put in—he just turned off his feelings, if he had any. Hard-hearted Hamilton. Well, so be it, then.



"You again! What have I told you? Get out of here, I mean it!"



That wolf took off running from the mean lady.
But since she hadn't seen what it got up to before she came she wasn't willing to chance it with those mushrooms today.



Sandy wondered if anyone would mind if she took the scarecrow's scarf.
He didn't exactly need it—oh, never mind.



What she really needed was food, anyway.
She had just enough simoleons to her name to pick out some veggies (and maybe a chicken).
Practically frozen but perhaps that'd help them last longer in her broken refrigerator.

Sandy hadn't seen anyone she called a friend in so long but here was Junior Mann. Was that a wedding ring on his finger?



"Junior. I see congratulations are in order!"

"Oh, yeah. Thanks."

"When did all this happen?"


"Just happened. Rhett didn't tell you? Last time he was over when he left he said, uh, he was
headin' to see you. Mary wrapped up a plate for you, special. Didn't, uh, didn't you get it?"

"Mary. Yes, of course. It was delicious. Tell her thank you for me—from me. It was very sweet of her to think of me."


"So...newlyweds. I suppose you entertain a lot. Of course you do—we did.
Rhett's probably claimed a room in that house of yours.** And Penny..."

It wasn't hard for Junior to see where she was going with this and he wasn't gettin' in the middle of nothing.

"Actually, we've been too busy for any kinda parties and stuff. Still settlin' in. And Rhett's
been real busy, too. But, you know, far as I know, Penny's doing pretty good..."



Chicken.


Chicken good.
*Don't tell that to Sharla Ottomas, though.*


~


Sandy'd had about enough, it was time to try this again.

"Who are you?" she demanded.

"Peter Ottomas."

"Oh? Oh, you're my replacement. Down at the office, you work with Rhett. I'm Mrs. Beech," she said.

"Not the Mrs. Beech I was expecting but it is a pleasure to meet you, Sandy."

So he knew. This friggin' town. Daytona running her big, fat mouth!


Daytona sent Peter away and Sandy hovered. She knew what was coming and she dared her to do it. Daytona swore to herself that she didn't care who
was 'old' or who was pregnant, if this wench had the nerve to kick over their trash while she was standing right in her face, she was gonna kick her ass.



DEFIANCE!


Daytona didn't attack her, much as she'd have liked to. "What the hell is wrong with you—your kids are in there, this the example you setting?"

"Example? I learned this from Virginia. You want to be her mother so badly, why don't you get a handle on her? Where is she—send her out here, Rocky too, I want to talk to them."

Daytona leaned back and said, "you should have contested the custody arrangement if you cared so much."

"I wasn't putting them through that," Sandy mumbled.

"I'm not sending them out here," Daytona told her. "If you wanna see 'em you'll have to work that out with their father. I'm only the grandma 'round here.
Now you stay the hell away from that garbage can, you damn psycho; that is, if you ever wanna see your children."














Sandy found a clean blanket to swaddle the baby. She was a mother again! She could barely believe she'd managed on her own but here they were.

And it looked like someone was very happy to be alive.

She was healthy and she was here, finally, that's all that mattered to Sandy. Maybe her life wouldn't be easy and maybe that wasn't
exactly fair but for the first time Sandy honestly believed that they were going to be all right. She would figure it out, somehow.




"Now what are we going to do with you?"

Some people might think this should be second nature to her because she'd done it twice before.
But Sandy had never been a single mother. She wasn't sure how to begin, just the two of them. Alone.



Sandy cried softly in the shower. One minute she felt empowered and independent and the next her heart felt crushed. She didn't
want to be divorced. She didn't want to be estranged from everything and everyone she knew. Starting over, at her age, with this brand
new baby...wasn't she allowed to feel overwhelmed? But she had to pull it together because she had to. There was no one else.



Rhett came around when Sandy finally called him up at work to tell him. He was trying to be better at doin' the right thing.

