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Yep, had to split them again. I'm not sure what happens when I play
the Beeches and the Harts but they do seem to get up to quite a lot!
"The voters trust you enough to represent their fair city in the State Assembly...A lot of creative thought
will be needed in meeting with state officials to be sure...local interests are protected and promoted." *
What was Daytona doing if not protecting and promoting Widespot's interests? And what was it going to take to get her efforts
recognised and rewarded? She'd recovered her standing after that premature bid for election didn't go her way, or so she thought.
Whose butt did she have to kiss before these people realised the only reason Widespot was even on the map at all was down to her!
Virginia's always known she's expected to go into the family business but she's not into a career in politics, per se.
It has its attractions but all that people-pleasing just to get the job done, no thanks. She wants to do law, legitimate law, as
she sees it, and Grandma came on board but she's been after her to get a head start studying mediation tactics—fine—but
when it came to "couples counseling" she resisted. She didn't want to be a freaking therapist! She wants to be a lawyer.
But Grandma wore her down 'cause "in Widespot" it's all blah-blah-blah..."civil law" and "arbitration"...yeah yeah. It's boring, that's what it is.
*But perhaps having her wrist twisted around like that is what's really got her so huffy.*
Since Mommy left, everyday after school Rocky heads straight up to their bedroom to make the bed, gently stroking the pillow where she lay.
It was about a week before he remembered that wasn't her side of the bed or realised that if it had been
he wouldn't need to make it everyday...but that's okay. Dad could use some TLC himself, too.
(Ironically, his middling neat points have no interest to spare for his own unmade bed. Or Virginia's, for that matter, which he has to pass to get to Dad's room.)
Virginia tossed her boring book aside. It's all hand-holding and validating everybody's every stupid emotion.
She spotted Rocky in the corner of her eye but she stood rooted to the spot where she'd overheard the
break-up fight. What her mom—what Sandy had done. She'd like to see a book try and mediate that away.
Virginia didn't want to stay up there. She went down, taking her book with her—she knows Grandma's
right—because downstairs is where her family was. All doing their own thing but not alone.
And there Dad goes again. After work with a drink in his hand. She knew lots of people had a drink when they got
home, like, it wasn't a big deal. Except he never did that before. And here he came wanting to talk. Trying to read here!
Oh, wait! Virgie jumped up and ran after her father.
"Dad? I know it's a school night and everything but d'you think I could go out tonight, with my friends."
Hamilton shrugged. "Why not. Go on and have a good time. Wait, what friends?"
"Sco-ot..." she drawled like it was more than one (monosyllabic) name or like there was another one to follow.
"Yeah, okay then." Hamilton nodded absently. "That's fine. You know what time to be home."
Yes!
Scot kept wanting to sneak into The Dugout, for some reason he didn't think anyone would know him right away but
Widespot was too small for that. They needed some way outta town if they didn't want to be called out and that wasn't
gonna happen without a car. But whatever. It just meant that for now they had to use some imagination for their dates.
Hamilton is the one who ended up at The Dugout that night. He had to get out of the house for a while.
He only had a couple more before he left but his coordination was way off.
Valentine tried to show him how it was done.
A handful of folks started wandering in—nobody Hamilton knew, just folks passing through—so Valentine went to tend the bar.
And Hamilton happily followed.
Ah, there was somebody he knew!
Hamilton staggered over to Penny and pulled her into a big bear hug.
"Came out to lick your wounds, too, huh. That's the idea, don't let 'em get the best of you. We can't let them make us look like fools—They're the fools!
You and me got off easy. Cuz now we know. Before we got attached to the little bastard—innocent little bastard child, lovin' it like its our own and
all along she's laughing at puttin' one over on us. Probably turn right around to make more bastards for me to take care of but hell no!"
"Hamilton? I don't—"
"You and me, see, we need to stick together. You and me, Penny. 'Bout to be almost related in some twisted ass way. Your kid's its half-sister and it'll be mine's half-whatever when
it gets here. Ain't that some shit. Couldn't go out and screw some townie and get it over with—no, that's too simple. She had to go get knocked up by Rhett so's we'll never live it down."
'What!' Penny's mind was spinning but for the first time ever she couldn't form the words.
'Think I'll get me another drink,' was the next thing on Hamilton's mind.
