The next morning, as we gathered in the kitchen, Dad finally told us what he and Jem had spoken about the previous night.
“Your father was on the phone all night trying to get J.P. to take this seriously,” Mom said as she stirred sweetener into her coffee.
“So you think this is serious with Jem?”
Even with all that happened, I couldn’t believe Jem was so far over the edge that we needed to worry. He was once my best friend and the father of my child. Surely, this was all a terrible misunderstanding. He only needed time to get used to the changes in our lives.
“You sound a lot like J.P.,” Dad said when I told them what I was thinking.
My parents shared a grim look that sent chills down my spine.
“What?” I demanded. “Do you guys know something I don’t?”
Dad pushed his coffee cup away and fidgeted with the corner of his paper napkin, his face pale. “I wouldn’t say I know anything you don’t. But…” He glanced at my mother again.
“But what?”
“You know how Aunt Rosetta is sometimes… creepy?”
“Holden! Really!” Mom said, her eyes narrowing.
I smirked at Mom’s reaction. It was no secret Dad had a strained relationship with his twin sister. Aunt Rosetta loved him more than anyone in the world and would do anything for him. But dad had always made it clear he thought she was strange. Or creepy, as he said.
Dad took a deep breath before trying again. “Aunt Rosetta sometimes… knows things she couldn’t possibly know.”
I nodded. He wasn’t wrong.
As he spoke, he tore the napkin to little pieces. That’s when I realized how upset he was. “She’s not the only one with… abilities.”
“What are you saying?”
“This goes way back in the family, Bea,” Mom said. “It’s a long story. But you read about the whole Mango incident in the diary. Some members in the family have had certain, uh, residual talents.”
“Aunt Rosetta doesn’t exactly read minds, but she has strong connections with certain people. With me. And with you, for instance,” Dad said.
“Okay, but why are we talking about this? Did she say something to you about Jem? Why didn’t she call and tell me herself?”
Dad gathered up the shredded napkin and sighed before throwing it away. “She doesn’t know Jem very well. But I do. I was talking about Rosetta because I think you know she’s… special. I need you to take what I’m going to tell you seriously.”
“Take what seriously?” I asked. My fingers shook as I brushed my hair back off my forehead and reset the bobby pins that held it in place.
“There is something wrong with Jem. Really, really wrong. During our visit last night, on the surface, he was cool, calm. But I got this vibe… something beneath the surface he’s trying to hide. I think you need to come home with us. You and Kara.”
“What? I can’t just leave, Dad. I mean, I have a legal agreement with him regarding custody of Kara. What am I supposed to do when I get arrested? Tell the judge I didn’t let him see her because my dad had a feeling?”
Dad’s face turned crimson, and I didn’t know if he was angry or embarrassed. Finally, he said, his voice shaking, “I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if anything happened to you or Kara.”
“Jem would never hurt me or his daughter. I know him better than anybody,” I said, folding my arms in front of me.
My parents were quiet for a few minutes as my mom poured Dad another cup of coffee and sat back down at the breakfast bar next to him.
“If I can’t compel you to come home, at least promise us you will be extra vigilant about yours and Kara’s safety. Maybe you could find a different place to live at least, so you’re not next door to him?”
“Actually, I’d been thinking about that already.”
“Good.”
Before they left, they reminded me to be careful and also told me I could come home anytime. I thanked them and saw them off.
I did everything I could to put their worries out of my mind since I felt they didn’t know Jem the way I did. Still, it was hard because some of what they said rang true.
Time went on as usual despite any misgivings my parents had about the situation. I was a little annoyed because ever since my father told me about the vibe he got from Jem, I found myself having paranoid thoughts.
It was getting to the point where I hated getting undressed, even to take a shower because I felt like someone was watching. It was crazy, and I was certain I only felt that way because of what my parents had put in my head.
No matter how I tried, though, whenever I was at home, I found myself glancing over my shoulder because it felt like someone was there with me. As I undressed for bathing, chills crept along my neck and down my spine until I hurried to get out of there.
During the next several weeks, Kara and I spent more and more time at Perry’s rental on the water. I felt safe there, not only because it was where Perry was, but because I knew Jem was miles away in his townhouse, at work, or on one of his many trips out of town.