She played like she was the tough lady sometimes, but look at that, she was a softie like all
the rest. She'd gone back for the flowers he first gave her, those flowers that started all o' this.



"That's your daughter there behind you," Sandy said, joining Rhett in 'the bedroom'. "Have you two met?"

"Yeah, I looked at her."

"Rhett..."

"Got your eyes."

Sandy smiled.

"I was kinda expectin' this one to be a boy, though."


"This one? Oh, Penny had her baby—a girl? Well...good for her."

"Yeah. Una. That's what she calls her—thought I told you. Una. Don't know if I like it..but, y'know, never matters what I like. Hey, you name this one yet?"

"As a matter of fact, I did, Rhett. Would you like to hold her? You should hold her."


"There now, Proxima, go to your Da-Da."

-Wait, what's happening here? I don't understand.-

"Proxima? That her name?"


-Now you're over there and who is this? Not the Mama!-

"Knowin' you, I'm sure it means somethin'. So what's it mean? Proxima?"

"I don't know, Rhett. Nothing. I mean, it means a lot of things. She's a complicated girl, aren't you, my little Proxy Hart?"


'Hart?' Rhett wondered, to himself.

"Aww, look at you two! If that's not a Kodak moment..."

(Proxy didn't understand what this strange-smelling creature was, this Da-Da thing, but she was not amused.)


-Ahh. The Mama! That's better.-

"Uh, Sandy, look, you're just gettin' outta somethin' and, hey, I got 2 new mouths to feed, with a job that depends on
not pissin' off your ex-mother-in-law too much. I don't think we should be jumpin' into nothin', like gettin' married, y'know."


"I don't want to marry you. I have no intentions of ever marrying you, does that put you at your ease? Good. Now pay attention because
this is not actually about you. Proxima is your daughter, she has a right to your name, she's going to have your name. End of discussion."

"Yeah but—"

"But what? I've already filled out the form, you only need to make sure it gets to Daytona. She'll be thrilled to sign off on it, don't worry.
And Proxy gets a real identity (;-p), everybody wins. Why would you even want her walking around named after the wrong man?"

"I don't."

"Well then. Thank you for bringing by that file for me. Don't forget to kiss your daughter goodbye, as well."

"Bye? You mean we're not gonna—"

"I just gave birth a few days ago, so no." Sandy pushed him off her.

"But what about..."

"Rhett, go!"



Time hadn't mellowed her feelings; in fact, it was worse since she spent so much time hoping at first. She couldn't stop herself from hating him now.

Sandy knew it wasn't entirely rational. But everyday she felt this rage, she felt betrayed. It reached fever pitch whenever she came back down after Rhett
came around. He was good at making her feel good in those fleeting moments, but when the moments were over he was no substitute for her husband.



One thing that calmed her was taking care of the baby. She loved snuggling up with her precious Proxy each night.

~


The weeks passed and Sandy and Proxy settled into their routine.



At least one Mann was as good as his word.



The fridge hummed and the heat hissed from the radiator and they even had entertainment.
What was better, Rich had not come back around demanding any sort of quid pro quo.



Rhett was also really surprising her lately. He didn't scrimp on Proxy's child support and, all right, the last time she saw him they had a very good time. She didn't know
how things were going to work long-term but she didn't miss Hamilton so much it made her crazy anymore and she'd stopped thinking of that house as her home.



"Who is Mommy's sweet baby? Is it you, Proxy? Is it you?"

*Yeah, don't let that little face fool you. This is only the calm before the storm. She's got Rhett's zero nice points so she's going to be trouble.*


*But for now, she's got to wait her turn.*


"Come on in and meet your sister."

"Just 'cause you pop out some kid doesn't make it my sister."

"Actually, Virginia, it does!" Sandy snapped, "Now come inside."

Virgie hesitated at her mom's raised voice and almost obeyed.



