Bunnybutt, my usual userpic (also known as Danaë, but not often) is taking a break. She's got nothing to do with Widespot anyway, being Darren Dreamer's daughter, and it's SimStoCreMo time! Starting stats? Most of the round was already played but I had more pictures than I'd have thought possible in such a short span; even with the 2-part episodes, I've discarded more. Sorting through them = no joke. But this marks a third of the way toward my goal. On with the show...







"C'mon Goldie, hurry up in there. I gotta get in there already."



Goldie is very hormonal. No mood swings from sad to angry, sad to hungry maybe, but she's got plenty to be sad about, she thinks. Or those pesky
hormones keep finding them out to justify her moods. She was right about Candy being gone, after all. They haven't heard from her in so long!



Goldie cleaned up her face, she felt better after a good cry. "All yours," she told her brother.





But she couldn't get Candy off her mind.


Nothing in there that she'd be allowed to wear.
(Or that Candy would ever wear, seeing as they all look like pastel muumuus but let's pretend this looks like what Candy's closet should.)
"Wonder if I can fit her shoes?" she asked herself, lightly kicking a box. But it didn't contain shoes.



Goldie didn't have time to root through stuff she wasn't supposed to be in in the first place. She had school and, first, breakfast to
make because if she didn't Pop wouldn't end up eating anything and he needed good food, real food. She learned that from Mary.



She didn't learn a whole lot about Mary's recipes but she tried her best with what she knew. It's only oatmeal but she added in strawberries
and bananas, she knows Pop likes fruit, and she likes sticking to their morning rituals together even when she doesn't feel up for a run.



Rhett is surprisingly fastidious about his personal hygiene. He races to the shower the second his meter starts to dip.
It smacks of a lesson learned the hard way about what is required when dealing with the ladies.

He's also surprising with the random autonomous cleaning. But it is random. What he may or may not have got up to in the shower...none of our business.
(However suspicious.)



Keeping his body in good condition is like second nature to Valentine but he likes to keep his mind fit, too.
Learning a new skill or two is key to making life interesting, never let your game go stale if you can help it.



Goldie may be the glue subtly reinforcing her family's bonds but her grades suck big time. Another D- !



She tried with her school work, she really tried, but she didn't always understand Mr. Weiss.



"Do you remember what things were like before Pop retired. I remember it was a madhouse sometimes."

"Those are the perks of the game, kiddo. Whatchu talkin'?"



Goldie never saw much, she was too little to sneak down to the big parties like Rhett and Candy, but she wasn't
sure perks was the right word. The money was nice. And fame, when the people liked you. But what about those things
they wrote and the fights at the old house? She'd forgotten but she heard 'em. Isn't that why they came to Widespot?

Rhett wasn't about rehashing the past. He lived in the moment.



A trick he picked up from his father.

Val spotted Lana Mann coming in alone.
"Haven't seen you around much. Any of you. How's the happy couple* doing?"

"Oh, they're doing. Annoyingly happy, of course. Some people might say they were mismatched.
You can imagine. But I say let young love have its way. The rest will sort itself out. I'll see to that."

Valentine didn't know if he liked his daughter and her unborn being described as "the rest" but he was willing to play along.

"Now then, what's your pleasure?"

Lana very nearly told him.


"Let me get another Winning Streak, boss. Last call," Hamilton promised.

Lana gave a passing thought to Hamilton Beech. Relatively youngish, fairly well connected, but made of mush.
It was unclear what use could be made of him, if any. She would save her smiles for Valentine.




That may have been his one too many. At least it wasn't two too many this time. Or three. Or four.
Hamilton stepped away from the bar, nicely buzzed. He loved everybody, man! And Valentine, he was the Man!



"Maybe this ain't none of my business but I couldn't help noticing you're not wearing a ring."

"Oh, that thing. Yes, and I feel like a weight has been lifted. I see you don't have yours on either."

That was fair. But it was only an experiment for Val, to see how it felt. His situation was out in the open.
Still, he was game to take a crack at the mystery of Lana Mann.




"Been a slow night so let me finish wrapping up and I'll be right with you."
Valentine hadn't winked at a woman in years but that surely is what he did. Old reflex, he guessed.

Whether Lana knew or could possibly care about his relationship with Daytona, he didn't know. But he cared.

