Author’s Note: This chapter begins with some catching up on old characters, including extended family. If this does not interest you (in which case, I wouldn’t blame you lol), please scroll until you reach the cat whiskers divider where the story mainly starts.
Dear Diary, by now, you know pretty much everything there is to know about my five siblings, parents and myself. We are loud with a lot of commotion, everybody talking at the same time, laughing and fighting, too. Add in the rest of the brood from all corners of the world, and you’ve got yourself a mess…. and Grandpa Leo’s Christmas party.
I met relatives I didn’t know I had and because I’m familiar with our family lines, I could pretty much keep it straight. Boy, did I feel sorry for Xalen, though! I tried to warn him, but he insisted on coming.
As soon as we arrived, the twins disappeared as everyone wanted to hold them and love them up. Xalen took it all in stride and in the end, I was really glad he was there.
You’ll see in the pictures it wasn’t what you would call a white Christmas. But nothing is ever conventional in this family.
Grammy Leela and Grandpa Leo looked terrific! And finally, I met Grandpa Leo’s sisters Rachel and Daylynn. I guess this was especially meaningful to Grandpa because this is the first family function Daylynn has ever attended.
Great-aunt Daylynn never married or had children. But great-aunt Rachel married Grandpa’s music partner, Josh. This is their family.
From left to right: Phyllis, great-uncle Josh, great-aunt Rachel, and Thea.
Great-uncle Josh and grandpa are retired now from the music business. They composed many movie scores and have won countless awards. Yes, I’m proud.
Phyllis is rather quiet yet nice to talk to. She is a second-grade teacher. Once she starts talking about “her kids,” she opens up a lot.
Thea is less personable. I never did find out what her line of work was, only that she married a rich doctor who wasn’t there with her. Momma says she’s had “a lot of work” done to her face and that she’s never been very nice.
I know these people of course. This is my uncle Leo (he is momma and aunt Ruby’s little brother), his wife, aunt Wilda…. and Theo who they adopted.
Theo used to be my best friend in all the world. Looking at him today, I have nothing against him, still, I’m so glad things didn’t work out between us. It was a painful episode in my life but if things hadn’t worked out the way they did, I might never have met Xalen.
Whenever I find myself looking at uncle Leo, I can’t believe how much he looks like grandpa!
Uncle Leo and aunt Wilda have turned their farm into an orphanage of sorts and they take parentless children in from the mainland.
I can’t tell you how thrilled I was that aunt Ruby and my cousin Gloria were there!
Aunt Ruby is still the elementary school’s principal. Gloria is still a chatterbox and has her own talk show on TV! It seems like the perfect career for her. (I’m putting a note here to remind me to set the DVR to record her show! Don’t forget, Marty!)
I couldn’t believe all my siblings were able to come. I can’t remember the last time we were all together. It warmed my heart to see them.
My oldest brother Charles married Zoé Bernard who we’d all known since childhood. Their son (my nephew!) is named Charles Bernard Larochette. Isn’t he cute? Charles and his son help daddy work the farm.
Momma and daddy look so good, too, don’t they? I didn’t realize how much I missed them until they hugged me and kissed my cheeks.
Of course, these people are Laurent, Carrie, Lissie, and Susan.
Laurent remains on the island working with momma’s longtime best friend Alice Millet. He did leave the island to get a medical degree and I hear he and Alice have a nice setup there in Winchester healing people and delivering babies.
Can you even believe Carrie and Lissie have dressed alike? These are the twins who declared their hatred of all things identical! Back in the day, they couldn’t wait to leave the island in order to have their own lives apart from each other. I guess times have changed, though, because they both eventually returned to Winchester. They live together and, despite their age, enjoy fooling people into thinking they are each other.
Isn’t Susan a vision in her red dress? I think that color really suits her. She has become my dearest friend.
(Story begins here…)
And here we are for the family photo. Even though I haven’t given Xalen an answer yet about joining the Neptune Foundation/The Inheritance, he’s stayed true to his word about making things work out for our little family.
He hasn’t pressured me at all which I find incredibly refreshing. Even though he’s busy with his work, the kids and I see him nearly every day and he continues to prove himself a worthy father.
Rosetta and Holden were glad to be back in our arms after all the passing around.
Just before we left to catch our flight, I grabbed the mail. On the plane, as I was sorting through it, I noticed an envelope from the hospital lab. Quickly, I shoved the letter into my purse. My heart was beating a million miles a minute and my hands were shaking. I know I should have opened it right then but what if the DNA test came back to say Beckett was my children’s’ father? Xalen said it didn’t matter to him, that he’d still be there for us. But I was still scared. Would I have to tell Beckett even though he was in prison now?
My nerves were frayed from it all until I watched the kids.
They didn’t care what a piece of paper said, of course. As far as they knew, Xalen was their daddy.
When some of the commotions of everyone arriving had died down, grandpa said, “I seem to owe you an apology. I’m so sorry you were locked in that vault.”
This made me laugh and hug him again. “If I’d talked to you at the time, you would have gotten an earful. It’s true what they say, though. You do kind of forget the pain of childbirth after a time.”
“Well, I’m just glad everything worked out for the best. You have a really lovely family, kiddo.”
As we chatted, I glanced over to see Xalen was staring at me. If every person in the world had someone to look at them the way Xalen looked at me… well, it leaves a fulfilled coziness inside of me that I can barely describe. I never in a million years thought I would have this kind of love in my life.
Granpa Leo couldn’t stay away from the kids forever. Between him, Leela and my parents, I think they were held and tickled the entire time.
Grammy Leela was so taken with the twins she forgot she had pumpkin bread in the oven. Soon, the house filled with smoke and grammy shrieked for someone to take the burning bread out of the oven! Luckily, there were no fires during this weekend trip.
Xalen was keen to talk to great-uncle Josh about Accidental Therapy, a fact that Josh was more than happy to accommodate.
“I’m wearing a band t-shirt under my sweater now,” Josh said.
Grandpa, who was standing nearby sang a few measures of Bruce Springsteen’s “Glory Days” to which Josh laughed and said, “You know it!”
Finally, I was able to spend a few minutes with momma.
