Round Eleven - King 2 - Enjoying the Empty Nest

Note: Sorry that updates are so sporadic. My PC has given up after seven years of loyal service making playing extremely difficult. I hate to abandon a story for the SECOND TIME (eek!) but I'm going to be moving all my Sims stuff to my boyfriend's PC and will probably start over, especially seeing as I've discovered many more resources...

Alima and Duncan's son Gabriel has left for university and they've decided to stop renting and buy their own home. As long as they've got each other there's no time for any of that empty-nest business!

  

Duncan had heard about what was going on between his niece Lilliana and the local lothario Tom Darwin from his step-daughter Athena (Liliana's sister-in-law, confusingly enough) so it was more than awkward when Tom started stopping by. Duncan tried to reason with him, having been a bit of a player in his teens but Tom wasn't hearing any of it.

"Liliana's a grown woman, she can make her own decisions and if she wants to date me that's none of your business."

Duncan cringed. "Just be careful, okay? I don't want you knocking her up, she's got a brilliant future ahead of her." 

Round Eleven - Darwin - Healing?

Miranda's life has gotten more complicated since leaving her parents' home. A whole lot more complicated. Somehow, still, it's rewarding. Now baby Lee's arrived on the scene along with her little step-brother Milo she barely finds time to read up on the latest marine biology research to keep up with work, but Sam steps up to the plate every time. He's a natural father and completely dotes on his son.

Round Ten - Darwin - Aftermath

Harvey Darwin is trying to deal with being an elderly single father after the death of his girlfriend Esther Pasang. Thankfully he has his son and future daughter-in-law to help him look after Milo, but will he ever recover?

 

Miranda tried to reach out to Harvey, but it was difficult. He rebuffed all her kind words and she felt a little resentment. She was basically acting as Milo's mother after Esther's death, why couldn't he appreciate that?

Round Nine - Darwin - Everything You Ever

Sam Darwin and his fiancée Miranda King have returned to the Darwin family home, where Sam's father Harvey and his girlfriend Esther Pasang are awaiting their own first child.

Even though the atmosphere in the Darwin household was distinctly awkward, Miranda was doing her best to fit in. Sam helped, of course. For example, one morning Harvey completely blanked Miranda in his search for breakfast after pulling an all-nighter painting. Miranda felt like she was going to cry, but Sam came to her rescue.

"Hey, did you know that Winston Churchill's pet parrot lived for 104 years?"

"No, I didn't." She smiled. Sure, their distractions were kind of banal, but they kept them grounded.

Round Eight - University - Just You & Me

Lee Darwin and Miranda King have taken a convoluted path to happiness but they're finally together, and engaged! Things will be fine if Miranda's little sister manages to stay away...

Miranda's POV:
Things are going better than great with me and Sam. We don't need to be all up in each others' business anymore (I'll admit I got a bit clingy early on, I'm insecure sometimes). Now we're both happy just sitting and studying. It's like study-dates back in high school but without any parental hovering... not that Sam's parents ever bothered anyway.

Round Seven - University - How Long Can This Go On?

Sam Darwin has gone to university, and Miranda King has graduated high school early in order to be with him. They've got something going on, that's for sure, but can two such shy and awkward people actually manage to really, truly get together?

Round Seven - King - Girl Genius

The King family seem pretty normal, if expanding too rapidly for their tiny house. Liliana's hitting those difficult teen years, though, and Miranda's grief at her sort-of-boyfriend heading off to university might lead her to do something drastic...

Note: Apologies if the formatting is wonky again. I lost two pictures of teen Liliana, including one of her being adorable and looking after baby Athena autonomously, and they're not on my computer anymore! Fail. Eventually I had to admit defeat out of fear of losing the whole post.

Petal was so happy with her little bundle of joy she felt like she might burst. Sure, there wasn't much room for a baby what with her teenage sister-in-laws being around, but she and Nathaniel were considering trying for another one anyway. Babies were small, right? Surely they couldn't take up too much room...

Round Six - King - Crowded House

The King family house is full to bursting now Nathaniel's new wife Petal is expecting a new addition. Will they all cope, or will the constant invasion of personal space finally drive everyone insane?

Round Six - Darwin - Eerie Silence

Adele Darwin caught her husband Harvey in bed with his employee Esther Pasang and is struggling to cope. Their son Sam is getting closer to graduation and their daughter Maya will become a teenager soon - does Adele have the strength to put this incident behind her? And more importantly, does Harvey have the willpower to stop messing around with poor love-struck Esther?

Round Five - King - We Are Young

Petal Bhalli has graduated university and left her family home in order to live with her fiancé Nathaniel King. Unfortunately, this is a package deal including him, his parents and his two little sisters... still, they're not going to let it get in their way.

Round Four - King - Baby Dreams

Adrian and Noriko King's eldest child Nathaniel has left for university, but they don't have time to miss him - Noriko has her little girls, Miranda and Liliana, to look after, and Adrian has to work hard to pay for them all... children are expensive!


Noriko did miss Nathaniel, but he called home frequently and her mind was wrapped up in looking after her new little girls. Liliana was getting bigger day by day, and Miranda had just started school.


Soon Liliana had reached that age where she was no longer just a cuddly little baby and could toddle around and cause trouble. And that she did - she was extremely excitable and demanded hugs and general companionship all the time. Miranda was not convinced. She was an introverted soul; a little sister who would get into all her things was not on her wish-list!


