Romancing the Apocalypse Chapter 2 - The Outings Way (Gen 1 Eileen and Sullivan face the Apocalypse together amidst a plethora of plumbbobs.)

Welcome back to Romancing the Apocalypse! Sullivan Seavey has moved in with Eileen Jones after she became a Show Biz Icon and lifted Hopelessness. Let's join our fearless couple as they begin their journey and face the Apocalypse together the Outings Way...

01/26/2008

I used to be one of those townies who constantly called sims and asked them to go downtown on outings. Of all the sims I met, Eileen was the one who enchanted me from the very first moment I saw her. Fortunately for me, she accepted all my invitations, and it wasn't long before we fell in love. After she left Sim State U, my week revolved around the Tuesdays I could see her while she was so busy trying to lift Hopelessness.

She had taken a huge risk switching to Show Business after she was so far into her Science career, and though she drank all the elixir she brought back from college, she was more than halfway through her adult years by the time I was finally able to move in. We were so excited when we made our baby the first night.

I knew when I moved in that it would be difficult not to be able call and invite my group on outings, but I had no idea just how difficult. The phone taunted me daily, always there but unavailable except on Tuesdays. I became increasingly bitter at the thought of all the gamers hogging the servers and tying up the phone lines.

I hoped I could find a way to update the servers and restore the phone system to its former glory. But finding any job was easier said than done. Living with a University graduate meant the job listings in the paper were even more limited than usual. I kept my job in the Slacker career until I could find one that might really help us.

A couple of days went by, and still there were no job listings for me, but there was some good news. "You got your first bump, Ei...now yours matches mine!" "Aw, you're such a huggy bear."

We decided to have only one baby, so we took advantage of risk-free woo-hoo while we could.

It was a mystery to me how I could get so fat when I never ate anything. We were always full from the dates and outings we had day and night.

"Daddy got a job in Gamer today, yes he did oojy boojy."

"After four days, it's nice to feel like I'm finally getting somewhere, Ei." "I'm so glad now that I chose Show Biz, baby. I'll just make sure you're in a great mood everyday when you go to work, and you'll be set."

"Owowowowowowowowow...heeeeerrrrrre it COOOOMMMMMMMESSSSS!"

"Oh Sullivan, she's beautiful! I want to name her Kate, after my best friend Katherine."

"Hello-o-o-o, Kate. Aw Sullivan, do you see? She's got teeny-tiny friends."

"I don't know what I should do, Ei. I keep getting promoted thanks to you, and then demoted thanks to the chance cards that come up all the time, and there are so many days off after the demotions! I've been a Noob and a Button Masher twice. It's been a week and I'm not getting anywhere, and now I'm really starting to worry." "Try not to worry too much about it, baby. What would our life be like without a little suspense to make it interesting? I say you keep at it. Those chance cards have got to let up at some point." "I hope you're right."

Kate was growing so fast...I loved playing Spin the Baby.

Sweet Kate got her coloring and the top half of her face from her mom and the bottom half from me. Lorin hadn't seen her type of toddler hair before, so we were all curious to see what she'd grow into. She was a Sagittarius like me, 2/7/10/9/6.

Eileen and I stayed up for days while Kate played with the bunny head and learned how to talk and walk. We started to potty train her, but the only way we could keep her clean was by changing her diapers.

"Can you believe it's Kate's birthday again? Don't you think it's about time we tied the knot?"

"Oh Sullivan, this is the best way to celebrate!"

"Almost time for you to grow up, sweet Kate."

We celebrated some more while we waited for Kate.

"You did it, Kate! We're gonna do so much dancing and playing and talking..."

"Watch this!"

"See me, huh? My head feels funny." "Woot, yeah, we see you, Kate!"

"Yay, I never have to go to bed if I don't wanna!"

"Another snow day! If this keeps up, you're gonna be the best dancer ever when you grow up."

"Daddy, can we keep playing? I'm not even tired yet." "As long as you want, sweetie. Whoa, I just felt a creativity point!" "I just felt a cooking!"

Eileen was right about the chance cards letting up. Once I got past third-level Trash Talker, they stopped. My climb up the Gamer career was bittersweet. Each promotion brought Eileen closer to her elder years.

I was more determined than ever to become a Game Designer, and while I focused on getting my promotions, Eileen showed Kate how to keep our family happy with outings.

"Psst...Lorin, I don't want to worry Sullivan, but I need to tell someone...I'm really scared. I don't want to be a burden and just tolerated until it's time for me to die." I know it's scary for you, it's scary and sad for me too. Your time with Sullivan and Kate was too short. Do you think we should've stuck with Science? "No! I feel that we're having a wonderful life together, and it is a great strategy for success. You know what a great mood Sullivan is always in when he goes to work, and he's getting promoted almost daily." Is there something else you're worried about then?

