Dear Diary, the last time I talked to Mom and Dad on the phone, they were kind of concerned about Jem’s reaction to Perry. So, they came for a weekend visit. Dad retired from the ballet business a couple weeks ago and offered to stay with me longer, but I told him no because I felt guilty that his first days free from work would be spent worrying about me.
When they arrived, Mom had her usual pursed lips and raised eyebrows of judgment trained on me. Dad, on the other hand, scooped Kara up in his arms.
“There’s my girl!” he cooed as he kissed her forehead.
“The front porch is loaded with stacks upon stacks of old, filthy newspapers,” Mom said. “It looks like a hobo lives here.”
“I’ve been busy,” I said, fighting the urge to roll my eyes.
Mom and I have always had a difficult relationship but through it all, I’ve learned she means well and wants the best for me.
“This worries me,” she said. “Are you doing all right? Are you working more because you need the money?”
I could feel my smile going stiff. “No, I’m not working any more than I usually do and my financial situation is fine. Why would you think that?”
“Kara is barefoot. I thought perhaps you couldn’t afford shoes.”
“So, we had a lovely drive over,” Dad said before I could respond to my mom.
“I’m so glad. Let’s sit down.”
After I motioned for them to take seats in the living room, I plunked Kara down in front of her favorite toy of the week. She happily picked up blocks, looking for the correct shape to drop them into the box with.
“Look at her, she’s so smart,” Dad said, “just like you, Bea.”
It was hard seeing my strong, athletic dad, the rock in my life, as an elder. Even though I moved away from home as soon as I turned eighteen, a part of me never contemplated the thought he’d be older and one day gone. The thought of a world without him in it was frightening to the point, I couldn’t bear it.
Mom’s expression hadn’t changed, but she voiced her approval. “Look at her go! She’s already got it figured out.”
A smile played at my lips, and I knew there was a gleam in my eyes. I was her mother, but I’d thought all along Kara was especially smart.
“Aunt Rosetta sends her love,” Dad said.
“How is she? I saw on the news the other day that some of her ideas about testing prekindergarten children have met resistance in the Senate.”
“You know her, she says it’s all under control and not to worry about it,” he said.
“She has it under control,” Mom assured us. “Besides, what is there to worry about?”
“How about the children that can’t pass the test?” Dad asked. “I’ve seen some of the questions and they’re hard. Of course, my sister thinks they’re easy but you know her.”
“Honestly, Holden, I am always surprised with the way you speak about your own twin. She’s done a lot of good for the free world. Besides, it’s not like Kara will have any trouble at all with the test.”
“So, if our granddaughter passes, that’s all that matters? What about all the other children?”
This was getting out of hand and it made me wonder if they argued like this all the time. It was a sobering thought since I’d always thought their relationship was pretty good.
“I wish I had a clever segue here to change the subject, but… I don’t,” I said.
Saying that seemed to break the tension in the room and my mom even laughed a little.
Dad smiled and said, “Sorry. Discussions about Rosetta seem to fire us up anymore.”
“Tell us more about what’s going on with Jem,” Mom suggested.
And so, I did. I explained to them how things had been going pretty well, in fact, until I’d started dating Perry. Recounting the incident in the basement laundry room, I saw them glance at one another, their expressions grim.
“Karen said I should be cautious around him because she has a bad feeling.”
“Do you think he’d hurt you?” Mom asked.
I shook my head. “No. Sometimes I feel intimidated by the way he stands, or by his tone. But he’s never so much as made a move to hurt me physically.”
“Your father spoke to J.P. about this and we even hoped he’d join us this weekend but he is not concerned. He told your dad that Jem has the right to be jealous in this situation.”
“He’s not completely wrong,” Dad said, “but he’s of no help. Which is a shame since we’re talking about his son.”
“What does he think you should do, then?” I asked.
“He thinks the parents should butt out and let you kids work out your own problems. That will not happen, though, if I think you might be in some kind of danger.”
“That’s right,” Mom said, nodding her head.
As if the earlier disagreement hadn’t happened, my parents were back on the same page. So maybe Dad was right that it was just the subject of Aunt Rosetta they argued about.
“Is Jem home now?” Dad asked.