Val had kept an eye on Hamilton, watching out for him but also watching him. He was
sturdy enough to get himself home. No need to give him things to repeat to his mama.
They had an understanding. Maybe. Probably. Well, hell nobody said nothin' about bein' exclusive.



So this is the house coming up and that's their own private weed garden...

Of course, Lana is already intimately acquainted here, she had latched onto—befriended
Angel when they first moved to Widespot, though none of that is on her mind tonight.


"We're here," he said, double-checking with her before they went inside.

Lana was an old pro (no, not a hooker...but...she did know how to hook 'em).
She didn't bat an eyelash, not without also flashing that winsome smile.



Straight to it. Valentine saw no reason to beat around the bush here.



Score one for Lana. Things weren't always all about Rich but it sure helped her feel rid of the stench of her marriage. She's got
a lot of lost time to make up for. Valentine was a personal victory but she hasn't forgotten it's his friggin' child that's ruined her life.



Damn kids. Fatherhood wasn't all it was cracked up to be. The work (and the worryin') was never done.



At least, Goldie was easier to keep tabs on but she was only a different kinda challenge because she wasn't like the others.



"Oh hey Pop. Look. I found a box of this old stuff. Candy had them. In her closet. All these old pictures! I've been
wanting to ask you, those down there—oh I know that one's me but the one with you and the baby, that me or Candy?"

"It's you," Val said. He was frowning. "You say Candy had these?"


"Yup. I don't even remember seeing all of them before. Or like that one with me and Ma, I remember
seeing it but I don't remember that day. And there's a lot of Candy. Guess that's why she had 'em."



"Mm." Valentine took a closer look. "Most of these shots are from that Home at the Harts' spread...some magazine, don't remember which one
did it. Your Ma was just startin' to generate her own buzz. You know, people with more money than sense are funny with theirs, they paid a
nice chunk o' change for her to only show up at their events and take pictures.** And she already liked havin' her picture taken. Some
photographer approached her for a family shoot, came to the old house and everything. (Never noticed he was so keen on Candy.)"



"Candy takes such pretty pictures, like Ma, the camera loves her."

"You look more like your Ma than Candy does."

"I don't know. Maybe. But there's a whole bunch of Candy, like I said. Lots I never ever saw before."

"She ain't naked in none of 'em, is she?"

"Pop! 'Course not. They're all from when she was my age."

"Yeah. If you do find any that shouldn't be there you be sure and let me know."

Valentine didn't give a damn about any statute of limitations or whatever else, if he found out there was anything wrong goin' on he was tracking down that clown and he was gonna make him pay.
He couldn't stand the thought that there was a(nother) man out there he opened his home to, who snuck by right under his nose, like it was nothing, like he was just granting access to his daughter!

(Val can't help thinking maybe if he'd been more vigilant back then he'd know where the hell she was right now. Maybe she'd even be down the hall where she belonged.)



That Lana Mann knew a helluva lot more than she was letting on.

If it wasn't Junior's baby, whose was it? Who else could afford to keep her so long?
She wasn't cheap or easy...to live with.



"I don't know about that daughter o' yours," Val found himself saying out loud, "That son either. Boy so whipped he don't know what he's missing out on. If he
messes up with Una, Penny ain't gonna keep givin' him chance after chance like she used to. He don't understand how the baby changes up the whole game."



Daytona called asking if he minded if she stopped by.
Well, no he didn't exactly mind but—oh what the hell.



When she arrived, he seemed a little distant, distracted. Daytona took a shot in the dark.
"Still no word on Candy then? If you want I could talk to Homer Land and—"

"No cops," he said rather forcefully. "My daughter and cops. No."

"But look at how long she been gone. And Homer—"

"I said no, Daytona. She'll find her own way home. I don't like her bein' gone so long but I know my daughter."

"If you say so." What Daytona knew was that his daughter had always looked like trouble, as a woman and a mother she'd
clocked onto Candy, but the girl was also pregnant. She wasn't about to meddle, though. He clearly didn't want her in it.
He also wasn't inviting her in. Daytona took the hint. Valentine wasn't in the mood for company. (Coulda just said.)



Val had been doing some digging of his own and looky what he found.



Rhett made a date with this girl he met at the post office, she agreed to meet him here after work.