Karen was dating Zack more seriously now. And she was even calling him “Zack” instead of “that guy I’m seeing” or “the guy I met at the bar that time.” I figured he must have made it through the unspoken test that no other man had passed yet. Except Perry.
While Karen wasn’t one to push any of her friends in to marriage, she made it a point every once in a while to remind me Perry was “safe.” I had to admit I thought about marriage with Perry often now and wondered when he would propose. I debated whether to send him some kind of signal that I was ready. On the other hand, he seemed well attuned, so, in the end, I didn’t figure I needed to. Besides, I was determined to enjoy every moment of our relationship.
Like a lot of other nights, we gathered at Perry’s after work. Karen was acting weird but it wouldn’t be long before I found out why.
You should have seen her face when Zack blurted, “All right, guys, I need advice. I’ve asked this beautiful, intelligent, powerful woman to marry me and she won’t answer! What am I to do?”
It was kind of awkward, so, of course, I had to do one of my now-famous snort laughs.
“Honestly, Zack, I could kill you,” Karen said.
“Is that a yes, Milady? It sounds a lot like a yes!”
“Congratulations! You’ve finally convinced me how insane you are!” she declared.
I couldn’t help the smile from spreading across my face when I noticed her mouth twitch into a smirk. She would say yes, she only wanted to torture him for a while. And if I was being honest, it didn’t seem he minded this particular torment.
I glanced over as Perry joined us from the kitchen.
“Dinner is served,” he said. “Tonight I present to you a culinary masterpiece. I call it Spaghetti a la Perry.”
“Are you sure you can cook?” Zack asked. “I mean I smelled something burning not long ago.”
“Oh, yeah, that was the garlic bread,” Perry said with a grin. “But, I mean, look at me. Do I look like someone who can’t cook? There’s no bread, but!” he paused for dramatic flair. “There’s tons and tons of spaghetti!”
“My fav’ite! Sketti!” Kara squealed, sending us into laughter.
Karen was watching Kara, her expression full of love for the little girl. As I glanced around, I realized everyone was looking at her that way.
I was about to have dinner at home with the people I loved. My heart was overflowing with the blessings I’d been given and nothing could have made me happier at that moment.
“Sketti, please!” Kara said.
The next day was Leisure Day. We were up bright and early with Kara, enjoying what would probably be the last nice day of summer. Perry had gotten Kara a cute turtle sandbox and had filled it to the brim with soft, clean sand.
She loved playing there with her buckets and a sand proof octopus he couldn’t resist at the store.
While she played, he pulled me into his arms and whispered in my ear, “I love you.”
His breath was warm against my neck and it felt good hearing those simple, soft-spoken words as his strong arms cradled me.
“I love you, too, Perry. So much.”
His lips sought mine. It wasn’t our first kiss but it felt electric as our chemistry combined, sending tingles through my stomach. This man was everything to me.
All at once, he dropped to one knee. My brain could barely comprehend what was happening…
I said yes immediately and watched with surprise as he slid my mother’s ring, the legacy ring, on my finger.
Then, we were embracing again, a pact made, our tears mingling.
“I’ve never been so happy,” he said.
“Me neither.”
“Me neither!”
That afternoon, we came back to the townhouse. I explained to Perry that I needed to tell Jem what was happening and he agreed.
Once Jem got there, I asked him if he wanted to put Kara down for her nap. He was about to pick Kara up when she pushed him away and held her arms up to Perry.
“Perry do it,” she said.
“No, Kara, Daddy will take you,” Jem said.
But Kara was insistent and struggled against her father, continuing to reach for Perry.
Jem glared at the other man but said, “Well, she wants you, doesn’t she? I guess you better take her up. Bea and I have to talk, anyway.”
I could a see reluctance in Perry, but he scooped Kara up and went upstairs. We could hear his footsteps above us in Kara’s bedroom.
As Jem joined me in the living room, he noticed right away.
“That’s your mom’s ring.”
“That’s why I wanted to talk to you, Jem. Perry and I are getting married.”
“And how did he get that ring?”
His question put my nerves on edge and I stumbled over my words. “M-my mom gave it to him when he asked my dad if he could ask for my hand.”
“She didn’t let me have it to give to you when we got married!”
“Of course, she didn’t. She didn’t even know we got married.”
