About an hour after Haliya leaves for prom, Sun comes by to pick up the remainder of her things.
"I can't believe you," Paolo hisses.
Sun raises an eyebrow, "What do you mean? Did you really think I'd leave my stuff here?"
"You are so fucking childish," Paolo explodes, "Do you know how sad Haliya was that you weren't here today?"
Sun has the decency to look guilty. "I was working on a time machine, it's not something I can just leave in the middle-"
"How about Haliya's texts? My calls? Why does Nakisha keep on telling me that you 'aren't home' every time we go over to talk to you?"
Sun fidgets nervously, but her offense is unmistakable. Doesn't he realise how much this has hurt her too? Can't he tell she's just too scared of what Haliya will think of her for ruining their family? She's gotten enough flack from her siblings for "destroying a perfectly good marriage." Nobody understands...
"If you never have to tell me where you're going, why should I tell you what I do with my time?"
Paolo is stunned into angry silence. He watches with a frown as she throws her clothes and knick-knacks into a large box. He doesn't know what to say when she wipes tears from her face.
"Tell Haliya...I'll contact her when I'm ready," Sun says before opening the door to leave.
"Tell her yourself!" Paolo calls after her. The only answer he gets is the sound of a door closing.
Haliya comes home from the dance close to 11 PM. She's a bit surprised to find her sister's boyfriend sitting at their kitchen table.
"At least pretend you're happy to see me," William says in between sips of plasma. At her downcast expression, he flashes her a smile. "I'm only joking, kid. You don't have to smile for anyone. Um, sorry about your mom-"
"That's fine. Thanks, William..." Haliya cuts him off tersely. "That was...weirdly sweet."
Tula can't help but laugh behind them. "Still have to work on your social tact, William."
Tula rubs her hands in anticipation for her favourite food- fried peanut butter banana sandwich.
Haliya crinkles her nose at her sister's dinner. She can't understand how anyone could find that appetizing.
"So, how was the music at prom? Any classics?" William tries to strike up conversation.
Haliya shrugs, "They had the school orchestra play the slow song. Instrumental cover of Wig Wig Wag. It...was honestly pretty hard not to laugh."
"A far cry from what you normally listen to," Tula remarks with a dry smile to William. "The most current stuff he listens to is from the 1930s," she explains to Haliya.
"Hey not true! I listen to electro music when I work out."
Tula snorts. "Electro? Not even my grandpa would say something like that."
Haliya smiles warmly as her sister bickers with William. When will she have a relationship like this?
***
That night, Haliya has a pretty weird dream.
It's like, I've loved having a family since I was little, Haliya hears herself complain, But it just never goes right. My sister left for a literal decade, she has a kid now but her boyfriend is so random?
Life goes in unexpected directions, dear, a strange otherworldly voice replies, how do you think I came to be here, eating spaghetti without a digestive tract?
Why are dead people so weird? she hears herself say, no control over the words that come out of her, Why is it that your urn just appears after you die? Like, where did it come from? Who manufactured it??
The ghostly figure smiles at her. You're so inquisitive, dear.
Only when I'm asleep, her dreamself grumbles. Not like it helps me in real life. Just look at my homework! It's a mess.
The spectre peers over and sees a blank sheet. No, not a mess... there's nothing there.
Isn't it better to not make a mess? To, like, not even try? There's always so many things to do all the time. Why can't everything just...do itself? Whenever I start one thing, it's like there are ten other things that suddenly just...jump at me! So it's better to just not even look around, you know?
Her ghostly friend tilts her head. I can't give you any answers. Nobody can but yourself.
When Haliya wakes up the next morning, she feels disoriented, sweaty, and out of sorts.
"Yeesh, kid, you reek," William complains. Seeing someone else snaps her back to reality.
"Sorry..." she mumbles, walking quickly to the stairs. What's up with me today?
William realises that he doesn't smell so fresh himself and goes to the downstairs bathroom. After he takes off his shirt, he finds Tula scrubbing the shower.
"What's up?" she greets him, spritzing cleaning solution and wiping it away.
"Nothing much...ran into your sister. Is it just my imagination, or does she not like me?"
"Oh, she just has to get used to you. She's actually very friendly! Just give her time..."
William thinks about this. He's not great with people. Honestly, if he could, he would go back to living alone. Well, "alone" with Tula and Yana, of course. People are so hard to understand.
"William?"
