The Hardy Family Chronicles IV

A Tale of Several SimsSettling down? - Part 2

Laura takes her older brothers old room, sick to the back teeth of sharing with goody two shoes Rachael and the virtual nonentity Joanne. Also, she has a secret which could be discovered without the seclusion her own room provides.

The fact is that Laura is sick. Really sick. Not pregnant like Holly, her illness is real and probably fatal. Turns out that when she was a child, exploring the catacombs beneath the cemetery she inhaled a possibly lethal cocktail of bone dust and mould spores. So her behaviour is more erratic, she gets dizzy and falls over a lot and not a day goes by where she doesn’t throw up at least once.

So Laura forgets her schemes, and decides to get the most out of what time she has left. Her first experiment is the class nerd. He’s just about smart enough for her to stand his presence.

She works all her charms, but it isn't necessary. He falls under her spell with minimal resistance. He was a great experiment, but Laura craved more of a challenge.

Any challenge. Her prognosis was not good, and keeping her condition a secret form her parents and LARGE extended family was quite the chore. She was often at the doctors when she claimed to be out partying at night.

Laura is told about a treatment that could cure her. But it’s very pricey. There’s no way she can get that kind of money without telling anyone about her condition. But Laura, being somewhat... mentally unstable... Has now made it a matter of pride to handle her illness alone.

One night, after a particularly long session with the doctor trying a new treatment, she was busted by the police on the way home for being out after curfew.

She follows her dad to work, to see if his illegal activities might be worth emulating. They’re not.

She asks her dad if she can join him at work for a cut of the takings. With her ideas on his side, he can make some serious simoleans.

Jesse is horrified. He explains to his daughter that he is only a criminal out of necessity – to stay out of jail and stay under Manzano’s protection. He doesn’t want any of his family to choose to be a crook. This isn’t what Laura wanted, no needed to hear.

Joanne, working on her novel in the background hears everything. People tend to forget she’s there, that she’s in the room. But she doesn’t miss a trick. One day, everything she’s learnt will come in handy.

As her desperation for money grows, so does Laura’s libido. Osmo here can’t understand why the previously prickly hotty from school is suddenly so interested in him.

Neither can Eric.

Kirsten is going through some changes too. Under Bjorn’s new regime she’s lost a lot of weight.

Bjorn makes life increasingly difficult for his father-in-law. He makes him ask for any money, and explain why he wants it. Obviously, this does not go down well.

In fact, they get on so badly that they become enemies. They can no longer live under the same roof.

Aren hears the shouting in his bedroom. He knows something has to be done, but he can’t find anything in his books. Kirsten is firstborn, technically everything his evil brother-in-law Bjorn has done is legal.

When his dad says he’s leaving, Aren begs to go with him.

It’s decided. Kirsten hugs her father and brother goodbye. She is powerless to stop what’s happening, Bjorn has got her firmly under his thumb.

Who knows if either of them will be seen again?

Despite the heartbreak he’s brought about, Bjorn sleeps soundly next to his exhausted wife. Life, for him at least, is good.

Life is good for Sadie too. It’s her wedding day, and she can’t quite believe it. She about to embark on a life that sent her parents spiralling into despair, murder and suicide, but fills her with nothing but joy. She just wishes her parents could have felt the same way. They might have been here if they had.

The guests begin to arrive in their newly decorated home.

The couple stand nervously at the alter as everyone makes their way outside.

They have their own vows prepared, and reminisce in front of everyone the journey that began as friends in childhood, sweethearts as teenagers, and lovers as adults.

You may kiss the bride! Sadie and Richard finally tie the knot.