I shook my head. “Nope. I hardly ever see him. In fact, he hasn’t taken Kara some of the times it was his turn.”
“He hasn’t? What’s he doing?” Mom asked, her eyebrows going up as her mouth became a thin, straight line.
“I don’t know. He’s been out of town. A lot. It’s been strange but nice, too, not having him looming around.”
Dad glanced at Mom again, his jaw set and brow wrinkled. “I’m not leaving until I’ve talked to him.”
As if on cue, Kara pushed the last block into its slot and squealed, clapping her hands.
“All done!” she beamed.
My parents met Perry a few months ago when I took him through St. Claire and across the big bridge to Fortress Rock to see them. My parents’ personalities couldn’t have been more different from one another, but that didn’t stop Perry from impressing them both with his confidence, charisma, and all around kindness.
He and Mom had politics in common while he charmed Dad with conversations about art, including ballet. Perry Wright insisted he knew a lot about land development but only just enough in other topics to hold conversations. Whatever his appeal was, it worked on Mom and Dad.
Once dinner was over, I bathed Kara and put her to bed. Perry arrived and we all moved to the kitchen. Growing up, the kitchen and dining area was the heart of our home, so it was natural for us to gravitate to that part of the house. I could recall many weekends spent as a family making meals and catching up around the table. When things got difficult, I longed for those times and wished I hadn’t taken them for granted.
We were enjoying our visit when Jem strolled in unannounced. I wasn’t only surprised that he’d barged in without even ringing the doorbell. He was dressed funny, too. Normally, he wore khakis, a nice shirt and Sperry’s. This evening, though, he was clad in an old t-shirt, baggy jeans, and work boots. There was some kind of dust, like fine sawdust or something, in his hair and clothing.
As soon as he came face to face with Perry, he stopped in his tracks, his cheeks splotchy and red, his face pinched.
Perry cleared his throat and held his hand out for a shake. “Uh, hi, you must be Jem. I’m Perry Wright, it’s nice to meet you.”
Jem ignored Perry’s hand. He pulled at his shirt as if that was the source of his irritation and a light billow of fine sawdust rose into the air. Then, he turned his attention to me.
“Where’s my daughter?”
“She’s asleep in bed. What on earth have you been doing?” I asked, my pulse quickening.
“Working.”
I noticed he clenched his fist so tight at his side, his knuckles turned white. Glancing at my parents, I could tell they were concerned about what might happen but I didn’t know how to stop it.
“Hello, Jem,” Mom said, her voice calm. “Would you like some iced tea?”
“No, I don’t want iced tea,” he said, spitting out each word as if they were offensive.
“Why don’t you have a seat?” Perry said, waving his hand toward the kitchen table. “I’m sure we have a lot to discuss.”
“There is nothing I want to discuss with you,” Jem said, his voice low, the splotches on his cheeks turning even redder.
Perry either didn’t notice Jem’s irritation, or it didn’t bother him. Instead, he said, “There are things I think we should talk about.”
Anger flashed in Jem’s eyes but before he could act on it, my father stepped up, his body between the two men.
“Let’s go home,” Dad said to him. “C’mon. I’d like to spend some time with you.”
All at once, Jem’s shoulders slumped, and he reminded me of the teen I’d known years ago. His expression broke my heart. How could I fix it or help him? I didn’t even know where to begin. All I wanted was for everyone to get along for Kara’s sake.
“C’mon,” Dad repeated.
“Holden,” Mom said, her voice on edge.
Dad flashed a smile at her and calmly laid his hand on Jem’s shoulder. “Everything’s fine. I’ll be back in a while.”
We could only hope he was right as he and Jem left.
While Dad was at Jem’s, Mom told Perry some embarrassing stories about me. Why do moms always do that? At least there were no crazy naked baby pictures to worry about. At least, I had never seen any.
Once dad returned a couple hours later, he didn’t say a whole lot about Jem. I wanted to know what was going on, but he said he was tired and we could talk about it over breakfast. In the meantime, I wasn’t to worry.
As if that was even possible.
Mom and Dad excused themselves and went up to bed. They were staying in my room and I would sleep in the twin bed in Kara’s room with her.