Still, somehow she couldn't resist her baby sister's cute little face. Despite Miranda's initial protests they grew very close and she even let Liliana play with her dollhouse!


Miranda had met Maya Darwin at school and despite her usual shyness she was keen to make a friend that wasn't her parents or her baby sister. Thankfully Maya was on much the same wavelength as her, although Miranda made a slight faux pas in going on about how great new additions to the family were. But how was she supposed to know what was going on with the Darwins?


Adrian had a blow to his self-esteem when he made a bad decision at work and was demoted. How was he supposed to pay into the girls' college funds now?!


In a blink of an eye, Liliana had started school too. She was very different from her big sister - they were both kind and playful, but Liliana was messier and MUCH more outgoing, preferring finger-painting and running around with her friends to those musty old books and silly animals...

Round Three - King - The Quiet Life

Little Miranda King was growing bigger by the day - now she was a toddler and into everything. Noriko didn't mind; in fact, she rather wanted another baby...

Of course, one of the reasons that having a toddler around the house and maybe getting pregnant again was appealing to her could have been the fact her first child, Nathaniel, was old enough to fly the nest. She kept back her tears as she waved him off.

"Behave yourself!" Adrian called after him. "And stay away from that Darwin kid, I hear he's trouble..."

Nathaniel sighed as he got in the taxi. His father was always such a pessimist.


Adrian tried to be as excited about looking after Miranda as Noriko, but he found it difficult. Of course he loved his little girl and of course he did his part in keeping her clean and safe and teaching her basic life skills, but it was hard to play with a kid who kept throwing up on him.


Still, when Noriko announced that they should have another baby he jumped at the chance. He did love his wife and children, he just wasn't a warm-and-fuzzy person.


Soon Noriko was feeling the pangs of morning sickness and the test confirmed she was pregnant again. Her fertility had gone up drastically since moving to Serenity Hills!


Her baby bump steadily grew larger and larger but she didn't let it get in the way of looking after Miranda.


Noriko went into labour while watching her favourite cookery show. Unfortunately Adrian was at work so she had to call the cab to the hospital on her own and get hold of him from there, but he rushed over as soon as it was appropriate.


Their third child was another girl, Liliana. It was too early to tell precisely which one of them she most looked like but so far she looked a lot like Noriko with her pale skin and dark hair, and Noriko was delighted.


Miranda started school shortly after Liliana's birth. She was a quiet, introverted little girl. Other children might have spent their time after school and homework were done playing with friends but she preferred sitting in her bedroom and daydreaming.


She also loved books. Her parents gave her a bookcase of her own and a little armchair to read in and she spent hours at a time escaping into literature. She preferred non-fiction to stories, though, especially books about nature. Maybe she could be an explorer when she grew up!

Notes: Literally all that happened in this house was babies! But now Noriko has the three children she needs for her LTW so we can focus on other things, and as much as I love babies that's gonna be a relief X_X

Round Two - King - Family Men

Duncan's courtship of Alima Bhalli appears to be going somewhere despite some trouble on the way. His sister-in-law is expecting her second child and his temperamental brother seems to be getting used to the idea that Duncan's still around - perhaps a little too late.

"Pregnancy suits you," said Adrian cheerfully. "You've got a glow about you."

"Thank you!" Noriko smiled. "I could do with some ice-cream, though... I don't suppose you could go to the store and get me some?"

Adrian sighed. He needed to finish a project for work, but he supposed he couldn't exactly deny his wife her pregnancy cravings. It takes two to make a baby, after all.


His brother Duncan's romantic escapades were going a little better. Alima had really come round to the idea now her kids had expressed their approval, and they celebrated by heading off to Sim City and hitting the clubs downtown.


After a soak in the hot-tub (what kind of a club has a hot-tub, anyway?) Duncan mustered up the courage to do something he'd wanted to do for a long time. He grabbed his jeans, rooted around in the pockets, and produced a diamond engagement ring.

"Alima Bhalli, will you do me the honour of becoming my wife?"

For a moment he thought she was going to refuse. She had a troubled look on her face, as if the decision wasn't as easy and heart-felt as it should have been. But the expression passed in a brief second and she accepted with a smile on her face.

"Of course! But I've got one question - where the hell did you pull that out from?!"

"My jeans! Wow, you've got a dirty mind."


She hugged him tightly. "I love you, Duncan. I know I've not been as warm as I could have been, but - "

"It doesn't matter now. All in the past. What matters is you're showing how you feel now."


Noriko was nearing the end of her pregnancy but her appetite hadn't diminished one bit. Even when she wasn't "eating for two" she LOVED food - it was her second great passion in life after raising children. It was a wonder she kept her slim figure, but she was apparently blessed with a fast metabolism.


True to form, Noriko gave birth just as she was preparing lunch (still in her pyjamas). Adrian was at work and Nathaniel was at school, so it was up to Duncan to rush her to the hospital.


Noriko gave birth to a healthy baby girl she and Adrian named Miranda. Miranda took after her parents equally in looks so far and was an easy and pleasant child to look after.


Nathaniel was excited to have a baby sister and helped out whenever he could. It was a shame he'd be heading off to college soon and missing out on Miranda's early years.


Duncan made time to help out too. Looking at his newborn niece made him realise how much he wanted kids of his own, but considering how skittish Alima had been about the proposal he was worried it wouldn't be any time soon...