As she watched Xalen and grandpa with the twins, she said, “I’m so happy for you, Marty. I really wish you’d told me about what you were going through, though. I would have been there for you in a second.”
Wiping a stray tear from her cheek, I said, “I know that. Please don’t cry. There was a lot I had to work out on my own.”
“Considering how I ended up in Winchester, I can understand that. I’m really emotional today, seeing my entire family together. You can’t imagine what this means to me.”
Embracing her, I became more of a sentimental hearted person than I’ve ever been. Seeing this day through momma’s eyes forever changed the way I view family reunions.
Yes, days like this are overwhelming. We eat too much, argue, laugh, smile and cry, but these people are who I am and where I come from. And I’m so proud of that.
After a while, I was able to introduce myself to Charles’ wife, my sister-in-law, Zoé. She was a natural beauty if I’ve ever seen one. We chatted about island life and their son Charles Jr. who I found out is thirteen years old and a strapping lad who is a great help to my father and brother on the farm.
It’s a huge relief to me to know my parents will be looked after in their old age and they won’t have to leave the farm since my brother and his family live there with them.
Gloria. Oh, Gloria! She is as funny as ever. She had me rolling with behind the scenes stories of her talk show. I didn’t realize show business was so calamitous!
“… And then, they had the wrong cue cards up so I was introducing a topic we weren’t even doing that day!” she giggled.
That would have been my worst nightmare. But not for Gloria. She took everything in stride and made jokes about it on camera until they straightened it all out.
After a time, the twins needed naps and I needed a break. Xalen was more than happy to escape it all for a few minutes, too. Grammy Leela showed us where we could put them down, then I excused myself for a breather.
I found myself in a bedroom not far from the babies. It was dimly lit and quiet. Just what I needed.
“Grandpa and Grammy have such a nice retirement home, don’t they?” Momma asked as she slipped into the room. “I’m sorry if you prefer being alone. I could use some time away and saw you come in here.”
Smiling, I said, “Of course I don’t mind. In fact, I have something I need to talk to you about.”
“What is it?” she asked, concern clouding her bright green eyes.
“It’s Susan. I’m really worried about her. She told me how that boyfriend of hers came to the island to meet you and then told you she has some kind of eating disorder.”
Momma’s posture drooped as she thought about it. “What a disaster that was. The way things were left, I was afraid she wouldn’t be here today. I was so relieved when I heard she was staying with you. Are things going all right?”
“Susan and I get along great,” I said. “But, Momma, her weight goes up and down. Really fast! Please, tell me what happened and what you think about it.”
She sighed and stared off for a moment as if watching the memory replaying. “It was terrible. Susan and Theo had a bad breakup. Daddy and I didn’t approve of their relationship because he’s essentially a cousin.”
“I remember you telling me that much on the phone all those years ago.”
Nodding, she continued, “Theo ended up breaking it off. At the time, he said he didn’t want bad feelings in the family and after speaking with his parents decided he couldn’t marry Susan. She was heartbroken and angry. Daddy and I thought we should give her some space to work out how she felt. I think she blamed us, though, because that same night, she left the island and we didn’t see her again until she and Victor came to visit several years later.”
This didn’t sound like common sense, logical Susan at all. Did it? I thought about how she’d called, desperate to visit. She needed a place to stay because her life had fallen apart.
“Susan said they were in Winchester to get married. But her beau Victor had a different story. While Susan was calling on old friends, Victor told us she had an eating disorder and that he’d already been through that with his brother, he couldn’t go through it again. He came to the island to make sure she got home all right and that her family would take care of her. I do think he wanted to love her but couldn’t face what it all meant.”
Victor’s brother had an eating disorder? I’d never before considered that a guy could have that problem. Shows what I know.
“So, she was left in a devastating way again.”
“Yes,” momma said. “It was terrible. Daddy and I tried to talk to her about it but she became upset and angry and left in a hurry. Later, I heard she was with you in Alpine County.”
“Do you think she has a problem?”
“I’m not sure, Marty. I know her weight has been a huge concern to her since she was a kid. I think it’s a strong possibility. Why would Victor come all the way to Winchester only to tell us this? Susan said it was because he’s a jerk. But I think he wouldn’t have gone to all that trouble if he was a jerk.”
She had a good point.
“You’ve spent more time with her. What do you think?”
Since Susan told me her version of what happened with Victor, I’d been observing her. It wasn’t easy to hide the fact that I was watching either because Susan was very sensitive.
“When she first moved in, I thought he must have been mistaken because she was eating just fine. She even told me it wasn’t like she throws up or anything.”
“And since then?”
“I don’t think she lied. I’ve never seen her throwing up. But there are stretches of time when she doesn’t seem to eat much at all. She’s good at hiding it, so I’m never sure if she really ate or not.”
“What does your gut tell you?”
Momma was all about intuition which made me wonder if that’s where I got that ghost seeing thing from.
Taking a deep breath and holding it for a moment, I finally said, “I think she has a problem and I’ll do everything I can to get her help.”
We talked some more about what we could do to help Susan without making her defensive and I came to understand this was going to be a huge undertaking. But I’m strong and there is nothing I wouldn’t do for my baby sister.
As if on cue, right after talking about him, I ran into Theo in the hallway.
“Are your ears ringing?” I joked.
“Ah, you were talking about me,” he grinned. “You know, Alice Millet told me when I was a kid that if your ears ring, you’re supposed to pinch your earlobe.”
“What happens then?”
“Whoever’s talking about you bites their tongue!” he laughed.
As soon as he said that, I laughed, too, and remembered Alice telling me the same thing.
“We had some good times, didn’t we?”
He smiled softly. “We sure did, Marty.” After a slight pause, he said, “I was hoping I’d see you today. I wanted to tell you how sorry I am that I didn’t… well, I didn’t know you had feelings for me other than just being friends.”
In this world of people hiding their feelings and never saying what they really think, Theo’s words made me miss Winchester even more. There was no beating around the bush there. If someone was angry with you, they let you know it. The opposite was true, too, for the most part. People on the island appreciated one another, loved one another. The speak was plain but true.