Perry and I moved to the living room and into each other’s arms. Every time he held me, I felt like I was exactly where I was supposed to be. I pretty much melted into him. He was soft but strong, and I felt safe.
“So that was Jem.”
“Yes,” I said with a small nod, averting my eyes. “I really don’t know what’s gotten into him.”
A small smile tugged at the edges of Perry’s mouth. “Really? I can’t say I blame him for being uneasy or even jealous. To him, I’m an interloper trying to take his place in his daughter’s life. Maybe even in your life. You were best friends all your lives after all. I was hoping we could sit down and talk about everything. Maybe we still can at some point.”
“I don’t know.”
Confusion plagued my mind when I considered my little family and how Perry fit in now. I loved this man, there was no doubt about it. Yet, if Jem couldn’t accept that I’d moved on, where did that leave us?
“I’m no expert but I do have some experience with divorce. And I’m stubborn. I don’t want to give up until Jem and I are at least friendly. Because, Bea, I want to marry you. I know you’re not ready for that yet. Especially after what you’ve been through with marriage. But I want you to know I’m going to win Jem over. And I will show you that you and Kara can have a vibrant life with me. I promise you that.”
Standing there, so close to him, his eyes earnest, and the smile on his face, I could believe him. If I let go of all the mistrust and fear I’d been clinging to, I could be happy once more.
Author’s Note: Hello! I hope you enjoyed today’s chapter! I would like to announce that the slide poses I used in my last chapter have been published for download! Woot woot! Thank you, Bee (Poses by Bee, Stories by Bee) , for making them. There are 15 poses in the set, so go check them out here: Fun on the Slide!
As always, I would like to thank you for reading, liking, commenting, and lurking, too! You guys are the best!
Oh man! It’s so sad to see Holden as an elder. Time really does fly. Geez! Ellie is acting like a crotchety old woman. LOL! That aura of disapproval isn’t winning any favors with her daughter. Anyway, I wonder how the talk between Holden and Jem went. I guess Rosetta is stil a bone of contention between Holden and Ellie.
Jem is acting like a real jackass. He needs to grow up and get over himself. And being covered in sawdust and wearing old, baggy clothes certainly doesn’t scream culinary to me. I wonder what he is up to.
I know Bea is being overly cautious about not wanting to get into another bad relationship. This is smart, but she really shouldn’t base her life and happiness on what Jem thinks or feels. Yes, they share a daughter together, but that doesn’t mean she has to be at his beck and call. I hope she doesn’t let that continue to be a crutch and allow it to stand in her way. It wouldn’t be cool if this ruined her relationship with Perry.
Is it okay to say I cried a little when Holden aged up to elder? Ellie has really changed a lot, which will be addressed later in this generation. Yes, about Rosetta being a bone of contention between Holden and Ellie.
Oh, I like what you said there a lot . I mean, I like everything you say, but right there was important. Bea should not base her life decisions on what Jem will think or feel. You couldn’t be more right about that!
Awwww thanks so much. 🙂 *Hugs*
I think Bea is a good person who doesn’t want to think bad about anyone. i also think she still has a blind spot in regard to Jem because of their history together. This can be a good and bad thing. Regardless, she needs to be careful but not base her happiness or life decisions on someone else’s tastes. I’m way past this point now, as you know, but before I got there, I was thinking to myself that this was going to be a recipe for some hard lessons to be learned.
Oh and yes, of course it’s OK to say you cried when Holden aged up. Heck, I blubber like crazy when my much loved Sims die. When their pets die, forget it. LOL! 😀
I know what you mean! I cried once because I couldn’t get a stray dog to stay in my house. LOL
Hugs. 😀 And, you weren’t wrong. LOL Bea was on the way to messing her life up royally in this generation. I think what you say about her is true. She never wanted to believe Jem had a darker side.
Jem is a piece of work. I wish she could see that. Holden and Ellie are trying, but they can’t get completely involved in her life. Besides, they aren’t 18 anymore either.
Thank you. 🙂 Yes, he certainly is! I like what you said about Holden and Ellie and how they can’t incorporate themselves in her life too much. They are trying to help her see, but she thinks she knows him better.
