Today’s Cast:
The Thatchers: Joanna Thatcher-Whittington, and her children Carla and John Whittington
The Kellers: Ben and Raya (Husband and wife)
The Whittingtons: Alex (Joanna’s husband, Carla and John’s father)
Author’s Note: I made a family page where you can see who is who and how they’re related. Hopefully, this helps keep the characters straight. You can find that page HERE.
If you would like to refresh your memory, here is the last chapter: LWR Chapter 4: Money & Love.
John sat next to his sister, Carla, and swiped at the tears clinging to his cheeks like they were the most annoying things in the world. Carla, on the other hand, her back rigid and straight, sat very still and scowled at their mother.
Joanna stood before her children as if on trial, hands clasped in front of her, taking deep, ragged breaths. She had them to face now. And once her husband read her note, she’d have him coming for her, too.
She hadn’t wanted to hurt him. It would ‘t make sense to him, and it would feel like it came out of left field. But she’d done the only thing she could. Hadn’t she?
“Now, I know you’re both upset and confused,” she began, keeping her voice as calm and steady as her uneven breathing would allow. Taking an extra deep breath, she continued, “I-I don’t know what to tell you except I’m trying to do what’s best for you.”
John hugged his knees and continued to cry. Joanna knew she would have to shield him from Lilith as best she could because her older sister would only criticize the boy for “carrying on.”
“How long are we staying here?” Carla asked, her chin jutting out in defiance, her mouth a harsh, thin line.
“I don’t know,” Joanna answered, being as honest as she could without telling them too much since the truth would only hurt them more. “But, look, it’s not as if we’ve moved to another country. We’re only just a few blocks away. You’ll see your dad often.”
“Are you still mad that he lost all our money?” John asked.
Carla swatted his arm and hissed, “Shut up!” Then she resumed her rigid pose, scowling at her mother.
Joanna’s mouth hung open. “I didn’t know you’d heard about that.”
“Word gets around. John and I have known all about it for weeks now.”
Joanna cleared her throat, putting one hand on her hip. “Listen, these are not problems that you need to worry about.”
“Apparently we do, Mom,” Carla said, her voice going up an octave.
“No, you really don’t. As long as I have breath in my body, money is not something any of us will worry about. I promise you.”
Joanna stared straight ahead out through the open terrace door as her children glanced at each other. Then Carla crossed her arms in front of her.
If only she could enjoy the evening air. It looked like a storm was rolling in. Joanna loved watching storms, especially when lightning zig-zagged across the sky.
“Mom,” Carla said with exasperation in her voice. “Are you even listening to me?”
“Of course. Go on.”
Carla’s eyes narrowed into a glare. “I was saying we don’t care about the money. We’d live anywhere as long as we can be together.”
“Enough is enough,” Joanna said, waving her hand dismissively. “You don’t even know what that means. You’ve never had to go without a single thing. Ever. Do you even have any idea how much your school tuitions are? Or the uniforms that go with it? What about your piano lessons? Dance? Drawing? Sports?” She looked from one child to the other. “Baseball camp? Horseback riding?”
When they didn’t answer her, she squared her shoulders and took another deep breath.
“You need to give me time to figure this all out.”
That’s when she noticed John wasn’t paying attention to her, but to the painting behind her hanging over the mantle. She turned around fully to gaze at it. It was a depiction of a mother and father playing with their five children outside. Funny, when she was a child, she used to stare at the same painting, wondering why her family wasn’t like that.
Instead of trying to understand what her son felt, though, she felt irritation rise up inside of her. The last thing she needed was for him to be a blubbering mess right now. Lilith would be even harder on her if she saw how broken up John was.
The sooner she got the children out of sight, the better. The last thing she needed was for Lilith to grill them.
“Both of you go to bed. We’ll talk again later.”
Raya paused at the bottom of the stairs before joining her husband, Ben, in the kitchen. Her hands were shaking again, and she knew that would do nothing but annoy him. When she smelled the coffee, she moved forward, into his line of sight, trying to disguise her trembling hands by turning her wedding ring around and around on her finger.
He gazed at her as he added sugar to his mug of coffee and stirred it.
“What’s wrong?”
Her shoulders rolled forward as she leaned on the counter, staring at the cup of coffee he’d made for her like it was a foreign object.
“I took a pregnancy test. It’s negative. Again.”
He watched as her lower lip trembled and tears welled up in her eyes. Even though she wasn’t crying outright, he fought to hold back the irritation rising inside him, threatening to erupt like a volcano.
Flicking lint from his sleeve, he said, “Well, there’s always next month, right?”