Penny was right behind him. Valentine was over there. He could...he could tell her what was going on.
"It's true?"
Val hardly knew what to say to the girl. He didn't know for sure that she didn't know...in a town like this and with Penny being Penny he assumed she must've heard
something. So maybe it was odd when she didn't drop any hints or ask no questions, but he wasn't going to be the one to bring it up, compromising his Una-time.
Dora had come out with Penny tonight and her instincts spotted trouble brewin'.
She called to Penny to come along, they'd best be gettin' home.
"Come on, come along. It's gettin' late and you know how Weiss worries when we throw off his routine."
Hamilton's head rotated to watch them leave...
...but he was a little too far gone to notice that anything might be wrong.
"Aw, hush now, hush," Dora tried to soothe her, "it ain't all that bad. This don't take nothin' from you or Una."
Hamilton was hammered, completely done for by the end of the night. So Val made sure he got home all right when he closed up.
Daytona came to the door to find Hamilton laughin' like a fool at nothing at all and stinkin' like he'd taken a soak in that
bathtub gin of Homer's, or something. The boy was thoroughly marinated. And she knew just who to blame all right.
And just how to thank Valentine.
Hamilton stripped down and stumbled into bed.
Nothing to do but sleep it off. But he's got a feeling something wasn't quite right about tonight.
Daytona and Val also tumbled into bed.
She invited him to stay the night, no need to hurry off, not like his kids weren't all grown.
But Valentine pounced on that excuse since she offered it. His kids weren't all grown, there was Goldie. He had to get home.
Nothing to see here. Nope. Nothing at all.
Hamilton woke up in the morning, very hung over, and reeking from his night hitting the sauce.
He'd been a good husband, faithful. There was never anybody, not once, only her. She was his wife, after all.
And then she goes and ruins everything they had going for that. And she was supposed to be the smart one, so damn intelligent. Please.
That kid was gonna drop her at the first whiff of somethin' new and then what would she do? She'd be stuck, with that baby in tow. That's the life she chose!
Virginia wondered about her grandma and Mr. Valentine, she could always tell when he'd been around.
It was his son that...but Grandma still loved him. But how much did she love him? Virgie couldn't see Grandma getting married—she wasn't
even sure she was legally divorced, she'd never met her grandfather, they didn't talk about him, much. (Except when Grandma got in a mood.
When she was little, boy, would Grandma curse out his name, it made her giggle, the words she came up with. But that was a long time ago.)
Virgie decided to get up and get back to studying for her future. She'd already done her homework with Scot after school.
Mr. Weiss was starting to threaten to give them extra, she hoped that was a joke And she didn't want to butt in on his one-on-one with Scot
even though she was invited. Virgie didn't want to be a scientist. And, like she told Grandma, she didn't want to be a politician. Not right away.
But if she was going to be any kind of lawyer she needed to understand what made people tick (and how to manipulate it).
There were sure to be more obstacles in her way, getting licensed in Widespot, she would probably have to end up taking a
correspondence course or whatever after high school before she could practice but Virgie had that first hurdle out of the way.
Couples counseling. She wanted to learn it, because, but she didn't want to use it. Not on any broken couple she knew!
That was beyond repair.
Rocky hasn't broken routine yet, the ritual is soothing. He came home and (autonomously) made his dad's bed.
And didn't bother about his own.
"Can I play, Virgie? Looks like you just started."
"Maybe another time, Rocky, ok? I've got to practice this move for my next match with Scot—he thinks he's so smart."
Hamilton didn't know how they found out but those people they worked with were ridiculous when it came to prying into other folks' business.
He wasn't talking to anybody about his family. Period. Why should they care anyway, he wasn't an elected official, wasn't on any boards, he worked for his mother.
But not for long.
Hamilton's been appointed to the vacant seat on the City Council!
That was unexpected. He could barely believe it.
After the other night when he, apparently, needed a personal escort to get home, Hamilton's been meaning to find healthier ways to channel his restlessness.
As a sports fan, he looks up to Valentine and that's just embarrassing. Especially at his age. He worked hard to suppress his own feelings just to keep the peace
between their families (after he kicked Rhett's ass and kicked it good) and not only for his Mama's sake. And now there'll be folks paying attention to his every move.