I feel myself tense up whenever Jem comes onto the scene now. You’ve handled him, his character, and the change in him so well! My stomach works itself up into knots – I wish we had more insight into his life because things are clearly going badly. I wonder what he and Holden spoke about – hopefully I find out soon as I have sooo much to catch up on!!
Thank you so much. 🙂 It’s wonderful to see you.
I’m so glad you think I’ve handled Jem well. But I’m sorry about the knots in your stomach. lol I think Bea should be more wary of him than she is. Maybe Holden can help with that.
Ooof, I’m so late again! 😭 But I’m finally here to catch up! 😉
Man, Jem does not know how to give up, does he? Which is funny cause I remember him being such a timid little boy in the past… how could he change so much? I always have a feeling of uneasiness every time he shows up, that’s for sure!
It was so great seeinh Holden and Ellie again! <3 And oh my, Holden became an elder! I wasn't ready for this! 😦
Perry is awesome. With this attitude, Bea will eventually beg him to marry her, lol! 😀
YAY! It’s so wonderful to see you! xoxo You have been missed!
You’re right about Jem. He does not know when to give up. It was the event in his life, leading him to Bea, that changed him so much. I don’t blame you for feeling uneasy.
I wasn’t ready for Holden to be an elder yet. It killed me just a little bit inside. lol
I love what you said about Bea begging Perry to marry her! haha
I’m really curious about this testing kindergarten children thing. 😲 What is the testing for, and what happens to the kids that don’t pass? I wonder what their world is going to be like when Rosetta is done with it. That’s really interesting. I love what Holden said about it, too. They should still care even if Kara would pass.
Holden is such a handsome elder! I hope he enjoys retirement.
Really, Jem just walks in like he owns the place??? I hope Bea remembers to lock her door at all times when she’s alone! Of course JP was no help, lol! And we need the details of Holden’s talk with him!
Perry’s sweet at the end. Ah, I think we’ve found this perfect man’s flaw. Stubbornness! That’s one of mine, too. 😅
Thank you, Heather. Yeah, Rosetta’s policies are radical and not everyone is taking them well. In chapter 6.13, there’s a little teaser from Rosetta on stuff to come.
Holden is really concerned about what his twin is capable of. I’m glad you think he’s a handsome elder. It killed me just a little when he aged up. lol I miss his dancing days.
Jem… oh, boy. Bea should be more concerned regarding him, probably. And yeah, J.P. is pretty useless right now. LOL Details of Jem and Holden’s talk is in the next chapter. Woot! 😀
Stubbornness! Yes! lol It’s not the worst flaw in the world, that’s for sure. 😀
Holden as an elder! 😱 Wow. Wow, wow. It took me by surprise how much he has aged already. I’m really liking to palpable tension between Ellie and Bea. Very realistic!
So Jem shows up in a hoodie, jeans, work boots, and covered in what appears to be sawdust? Again, I feel like he could have a problem with addiction or some other issue. Did he lose his job at the restaurant and has now resorted to contractor work? I hope that Holden was able to get to the bottom of things and help him because it is obvious that Jem needs it. Therapy at the very least could help him with whatever he is going through.
Awe, Perry is growing on me. He reminds me a little of my own husband actually lol. He told me after we had only been dating for two months that he knew he wanted to be with me forever. We didn’t get engaged for another two years and married a year after that because I was a senior in high school at the time, and he was twenty and still working on bettering himself. But now we have our own home and a family! I hope that Perry can be that special someone for Bea. And a great dad for Kara. Not to replace Jem, but just as a great bonus dad. If Jem gets his act together for the sake of his daughter.
Thank you so much. Yes! If only Jem will get his act together and see how all of them benefit Kara in their own way.
I love hearing about the similarities with your experience and Perry and Bea’s. That’s so awesome how things turned out for you. 🙂
Holden as an elder killed me a little bit inside. lol He had Bea pretty late in his generation but it still surprised me when he aged up. lol
I have a bad intuition, I felt Jem commit a suicide or doing a thing he’ll regret.
Thank you 🙂 That’s really interesting, what you’re thinking. You just might be right about that. Whatever he does, let’s hope it’s not too bad.
his jealousy could lead him to do something violent maybe.