He's broken out of his brooding by Tula's voice. "Yeah?"
Tula smiles flirtatiously at him, "Want to take a shower together?"
***
After a leisurely shower, William heads to the nursery.
"Aw, easy there," he coos at his daughter, watching her sleepily open her eyes.
He gently swoops her over his head. "What's that? A bird, a plane!? No, it's suuuuuper Yana!"
She shrieks with glee, waving her hands around.
At least there's one person he gets along with here.
Though when he's not with Tula or Yana, William finds himself with too much time to himself. His resignation from Bridgeport PD came at a bad time, so he can't count on a good reference from them. To add insult to injury, despite his good performance reviews for managing the databases of the department and working cases, there are several complaints in his file for "antisocial" behaviour. A few witnesses offended by his "lack of tact" and some coworkers annoyed that he didn't join their after-work-drinks one too many times didn't make for the best entry on his CV.
And on top of that, Tulip's worked with me... like she'd ever let me into her squad, William thinks with a sigh. Tulip is now the head of Appaloosa PD after Markus Sterling's retirement. He's all too aware of her low opinion of him.
This has all left him without the possibility of being hired as a cop in Appaloosa Plains. He's not sure what else he can do. BPD was his only professional experience.
Naturally, he's been too embarrassed to tell Tula any of this, which is why Paolo watches in escalating horror as Tula asks her aunt to give her boyfriend a job.
"Are you sure there's nothing that could work? A probation period, part time duty, nothing?" Tula asks, being sure to add a touch of obnoxious desperation to her tone. The way she sees it, this ends one of two ways. One, she nets William a job and in the short-term, some income. Or, she sours Tulip's opinion of William even more, meaning she won't have the long term problem of living with a police officer. A win-win for her, really.
"Tula, please," Tulip says, annoyance creeping into her tone, "If William wants to send in an application, I won't stop him...but I'm telling you, as your friend and a cop that it's not worth it. So please, drop this."
Tula deflates, but tries to look conciliatory. "I'm sorry, I'm just a bit...on edge. I'm sure you can understand, having another one on the way yourself."
Tulip looks down at her baby bump. After having Danny and seeing that world didn't explode, it was much easier for Abraham to argue for another child. "...yes I can understand your position. Look, I can't help out William, but if you send me your CV there might be a job vacancy for a receptionist or our PR manager."
Tula has to restrain herself from laughing. "Thanks, Aunt Tulip. For now, I want to focus on being home with Yana... but I'll consider your offer when Yana's a little older."
Paolo lets out a breath he didn't realise he was holding and looks over at Haliya. Under Tula's guidance, her homework schedule has been much more regular.
Still, Haliya doesn't do well with distractions. She finds herself constantly looking at the various guests, humming along with the song playing on the stereo, or being asked questions by some of their visitors.
"Man sucks to be you. Doing homework at a party. Your dad must not love you," Kathy Pelly remarks sarcastically.
Seeing Haliya deflate, Kathy scowls. Ugh. Why do my jokes always offend people? "Hey, kid. Don't take it so hard. I was just kidding."
Haliya manages a weak smile. "Alright..."
Paolo rolls his eyes. Some people really never change.
He turns his attention to the other guests. His boss, Nathaniel Miller, is here.
"Nice party, Paolo. It's nice to finally see your place," he gives Paolo a wide grin, "And to see the newest Winterly! What's it like, being a grandpa?"
Paolo hits Nathaniel's shoulder playfully. "Don't use that word, it makes me feel old, man."
Alaina Riffin, Krista's younger half-sister, watches from a distance. She once tried to confess her attraction to Paolo at her sister's wedding and hasn't had the courage to come to their other parties since then. But now it's been so long...and Alaina has her own family now. Still, the old feelings of embarrassment keep her from congratulating Paolo directly.
Haliya, meanwhile, brightly chats up the other party-goers.
"Ugh, out of wedlock baby celebration? So tacky," Neal complains, "But she is a cute toddler."
Haliya is thunderstruck by his rudeness. Neal has the inappropriate trait.
Yana is a bit camera shy!
She'll show you her face when she's ready!
Haliya holds her niece close. How could anyone say such hateful things about a baby?
After Haliya shuffles off to the nursery with Yana, their cousin Omar tries to impress Tula by eating some dirt.
Wayne Pelly looks between the two. "I just want you to know that I am not associated with this weirdo."