(Plus Rhett was a younger man, with a big, needy ego. Hamilton wanted to make sure he could still hold his own if it did ever come to blows again.)
Virgie didn't know or care about any of that. All she heard was music so she came to dance.
But rhythm...it's a work in progress.
Before he hit the shower, Hamilton stopped in to tuck in his little man.
He was so quiet all the time, Hamilton hoped he was okay.
Hamilton hittin' the bottle a bit too hard one night, that didn't worry Daytona. He was dealing pretty well with the divorce for the most part.
The kids, too, far as she could tell. But him accepting that promotion did concern her, mostly she was worried for herself. She was
still angry about blowing her chance a few months ago but now she was scared she might not get another one any time soon.
Virgie could tell something was bothering Grandma.
Daytona cannot believe she burnt up some grits of all things. Grits! **
She's really riding on this meeting today with her new campaign manager so she can get back on track.
Valentine's a great stress reliever, she'd feel better if she could've got another dose of him last night...every night.
She'd be elated if he ever stayed over with her, she'd be sure not to burn his food in the morning!
*No, Peter's not her new campaign manager but he is quickly evolving into most valuable employee. Not that it's much of a horse race.*
Rhett's ears were burning. It occurred to him that he ought to get in on the conversation.
Penny's child support was draining him and soon he'd have to pay Sandy, too, so he
needed to try and make himself useful if he hoped to get that raise, like Pop said.
Dixie walked home with Virgie. She was surprised to find roaches at their house but there was trash all over the place so she decided to help out.
She stomp-stomp-stomped herself silly. They were everywhere!
"Dix? I think you can give it a rest, thanks. I'm-a go get Grandma's spray."
It's nice that she feels so at home at her bff's house but with all that good food she gets at home, even with Mary gone, why Dixie? Why?
"Beech residence," Rocky answered like he was taught. But then, "okay, lemme see if she's here—VIRGINIA!! Phone!" he yelled into the receiver.
Virgie ran to the upstairs phone and Rocky glided on by her. (He had a bed to compulsively make.)
(And on his way back from compulsively making said bed, he heard voices. One in particular...)
Rocky never came into her room, what did he want? "C'mon, what are you doing, we're tryna talk."
What did she think he was doing—Dixie was here, that's what he was doing in here. But Virgie kicked him out.
She turned to Dixie, "Okay, so I can't take you walking round in those shorts anymore.
It's winter, Dix. And you can't be cute while you're freezing your tail off, like my Grandma says."
"It's not that cold," Dixie protested. She didn't really have anything else to wear. She couldn't fit her old jeans and Mary didn't
have any to leave behind and she was not wearin' anything of her Mama's, no matter what kinda pneumonia she ended up catching.
"Please. Now, I know you're not gonna wear none of my sweaters, even though that jacket is like nothing, but you're gonna pick out some jeans."
Dixie wasn't satisfied until Virgie found something warmer and covered up her legs, too.
"So what's really up with you and David?"
"Who?"
Virginia sighed and rolled her eyes. "You know who. David Ottomas. The new guy. What's going on with you two?"
"Nothing. I mean, that other stuff I already told you."
"So he's not your boyfriend yet?"
"Hell no. We're cool. You know. I don't know."
"Oh, come on, let's go. Get up. Let's go."
"Look, it snowed. Aren't you glad I made you change?"
"Where are we going?"
Dixie dragged her feet following behind Virgie.
"Where do you think."
"Hey."
"Hi—Hey."
*Gonna interrupt the flow for a sec, right here instead of at the bottom because here is where it shows best, just to say I am pretty darn proud
of Dixie's jacket. Why, you ask? Because it looks like Dixie's jacket! Well enough, anyway, for my purposes. Okay now, the rest can wait.*
Virgie's work here was done. She's a popularity sim so she really wanted to stick around and get to know David better, too, but she's got other work to do.
Dixie didn't expect Virgie to leave. But she knew why she was going. She just didn't want David to think this was a set up...even though it was.
(Like he cared! Two hot girls coming to see him while he stood around bored out of his mind
waiting to sell vegetables to the one or two people who happened by. No complaints from David.)
The stress is starting to get to Daytona. She's worked so hard for this town, she can't start losing ground now!