Yes, you are so right about that. He’s definitely not thinking right at the moment.
He cannot I even tend to think we’ll see him at the Asylum to calm him down.
That could be! 😀
Oh Holden! I can’t believe he’s an elder. I agree with Bea, it is so crazy to see him with gray hair. Jem is acting so weird! What is he doing with sawdust all over him? His behavior is so weird! Hopefully Holden was able to talk some sense into him. Perry is a good guy, I’m sure when he realizes that then things will be easier.
Thank you so much 🙂 It was hard for me to see Holden as an elder, too.
That’s a good question about Jem and the sawdust. We’ll find out soon, that’s for sure.
I hope Holden was able to talk some sense into him, too. We’ll learn more about that as well.
I’m glad you like Perry. And I agree with you. If Jem would take a step back and realize no one is trying to replace him, things would be better for them all.
Grandparents & Grandchildren .. the combo is magical, Glad to see Holden has not become so doddery that he was not able to take action.
Thank you, Lisa 🙂 I love that combo, too. That’s a good point about Holden. I imagine he still exercises and tries to keep fit.
A chapter filled with compelling dialog, you build the relationships and situation so well through the conversations.
Thank you so much. 🙂 I’ve been working hard to improve my writing and have a long ways to go. But I enjoy it a lot.
I think I like Perry. He’s got a good head on his shoulders and has her interest at heart. Nothing creepy about him and he looks like a normal person – a little on the “fluffy” side as my grand daughter calls it. (She’s fluffy too). I too, was disappointed to have lost the young Holden. I miss him. Ellie not so much, but no relationship is perfect and it seems they’ve made it pretty far, so something is right with it. I am wishing the same for Bea, a good, satisfying relationship.
Thank you, Jolie 🙂 I’m glad you like Perry. I like how you said he’s “fluffy.” 😀 Your granddaughter sounds like such a cutie-patootie. 😀
Oh, my goodness, it broke my heart just a little when Holden aged up. LOL about Ellie. I think she’s more like Rosetta all the time.
I hope Bea has a good, satisfying relationship, too.
Now then, here I am, fashionably late. 🙂
Oh dear, if only Bea hadn’t had a child with Jem, she could have kissed his creepy butt goodbye, if you’ll pardon my French. I’m glad Holden was there to defuse the situation, but he can’t always be there. Everyone just brushing it off like ‘Oh, he’s just jealous’ rubs me the wrong way. I mean, I get that he’s jealous, I get why, but it’s not Bea’s problem that he’s got issues. I’m with Karen in being concerned.
Good news is I’m finally starting to like Perry. He’s actually making an effort and taking things slow. He’s a little forward, but I have a feeling that if Bea ended it, he wouldn’t… oh, I don’t know, move in next door and start being a creepy sod in the basement… Okay, I’m done ragging on Jem now. 😛
This was super great, Kym! This ongoing drama gives me life, though I’d like to see something done about Jem soon, as he’s no doubt cause Bea a lot of stress and fear. 🙁 Can’t wait for more!
Thank you, Louise 🙂 I love what you said about Jem and how different Perry is. You crack me up! lol
I can see why everyone brushing this off as Jem just being jealous rubs you the wrong way. It’s too bad Karen wasn’t there to remind Bea that Jem isn’t her problem.
I’m glad you’re warming up to Perry. He does tend to come on strong but I guess that makes him a good land developer. haha
I’m so glad you’re enjoying this because I’m really geeked about this story line. 😀 I can’t say, though, that Jem is going to be less of a problem anytime soon.
I would really like to know how Holden and Jem’s talk went, and if it had any effect on Jem whatsoever. He seems quite reluctant to let go of Bea. But Perry is loving and wonderful, willing to wait, and he is just what Bea needs at the moment. Great chapter!
Thank you so much, Raymond 🙂 I’m glad you liked the chapter. It’s during moments like these I wish I was writing in 3rd person because then it would have been easier to show everyone what happened between Holden and Jem. But don’t worry, it will come out.
I think Perry is what Bea needs, too. He’s a stable person with a positive attitude. 🙂
Ellie, Ellie, Ellie. I remembe when you weren’t so …
Holden such a cute old man lol.
How could I fix it or help him?