"Chicken!" Omar taunts.
***
The next morning after the party is quiet. Winter has set in and the outside is cold and covered in snow.
"So tell me, William, what was your last job like? Big city, I imagine you must have interesting stories." Paolo questions William rather bluntly. With William now living in his house and being the father of his granddaughter, Paolo thinks it's time to do away with subtlety.
"What do you want me to say, that I was rolling around in dough?" William snaps, "Or that I was arresting celebrities every day? My work was boring. I kept the databases running."
"That's good, IT skills are good. Honey, when you start dating, make sure not to just look at muscles. Some people spend their entire days working out, to the exclusion of everything else!"
Haliya shrinks anxiously into her seat. Why are they being so intense first thing in the morning? And why is dad being so mean to William? Haliya frets.
"Dad," Haliya whispers, "What's gotten into you? You're being kinda judgemental!"
William gets up. "No, your dad is right, kid."
"Muscles aren't everything. Things like sacrifice matter. Like giving up your job and moving halfway across the country for your family. You know, little things like that."
William is still a bit hurt and angry about thirty minutes later when he's feeding Yana. Where does Tula's dad get off, talking to him like that? It's not like he came here without any savings.
"...and then he said that I'm basically just a gym bro," William recounts this morning's uncomfortable breakfast to Tula. "I just quit the force a few months ago. Does he think jobs grow on trees or something?"
Tula listens raptly, nodding as she considers this. "That is pretty out of character for my dad. I think the divorce and being the sole provider are getting to him," she theorises. "I suppose that's also my fault. I haven't been exactly eager to get a job again. He probably took it out on you because he doesn't want to stress me out. Sorry."
"Yeah, I was a bit surprised you're taking so much time off right now since you were always so into that political stuff. Is being a mommy your true calling or something?"
Tula frowns, "I wouldn't...put it like that. And no, I don't want to be a stay at home parent forever. But this time away from 'that political stuff' has been...eye opening. I don't think I want to go back into that field." Becoming a politician would be the opposite of "staying low" after all.
"But my dad does have a point. We do need money. Your savings won't last forever."
William nods morosely. "Yeah that's true..."
"Aren't there any other databases you could do work for? Like, for a business or a school or something instead of the police department?"
William nods, "Yeah, I mean they would probably use a different program but with some training with the system it should be fine... the issue is that BPD used pretty outdated stuff. It would be kinda hard to convince some fancy financial firm that I'm qualified for the cutting edge programs. I looked into doing IT work for the school and hospital here but the pay is really a joke."
"...and getting qualified for the financial firms and bigger businesses would take more time. And more money. That's quite the conundrum," Tula sighs.
"And you want to stay home with Yana? Aw," Tula reaches over to squeeze William's shoulder.
"How about you?" William asks, carelessly moving his knight straight into the path of one of Tula's pawns, "If not politics, then what?"
Tula sighs again. "Well, the school always needs more teachers...but I'd have to start as a substitute. They barely get called in around here. But it would be better than nothing... maybe I could be a tutor on the side? I did have the best grades when I was in school," Tula grins, taking William's knight.
And so begin their illustrious careers.
-------
AN: So those will not be their actual jobs. But it was hard to justify the two of them lazing around the house for nearly two full sim weeks as I waited for Haliya to age up. Yes, I could have had them start working anyways, but since of Haliya's rolls is "idle career" it felt appropriate for them to wait a while before doing anything. Also disclaimer: I know nothing about data management or databases, hope it didn't show too much haha.
The family actually has quite a bit of money saved up (at the time this chapter takes place I think they had about 60,000 simoleons in family funds) but well... I can't have peaceful family life, not in my blogs!
William later got to max influence with the nerd social group and got to get another trait, I rolled until I got something that seemed to fit (so not evil, slob, etc. anything that seemed super out of character). He got nurturing so I'm writing him with that trait in mind! Speaking of William, his favourite music genre is classical. Just wanted to throw that in there when he started talking about orchestra conductors :D
Marko and Persis are now regularly haunting the lot, hence the "dream" Haliya had earlier. In my sim's world, everyone can see ghosts but it felt out of nowhere to have them suddenly appear with no explanation. So...a dream!
I also hope that I'm showing both Sun in Paolo in a balanced light. They both made mistakes that contributed to the end of their marriage and are both flawed people. I didn't want it to seem like it was 100% Sun's fault or 100% Paolo's!
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