1.6 Distraction

Oh my gosh, Persis gardening with pants on? What has the world come to?

Being pregnant doesn't change Persis' routine too much. After she gardens (which takes longer because of her aching back), she either goes to the hospital for pre-natal appointments or the consignment store to haul produce. Today, however, she also stops by the library. Her doctor recommended reading a book on pregnancy before the baby arrives. Seeing as she has little else to do, Persis complies. 

The book wasn't too long, so Persis also reads up on gardening. After fall and winter pass, she wants to expand her garden with some rarer plants. 

Marko joins her a bit later to "keep her company". Persis knows that Marko is an avid reader and probably really came along for the opportunity to pick up a new book, but she it doesn't bother her. Reading is one of the few quiet activities they can do together given Marko's normal penchant for social activity. 

Persis goes home a bit early. She doesn't really feel like fishing and instead tries out their new dart board. Yes, with a baby on the way, the Winterlys decided what they really needed was a dart board. 

(Ok, Persis actually had the wish to buy a new dart board locked in forever and they didn't have enough money to buy it until now) 

She takes aim...

Hey, not bad!

Persis is still disappointed. Calm down, it's not a competition or anything. 

Another person he hasn't met before? Marko's beginning to think this town isn't as small as he thought. 

Alternate caption: Marko finds someone else who wears sunglasses indoors. 

Even though he's never met Imogen Pelly before, he feels perfectly comfortable catching up on town gossip with her. They both snicker about grumpy old Tate Curly and sigh over Kanoa Parrott's most recent out-of-wedlock child. Since divorcing Jazlyn and abandoning their two children together (apparently they had another child after divorcing), Kanoa has been out of control and at the time this picture was taken, had no less than 4 total children. And, like he did with Jazlyn, he lied to both of his girlfriends about his love life (i.e. his cheating) and then abandoned them too. 

Their discussion becomes more work oriented. Imogen has a part-time job, Marko learns. He then tells Imogen that he works at the local school, currently as a substitute teacher. 

"Wow, you're a teacher? No wonder you dress like such a dork!" Imogen sneers. 

It becomes quickly apparent that Imogen is one of the no-no words Marko has to forbid his students from using. 

Later that evening, a burglar decides that the Winterly family home is ripe for robbing. Unfortunately for him, the house was furnished with a security alarm system. 

Obviously an inexperienced robber, he stays and panics instead of either grabbing whatever he can find or running away before the police arrive. This family was supposed to be too poor to afford an alarm! Who the hell has an alarm system when they can't even afford lights for the whole house!? 

The noise wakes up Marko and Persis. 

"Persis, stay here, I'll check it out," Marko whispers urgently to his wife.

Persis, too groggy to really understand what's happening, nods and stays put on the edge of the bed. 

She eventually wanders out anyways. It seems that the alarm system notified the police who have dispatched an officer to help. Officer Puggle is now in their kitchen, grappling with the burglar. 

Persis can't really tell who's winning. 

Oh, the burglar is. 

What good is an alarm system if the police who come to help can't even arrest the thief? 

Persis still thinks it was the coolest thing ever. 

"Sorry, the burglar got away," the officer needlessly informs them. Marko and Persis just shrug. 

"Thankfully nothing here was worth taking, so nothing was stolen," she continues to cheerily inform Persis. Persis is too tired to really react and just smiles wanly. 

It's too late for Marko to go back to sleep, so he reads a book his boss assigned to him. Apparently The ABCDFs of Grading will help him become better at his job. He's not sure how useful this book will really be, but a book is a book! 

Marko aims to be the coolest substitute teacher ever. The one who doesn't give out homework or really make the students work, the one students actually look happy to see. He'll have plenty of time for serious teaching once he becomes a permanent teacher. 

Fall hasn't come quite yet, meaning Persis has plenty of harvesting to do. She's grateful for the distraction from her incoming baby, which seems to be getting bigger every day. She felt its first kick a little while ago, an experience that both freaked her out and made her feel excited. It's a confusing time for Persis, to say the least. 

It's also changed her eating habits. What used to be a reasonable portion of food is now just a snack. She feels like a pig every time she eats until she's full, but she reminds herself that her baby needs the nutrients. 

*GASP* what villain has done this horrible deed!? The noble grey flamingo has fallen, leaving its orange mate as the sole guardian of the house. 

Isn't it interesting how sims always look so pensive while reading? I know most people do, too, but I hardly watch people in real life read books. 

*ahem* Persis reads up on gardening some more now that she has an idea of what she wants to plant in the spring. 

When she's putting the book away, her first contraction hits. The baby is coming!