"You'll spend your time covering your district from your local office. Networking with neighbours and making
new friends to keep political support must be balanced with maintaining a contented house and family." *
That was the expectation for a Congressperson, what was the problem? Playing the sympathy card had
misfired and boosted Hamilton's profile instead of catapulting Team Beech (Daytona Beech) to the next level.
Much as she loved him, it wasn't his turn yet. Daytona was nowhere near ready to be replaced by her son.
Delta wasn't allowed to walk this far all by herself so Rocky and his dad made a deal with Ms. Beulah that he could go meet her half-way.
Daytona pulled it together by the time Peter swung by.
They had business to discuss.
Peter was helping her develop the Forest Park rest stop into a proper campsite.***
He was proving to be a very capable, valuable asset, to her and the community. He provided some labour at the Clearings but he also kept an eye on Rhett in the office
since she couldn't trust him to run it by himself. She'd helped him set up a little roadside business at the highway's edge, for his son. And she helped him finance
a move to the house his family really wanted. Now he was assisting her again. Daytona liked this, she could get used to having such an eager right-hand man again.
"Find her?" Dixie asked under her breath.
"Yep."
"And?"
"And what?" Virgie snapped. There was no 'what'. "We're back, Dad!" she sang out much louder than was necessary.
"Okay. Your Grandma's taking a meeting in the kitchen so...."
"No problem, we're gonna go up to my room."
But Dixie didn't pay any mind to that Virginia-edict. She wanted to stay right here. Her little sister was here.
She plopped into the last chair and joined the game.
They didn't really have games at home. Except chess, that only Scot and her dad knew how to play.
Don't Wake the Llama was more her speed. Dixie freaking loved this game!
(But after a while even Rocky was kinda ready for her and Delta to go.)
"I gotta say I do appreciate the way you've taken me on. The way you look out for your people and for this place you're building
up, it's a beautiful thing. I look forward to keep working with you like this; whatever other projects you got in mind, I'm your guy."
Hamilton thought it was about time he really checked up on Rocky but he didn't want to talk about Sandy or the divorce.
He seemed so sad when he mentioned her name, which made Hamilton feel bad, but then he got defensive. He's not a
little kid anymore. He's not gonna cry or anything, he insisted. He knew she wasn't coming back and "that's life, y'know."
Hamilton didn't know where he'd picked that up but he gave in. "All right, son." He still came back later to tuck him in.
*I might have an idea where Rocky picked that up.*
Virginia came into her Grandma's room for...well, she forgot, she got waylaid by the mirror.
She looked closer, she took a good hard look, intent on assuring herself that it was her dad's face reflecting back at her.
Not that woman's at all! Virginia was pleased—relieved to see (or think she sees) that she was all Hamilton Beech.
Why did her mom have to screw up so royally? It was not possible to forgive her.
Virgie didn't share anything she'd learned with her family, about where her mom was staying or how she was living.
Dad and Rocky had been through enough. And they were still going through it.
Hamilton didn't rage about Sandy very often but so many years of marriage were hard to forget.
He could push a lot of stuff to the side...until his subconscious took control of the mind.
Snow! It snowed! A nice thick snow, too!
Rocky threw on his snowsuit and raced downstairs. The sun wasn't even all the way up yet but he didn't care.
"Snow angel!" he yelled and fell backwards into the soft, pillowy snow. It fluttered up around
his face and he caught stray flakes on his tongue and smeared the drops on his glasses.
He wanted to make a snowman with Virgie, like they used to, but she probably thought she was too cool or something.
Oh well, Rocky didn't mind playing alone. He jumped up and fell backward again. He was making a chorus of angels.
He worked up an appetite, didn't even take off his snowsuit or his gloves when he came inside to bake himself a muffin.
Rocky ran upstairs to his dad's bathroom while his muffin was still cooking.
"Hey Dad. Got any deodorant I can borrow?"
"Deodorant, huh?" Hamilton figured his son was intent on proving he wasn't a little kid anymore but when he walked by he got a whiff
and promptly reached overhead to hand over one of his replacement roll-ons. "All yours, no need to borrow. But bath first, Rock."
Hamilton had a direct run-in with the trash can bandit. He'd been really hoping it wasn't her.