Blushing a little, I said, “Don’t sweat it, Theo. That was a long time ago and I have a terrific little family.”
“I’m glad you’re happy.”
“I am very happy,” I repeated. “Is something bothering you?”
Now he was staring at his feet and his cheeks were red. “Well… yes. I know you’ve heard I broke up with Susan.”
“Uh, yeah, that was years ago, too. I think she’s over it.” I wasn’t too sure Susan was over it, but he didn’t need to know that.
“I never wanted her to get hurt. You see, I was hurting, too.”
“Honestly, the whole cousin thing has me wondering. I mean, you’re adopted, so was it really wrong?”
“I know that’s what you heard. That I broke up with Susan because of the cousin thing.”
Raising an eyebrow, I was all in now. “Spill it, then. Why’d you do it?”
He took a huge breath and held it until I thought he was going to pass out. Whatever it was, it was big. At least to him, it was.
Finally, he exhaled. “I never liked girls. I just thought it was expected of me to get married and carry on the family line. The whole time, I was just denying who I was.”
“You’re gay.” It wasn’t a question, it was a realization that meant, at last, Theo was making some sense to me.
He awkwardly shrugged and nodded at the same time and my heart went out to him.
“There’s more,” he mumbled. “I’ve always had a crush on Laurent.”
“Well, how does Laurent feel about it?”
“I don’t know. I’ve never said anything to him.”
“Well, either way, looks like you still have the cousin problem. But sheesh, Theo, so much pain could have been avoided if you’d just fessed up.”
“Do you really blame me for keeping it to myself?”
“I would never blame you for that but it sure makes a whole lot of sense. I can’t believe I never realized.”
He went on to tell me that my uncle Leo and aunt Wilda knew and they were the ones who encouraged him to break off his engagement to Susan. He said they were supportive and wanted him to be true to himself.
What a disastrous mess it would have been if he’d married my sister! Giving him a hug, I wished him well and thanked him for telling me. I’d not had a bad thought about Theo in ages. Now, I could truly wish him the best life could give him.
I needed another break. Some people smoke or drink or read a book. I just need to get out of the room for a moment to recharge.
This was not how I wanted to spend my five minutes respite, though.
“Holy hell!” I yelled when I saw her.
The teenage ghost girl floated inches above the floor, bobbing very slightly. Instead of being offended or upset, she giggled. Her laugh tinkled through the room like glass clinking in a toast.
“Who are you?” I ventured, my mouth drying and my heart thumping. Would I ever get used to this?
“Concentrate harder,” ghost girl giggled again as if I was being completely silly.
What did she mean concentrate harder, anyway? Trying to comply, I closed my eyes tightly and tried to clear my mind.
As my thoughts cleared, I began to feel a warm spot over my heart that began pulling me in a new direction. Gradually, I had a picture in my mind of a dark-haired girl with freckles and light blue eyes like Susan’s.
The girl was at the beach laughing at a red-haired boy and playing in the water. The boy splashed her back and tried to dunk her but they both ended up going under. As their heads bobbed above the water, I saw the boy’s face up close. He had green eyes like momma.
Slowly, I opened my eyes. The dark-haired girl was in full form now…
… although she was still floating above the floor.
“Are you Jilly? Granpa Leo’s twin sister who died in the car crash?”
“Yes!” she exclaimed. “I’ve waited so long for someone to see me! As soon as you came into the house, I knew it would be you or your handsome dark-haired man.”
‘OMG. I am talking to a ghost,’ I thought. ‘And its grandpa’s Jillybean!’
“You’re supposed to ask me why I’m here,” she chided.
“Oh right. So, uh, yeah… why are you here?”
She took a moment to laugh hysterically before saying, “I have a message for my brother and you’ve been volunteered to play delivery girl!”
“Okay.” It was the least I could do for my grandpa and it looked like I didn’t have a choice anyway. “What did you want to say?”
“I’m so glad you asked,” she said brightly, making me laugh a little. I could see why grandpa missed her so much. “Two things. One, please tell him once and for all the accident that killed me was not his fault. Two, tell him the ring is in his old comic book box in the top of his closet.”
Ring? That was interesting. But back to business. “You know, I think he realizes now the accident wasn’t his fault.”
“Tell him I said so anyway. I’ve been trying to get it through to him since the accident happened but he’s about as perceptive as a block of cheese.”
I laughed again. “Yes, I’ll tell him. Is that everything then?”
“No, I have something to say to you, too, Marty.”
Because she knew my name, I began to feel somewhat self-conscious. Had she been watching me? And if so, for how long.
“Focus, Marty, I’m fading!”
“Oh, sorry!”
“I wanted to tell you that the paper in your purse doesn’t matter.”
“What do you mean?”
“The DNA test does not matter,” she said, emphasizing every syllable as if I was too slow for her.
“Um, but it kind of does,” I said.
“Not really. Look at the report if you must but I’m here to tell you that you already know who the father of your twins is. In your heart, you know.”
“That doesn’t make sense, though. I did the test in the first place because I don’t know.”
“Who has been there for you, helping you care for the babies? Who loves you and the children?”
“Xalen, of course. Beckett’s rotting in a prison cell.”
“You don’t need a piece of paper to tell you who the father is,” she repeated.
“It’s an interesting point, and I appreciate it, really I do. I still have to know what the paper says, though.”
“What paper, honey?” grandpa said as he came in the room. “You have a little boy who’s hungry.”
“Oh thank you,” I said. Turning back toward the window, I saw that Jilly was gone.
Craning his neck all around, he asked, “Uh, who were you talking to?”
At first, I was reluctant to tell him. In the end, though, if Jilly wanted him to know, I figured she wouldn’t leave me alone until I told him. And so I did.
At first, his face registered disbelief, then pain, then bewilderment. All of a sudden, he flung open the closet and pulled an old ratty shoe box down from the top shelf.
He took the lid off and began carefully removing old comic books until he gasped. “Oh, boy.”
“What?”
With shaking hands, he took out a beautiful ring and before I could say anything or ask any questions, he slid it onto my finger.