Her name is Zephyr...somethin' or other. Zany. Zephyr Zany. But all that matters is that she's hot.



He offered to 'show her around'.


Of course, there wasn't anything to see but trees.
Desolate and definitely eerie after dark.

But he knew how to put a girl at her ease.

Rhett didn't get Zephyr, blowin' hot 'n cold, what gives? He already knew her type,
she'd practically told him as much***, so what'd she really come out here for?

He tried another tactic.

A laying on of the magic hands.


Heh, that always gets 'em!


And so that's a typical date with Rhett. Messing around in the dark waiting for the groping to start.

(To be fair, with a distinct lack of entertainment venues in Widespot, I imagine that's how most "dates" must go.)

But since that's as far as things went with Zephyr, getting him all worked up,
it'd be a waste to go home. So guess where Rhett chose to spend the night.



No guesswork required.




"Yo, Pop! Whassup!"

Whipped, whipped, whipped.
"How things been goin' at work?" Valentine asked him.

"Eh, same old everyday. Got more to do since Sandy left. You know that."

"But are you doing it good enough to get a raise? The money you bring in don't hardly cover what you shell out for Penny and the baby. And you
can't skimp on that. Your expenses are only gonna double with that other one. How were you plannin' on covering your growin' family?"


"I..."

"Well?"

"Uh, I been thinkin'. Me and Sandy. Maybe she could stay here for a while."

"That's your bright idea?"

"What's wrong with it? With Ottomas around I ain't gettin' a raise no time soon.
I can't do the kinda job he does for Daytona. Trust me on that one."


"What the hell's that supposed to mean?"

"Uh...nothin'. Just, y'know, she likes him, that's all."

Ottomas. Never met him. But nice woman, Dora, great with Una. She talked to him about her Peter—his biggest fan, she said.
"So Daytona doesn't like you," Val said, "how is moving in her son's ex gonna make her like you any better? Kids are
expensive, wherever they live. You need to think this through before you go settin' yourself up with a common law wife."

"Wife? But, but, but Candy's room—"

"Is Candy's room. Don't be so damn dense. If she lives here, that's a wrap for you."

Val did play on his son's terror about commitment, same way Rhett had tried to play him about Daytona. And it had to be done.
Mostly because he thought Rhett was hung up on the wrong woman. He didn't feel right going to see Una as much as he'd like.
If they lived here, Penny'd be closer to her business and he might get a little brother for Una, a grandson.
But the boy was whipped. All there was to it. At least he might still get a grandson. (Or not.)



Inspired by Goldie and by the photos he'd found and their old mementos in the heart box, Valentine started digging deeper into the past. Other things he loved that had been buried away.


*From Day One, I've pegged my Valentine version as a jazz lover (though he plays R&B or even Pop at The Dugout for his customers) but certainly he's got his collection of
classic soul and even some disco. I can imagine his fondness for that record of Donna Summer moaning. For a while "Love to Love You Baby" was his personal theme song.*


He hauled out his old system and started setting up his collection, pausing to play some Bird. Man, oh man, he sure can blow.

*Some games I play with no references to the real world and only simlish allowed but not this time around.
Charlie "Bird" Parker, jazz legend, played the saxophone but that's all I know.*




"You found it, the big one."

It wasn't lost, none of it, but it was about time. This isn't where Angel wanted to hang them but this is her room.
He hadn't tampered with it but Val figures the old family stuff fits, along with the space he's made for himself.



"Here ya go."

"For me, Pop? What's this?"

"Open it up and see."


It was a camera Angel used to carry around, snapping pictures of them (and herself) constantly.
Goldie was overjoyed. He had a feeling she'd like it.



Rhett was none too subtle about droppin' a hint so Valentine did his own drop in on Daytona.
Not that it mattered or nothin', what she got up to was her business. But still.



*Time for another round of I spy?*


She was always pleased to see him.
Rhett was long gone for the day and it was getting late, about time to send these people away.



Val invited her back to his, he'd set up the rest of his collection.

*More jazz! Slapped a few recolours together myself and while I was at it threw in a few scantily clad bossa nova covers for him.*




Things with Daytona had progressed beyond the mutual benefits arrangement and he figured he
better start acknowledging that. A little finesse, a little romance, wouldn't hurt either one of them.