"It's Kate's future. Sullivan isn't getting any younger either. How's she going to raise her kids with senile elders to worry about? And unless Sullivan lifts Gamer, keeping friends will be a bi--- sorry. I hate the Gamer restriction!" I have an idea for a backup in case Sullivan doesn't lift Gamer. What do you think about....?

*sniff* "Really? Are you sure? That would be such a relief!" Yeah, I'm sure. You and your family are most important right now. "Okay, I'll talk to Sullivan about it. My big day is this coming Tuesday, you know." *sniff* Yeah, I know. *sniff*

"No matter what happens, Kate, always remember Mommy loves you so much." "I know that, you kiss me all the time." "I know...it makes Mommy feel better. You stay up here for a minute, I'm going outside to talk to Daddy."

"I was worried when you disappeared last night, Ei. Are you okay?" "Oh Sullivan, what do you think? I'm worried sick about Tuesday! But there's nothing you or I can do about it. I really need to talk to you about Kate and her future..." .... "You're kidding, right? That's twisted!"

"Look, everything around here is twisted! We need to make sure Kate succeeds, and we must do everything we can to make it as easy for her as possible. Don't you realize this could open up the world again to her?" "Well, I can't argue with your reasoning, but geez, Ei, she's our little girl!" "Please, I need you to trust me on this." *sigh* "Okay, you haven't led me wrong yet. I just hope we, or she, doesn't live to regret this."

"Thank you for believing in me. I just have a feeling this the right thing to do." ....

Tuesday started the same as any other day, but instead of it being the day of the week we most looked forward to, it was now the one we were most dreading. After noon, we invited over two of Ei's best friends.

"Katherine, I need you to stay close to Kate for me. There's a good chance I won't be able to talk to you again, and I want Kate to know how much our friendship has meant to me." "Oh Eileen, of course I will! I'll have a nice talk with her later."

It was surreal, but Eileen had no doubts that Corey was the right choice to move in with our family. She told me how sweet he always was on their outings while she was in college, and he had steadfastly remained a best friend. To top it off, he was a Flight Officer in the military track. We were concerned about his Fortune aspiration, but with dates and outings, we hoped he wouldn't take too big a hit if he could be a little patient.

We knew this was Eileen's final lucid moment, and there was no way we were going waste one second of it apart.

"Oooh sooo pretty..." Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.

Then her whole demeanor changed. grrrrr "Ei, it's me, are you all right?" grrrrr I had no idea what she was thinking, and she wouldn't say anything. She wanted nothing to do with me. After several tries to calm her down, I left her alone and hoped she'd feel better later.

I was a little mindless myself for a while after that. The hotdogs were terrible, and I didn't even care.

Poor Kate was having a tough time taking in all that had happened as well. "But we don't got enough room for that guy to live with us! Where's he gonna sleep? Mommy? Mommy?!"

I tried my best to reassure Kate. "Let's give Mommy some time to get used to her new way. And that guy's name is Corey, and he is very nice. He's one of Mommy's bestest friends. And don't worry about us having enough room, we're going to build another room upstairs."

"Katherine, if I pay you money, can you make Mommy happy again?" "Oh, Kate honey, I wish I could, but I can't. But I think I know how you can make her happy again." "How?" "You talk to her, and play with her, and tickle her, and hug and kiss her. If you do those things with her, I have a feeling your Mommy will be happy again."

"Come on, Mommy, just one more. Okay one more. Again....again....again." I can...play....Red Hands. Kate...

Corey settled in without a hitch, his main quirk being his preoccupation with the mirror. "Hey, I've gotta keep up my rep as an Apocalypse hottie." Yes you do!

"So Corey, I thought with you being a Flight Officer you'd be in better shape. You're starting to look like me!" "I know, man, I don't get it. I've got 7 body points and now I look like this!" "I'm tellin' ya, it's those crazy outings. We could make a fortune if we could figure out how they work." "You'll have to do the figuring, I'm taking up yoga."

Next day was Kate's birthday. "Yay, a present! What is it, Daddy?" "It's a very beautiful secret present that Daddy kept all this time and saved just for you. But it's so secret that you have to put it in your special backpack and keep it there until you grow up." "But when can I open it?" "When you're a grown-up, ask Lorin if she'll let you take a peek at it. Maybe one day you might even give it to one of your own kids." "Who's Lorin?" "She helps us out when we need it. Don't worry, you'll know her when you grow up."

When Eileen showed up to watch Kate's birthday spin, it dawned on me that perhaps she wasn't as lost to us as I had previously thought. But she still wouldn't talk to me.