“Well, Perry just does everything right, doesn’t he?”
As I looked at him, my heart sank deep into my chest. Standing before me, he looked deflated. He was not the man I married, and not even the boy I once knew so well. He was a young man who looked like he’d lost everything in the world he’d ever cared about and he was a stranger to me.
My mind fumbled hard, trying to put words together that could comfort him. “I’m sorry it all worked out this way.”
“You’re sorry,” he said, his lip snarling upward. “I hate you, Bea. I want you to know that! I hope he breaks your heart into a million pieces!”
“You don’t mean that-“
“-Oh, I do!” He inched closer, and I felt my back touching the wall behind me. “But make no mistake. I love my daughter and will do everything in my power to make sure you don’t phase me out of her life! Do you understand? She is mine! Mine!”
Before I could respond, he left me there, shaking, and slamming the door behind him.
Author’s Note: Things are getting even more tense, aren’t they? Stay tuned because the next few chapters are going to be intense! 😀 I hope you’ll like them.
Thank you so much for your ongoing support. You are all the best,
I can’t believe I got so far behind in the reading 🥺🥺 I will try to catch up as much as I can.
I knew that Jen was not right mentally but I never worried for Bea until this chapter.
It’s so good to see you xoxo 🙂 I can see why you’re worried :O
Bea should really listen to her father and not brush aside his concerns. Jem is creeping me out for realz, and Bea needs to take Kara and get far, far away from him. At least she listened to those tingles and chills going down her spine and went to Perry’s.
Ohhh, can’t wait to see the wedding! I’m so happy for them, and I am so, so happy for Karen and Zack. Wouldn’t it be cool if they had a double wedding? How fun! ❤️
Wow, so the next few chapters are going to be intense, huh? I think Jem is really going to go off the rails and try to do everything he can to stop it. The way he is obsessed with Kara, emphasizing that she is his scares me. I hate to say it, but I wonder if he is going to try to kidnap her or something. This really, really frightens me.
Yes! Bea needs to listen to Holden. It makes sense where she is coming from because she can’t just take Kara and disappear, but she needs to take precautions.
I loved their wedding even though it was on the simple side. Sometimes, I just think that anymore I don’t have it in me to do the big fancy thing. It’s so hard to pull together. But, then, I’m thinking of a huge wedding for the next heir. So, who knows? LOL
A double wedding would have been terrific!! ❤️
Yes, they are intense. Get your heart ready. lol
Oh, I totally hear you on pulling together those big weddings! I did that for Lenora and Tyrone, and I will definitely be doing that for Aurora when she gets married because that is just part of her character. They are beautiful but so, so hard to do.
You were right about those chapters being totally intense. I am way past this point now, and I was on the edge of my seat the entire time.
I admire that you’re ready to pull another wedding together so quickly again. hahahaha It is worth it in the end, though.
Awww… that does my heart good to know you enjoyed those chapters. ❤️
Oh man, I know! I’m a total glutton for punishment for doing it, but there is no choice. Aurora would NEVER forgive me otherwise. She wants to marry a fairy prince and have the most beautiful wedding ever.
I did enjoy those chapters. I love all kinds of stories, and there are times when I crave a suspenseful, heart-pounding one. 😀
Me, too! 😀 I think Aurora needs that fairy prince.
I wish she had taken steps to actually get sole custody of Bea. And to maybe move away from the guy. And to get a restraining order against Jem. He’s gone out of his mind.
Thank you. 🙂 Oh, my goodness, you’re not wrong in wishing she’d done all of that. Jem is becoming more and more unstable, it’s true.
Oh no. Jem really has gone off the deep end hasn’t he… I’ve spied some of the titles of future chapters so I think I know where this is going – especially with Holden’s warning – but I hope I’m wrong…
Thank you so much. 🙂 Yes, he’s gone off the rails, that’s for sure. It’s gonna get crazy, fast.
Uh oh… Jem is starting to spiral with no sign of slowing down..! The last words he said to Bea sent chills down my spine, really! I hope he doesn’t cause anymore trouble, but I’m afraid he will… and Bea needs to be afraid too, like her dad warned her! That man is such a creep, ugh!