They moved this over to the other side of the room to get more comfortable.
All the family photos were new since she'd been here but she fixated on Angel's picture.
That's the woman there, smiling and grey-haired, that she (vaguely) remembered.



"We alone?"

"Yeah," Valentine drawled out slowly, he didn't have her pegged as superstitious.

"The kids?"

"Don't worry. Goldie's in her room, fast asleep by now. Don't know where Rhett is."


"Yeah, I just bet you don't know. But it don't even matter. She ain't my problem anymore. She's yours."



"Then let's not bother about it. 'Cause right now I don't have no problems."





"All them pictures of your wife, though—"

"She's gone. Long gone. It was about time I put her memory back where it belonged, that's all."

"Sure I shouldn't be worried?" She nuzzled his neck when she said it.

"C'mon you. Let's go on..."

Daytona led the way.



"Now where were we?"


They left the fire burning but that's all right, it'll die down in its own time.

Meanwhile Goldie wasn't asleep like he thought. She can attend to the fire.

(Actually, she's not much fazed by her Pop's exploits but she's quite contemplative about her family these days,
where they came from, who they are, and how they all keep going while not knowing where her sister is.)



"So, Mr. Valentine, you mind if I spend the night?"

"Now why would I mind?"

"Just checking. Had to check. With you not wanting to stay at mine last time. Or any time, come to think about it."

Like Val didn't know that's what it was.


Like Val didn't know she wasn't only now coming to think about it.
He's been thinking about things, too, for a while. There's somethin' there with him and Daytona.
But what it was or how far it could go, he doesn't know.




*Saw Rhett's bed icon in Goldie's queue, thinking 'not another compulsive bed maker'! I've got SmartBeds so they "know" these aren't theirs and then saw this! Aww, Goldie!*


Daytona Beech. Keeping it classy for over 60 years.



Goldie had stopped making Ds and started making Cs at school, yeah boy!
She was feeling better all around and there's no such thing as too cold for a run. No snow? Let's go!



Dreaming about Penny? That's new.



Aah, it's the mem'ries.

Scattered pictures...
Of the smiles we left behind...

No? No Streisand for Rhett? Okay then.



Goldie ran circles around her old man today but that's okay, he'll get her tomorrow.
He had good reason for lagging behind after the overtime he put in last night.



Val was downright exhausted and his boy, Rhett, was ever considerate.

*Forget the stench of week old plates, none of them mind that, or even that fact that his Pop has passed out—why is he talking to him?
It's not the tail end of a convo caught out of context, Val was already face down in his bowl when Rhett swaggered into the room!*



Rhett found Zephyr walking by outside his house. "So you stalkin' me, huh?"

"You wish."

"Maybe I do wish. You, uh, y'never know."

"Silly."


They headed straight up to his room where Rhett did a little showing off.

"Yeah, my little sister just found it and gave it to me. Good-lookin' kid, am-I-right?"

Zephyr laughed, she wasn't exactly impressed with the young try-hard but the present company wasn't half bad.


"So, uh, don't you wanna get outta that hot coat?"




Matter of fact, she did wanna. Too hot for all those clothes.
(Young Rhett looked on in eager approval of his future.)

*As you see his Pop gave him the other stereo. He put it to good use but often went to bed with it still playing, like a dope.*


Inevitable-ness occurred.

"Nice touch with the music," Zephyr told him.

"Hey, y'know, I try. I'm a classy kinda guy."

Wham. Bam. Thank you. Bye-bye.


Good enough for Zephyr, though, seeing how she'd only gone out for a stroll.

Rhett searched out a tool for scratching another notch in his headboard.



The holidays had come and gone by Widespot because the creator couldn't be arsed to work it in or decorate for such a short season but that didn't mean there
weren't little seasonal offerings still on display. This snowman was kinda cute and Goldie hadn't seen much snow this winter so this might be the best she can do.



Rhett found his way to Penny's shop. He picked out a couple toys for Una first. Good plan.



"What are you doing here?"

"Came to talk to you. We, uh, we need to talk."

"About?"

"C'mon, Penny, don't bite my head off. I wanna make things up to you. And Una. Those things I bought, they're for her."

"Rhett, you are such a dumbass. Woody makes all this stuff." She waited for it to click but it didn't. "That means
Una gets first pick before it even gets here. And anyway I don't need you to buy stuff from me for my daughter."