“This ring was given to my mother by her mother-in-law Phyllis. She was going to give it to Jilly because she was supposed to be the heir that continued the journal. When Jilly died, she gave it to me to hand over to Blue at the appropriate time but I lost it. It’s been in this box the whole time.” With love in his shiny green eyes, he smiled at me. “Now it belongs to you.”
The sun was setting on a crazy day as I explained everything that had happened to Xalen.
I even told him I had the test results.
“Did you look at them?” he softly asked, his voice catching.
Nodding, I looked into his eyes and took his hands. “The DNA conclusively states you are the twins’ father.”
Pulling me into his arms, his lips met mine. I could feel his tears against my cheek and I think I was crying, too.
Author’s Note: I’m sorry this was so long. I needed to get a lot in! If you are struggling with an eating disorder please contact the National Eating Disorders helpline: 1-(800) 931-2237.
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The thing with the DNA tests got me curious so I did a little search and apparently if the child’s possible fathers are related, the results are less conclusive. So, I’m going to assume that’s what the report Marty received was saying. However, I’m looking forward to see her kids age up to see if there’s any resemblance of either of the men.
Thank you so much. 🙂 Yes, exactly right. I can’t wait for you to see the kids as they grow up, and who they resemble.
Wowwy!!! What a HUGE family reunion. Man, I don’t envy you with having to do all those shots. OMG though, when I read your reply to Bee about Leo being at the end of his days…OMG…it hurts to much to go on. *sniff*
It seems that everyone is happy…well, mostly. I get the impression that Daylynn and Thea’s lives weren’t very happy. Being a high powered doctor’s wife, there’s a certain image to live up to, and that includes looking the part, ergo, plastic surgery galore. And Daylynn…she just sees bitter and unsociable.
Like I said, Susan worries me. I really do think she has an eating disorder and with the breakups happening the way they did, that hurts her self-esteem even more. Poor girl. 🙁 She really does need some therapy.
Ohhh, it was so nice to see Jilly again. It made me happy and sad. Imagine being with them the entire time but nobody being able to see you. Not a good afterlife. I just hope now Leo can finally find total closure in terms of the accident.
Jilly is right. A piece of paper doesn’t make someone a father. Still, I’m glad it wasn’t Beckett. I”m with Bee on Beckett being sterile. I truly hope he is and that whatever sperm he does have are so deformed and such sow swimmers that they die even before getting out of his body. Egads, I’m a nasty woman, aren’t I? Muahahahaha!!!!
This. Was. A. Nightmare. LOL
Hopefully, Susan realizes something is wrong and she gets some help.
I agree about Jilly. At first, I was going to have Memphis come back, but then, I thought, it should definitely be Jilly.
LOL There’s your sense of humor again. 😀 I love it!
What an emotional chapter very good !
That Marty can see Jilly and tell everything to her grandpa is the best part to me.
Thank you so much! 😀 I really loved that part, too. It brought about some real closure for Leo.
Indeed it’s a very good ending, with elders they are really not exciting story but before he passed away he knows the truth so he feels better now.
You are so right about that. 🙂
haha whatever? I got an idea with elder ! but I have so much to do with my sims.
I was half-expecting one twin to belong to Beckett and one to Xalen, although I’m not sure if the timing of her “relations” with both men would have been close enough together to enable that scenario.
Thank you so much! 😀 That would have been something else! lol I’ll admit, it was a fleeting thought but in the end, it was a road I didn’t want to go down.
I looove seeing everyone and how they’ve grown! I had to laugh at the twins’ santa sweaters, too. xD
There were so many revelations in this chapter! First, I hope that Marty and Blue can come up with a good way to approach Susan about her possible eating disorder. This is a very sensitive subject for her and I hope she doesn’t take it the wrong way. Also, Victor’s intentions may have been good, but did he really lie and say they were going to get married? Or did Susan just assume that’s what they were travelling for without him really saying it?
Theo being gay really makes sense now. Too bad for him he was a bit of a babe magnet; that sure made things complicated. I hope he is on the road to accepting himself.
Jilly showing up really brought things full circle. Leo may have already realized that it wasn’t his fault, but hearing it from Jilly would reaffirm that and bring him closure.
Marty and Xalen are so cute. It’s been a long road for them, but that just makes things sweeter now. The twins are adorable and I can’t wait to see more of them.
Thank you so much! I thought those sweaters were funny, too lol
That’s a good question about Victor. If he deceived her to get her there, he’s still a jerk. lol
I hope Theo is on the way to accepting himself, too.
I love what you said about Jilly showing up and totally agree with you.
I’ve really grown to love Marty and Xalen together. I think they make a good pair. I also can’t wait to see how the twins turn out. 😀
Great way to sum up closure for so many of the family! I really loved that Jilly made it to the reunion!
Thank you so much, Brenda 🙂 I couldn’t resist having Jilly show up! lol
OMG I WAS RIGHT!!!!! (about Susan and Victor, I mean)
OMG XALTY ARE THE PARENTS!!! (Um, duh lol as Jilly said… The test results didn’t matter. Xalen was always their dad even if the jackass had been the sperm donor)
OMG JILLYBEAN!!!!! (Wait… was that the hair she had before? Yeah, totally random, but it’s the first thing I thought off when I saw her lol)
I feel like I should have started this with all Caps again, but, I also felt too lazy lol I absolutely adore this story, and $50 says no one skipped past the family reunion shtick lol 😎😎😎 we are waaaaaaaaaay too curious a bunch for that…
The kids are too adorable for words. I do have 1 question though: why do people always put those bow things one baby girls’ heads? Maybe I don’t get it because I’ve never had kids, but, it’s always seemed odd to me… I mean, if I was (sort of) bald, I wouldn’t slap a huge bow on my head… Even if I was bald by choice and not nature… And, have you ever noticed that they’re often of the absolute dumbest fabrics?!? A colleague brought her daughter to show her off to us, and the poor soul had a bow that had that netting crap that they use on tutus (what’s it called again?!?!?) Anyway, all I could think was the poor child must have been itchy AF with that touching her soft skull all day…
I can’t wait to see how the HoRos grow up though. I think they are going to be stunners of note!