I was surprised and very happy to see Kate grow up into her mom's college hairstyle. She was a sweet combination of the past and future.

And without missing a beat, she and her mom were at it with Red Hands again.

Now that's what I'm talkin' about!

"DAAAD! There's a guy down here wearing a weird helmet!" "That's Nemo, he's the one who built our house. Believe me, you want to know this guy."

"Do you know I met your mom right here the first day she moved into this house?" "You did?" "Yeah. I guess she hasn't been herself lately, huh?" "She's doin' okay. As long as I talk to her first, she kinda talks to me."

"You know the secret to get your old mom back, don't you?" "No, what?" "You adopt a cat and get it a job in the Service career. If it gets all the way to the top, your mom will get a lot better." "But that doesn't make any sense!" "I know! But it works soooo good."

"You know any more secrets?" bock "If you want to study before you grow up, bock have a pet get to the top of the Show Business career." bock "That doesn't make any sense either!" bock "I know! But believe me, it works." bock "I want my mom to get better first." bock

"You rolled Fortune on your birthday, huh? I'm Fortune, too." "It's a drag! All I want is to get into private school and buy expensive stereos. I can't even go to regular school, but that doesn't bother me too much." "It is tough at the beginning of the Apocalypse, especially for a kid like yourself. I'll tell you another trick...dates!" "But I don't like anybody to go on a date." "You will, kid, you will."

"It was fun talkin' to ya, I learned a lot too." "Good luck adopting a cat." "Thanks, Nemo...bye." "See ya, kid."

The upheaval after Eileen's birthday finally passed, and I was able to focus on my job again. Once we figured out that Eileen would join in as long as we approached her first, life seemed almost normal again. But I really missed our conversations. With Kate out of school, she and Ei kept all our motives high while Corey and I skilled for our promotions.

It wasn't long before Corey was a real part of our family. As hard as it was for Kate to be Fortune, it did give her and Corey some common ground to share, even if it was their aspirational misery.

"Can I tell you something, Corey? I really really really want to buy a really really good stereo!" "Me too. This bites, doesn't it?"

"Why can't I get a handheld?" thunk "I don't even know what a handheld is!" thunk "Let it all out, kid." THUNK "Quit calling me kid!"

Kate was a living contradiction--a girl who couldn't get one single thing she wanted (she told me she was always seeing red) but who was always in an excellent mood, thanks to our outings.

"Poor kid, I know just how she feels."

I started planning for my future as an elder. If I couldn't become a Game Designer before I elderfied, I wanted to do everything I could to become one afterwards.

Corey was promoted from Astronaut to General a little over a week after he moved in with us. He brought us the outside world.

"Hi, what's your name?" *maow*

"You wanna come live with us?" *mrow* "You do? Yes! I think I'll call you Sake, like Sake to me. Hehe, you've got a loud motor.”

"Dad, I adopted a cat! I'll look in the paper everyday and get him a Service job to help Mom." "Kate honey, that's such great news! Don't forget to leave some hotdogs out for him everyday."

Eileen was surprisingly resourceful. She refused to let anyone do anything for her, and she spent much of her free time tidying up the house and our lot. Now if she would just get dressed before she went outside. Accidental broken rule: I assumed Eileen was stomping bugs the night before because I've never had sims do anything but stomp on their own. I didn't realize she was spraying them until it was too late...I tried to cancel the spray, but they were already dead. Way to go, I mean bad, bad Eileen!

"Nemo, I'm so glad you called! Guess what, I adopted a cat and we named him Sake! He's so smart, he already knows 'Come Here'. There's only Show Biz jobs in the paper so far...do you know any tricks for that? Oh okay, I'm good at being patient."

"Guess what, you just became my first best friend!"

"Okay, you've got your picture of me in my General's uniform. Can I quit now? I really want to be a Criminal Mastermind."

Corey and Kate teamed up to make friends for my final promotion. "Hey Corey, this is Spencer, he was just walking by and I brought him up." "That's great, Kate! Hah, I'm a poet and don't know it, hehe." *sigh* "Hi, Spence."

Corey: "My hands are so calloused from Red Hands, I can't even feel 'em anymore. My life sucks!" "You thinkin' what I'm thinkin'?" "Beer run?" "Close enough, let's go!"

Corey: "B-double E-double R-U-N, beer run..." "Shhh!"

"Come on, dawg, sing along!" "B-double E-double R-U-N, beer run B-double E-double R-U-N, beer run All we need is a ten and a fiver A car and a key and a sober driver B-double E-double R-U-N, beer run" **Beer Run by Todd Snider

"Hey, check it out...LuLu's Blues. It must be a sign...I went on my first date with Eileen at the old LuLu's."