"She's my daughter, too."

"Yeah, try that one again after you've met her."


"Penny...Penny!" She kept walking away from him, she had customers. "Aw, c'mon, what the hell!"



All those pictures and the records and things put Valentine in the mood for trips down memory lane. Ahh, his glory days!



Goldie found him in the trophy room. She had her gift ready!



He was stunned when she handed it over, he couldn't believe one of his kids had an actual wrapped-up present for him.

*So far as what she actually gave him...well, it's the thought that counts. But Val really was touched by the
thought. Those damn kids, never much consideration for their old man, but Goldie here is his sweet Hart.*



"You're back?"

"Yeah, I'm back."

"Two sightings in one day. Wow. I'm about to close up, so..."

"Penny, hold up. Just listen."

"What are you doin'?"





This could not be for real, was he for real? Or maybe just crazy? No way! Penny can't even believe what's happening but, no!


It took a minute for Rhett to collect himself but he put on his game face.

"You blew that one, baby."

*Somehow I think she'll live, Rhett.*



He wasn't real hurt, like in his heart hurt, but it was a blow to his ego. Penny was his go-to girlie...how could she turn him down?



Rhett never thought he'd see the day when Penny could resist him. He warmed up his magic hands
and banged out his frustration on his instrument. It, at least, was reliable. The music didn't desert him.

*Rhett's actually pretty good on the piano but being a sim of average motivation he's never going to progress beyond his 7 creativity points, he'll never be Great.*


Rhett ran into his Pop upstairs. He needed a good vent, he started ranting about
women, not knowing their own damn selves. Penny not actin' nothing like herself.


"What's wrong with her? I mean, I asked the girl to marry me. Me! She was just so, so mad!"



"And you decided it was a good idea to go down on one knee,
to make her not mad? Wait, did you go down on one knee?"

"Well, yeah."

"Now I know you're a damn fool—And what'd she say?" Valentine asked, trying not to laugh.

"She said 'no'. Hmph. She said 'hell no'."


"You don't say?" This kid of his! "Guess it wasn't meant to be."

"Nah, guess not."

"You all right?"

"Nah, yeah, it's cool. She's still not lettin' me see Una."

"I'll talk to her."








Stay tuned for Part 2? But first up back to the Beeches.

*There are some things Val would've learned through Daytona who got it straight from Beulah, such as Mary's marriage to Junior, but other things Beulah would not have shared in the first place, like the state of Lana's marriage, because 1) it isn't about her own family and 2) much as she doesn't care for Mary's new in-laws, Lana came to her in need and that's not a trust she would violate. And since Rich went around Daytona to obtain his divorce, she wouldn't automatically know about it. (Stuff like that won't happen when she's a judge! But she's got to get that intermediate promotion first.)
**Doing the photo shoot I realised Angel was a Professional Party Guest and another romance sim, some things started clicking. I checked her DNA first but not Val's so if his hair wasn't originally black, well..it is here.
***Zephyr's a romance sim, if you hadn't guessed. She might have some surprises in store for Rhett yet, she's a townie (bohemian actually, just cuz) but I didn't create her alone...


N.B. The Youtube song I linked was the first one found and I liked the record spinning, seemed apropos, but I was wondering why the hell it goes on for 16 minutes, the song proper is done in under 4. I let it play while I was writing and turns out it's another 10 minutes or so of her moaning to the instrumental and then the song, with lyrics, plays again. Best I can guess is they tailored the track back then for their, um, target audience.

So, Rhett wandered into Penny's shop all on his own during another round, which is why he's wearing that outerwear in the teaser and when he rolled the want to marry Penny (but not the fear of being rejected) I locked that sucker and figured let's see what happens. Okay, I knew what would happen...but he didn't so I happily took him on his fool's errand just to watch it play out. I was ever so slightly worried that Penny might say yes, though not much of a fan these days she is technically still in love with him. Good girl, Penny!


As for the young Hart photos, I still need to decipher file names and track down meshes used but I'll put them up soon as I can in case anybody wants them. And here they go. Portraits are all on BV poster mesh, others on Bella Squared, Meaning of Fruit, & SimCity at Night. hafiseazale did a ton of resizes for the Meaning of Fruit and there are others knocking around for each of those meshes. Thanks for reading!