Thank you so much, Mags! 😀
Yes, you were spot on – you called it! 😀 There are two sides to every story and you thought ahead about what the other side could have been.
You’re so right about Xalen (I still lovey Xalty! haha)! It doesn’t matter who the sperm donor is, it matters who has been there.
That was a different hair on Jillybean because I didn’t have the same one she had before in the game anymore. :O
I’m so glad you’re way too curious a bunch for that! LOL It makes my day that you said that.
LOL about the bows on babies. 😀 I had my son first and so when I had my daughter, I did the whole bow thing, but they were made out of comfortable material. That one you saw really does sound uncomfortable. I forget what the material is called, too. lol
I can’t wait to see how the HoRos grow up, too. I did cheat a little and look at them aged up in CAS because I couldn’t stand the suspense. Let’s just say, I like how they look. 😀
I went straight to the “story” part. I especially liked the part where it doesn’t take a piece of paper to be a dad
Thank you so much, Mythdon! 🙂 I’m so glad you liked that part. I think Jilly definitely had a point seeing as how Xalen has been helping with the twins since the beginning.
Such a big family! My goodness, how do you keep up xD They’re all so beautiful too, it was lovely to see them again and hear a bit about some of the characters – like Theo. I hope if he does come out to the island that no one gives him hassle for it.
I worry about Susan. Eating disorders really do a number on your body, not to mention your mind.
Oooh a ghost! I don’t know Jilly, but she seems cute and mischievous! I bet it was so lovely for Leo to hear from her. The ring is lovely, too.
And of course she always knew who the father was. Xalen was already their father in every way that matters!
Thank you so much <3 How do I keep up? Not very well! hahaha This took several hours to put together because, as you know, sims aren't always keen to cooperate. LOL I'm glad you enjoyed seeing them all together. I think if anyone hassles Theo for that, Leo Jr. and Wilda will be all over that even though Theo is an adult. lol 😀
You're so right about eating disorders. Luckily, she has Marty and Xalen on her side. 🙂
Jilly was exactly as you say, mischievous and cute but she spent most of her time covering for Leo and trying to keep him out of trouble. haha
You're so right about how Xalen is the father in every way that matters. I think Marty needed to hear that from Jilly just then. 😀
It was really lovely to see everyone again! Although it was quite a shocker seeing how old some characters have gotten, that many generations in one place 😯
I remember thinking Theo was a jerk. But now knowing the struggle he went through, almost by himself, I take that thought back! I hope he finds a nice guy to be happy with.
Wow, ghost Jilly! That was a wonderful moment, it was great to have her ‘join in’ with the family gathering~
Sweet chapter <3
Thank you so much, Lila! 🙂 I’m glad you enjoyed seeing everyone together again. It’s hard to believe how old some of the characters are now for me, too. I know for sure that I do not want to say goodbye to Leo. There’s just something about it that makes me sad.
Theo did come off like a jerk at the time but I reckon there’s always two sides to every story and finally, we learned his. I thought it would be nice to know he wasn’t a heartless jerk. I hope he finds a nice guy, too.
Yes! Ghost Jilly! 😀 I originally was going to have Memphis be the one who showed up, but then I thought it should be Jilly who contacts Leo. It just made more sense to me.
Thank you again. <3
hmmm, no shown slip of paper … is there a plot twist in the future waiting to throw a wrench at a twin? I hope not. 🙂
Thank you so much, mama dragon. 🙂 Honestly, I’m not planning on one. Things could change in the future, but I really honestly don’t want to go down that road. lol I mainly handled it this way so that it could be open to interpretation as to whether she looked or not. 🙂
Weeeeell, that Jilly encounter is a cincher for where she is headed. She definitely has a gift.
Boy, I had a hard time getting everyone straight. Most I didn’t remember. Good job!
I had trouble trying to remember if I got everyone there, Jolie! hahaha I wasn’t sure whether all of the info on the extended family would be interesting and I almost cut it out of the chapter altogether. In the end, I left it in and told people where to scroll to. haha Thank you so much for your lovely comment.
Dang it, look at the clock! I am so, so late. I’m sorry, meeting with a friend and then cleaning some stuff on my own site ate up too much of my time. But I’m here at last!
Ah, I loved seeing everyone. I know I feel really bad about not being able to catch up with everyone, but I can’t because of Sam. And bonuses are long enough without the extended family being in them. Dang it! I need to work on it when I can. Ah, Thea. Did you mention plastic surgeries because you couldn’t stand Josh’s nose? LOL.
Wow, Leo looks so pale. I never quite realized his skin was that light when he had the fire-like orange hair that brought the color. Or maybe he’s still pale after the sickness? I’m not sure. All your Sims are beautiful, they are so pleasant to watch at.
Poor Susan. She may be undergoing bulimia or even anorexia and bulimia combined. Eating disorders have always interested me. When I was little, I had eating problems, too. That deep that my mom was afraid I might get anorexia. Fortunately, I have come over it. I hope whatever it is Susan has, she will be able to get some help.
Aww, Theo! His confession was cute in its awkwardness. I now wonder whether Laurent reciprocates his feelings. I guess we will eventually find out? He might get a bad heartbreak if he’s straight, though. That’s funny, though, because some time ago I was wondering whether you’d ever incorporate gay couples into your story. So I guess I now have my answer. Well, I am relieved now that Susan and him didn’t marry because that would be a true physical disaster for both involved. And I now understand his reasons for not contacting Marty better. Poor guy was probably too afraid to admit how things really stood.
JILLY! I never expected this, but I am so, so happy to see her. I’m a bit ashamed, though, that so much time passed that when Marty mentions pictures of Leo playing with a girl, I started wondering when he had such a friend. But still, I am genuinely happy to see her. I’m glad Marty helped her pass the message. And I loved how she teased Leo and how her joyful personality showed as she spoke. I remember her scrapbook!
Yes, I took it the same way as one of the previous people commenting- that Marty didn’t check the results. Who would care, though, when she is this lucky with Xalen?
That chapter was really satisfying to read. So many good things happening!