She clutched her hands together and was met with a hard smile. When they were first married, he wasn’t like this. The question he’d asked felt like a challenge. How was she supposed to respond to that? Why didn’t it bother him that they couldn’t get pregnant? Ever since they’d met, all they talked about was having children. What was she supposed to do if the only dream she’d ever had didn’t come true?
“Drink your coffee.”
Suddenly, she realized she hated the situation she was in. Everything about her lately seemed to make him angry. Why was she putting up with that?
She watched the stupid way he held his cup and hated it.
No one held their cup that way. It was dumb.
He was dumb. And cruel, too.
And she loathed the color he was wearing. Griffin Thatcher wouldn’t like it either. Ben was supposed to wear either gray or black, it was the company rule. Why was he even wearing blue?
She squared her shoulders, holding her head up high. So, she couldn’t get pregnant and he didn’t even seem to care about that anymore. It was the most important thing in the world to her, and he couldn’t care less.
So, what was she going to do about it?
Alex Whittington stood in the middle of the room, glancing around as if he could change what happened. His wife and children were gone and he’d found out from a note his wife wrote.
A note.
Just like that.
Who does that? He thought, his hands gripped at his sides.
But he wasn’t exactly angry. He hadn’t wanted this to happen, as he loved his family.
His thoughts raced through his head as he rubbed his forehead.
He and Joanna had lots of problems, he knew that. But he hadn’t realized she was poised to leave him all alone. She knew he loved her and the kids.
His eyes narrowed in confusion, and he pursed his lips. He would do the only thing he could. Things would be better than before because he had a deal pending that would hopefully get the fortune back he’d squandered. He would win Joanna back and everything would be alright.
Special thanks to Bee (Stories by Bee / Poses by Bee) for editing this story and making the poses used in this chapter: Emotion – Male Adult Poses, Emotions/Body Language, and Convo/Emotions Poses – Set 2.
Thank you so much for reading, liking, lurking, and commenting!
Other Credits:
Sims: Sonya Rose (Elodie Wilde) by Bee
World: Mayfield Springs
Lots: Evansdale County Renovations 2 (The Kellers), Evansdale County Renovation 3 (The Menkins), Gracious Green (The Fellowes), Red Oak Lane (The Wildes), Villa Elisa (The Thatchers), Ranch House from Alpine County (The Whittingtons), Hospital for Storytelling
Hmm unfortunately Joanna is as bad as her siblings. Money isn’t the answer to every problem. Her kids would be better off with their dad. Noticing her son staring at the same picture she did wondering why their family wasn’t like that should have been a wake up call but all it did was make her mad.
Sounds like Raya is beginning to open her eyes to the kind of man she’s married to. What will she do about it I wonder?
Joanna is a coward. She took the easy way out.Her husband deserves better than that.
There is lots of turmoil in these families. I love the descriptive way you relay their emotions- nicely done 🙂
Thank you so much, Jacquie! I’m glad you enjoyed it. 🙂
I read chapter 4 again for a refresh, and I love the family page to get acquainted with the characters/cast members so we can remember to pinpoint who everyone is.
Again, I love everything about this story- you could write a television series that everyone would anticipate to view every week!
I make sure my television is on mute when I read your story to avoid any distraction.
I love the images, the way the scenes of the script end leaving more to be desired as we enter into another episode of the lives of the characters you created.
You truly have a talent. Thank you so much for sharing your gifts with us.
You may not realize this but your writings bring not only pleasure in the form of entertainment, but you bring a beautiful light into our world.
Just like listening to our favorite songs can enhance moments spent.
Thank you so much, Miss Latoya. I’m glad you were able to find chapter 4 a good refresher. It was so long between chapters, I’m not surprised anyone needed to go back and read. 🙂 I’m glad you like the family page, too.
I think writing a television series would be so much fun! Maybe I missed my calling. lol
Your words are so kind and encouraging. I can’t thank you enough for boosting my spirits and inspiring me to continue. 💕💕
Lol, I never noticed that Sims hold their cups this way! It’s pretty weird.
Interesting to see the drama unfold. I think it’s the first chapter where Elodie is not a part of the cast? Nice to finally see Joanna’s kids. I feel sorry for them. Joanna may be no Lilith, but she doesn’t seem that great either, never trying to understand her children. Well, the sisters both had a difficult upbringing so they might not know a different way to parent.
Happy New Year, Kymber! 🎆
Thank you, Jowita. 💕 I hope this year treats you well.
I never noticed how they hold their cups either until Ben was doing this before he left for work.
You are right about Elodie! I thought I’d give her the week off. LOLOL But you’ll be seeing her very soon.
I feel sorry for Carla and John, too. You’re right that Joanna isn’t that great of a parent. At least she didn’t send her kids there to be raised by Lilith, though. lol Can you even imagine?
