Gen 3 Ch 5: Heartbreak on Love Day

For a while it really seemed like Dolores had actually quieted down a little. She much preferred looking through the telescope and reading, which she was able to do even before her first day of school.

Soon the books in the household weren't enough for her anymore. So Dolores jumped on her bike and rode off toward the bookstore, before her parents could stop her.

She would spend many afternoons like this, browsing and buying those that sparked her interest. They were usual technical volumes. Dolores had an undying hunger to learn how things worked.

"That's an awfully difficult book for someone so young," Laila Al Fahad, a surgeon from the local hospital observed.
"And that's an awfully simple book for someone so old," Dolores ended the small-talk before it even began.

But, as quiet and bookish as she could be, Dolores was developing and undeniably devious streak.

There wasn't a single sink, shower or toilet in the house that wasn't booby-trapped.

"Ah well, at least it matches my eye color now..."
Clover shrugged off her daughter's mischief as harmless pranks.

Somehow Bloom managed to get Dolores to hold still long enough to paint a family portrait.

It was while he was painting that death came for him.

But he too had a special flower like the one that had saved Matilda's life.

They both wanted so desperately to make up for lost time. Time they could have spent together as a happy family, raising their children. Even after having been reunited, this lingering feeling of regret was something they would never be able to shake.
But of course, there was no way to undo what happened in the past. All they had was a bit of stolen time, just a little while longer before they would have to part once again.

Now that Dolores didn't need to be changed and fed anymore, Clover and Darwin managed to sneak in some time together as well.
Matilda knew how taxing Dolores' infancy had been for them, so she just kept her eyes on her breakfast, ignoring the young couple kissing in the kitchen in their underwear.

Sometimes they even thought about maybe having another child.

But then, as if she knew of their plans, Dolores would prove once again that this one daughter was all - or maybe more than - they could handle.

As beautiful as Hidden Springs looked covered in snow, Clover and Darwin were glad when spring finally came around. Clover even decorated a small corner of the house to celebrate.

On the weekend, the family met up with Broccoli at the family graveyard to pay a visit to their ancestors. Broccoli, Clover and Matilda played some music white Darwin kept the energetic Dolores busy with a game of tag.

Bloom recalled many fond memories of his parents Arthur and Kaitlin.

 When it started to rain, they all went to the local museum.

The exhibits were disappointing, especially compared to the museum in Bridgeport. This sparked an idea for Bloom. He wanted to create a family museum, something more to remember his ancestors by than just their graves.

Clover and Darwin had been waiting a long time to go on a camping trip again, and now that Dolores was a child, they could finally take her along. Dolores, however, refused to sleep in a tent, so they went to a nearby mountain lodge.

"This is nice, isn't it?" Clover tried to make the best of the situation. "It doesn't always have to be tents and campfires. Maybe we could even buy a plot of land and build a little cottage up here."
"Yeah, that would be a great idea!", exclaimed Dolores, excited. "But the cottage isn't. If we cut down those trees and build an apartment complex, we could make a fortune renting it out. I read about it in 'Simconomy Today'."
Darwin almost choked on his turkey.

On Love Day it was time for another family get-together.

 Cypress was looking considerably happier, finally having gotten over the heartbreak that had made him put on so much weight.

Bismuth and Beryllium, ever the happy couple, could barely take their eyes off of each other.

But when they did, even for just a few minutes, Bismuth suddenly had a terrible feeling.

Matilda had just been showing her sister-in-law some old photographs when Beryl suddenly faded away.

Bismuth's worst fears were coming true.

The Grim Reaper had no mercy when the dying woman begged for just a little more time with her loved ones.

Bismuth could never stay apart from Beryllium for too long. He joined his one true love just a few days later.