Thank you so much, Jowita! 🙂 Better late then never! haha 😛
I can’t imagine Sam caring about going to a family reunion. I imagine he would want to avoid that at all cost. LOLOL
As for Thea and the nose….. you know it! LOL She had his face in its entirety, actually. And I couldn’t stand to look at it as to me, it just looks really wrong on a girl. LOLOL Besides, the way her personality always was, I figured she really would have a lot done surgically.
You know, I wondered about Leo’s skin, too, and how pale it was. Seemed to me it wasn’t that light before, but I don’t recall changing it. When he was ill, I used a copy of him and made the copy with a different skin, so this is the original copy of Leo in this chapter, just older. Strange how the red hair made such a difference, isn’t it?
You’re right about Susan. I think it’s going to be difficult for Marty and Xalen to handle this, but they will do their best. I’m glad you no longer have a problem with this anymore. Someday, perhaps I will tell my story about it. 😀
With Theo, he always preferred guys in game, so it seemed natural that he would prefer them in my story, too. For a time, I was kind of waiting to see if Marty preferred girls because in game, for a while, it seemed she might. But then she met Xalen and well…. you know the rest. hahaha I love those little hearts that appear over their heads when they meet someone they love. If they hadn’t appeared with her and Xalen, I would have gone with my original plan to pair her with Beckett. But in game, after I introduced Beckett to her, she kept going to find Xalen, so that fizzled real quick! haha
I’m so glad you liked seeing Jilly! 😀 At first, it was going to be Memphis but then I thought it should be Jilly who is contacting Leo. It just made more sense to me that she’d been waiting around for that block of cheese to finally notice. hahaha Oh yes, the scrapbook and her crush on the lifeguard! LOLOLOL
That’s what I’m sayin’, gf. Who would care? hahaha She has Xalen either way. I wanted to leave that open for interpretation and I’m so glad you thought the chapter was satisfying. <3
He would, lol. That’s partly the reason he stays so long in China, he tries to avoid his family by that. We’ll see if he can 😛
Well, Hailey’s face is either Sam or Seth. It looks kinda weird, too, haha. But not as bad as I thought.
That would be a trouble if Marty preferred girls since it’d mess up with the heritage thing. I don’t ever seem to be having different sexualities in games and all my sims are rather neutral, so I had to force things. Adaeze was the only girl who without me had a crush on both a girl and a boy. Haha, oh Xalen and she, lol.
I was laughing thinking about Sam trying to avoid a family reunion when he can’t stand even to go see his mother. LOLOLOL
I don’t know why, but seems my sims make their preferences known – not all the time, but some of the time. 😀 I also have a twin thing going on and I can’t figure out why, though. LOL I’ve never had so many twins in one family before.
Haha, me too, that’s hilarious.
Well, yeah, my Sims have attractions, but they are always heterosexual. Well, unless I have a magnet like Sam around, then suddenly he’s got a lot of propositions, lol. The twin thing, oh my. That’s so crazy!
I think it’s crazy, too! haha
I’m still laughing about Sam at a family function. LOLOL
Oh my goodness. There are so many feels that I don’t know where to start.
Theo is gay?!?! Did not see that one coming. I can only wonder how Laurent will take it when he finds out everything.
It was so nice catching up with everyone. Each of your characters are so well developed that I feel like I was part of the family reunion as well.
I hope Marty will be able to help Susan. But it is up to Susan to realize that she has a problem that she is the one who needs to want to get help!
Jilly came back! I forgot how much I missed her. Hopefully this convinces Marty to join the Neptune Foundation.
And Jilly was right about Xalen. Shared DNA doesn’t make you a parent. He is the twin’s father 100% (and I love the giant bow on Rosetta).
Thank you so much, socallucyfan! 🙂 As far as Theo goes (with or without Laurent), you will be filled in about his life in a future update, although, I don’t know exactly which one it will be in yet.
I’m so glad you liked seeing everyone – and thank you for your kind words about my characters. I love them all and wish I could write them all in even greater detail but then I would probably lose Marty in it all somewhere. hahahaha
I completely agree with what you say about Susan and her needing to be the one who wants help. I think Marty and Xalen will be a strong support for her and they won’t let her keep going in this direction if they can help it.
I missed Jilly so much, too, and am so glad I could incorporate her into the story since Marty could see her. I think you are right that Marty needs to join the Neptune Foundation. The problem is, she still has reservations because of the kids. Luckily, Xalen told her he would work this all out with her.
I’m glad you agreed with Jilly about the DNA. Oh, and the bow! I put them on all my baby girls in game at some point or other. hahahaha 😛
I know exactly how Susan feels, since I had dealt with the exact same thing not that long ago.
And I envy your ability to give each character such great detail and story all their own. I can use Josh and Rachel’s two girls as an example. We haven’t heard from them in a while, but I can totally see Phyllis as the nice one to talk to and that it is exactly like Thea to marry a doctor and have some work done.
I have to troll your CC page and find that bow!
LOL Hey, someone else asked about the bow, too, so I put it on the WCIF page.
I thank you so much for your kind words. I’m glad you could see in them what I described, too.
I’m sorry you dealt with an eating disorder. It seems like so many people have. My hope is that you are healed now. <3
Thank you for your kind words. Although it is still a struggle, things are a lot better. I found that several people also suffer from an eating disorder, and I have been able to find support from them as well as my wonderful husband.
Like Susan you don’t have to throw up everything or be anorexic to have an eating disorder.
That’s so true. You don’t even have to be female, although, the majority are. Good point! And I’m so glad you have found support. <3
I also forgot to mention how much I love the fact that Leo and Wilda didn’t stop with Theo, and that they adopted other children as well. They both wanted a large family, and I’m happy that they got it.
See…too many feels. (plus that cute bow was just too distracting)
hahahaha I can’t wait to see what your simmie todds look like in the bow now! 😀 😀
I always imagined Leo and Wilda would have a slew of orphaned children to take care of. lol 😀
Thank you for putting it in the WCIF page. 🙂
I can totally see Leo and Wilda have a large family as well.