Thank you for sharing the story!!.. it appears there are a couple of things missing with the families ( and the world); love and understanding… “A home that is built with patience, understanding and love will withstand the strongest winds of difficulties and conflict , a home built with a closed mind, insincerity and/or haste will collapse in a mere breeze of discontent.” (Larry “Dutch” Woller )… 🙂
Hope your path is paved with love and happiness and until we meet again..
May your day be touched
by a bit of Irish luck,
Brightened by a song
in your heart,
And warmed by the smiles
of people you love.
(Irish Saying)
Thank you, Dutch. You are so right about that! Love and understanding would go a long ways here.
That’s some intriguing family dramas. I think I came across something similar to the first one in real life. It was people I know. The husband had gambled away the family fortune by trading with personal assets instead of just using his company’s funds and he did not tell his wife. He had been deceptive and lost her money as well. It was the stock crash. She was not happy. Their son was more forgiving and just wanted them to get along and start over. I remember feeling so sorry for all of them. She was able to overcome her anger but the husband had to really take responsibility and accept that he had done something really bad. They went to therapy.
Anyway, this sounds like really interesting reading.
Thank you, Thomas. The situation you mentioned does sound similar! Hopefully, the Whittingtons will find their way, too. Therapy does not sound like a bad idea, for sure.
I’m glad you found this episode interesting. 😀
First off, I want to reach through the words and give Ben a smack. What a self satisfied, cruel man he seems to be! Why string her along like this? What is the motivation? He doesn’t love her obviously, so why? It’s cruel to let her go month after month hoping to be preggers when he knows it will never happen. If it’s all for easy and continuous woohoo, well then he could get that anywhere, even pay for his since he most likely could afford to do so.
Secondly, I know I said I hold my mug that way so who are you calling dumb?! LOL But I hold it a bit differently. The handle would be in line with my nose. His way is a little peculiar and looks difficult, as well as uncomfortable on the wrist. I agree with Raya, it’s dumb.
Working backwards and now the Whittingtons, I agree with what she did. Perhaps this will give him the shake up he needs to change and grow into a better person. It’s not breaking up a family, just giving them time apart to reflect. However, after being so comfortable being cared for and having all her family needs paid for, will she want to leave and go back to her husband.
Thank you, Bee. I know what you mean about reacing through and giving Ben a good smack! lol He is sure turning into a jerk. I think it will be revealed more in the future, but partly he finds a certain amount of security in marriage. But of course you’re right that he shouldn’t be stringing her along. It’s pretty ghastly. It could definitely be the continuous and easy woohoo, too. There is that.
I’m glad you don’t hold your mug that way. More so, I’m glad you weren’t offended when you read this! LOL When you told me that the other day, I was like, “OOPS!” LOL But then, Raya was looking for things to feel annoyed about regarding Ben.
I’m glad you agree with Raya. haha
I’m glad you agree with what Joanna Whittington did. You are probably right that he needed the shake-up of her leaving with the kids to come to his senses. And I couldn’t see her sending the kids to the Thatcher house to be raised by Lilith of all people! lol What a disaster that would have been! There’s always the future, though. LOL
Great to get another installment of the story, Kymber. Things aren’t going well for the Whittingtons, and it seems like Raya has had enough. Looking forward to the next part of the story!
Thank you, Diana. I’m not sure what’s going to happen with the Whittingtons as I’ve been pantsing LWR. LOL Is that the right term? LOL I tried plotting out Raya and Ben and that’s already completely off the rails! haha I’m glad you liked it.
Lol. Tantsing or pantsering? I don’t know, and I’m not sure it matters. We all know what it means. As long as you’re having fun, Kymber, because your readers are.
I like all the details, like the comment about how he holds the coffee mug!
Thank you, Cathy. 💕 Raya was going to react completely differently in this chapter, but then her voice took over and this is what she noticed. 😀
A fantastic and entertaining instalment, Kymber. I love your creativity with the storylines and the graphics. Wishing you all the best for 2023 💕🙂
Thank you, Harmony. I’m so pleased you enjoyed this installment. 🙂 Wishing you the very best for 2023 also. 💕
This is remarkable, Kymber. What wonderful creativity. Hugs.
Thank you so much, Teagan. 😀 I’m glad you liked it. Hugs. 🙂
Finally (I love the clock ticking off the days in your sidebar)! And worth the wait. I am constantly amazed how much work goes into these, to tell the story with pictures and words. Love what you do.
Thank you so much, Jacqui! The countdown is something I did in the early days of writing Noble Doubt, and I thought I’d bring it back. Thank you so much also for your words of encouragement. It means a lot.