"Kathi, long time no see! So where's the beer around here?"

"Lemme guess...this is your first excursion to this sorry excuse for a downtown." "Yeahhh, so?" "Do you see anything here resembling a drink?" "No beer?" "No beer, no berry punch... no anything."

"Well, the beer was really Corey's idea. I just came along to cheer him up, and I need a couple more friends to get my final promotion tomorrow." "What field are you in?" "Gamer."

"EEE!!! GAMER!! You're getting the phones back for us?!" "Whoa! Well yeah, at least I hope so. If I can make enough friends tonight." "Here, let me help you...KARI!"

"I'm Kari. Omigosh!!...you're getting the phones back for us?" "I'm trying." "I couldn't help noticing how cute you and your hottie friend are together." "Whad'ya mean?" "Oh, come on! The tickling and admiring and hugging? It's just adorable!" "I think you've got the wro..."

"Ooh, you're so sweet! See...we're already friends!" "Well then, gimme a hug, friend!" "M! Hey Elizabeth, whatcha think? Isn't he just adorable?" "Oooh, absolutely! I wanna be his friend next."... ..."Hey Marylena!"

"I'm so excited we're gonna finally have phones again! Can I be your friend too?" "Sure!" This is going better than I ever could've imagined!

Corey: "Dawg, what're you doin'? Save one for me, I'm an island out here!" "Okay, meet you outside."

"Hey, Nemo." "Hey. This place have a cover charge?"

Whoa, it's that stringpuller dude! Jerry? Who's Jerry?

"Hey stringpuller, I'm getting messages from one of my hottie bros, Jerry I think his name is, that you like to play games with our type."

"Reeeally... Jerry's been talking to you?"

"Sort of...he wanted me to give you something." "Reeeally, and what is that?" "Let's go outside, shall we?" "Yes, let's!"

WHOOSH-SPLAT!

*splutter cough cough wheeze gack!*

"You tell your bro that I just might consider having a hottie ghost in the near future...and don't think you couldn't be next." "You can't touch me." "Oh, you have no idea the extent of my capabilities..." gulp

"Heheh, we were just kidding! You can take a ghost, I mean a joke, right?" "........" "Uhhh, ten Nice points?" "........"

"Ummmm...Fortune sim?"

"Fortune eh? You're lucky you've got that going in your favor...you guys really are perfect. Tell you what...I'm feeling generous today. You guys just remember who's boss and we'll forget all about this little incident, capice?" Whoa Jerry, better not mess with stringpuller again...he's intense.

"Thank god we're home. That was the worst outing of my life!"

"Are you kidding, it was great! I made four friends...the girls there loved me." "Yeah, it was great for you. I made zip friends, and the chicks were either going on and on about you and the phones or acting real weird, kept telling me what a cute couple we were. My rep is ruined, thanks to you!" "What, no possible future mini hotties tonight? Sorry to hear that. I guess you'll just have to wait for Kate to grow up." "Yeah...if, and that's a big if, I don't go over the deep end before then."

"Oh, stop whining! You're not the one who's gonna elderfy in four days." "I know, I know! I'm goin' to bed and try to forget this night ever happened."

"Today's my big day at work, Ei. Can you help me seal the deal?" "Woo-hoo?" "Yeah, woo-hoo!"

"Love you, Ei!" Love you woo-hoo...

"Good day woo-hoo you can do it baby..." Does that look like a stairway to heaven or what?

It seemed like it took me forever, but I finally did restore the phones and internet to Sim society. And I had absolutely no desire to make a phone call.

"We did it, Ei! I couldn't have done it without you." "We did it..."

I finally maxed my body skill after my promotion. I couldn't bear the thought of no more outings downtown even if I might not have a full deck, and I wanted to see how long I could keep working as an elder.

"Such a good boy, Sake to me. You'll be our hero, won't ya?" *maow*I try

I spent my final morning as an adult with Kate before I went to work. I memorized every little thing I could about her, hoping I could take the memory of my real Kate with me.

I knew when I returned from work that evening, it could happen at any moment.

"Hey Dad, you got a letter from Mom! Can I read it?”

"Go ahead, but make it quick, my back is killing me!" "It says 'come back to me'." "Ei...Kate...Sake..." "DAAAD!"

"to me! Oooh, sooo pretty..." come back to me

"Oh, Dad."

"Come on, let's go see Mom."

"Hi, baby." "Ei! You can talk to me." "You're in my world now." "What's it like?" "It's...different. Lonely...but not anymore." "What are we going to do?" "I have no idea. But it really doesn't matter...you came back to me."