You are so welcome! If there is anything else you see me use that you want a link for, don’t hesitate to ask. 🙂
Oh my goodness, that family reunion must have been a doozy for you to put together!! It was so great to see everyone, and meet their extended families, too! And Jilly Bean, still the precocious teen, just hanging around until she found someone who could see her and hear her!! I’m so glad Theo’s story was wrapped up, and I do hope his heart doesn’t get broken with Laurent, but that’s for a later time. I think it might help Susan to know that Theo is gay, so she can close that chapter without blaming herself in any way. If she does have an eating disorder, I think that info might help out there, too. I am still overwhelmed with all the relatives, just like I used to get at family reunions with my mom’s side of the family – huge!! Thank you so much for a great chapter! What a nice way for Marty and Xalen to start out their relationship. And now we have the twins to watch grow up and to pass along the torch! Finding the ring was like an acknowledgment that Marty is, indeed, the family heir. ♥
Thank you so much, Marj! 🙂 To say it was a doozy is an understatement. hahahaha I’m so glad you liked seeing everyone. Jilly is still the same, it’s true. 😀
Theo needed some closure on his story and I think knowing the reasons behind his actions will help Susan to feel better, too, or at least to come to some sort of an understanding about it all.
My family reunions were never so big, so I like visiting this one as overwhelming as it is. Your mom’s side must be pretty big! 😀
I think it’s a nice start to Marty and Xalen’s relationship, too. It still might be a bit unconventional moving forward but they do love each other.
Well I had alll sorts of comments in mind … But it was all blown out of the water whenJilly appeared and we found out that Xalen is the papa ❤️
Thank you so much, Lisa! 🙂 I’m laughing but I would have been the same way, I think, if I didn’t know Jilly was going to be there. I’m so glad you liked this chapter. <3
It was nice to catch up with everyone. And nicer even to see Jilly!
I hope Marty and Xalen can help out Susan in a non-stressful way.
Thank you so much, Violincat 😀 I’m so glad you liked seeing everyone. I thought it was so much fun bringing Jilly into the story.
I’m hoping Marty and Xalen can do that, too. It’s going to be difficult but they need to come up with something. 😀
Josh & Rachel’s girls look amazing! It’s funny you mentioned she had work done because I was like hmmm…that nose didn’t come from either of them LOL.
Theo is such a cutie! And Charles! And Matthieu!! Gosh, this story is full of such good looking sims LOL.
“I’m wearing a band t-shirt under my sweater now,” Josh said.
This made me giggle.
“I never liked girls.”
OH! Well, that was unexpected.
*gasp* Jilly Bean!! Yay! She’s so funny.
Oh yay! An heirloom!! I don’t know why that’s exciting to me LOL.
YAAAAAAAS Xalen is the biological father! Woot!
Thank you so much, Jes2G! 🙂 I thought Phyllis and Thea looked pretty darn good, too! LOL You are so right about the nose! And mouth, too! Picture Josh’s face on a girl and you had Thea pre-surgery. 😛 LOL It was kind of ghastly.
Josh wearing the band t-shirt made me giggle, too. I could just see him and Leo discussing “the glory days” together. LOL
Theo has a real reason why he couldn’t marry Susan! LOL He was like that in game so I was just waiting for the right time to bring it out. 😀
Jillybean! Yes! I missed her and couldn’t wait to bring her in, although, at first, it was going to be Memphis. 😀
I think the ring is exciting, too. And it is the one Phyllis (Liev’s mother) gave to Memphis before the meteor destroyed my game. haha It was supposed to go to Jilly but she died and suddenly, Leo was heir. So, I put the ring on the back burner, bringing it back for this gen. It was originally supposed to go with the journal. LOL
Xalen is the daddy! And now we can put that ordeal behind us. hahaha 😀
I can’t say that I wasn’t concerned about how Josh’s kids would turn out LOL. Glad she had that work done!!
LOLOL Yes, be glad. Be. Very. Glad. bwaaahaaahaaaa! When she became a teen, I literally jumped back in my chair! hahaha I was like, no, this will not do. 😛
LOL!!!
Oh goodness, look at that wonderful family reunion! Blue looks amazing for her age, too. It’s so good to see everyone and catch up on what they’re doing, even the ones that are departed. It was good to see Jilly again! Marty’s gifts are proving to bring a lot of peace to everyone, and I hope she decides to join The Inheritance after all. I think she’ll be quite usual to the cause. Now for that ending, I’m so happy! Looking at those kids, I thought for sure Beckett was the dad. Hopefully, Xalen will shine through more as they get older. I just have to remember that Xalen is Beckett’s uncle, so it’s not surprising that they have some features in common.
Thank you so much, Rosie. 🙂 I thought Blue looked pretty good, too! 😀 Matthieu looks pretty much the same to me. haha I’m glad you enjoyed catching up on everyone.
And Jilly, too! It was so much fun to play her again.
You’re so right about the peace Marty’s gift is bringing to people. I think it shows her what path she should take, but I also think she still has some reservations because of the kids. But, as we know, Xalen is not going to let anything ruin his family now that he has one. 😀
The twins do kind of look like Beckett in some ways but as you said, it could be due to the fact that Xalen is his uncle, so they share traits. I’ve seen these kids grown up in CAS and let me tell you, they definitely have characteristics of both Marty and Xalen. 😀
Whoa!!!! So many people in this chapter, it’s crazy!! But I loved catching up with everyone, especially Gloria! I always loved that girl <3 😁
Poor Susan, I hope she gets help soon..! And I loved Theo's storyline, it was very decent of him to break it off with Susan before things got even more serious… I hope he finds what he's looking for eventually!
I agree with Audrey's interpretation, I had the exact same vibes… Jilly was right, Xalen is the daddy, no matter what! And speaking of… Jilly!! 😄 What a wonderful surprise you had for us there! My heart warmed up just by reading about her and Leo reconnecting <3 Such a beautiful chapter! 💕
Thank you so much, sempreviva! 🙂 It was definitely crazy! hahaha I spent hours trying to get everyone there and under control. hahaha It was pretty wild! 😀
I’m so glad you love Gloria. I really love her, too, and so I wanted to be sure and include her. She has a big personality that I like to showcase. haha
I feel bad for Susan, too, so I’ll be weaving her in as much as possible so that you can see what’s going on with her and how she is doing.