I can’t wait for the wedding! <3 Let's just hope Jem isn't gonna ruin everything! 😦
You’re so right about Jem. He’s really heading downward fast. Bea needs to be very afraid right now.
Hopefully, Jem doesn’t ruin the wedding.
Bea should take what Holden seriously, but as she said she can’t get too far away from him unfortunately. Ugh those feelings of someone watching. I hope it’s not real.
Haha I love Zack bringing up his proposal and Bea breaking the awkwardness! Don’t leave him hanging too long, Karen!
That was a sweet proposal from Perry. Lol Jem being so offended about the ring. Like you gave her parents the chance. 🙄 I hope Bea always keeps her door locked. Jem seems like he’s at a breaking point now.
Thank you so much, Heather. It’s really a tough situation since Bea is bound by the custody agreement.
I agree with you! Karen should say yes and take the plunge! lol
Jem is so irrational to have been offended by the ring. Like you said, her parents didn’t even have a chance to do anything like that.
Bea keeping her door locked is sound advice!
It’s my first time with the story, but it held me captivated. the touch of something supernatural and the suspense that something is about to happen.
And i like that there’s some fun to lighten the mood a little.
Thank you so much, Jina. 🙂 Your kindness and encouragement means a lot to me.
You did well to make this accessible to a first timer even though there clearly is a long history here!
Thank you so much, Sean. 😀 I’m glad you think so. And I’m glad you visited.
I like Sims, have used it a lot in my classes. Thanks, Kymber. I’m going to dig around a bit, see if this would be something I could use.
That’s awesome! 🙂
Really good story, Kymber. Odd question: Would you call this a graphic novel? Or something else? I’m going to do a series on genres and want to see if this would fit somewhere.
Thank you so much, Jacqui. That’s not an odd question at all. I’ve often wondered what you would call this. lol
There’s a community of us that do stories like these. I think you could call it a graphic novel. We often playfully call it SimLit or Sims Literature. lol
Again .. not to play devil’s advocate … that is a relatively normal way to react … Perry will have all he wants and it is bound to make him angry. I find myself feeling a bit sorry for him. Now not doing something stupid because of that anger is another thing.
LOL Thank you, Lisa. You play devil’s advocate all you want. I can totally see why you feel the way you do. Honestly, I feel kinda sorry for Jem, too. And I agree, that it would be so hard to see your child prefer someone else, so perhaps his anger is justified. You’re absolutely right about what you said regarding whether he acts on that anger or not. Hopefully, he finds a way to cope without doing anything awful.
<3
❤❤
Uh oh. If Holden is picking up on bad vibes from Jem, bad enough that he thinks Bea and Kara should come live with them, something is definitely not okay. I understand that she can’t leave because of the custody agreement, but it’s so incredibly sad that abuse has to occur before anything can be done about it. All the warning signs are there, and Bea needs to move out of that place asap! Preferably into the home of her now fiance. 😉 I don’t blame her one bit for spending more time with Perry since he makes her feel safe. But she needs to stop ignoring her gut feelings for once and get out of there! Now! Before things escalate any further. And now with Kara showing a preference for Perry over Jem, things are getting worse and worse. But if Jem isn’t around enough that his own daughter prefers another man, that’s on him. If he wants to be a part of Kara’s life then he has to put in the effort to be around her more. It’s not Bea’s job to make sure that he’s a good dad.
Yay, Karen! I hope that she finds happiness with Zack. She deserves it after everything she went through with Nightmare. ❤️
Jem better not mess up Perry and Bea’s wedding! Time to move on, dude. He’s becoming super obsessive and scary.
Thank you so much. And you’re so right about everything you said. Jem’s behavior and mindset do seem to be escalating rapidly. Kara preferring Perry over him certainly made it worse. But you’re right about Jem needing to be around for his daughter since Bea indicated he’s been out of town a lot and missing some of the days he was supposed to have her.
There are a lot of problems Bea will face if she leaves town to stay at her parents’ with Kara. She would be in violation of the custody agreement, but to make matter worse, Jem hasn’t hurt her or Kara physically. So, she’s never had to call the police on him and there is no paper trail against him to prove anything. That will make it doubly hard for her to prove that he is threatening now.
I agree she should move in with Perry since he’s just across town. It’s not like she’s leaving the city or anything.