But she managed to shrug off the impulse and start walking away, just like she didn't even hear her.



But the Rage! She'll show her! This is what she came for, not to meet some dumb half-sister.


Virginia!


Hmph.

~



"Okay now, Proxy, we fed you and wrapped you up tight—Mommy should have your snuggly finished soon, I promise, it's just been a long time since Grammy taught Mommy how to knit. So, I'm going to hop
in the shower now before all the hot water's gone for the night and then we'll tell you another story about the little prince and the pretty red princess before we put you down for the night. Sound all right?"

Sandy didn't have any books but she wasn't going to let her child be deprived. She remembered how much Rocky and Virginia loved story-time, especially Virginia. Even this young.
It was never too early to start building a Mommy & Me ritual. The difficulty was keeping at it and making sure the bond was strong enough so that your daughter wouldn't turn on you at the first sign of trouble...










"Who are you—what are you doing here?"

"Whoa. Um, hey, I didn't know anybody was staying here. I didn't mean to scare you."

"Didn't you see my baby?"

"Not 'til I heard it."


"Sheesh—and smelled it—her, I mean."

"You're standing awfully close—Do you mind? If I don't change her she won't stop crying."



"Look, I didn't mean to intrude. I just, I thought I left somethin' here, okay. Name's Nelson, by the way."



"I don't care what your name is. I can't afford to be cordial. This is...I'd just like you to go."



"Strange man in your space, yeah, I get it. I'll get out of your way."

"Thank you," Sandy found herself saying.

He smirked at her before closing the door behind him and her mind started swirling. What was happening to her life?

If things weren't bad enough, the second she started to get comfortable there were strangers barging in. He was almost certainly an unsavoury character.
He was also kind of...sexy, once she had Proxy in her arms and her heart stopped pounding long enough for her to notice.



"Now, now don't you look at Mommy like that. Don't you be like your judgemental big sister, no. Your daddy is a lot
of fun sometimes but, unfortunately, he's not a grown up and we could use a real man in our life. Yes, we could."



Sandy was down to her last egg, which she boiled for dinner. But she had just enough cash left over from what Rhett gave her to be able to go back over
to that stand at the start of the highway or even to head out to the Lands' for a nice meal or a pie! And some fresh milk, and butter, she missed butter.



At the end of the day, Sandy was nobody's fool. But what to do, what to do?
~






*Rich is much attracted by this Sandy Beech, even in that outfit. He had to admit she'd make a much more suitable replacement for Lana in her own right, even with her best years being also behind her, but Candy made herself necessary to his pride. He'd be keeping an eye on the lost little woman...there was much they could do for one another.


**Sandy's a bit behind on what's been happening around town, so she didn't know about the Manns' divorce or the fact that Junior and his new wife are far from living it up in the manor with his dad. For the most part, she only knows what Rhett tells her and he never tells a whole story.


NB: Some of what's going on here is that Sandy is discovering that she's part romance sim. She loves the rush and excitement and adventure of being in love. Or in lust. Even her relationship with Hamilton fit that dynamic in that here was this man who deferred to his mother in all things, except when it came to her. That was her measure of how much he loved her. But Sandy wanted even more, she wanted to have her fun on the side and when she got caught up, she wanted him to defy everything, even his own pride, to choose her. When he didn't do that things started unravelling for her. Sandy's pretty self-aware, though, so she's piecing them back together.
Honestly, she was practically begging for a romance secondary, long before she got kicked out. Now she's got to figure out how to live with it and where it fits in with her sense of herself.


Believe it or not, I shortened my rounds—3 day seasons. I wanted to spend more time with them aging through said seasons instead of growing up every time the weather changed and I especially wanted to make things easier on myself for sorting out these updates. I still ended up with too many pics and I haven't figured out how to work this long-term for taxes or ever unlocking anything for this BaCC. But if it doesn't work out it'll just go on record as the year of the shortest winter. We'll see.