I hope Theo finds happiness and that he is soon comfortable with himself, too. 🙂
It’s cool to see how many comments have mentioned what Audrey did about the DNA and if Marty looked or not. I wondered if that would happen and am really pleased it did. <3
I really miss Jilly a lot, so it warmed my heart to see her again, too.
OK! I’m back on the computer, where it’s easier to write! First, I just loved catching up with everyone! It was so great to see them!
Then, during the party, I realized how much I’d come to love Marty! It’s as if all the other family members, who once shone so bright in my imagination, had become eclipsed by the affection that has developed in me for Marty! She really has become something!
And my heart burst when I say Jillybean! How lovely for Marty to be able to see her! She seemed so happy to finally have someone provide a conduit for her!
Truly lovely chapter!
Thank you so much, Cathy! <3 I'm so glad you were able to come back. 🙂 And I'm really glad you enjoyed seeing everyone again. I've wanted to do this for a long time before Leo dies so I'm relieved I got it done. lol
What you say about Marty is really wonderful. I'm glad she's worked her way into your heart.
You know, I was going to have Memphis be the ghost that Jilly saw; kind of the matriarch who is still looking out for her family. But at the last minute, I thought, you know, this is about Leo's last family reunion, it should be Jilly. You never know, maybe Memphis will make an appearance another time. haha 😀
So nice to see the entire family again! I can’t believe how old Leo is now, it breaks my heart to know that he’ll pass on soon. Although maybe Marty will be able to see his ghost? It was so sweet that she saw Jilly! I’d almost forgotten about her. All the loose ends are wrapped up and I’m so glad Xalen is the biological father, it wil lput Marty’s mind at ease ❤️
Thank you so much, Raymond. 🙂 I really loved bringing them all together, as annoying as it became for me. hahaha I especially wanted to get Leo in this last time because I know he’s not going to be around much longer. And that makes me sad, too. That’s a great idea about the possibility of Marty seeing his ghost! That would be cool! 😀
It’s nice to have some loose ends wrapped up. They have been floating around in my mind for quite a while now and I’ve been constantly saying to myself, “Now, don’t forget you have to tie this one up, too…” LOL
I’m glad about Xalen, too, and I think you’re right about how Marty will feel about it.
There’s just a ton of loveliness here 🙂 family reunions and secrets revealed all over! So much good, and also so much to work on the future. And of course Xalen is the real dad <3 He would be, even if the DNA said otherwise.
I love this as always! <3
Thank you so much, Louise! 🙂 I’m so glad you enjoyed this. It was sooooo difficult to do. hahaha I agree with you that Xalen would be the dad no matter what the DNA results said. <3
I’m so full of love right now my eyes are leaking! I’ll come back later when I am more composed to share the million things I want to compliment you on!
Awwww that’s so sweet. Thank you, Cathy. <3
Oh, this was so great. Wow so much going on…
Theo is gay and maybe so is her brother! It totally made Theo make sense.
I loved seeing the family. Sometimes they are forgotten. And JILLYBEAN!!!! OMG! I missed her so much. I’m so glad she got to have a role in Marty’s happiness.
Marty didn’t read the test after what Jilly told her? She just said that to Xalen because that was what was in her heart. ❤️ At least that is how I interpreted that.
I bet after seeing Jilly that she will join The Neptune Foundation. :).
Poor Susan. I hope she can get her to admitmshe has a problem and get her help…
Thank you so much, Audrey! 🙂 I really thought learning this about Theo would tie up some strings where he was concerned and in game, it’s all true. 🙂
I didn’t know if anyone would really remember or care about seeing all these characters after so much time had passed, so I appreciate your words. 😀 I sure couldn’t leave Jillybean out now that Marty can see ghosts. lol
As for the DNA results, I was kind of leaving it open for interpretation so you are not wrong in the conclusions you’ve drawn. <3 I'm not planning on bringing up the twins paternity again, so either way, it can be interpreted how you imagine it.
The Neptune Foundation! I think you are probably right. I mean, what would be the point of not joining? Marty does have some reservations and questions that need to be addressed though.
I think with her family in her corner, Susan will come to terms with things.
So much to say here!
It was great to see the whole family and Whoa what a bunch of good genes I’m telling you! How on earth do you keep up with all of them! My oh my! I always think Marty is so pretty and I’m glad you went with short hair.
I knew it! I knew he was the daddy…that other guy is so evil he is probably sterile (gasp!) I hope now they will all have a happy life together. Marty really needs to join the institute! And finally!
My Jilly!!!! Oh that made me happy and sad all at once to see her again! To think she was with them this whole time saying “someone please see me, I have things to say!” I wish we could bring her back to life, more than we did in our collaborations of our stories. Nothing is impossible…right?
Thank you so much, Bee! 🙂 This is probably one of the hardest things I’ve set up yet! lol I had three pages of sims there and I was sooooo confused! hahahaha I’m so glad you think Marty is pretty. I still think Blue is the prettiest sim I’ve ever had and I can’t even really take credit because she was born in game. lol
Oh I’m LMAO at your Beckett being sterile comment! :O LOLOL I think you’re right that Marty needs to join up. 😀
I knew you would enjoy seeing Jilly again. I wish she could come back, too, but I almost wouldn’t want her to unless she could have a storyline with Leo. Sadly, he is reaching the end of his days. I was praying the whole time grimmie wouldn’t show up to take anyone before I got done with pics! lol
I loved our collabs! 😀
While Blue was very pretty for a sim, I do believe that Susan tops the cake….and it has nothing to do with…….LOL I can’t wait to hear her story!
LOL! Oh I agree with you about Susan. I think she is very pretty indeed. 🙂 I really loved her in this red dress; it really brought out how pretty she is, I thought. Her story is coming up and I think (and hope) you will be quite happy. 😀
Girl! This is where you need clone files. LOL! When I have to do a lot of shots with a gagle of Sims, I make a copy of my maim save and do all the sccreenshots there. This way, if something messes up (Grimmy coming for someone), it doesn’t mess up your main save.
Yes! You’re so right. Why didn’t I think of clone files? I mean, I make backups all the time, so you would think I would have thought of that. lol