I’m so happy for Karen. Zack is a great guy and they seem to really love each other.
I hope Jem doesn’t mess up Perry and Bea’s wedding, too. I think they should definitely prepare for that possibility.
If only she could listen to her Dad for just a time.
Thank you. 🙂 I wish she would, too.
Perhaps she will when Jem will be out of control I don’t know.
Yes, let’s hope everyone stays safe.
You’ve got ts4 🙂 I see your new avatar.
lol 😀
I do have TS4, but Jes2G made that for me. She looked at pics of me and made it. It’s my first Simself.
Aww I hope you enjoy her, me too I have ts4 I always have a simsself it’s miss V and I love playing with her.
Thank you. 🙂 I’m so excited to play her. I’ve seen your Miss V and I think she’s so cute. 😀
ah my ava here is a photo edit ! But yeah she’s cute in sims 4 but the original will and still be in sims 3
Oh, I see. 😀 Yes, the original TS3 one is super cute, too. 🙂
thank you ^^
You’re welcome. ❤❤
I will be back on Miss V Detective but I am stil working on moving all my sims everywhere and after I have to clean my SV saves. Because I want a save for gameplay and a save for my story lol. I just post sims 4 miss v’s misadventures here.
Oh, I see. I’m glad you’ll be back to Miss V Detective someday. 🙂 It’s a lot of work keeping the save files clean. I have different saves for different things, too.
If so that’s not fun ^^ Yes I will be back when I can play longer.
That’s terrific! 🙂
And I hope to be better this time lol.
I’ve always enjoyed it. 😀
I am super happy you like my gameplay story. All I want is my handle of readers have fun with.
That would be great 😀
I’m so scared for Bea and Kara, Jem is losing his marbles more and more…. She really needs to leave with her family and get far away from Jem and any influences he may have. But on the brighter side, I’m looking forward to Bea and Perry’s wedding!
Thank you, Raymond. I can totally see why you would be so worried for Bea and Kara at this point. I agree it would be best if she took Kara and moved away from Jem because things are not looking good.
I’m so glad you’re looking forward to the wedding! 🙂 Hopefully, it will be as lovely as Bea would like it to be.
Why don’t kids listen to their parents? Even my mom who was unstable was right some of the time. Has Bea actually moved or is she just spending more time at Perry’s? I know she said she would find another place but the fact she doesn’t like showering at her place and he just now popped in, seems to indicate she’s still there.
Thank you, Jolie. I don’t know why kids don’t listen. I know a lot of parents would sleep easier at night if they did. lol
Bea still technically lives at the townhouse but she and Kara have stays at Perry’s that are longer and longer all the time. I think she should move in with him to be safe, tbh.
I kind of feel sorry for Jem, and wish I knew what was really his problem. He does need to keep his distance from Bea, however, except concerning Kara. I think he has the place bugged! I know Aunt Rosetta could find a way to convince him to ‘play nice’!! Hmm..
Thank you, Marj. I love the mentions of Aunt Rosetta and what she could do to make him play nice! LOL
Honestly, I feel sorry for Jem, too. He is off kilter and no one seems to understand him. He definitely needs to keep his distance from Bea since his emotions seem out of control and threatening. I can see why you would feel sorry for him.
Maybe send that bonus chapter with Rosetta to Jem? Just as a reminder of what happened last time someone hurt her family. It’s not a threat, just… a reminder. I’m sure Rosetta wouldn’t be forgiving if anything happened to her niece.
I can’t really blame Kara for liking Perry either, though of course it wouldn’t go over well with Jem… They really, really need to move in with Perry and get a good security system. 😐 This is getting bad and after your last little warning, I’m even more worried about what’s to come. :O
Thank you, Louise. Yes to sending the Rosetta chapter to Jem! lol What a stellar idea! lol
That’s also a good idea about Bea and Kara moving in with Perry. That just might be the next step.
Sometimes, it really is best to listen to your dad the Psychic!
LOL Thank you, CT. 😀 As much as Holden doesn’t want to admit it or dwell on it, there is some kind of ability there for him, too.
Oh my. She needs to be afraid, be very afraid. The sooner they get married the better! Jem has given me the creeps since he showed up and insisted they get married. I wonder now if the sawdust was him drilling peek holes between the apartments and he is watching her…..
