Keeping the veggie garden alive was a struggle that Huxley eventually lost. While her parents had left them more than enough money, the household chores kept piling up without Grace around. Things could have been manageable had Hazel stepped in, but Huxley knew better than to hope.
If anything, Hazel had become even more useless since their mother's passing. A new frenzy had caught her and she spent her days holed up in the lab, refusing to open the doors for anyone, as to not disrupt some "regulated climatic conditions".
From what Huxley gathered from her muffled voice through closed doors, Hazel was cultivating plants in there. Why Hazel couldn't express her newfound interest in gardening by tending to the dying veggie patch was a mystery to Hux, but she had no chance to ask.
Hazel only left the lab at night, and then for hours at a time.
No one knew what she was up to.
Soon though, Huxley and the children got used to their new routine without Grace.
After what felt like an eternity, Ivy was finally released from being grounded, allowing her the freedom to pursue her varied interests once again.
Interests such as Wesley Chandra.
Ivy had taken over the master bedroom, and while her mother hadn’t trusted her to make any major changes to the furniture, she reveled in finally having a space all to herself.
It was particularly fortunate that she was by herself when an embarrassing sound toned loud and clear as she sat down in one of the leather chairs.
Ivy briefly cursed her mother for not letting her switch out the squeaky old chairs for something better, but then she spotted something that gave her pause. A whoopie cushion? Why would her grandparents keep something like that in their bedroom?
The mystery remained unsolved and Idris, the face of innocence, slept soundly that night.
*
Icarus had hoped to spend his afternoon reading comics with Ralph, but with graduation day looming close, his best friend had other things on his mind.
Ralph sat upright, his fingers tapping a nervous rhythm on his knees. "So, did you make up your mind about what you're going to do after graduation?"
"Not really." A few weeks ago there had been a career fair at school, but nothing had caught Icarus’ attention. Music? Had never really been his thing. Sports? No thanks. Science? Definitely not. "The fair was no help at all. Nothing looked fun. What I like to do is reading and playing games... and I don't think they have jobs like that."
"It’s not supposed to be fun, dude. That's why it's called work.” Ralph frowned. “At least that’s what my dad always says. You just have to suck it up and make the best of it.”
”So you're going for that journalism thing?”
"It's the most reasonable choice. I have a foot on the door because of that internship I did. Going anywhere else would be dumb."
"But see, at least you found something you like to do!” Icarus put his comic aside and sat up. ”You get to write for a living, isn't that what you wanted?"
Ralph shrugged. "It's not the kind of writing I do for fun, but it is writing."
Icarus had none of Ralph’s pragmatism. He had no special skills, particularly not anything that could be useful in a career. So he shoved the uncomfortable thoughts aside and continued reading.
*
Idris had only recently aged up to teen, but unlike his older cousin, he knew exactly where he was headed in life. His countless drawings and art supplies littered the floor and spilled out all throughout the already crammed attic room.
Huxley couldn't do much about the lack of space in the sleeping arrangements, but she could give her son somewhere to pursue his passion.
Unlike Grace, who had loved to paint in the living room where she could chat with anyone who walked by, Idris valued alone time and Huxley knew that.
It wasn’t much, but Idris was overjoyed.
***
With Icarus' birthday just a day away, preparations were in full swing. The transition into the young adult stage was a great milestone in any sim's life, marking not only the end of their childhood, but celebrating the beginning of their adult life.
And this birthday, Hazel vowed, would be the most special birthday her son had ever had.
The sleepless nights and frantic days in the lab blurred together in her sleep-deprived mind, but everything needed to be perfect.
Finally their lives were going to return to the way they should have always been.
Finally they would be a family.
*
Icarus‘ birthday party was in full swing, with all his friends and family in attendance - well, all but one. Of course his mother had forgotten, but Icarus hadn't expected anything different.
He had always loved birthdays. Eating cake and being the center of attention was great, but the most exciting part was blowing out the candles to make a wish. Ever since he was little, Icarus had always marveled at how it had to be done silently, without telling anyone, or it wouldn’t come true. It was almost like a real-life magic spell.
Icarus watched the candles flicker on the cake. Even now that he was becoming an adult, the wonderment remained. He inhaled deeply, closed his eyes, and let the magic take its course.
Icarus certainly hadn’t wished for this.
______________
Perfect quality deathfish + perfect quality life fruit = perfect birthday party?
Something doesn't add up.
Yes, it adds up! But if someone consumes that, do they have to get kicked out of the house for the challenge rules? I've actually never managed to make ambrosia in my game (didn't try lol)
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