It was the first time he'd seen her since she left. He wished she'd stay away. They were not ready to be civil.
Hamilton wasn't one for autonomous cleaning up but he couldn't have his kids seeing her acting like this.
He knows that's why she did it, to get him down on hands and knees cleaning up after her mess, like that's not what he's been doing all along!
Rocky eventually made his way back to his muffin.
*Damned thing wasn't even burnt. I get why the easy-bake won't catch fire but I was trying to teach a lesson here about walking away from the oven!*
She wasn't the woman he married, that was for damn sure. He didn't know who the hell she was, he was just glad she was gone.
But seeing her reminded Hamilton that he wasn't done running damage control.
Here he was, cleaning up after another of Sandy's messes but he felt personally responsible for this one.
No way Penny should've found out like that, with him all sloppy drunk blurting it out, trying to make a bad joke of it.
He had no idea no one had told her! Until he heard her crying outside the bathroom window.
His memories of that night had all blurred and blended together for a while. But he was clear on that and he wanted to apologise.
"I'm okay now. Honest. I was surprised at first. I mean, I just had Una and Rhett...but I know what Rhett's like so why even be surprised, right?
I think now I'm more hurt that none of my friends thought enough to let me know. But talking to Dora maybe I can kinda understand it. She's really wise about people.
Like, she's so good for my dad, you don't even know. I so appreciate you coming to talk to me, but you've got nothing to be sorry for. That's all on Rhett and Sandy."
Hamilton (unlike his mother) didn't feel right leaving without buying something, even though that's not why he came.
He knows how he'd feel if he found out about the baby from somebody else so he's happy Penny's not taking it too hard.
But when he left and went back across the street to the house (the back door was closer) he couldn't get over Sandy's double betrayal.
It wasn't just him! Penny was a friend of theirs. He didn't know what she could've been thinking. It's like she didn't care who she hurt.
Daytona dropped in on the office again and Peter was still feeling rather flirty towards her.
It didn't seem so incidental no more.
She did a perfunctory once-over of the books and wandered out to find Peter in the woods.
Daytona never lingers around when an opportunity presents itself.
*I spy with my little eye...*
There has been some friction ever since Hamilton got promoted to a seat on the city council. He is no longer working directly for his mother and just at the time when she could really use him
in her corner. Daytona has been working her tail off to get elected to the Congress, she has fulfilled her obligations as State Assemblyperson, she doesn't know what's the hold up. She's thrown
herself into keeping up contacts and redoubled her efforts to get this town up and running. This ain't nothing but a bump in the road—it can't be more than that—and she is proud of her Hamilton.
So far as talking it out...what for? This too shall pass.
*Direct from the sim wiki as I couldn't be arsed to tab back into the game even though it's loaded.
**I download lots of custom food in general but when I saw grits I knew I had to have them for Widespot.
***You may have noticed Peter and Daytona in the background of the Forest Park Camp while Junior tried to find a place to lay his head in Homer Don't Play That.
Dixie's Jacket: So there will come some continuity errors in the next update...it was a work in progress and I am no creator. I thought it'd be a straight swap, even if I had to chop the mesh myself, but one look at that alpha...wtf, Maxis? Why? Couldn't for the life of me figure out how to turn those shorts into jeans so I tried to affix their discombobulated pieces of the top onto a normally mapped mesh. It's far from perfect but I only needed it for 3 days, plus her guest appearances around town before her round. Virgie and I just couldn't have her running around freezing her butt off all winter.
Daytona bursting into tears? I have no idea what she's really crying about. I think she's just glitchy. From that furious marker she still has with herself for some reason to the way she barged in on the Harts last round—I don't think that's the way the outgoing thing is coded, it didn't seem right and even though she didn't do it this round, Sandy did, here, with all 2 of her outgoing points! Don't remember why but I still blamed that on Daytona.
Story-wise: Daytona may have set some gums flapping, intent on using that mess with Sandy to garner sympathy votes. And it worked. Hamilton suddenly acquired a name and a political position of his own. Not exactly what she had in mind. She's content to play it cool and let Hamilton have his due but if he were to bypass her on the career ladder I'd foresee major repercussions for the Beech household.
But we're not done yet! I haven't decided whether to proceed to Part 2 or criss-cross with the Harts again but one or the other should be ready
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