Creepster…ugh…
Thank you, Audrey. You really have a good insight to the characters. And unlike Bea, you follow your instincts. LOL
That’s a good thought about the sawdust. That could very well be an explanation. Or maybe it’s something even more sinister. Or maybe it’s both! lol 😀
Creepster is right.
I thought it was my internet when no pics loaded in the beginning of this chapter!
Wow, I am so worried about Bea. It definitely looks like Jem could be a threat now. We’ve already seen red lights long time ago (like the basement incident) but now… Oh gosh, I hope he doesn’t hurt her. She should be in such a happy place right now, ready to get married to the “wright” man, but this situation is far from perfect…
Thank you, Jowita. I’m sorry about the beginning. haha I didn’t grab pics for that because I didn’t intend on beginning that way. It just sort of happened.
I can see why you’re worried about Bea, and I think you should be. Jem is definitely giving off a threatening vibe now. And you’re right. Bea should be in a happy place with a new life about to start with the “Wright” man (I love that you said that!). But it might not all go the way Bea hopes…
I love how Holden tore up the napkin. Nervous ticks are so powerful without saying anything.
You know what? It never occured to me that the twins’ abilities came from Mangoes’ incident. But at the same time, how? Blue was already a young adult when that happened. Maybe the power fell on everyone who was around when it happened.
“Jem would never hurt me or his daughter. I know him better than anybody,”
Famous last words…
That shower pic was so creative!
I like this Zack lol. And sketti! 😀
Eeeeek! Congrats Bea and Perry! Kara too. I’m glad she’s so happy.
Oh no. While I’m glad Kara is also in love with Perry, I’m afraid of what her behavior will do to Jem. Oh boy…
Thank you, Jess. Holden and that napkin. lol I’m glad you liked his nervous behavior. 😀
Mango and Leo were affected by the meteor directly, then I figured the abilities Marty had where she could see ghosts, then the twins abilities were kind of handed down through their bloodline from Leo. It worked on paper, but ya’ know, I’ve never written fantasy before. 😂😂
Those are definitely famous last words! lol By the end, though, she realized she didn’t know him at all.
Thank you regarding the shower pic. Is she paranoid or is there something to that?
I’m glad you like Zack! I think he and Karen make a good couple. And, yes, sketti! lol
I can’t wait till Perry and Bea tie the knot! Of course, there is someone who really doesn’t want that to happen.
You just might be right about your last statement there. Kara totally doesn’t understand the situation, of course. But I think her choosing Perry has really driven Jem further over the edge.
Ohhhhh the meteor! That goes waaay back. I was only thinking about when Mango healed Leo. COOL! I also didn’t think about Marty seeing ghosts. I like this.
When she spoke of the paranoia, I imagined Jem being like Norman Bates watching her through holes in his closet. Sick bastard.
LOL Right? Oh, there is so much coming and I can’t wait for everyone to find out all the details. Eep!
Yeah, I never really specifically said it was the meteor and then passed down through the bloodline, but that was what I was always thinking when different people ended up with Mango-like abilities. I figured it was passed down through Leo. 😀
It makes sense!
That’s good. hahaha I feel like I’ve delved into genres I know very little about. 😀
Take the plunge! he he he
Well, all righty then! 😂😂 But remember, you told me to. 😀
I tell you many things. I also tell you not to listen to me LOL.
Hahahaha! But you always have such good advice. 😀
True. You have to wade through all the nonsense. 😛
😂😂😂😂 You’re so silly. There are times I wish your attitudes about certain things would rub off on me.
HA! I hear I’m contagious. Stick around. 😀
LOL 😂 Oh, I plan to!
😀
😂
I’m so glad she listened to those chills down her spine and went to Perry instead of convincing herself it was all in her head. Whether or not something is going on, getting out was the right thing to do!
A WEDDING!! Hurray! Can not wait to see Kara in her wedding garb and the pics!! I’m so looking forward to the next few chapters, I’m sitting on the edge of my seat.
Thank you, Bee. I agree with you; it’s about time Bea listened to her gut instinct. Maybe the talk with her parents has helped her become more vigilant.
Yes! A wedding! A real one this time! lol I think Kara will be adorable! 😀