That is the complete wrong question, my dear. He is not your responsibility and you can’t fix him!
I love Perry’s confidence.
Thank you, Jess! 🙂 I think Ellie is spending too much time with Rosetta again. 😂 It pains me to see elder Holden but I think he’s cute, too. lol
Yes! If Karen had been there, she would have said just that! Maybe I modeled her a bit after you, my friend. 😀
Perry might be slightly over confident in this circumstance. 😂
Weeeee! I made it in the story! LOL
Ellie has definitely been spending too much time with Rosetta. I thought we had a breakthrough a little while ago, but I guess not lol.
Yeah…I can see how Perry may be a little overconfident. I guess, because everyone else in this situation is so glum (and rightfully so!), it’s nice to see some positivity I guess lol.
Yeah, you did! haha 😀
There definitely was a breakthrough some years ago when Ellie, Holden, and Bea went on their vacation. It seems she’s working hard again, though.
I like Perry’s positivity, too. Perhaps telling Bea that out loud, that he’s going to win Jem over, is part of him believing it and putting it in motion.
That makes sense. I could believe that.
Awesome 😀 It’s what I was thinking when I wrote it.
Oh to be a fly on the wall to see how that convo went between Jem and Bea’s dad! I’m very glad they showed up and I believe they have every right to worry. Perry is so nice and grounded! Someone raised him well I think. I want to say more but I don’t want to give anything away!! EEEEEE, so geeked for this storyline!!
Thank you, Bee 🙂 It’s during these times I wish my story was in 3rd person, then we would know what was said between Holden and Jem. It will come out, though.
I’m so glad this storyline has you geeked! 😀 It has me the same way!
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! I love it this way and you made the right choice. This leaves us somewhat in the dark and that is perfect for this storyline.
I’m glad to hear that from my editor! haha 😀
Oh, the tensions with Mom were so well done! Poor Jem seems quite broken right now. He’s going to require intervention and intense therapy and possibly a restraining order before anyone can feel at all secure.
Thank you, CT 🙂 I’m so glad that the tension between Ellie and Bea came across. I’ve been working hard on showing, not telling. It’s something I’ve always struggled with.
As for Jem, you couldn’t be more right.
Ohhh. So much going on here. So, Jem is up to somehting – it for the life of me I have no idea what. I just know it has to be bad. And it is super spooky. Bea looks so much like her mother! I didn’t realize it before. And sweet Holden…..he got old! Poor guy but he still stood up to Jem and got him out of there. I’m dying to know what was said.
And then…..a marriage proposal of sorts! Woot! I like Perry. He has to care about Bea. I can see no other reason for him to want to be with her unless it has something to do with Rosetta and her power and potential wealth. But I just don’t see that. I think he really does just care about Bea.
Thank you, Audrey 🙂 I can see why you think Jem is acting spooky and up to something. Hopefully, he’s just taken up making birdhouses or something. 😂😂
It is hard to see Holden older like that. But he’s still strong enough to get Jem out of the way. lol
I’m glad you like Perry. He’s over confident at times, but I think he cares for Bea. We’ll definitely be finding out.
Wonderful story, Kymber. Being one of those people, I’m trying to figure out the genre. And how to use this sort of graphic approach with my students!
Thank you so much, Jacqui! 🙂 This genre is loosely known as SimLit (or Sims Literature). I use the game The Sims 3 to create the photos. I’m so glad you stopped by. If you want to know more about it, feel free to ask. 🙂
It was nice to see Holden and Ellie again, though, oh my, he looks so old, it feels weird to see him as an elder.
Jem finally showed up! God, he’s still acting awfully, but there are two things I would like the answers for: how did his and Holden’s talk go and how is Perry going to win him over. It’s going to be difficult, for sure.
Thank you, Jowita. 🙂 I had a hard time seeing Holden as an elder, too. And it kind of took me by surprise that he aged up. But then, he’s a bit older than Ellie and they didn’t have Bea until later in his life. Sigh. I miss young, dancing Holden.
You’re right that it’s going to be difficult for Perry to win him over. Perhaps he’s over confident, or he doesn’t really understand the gravity of what Jem is going through. Either way, Jem is acting quite strange.