2. Welcome back to my legacy, folks, where
the author has a smarmy husband who
insists upon pestering me about using the
Batbox. This is a new occurrence, as
Keith doesn't play the Sims; but he really,
really wants to strike lightning down
upon people, so Sims are the next best
thing.
Le sigh.
You think he's kidding about the pants
embargo thing? Check out the next few
slides...

3. “What the heck are you doing?” I asked,
startled. I just went outside for a few
moments to talk to someone important, and I
walked back into the house to see...this.

4. “Nothing out of the ordinary,” replied Keith.

5. “Umm, hmm. Except for the fact that you
seem to be tub pirating on the couch without
any pants.”
“Well, it is completely ordinary when you are
doing a...”

6. “PAAAANNNNTS
EEEMMMBAAARRRGOOOO!”

7. I sighed when I heard this. “A pants
embargo? Really? I thought you were
kidding about that.”

8. “Not in the slightest. I totally intend on
prancing around in my underwear. Look!
They're so comfy and form fitting.”
“Keith, get down from there! What's the
matter with you?”

9. “I must Smite someone. I need to Smite
someone. I have a list of people that qualify.
You can choose anyone from this list.”
“Keith, ALL of my characters are on your list.
Even some of the ones that don't belong to
me are on this list!”
“Hey! Come on! Amelia isn't on the list!”
“But Miles is!”
“One little strike of lightning isn't going to kill
him!”
“No Keith, you may not Smite anyone. I
should never have mentioned the Batbox's
existence to you. Wait...is that ZANE'S name
on the list?!”
“But...he's already dead, so it HAS to be okay!
Besides, maybe it'll make him think twice
before coming for Amelia.”
“No, Keith. Absolutely not. You may not use
the Batbox. That is final.”

10. “Well, a pants embargo it is then. And you
know how gregarious I am. I will be at all of
the community lots wearing only this. I will
be at all Legacy parties wearing only this.
Random walk bys? Wearing only this,
holding the newspaper high so everyone can
behold me in my pants-less glory. Do you
think I'm kidding?”
Yeah, welcome to the Devereaux Legacy
folks. If you are a new reader that hasn't
been scared away, you might want to start
from the beginning so you won't be
confused. An existing reader that hasn't been
scared away? Well, I hope you enjoy this
installment. Virtual eye bleach will be passed
around as needed.
***

11. “I don’t get it!” Tina remarked, petulantly, to
Ruth. Or was it Jezebel? She couldn’t tell the
difference between the two. Frustrated, she
stomped her foot. The Hula Girls looked at
each other.
What on earth does he see in her? This
question was obvious on Ruth’s face. Jezebel
grinned back, eyes wide as she tilted her head
a little towards Tina’s upper torso region.
Ruth rolled her eyes in response and the two
sisters snickered.
“Stop laughing at me!” Tina cried. “It’s not
fair! Why can’t I go home?” Ruth was about
to patiently respond when Jezebel stepped
forward into Tina’s face.

12. “Listen here, you. You know exactly why you
can’t go home. You committed suicide and it
was only by Thanatos’ intervention that you
aren’t freezing your butt off in the Punished
Realm. You are dead, for all intents and
purposes, so deal with it! And for God’s sake,
quit stomping your foot. What are you, two?”
“I’M. NOT. DEAD!” Tina shouted,
deliberately stomping her foot with each
word for emphasis. “And why do you keep
calling him Thanatos? His name is Zane, and
he was the little boy next door. And why was
he wearing that gruesome outfit? I want to
talk to him! Right now! I want him to take
me away from here! I’m hungry and I need to
go to the bathroom! This place SUCKS!”

13. Jezebel threw up her arms. “Oh my God,
she’s a freakin’ idiot! An official, class ‘A’
Retardo Lander…” she walked to the corner of
the room, muttering under her breath. Ruth
watched her impatient sister for a moment
before replying to Tina.

14. “No, I suppose you aren’t dead. You will be if
you were to step foot upon the mortal realm
again, though. That’s why you are here: Zane
wanted to save you from being punished
because he cares for you.” She held her finger
up at Jezebel, knowing that her sister was
going to interrupt with a rude comment and
she continued. “Zane is not the same little
boy that you knew before. He’s…well, he’s a…
er, THE…um…” she trailed off, not knowing
how to explain it to Tina. “He’s different
now,” she finally responded, lamely.
“Well, you can say that again! He wouldn’t
have dreamed of scaring me and then leaving
me to starve to death! What did you guys do
to him to warp him like that?” Tina crossed
her arms and glared.

15. “US?!” Jezebel shouted from her corner of
the room. “We didn’t do anything to him! It
was his whack job of a-”
“Jez! Enough!” Ruth interrupted. “Perhaps it
would be best if we let Zane explain things to
you,” she continued to Tina. “To be fair to
him, I don’t think he realized that you needed
food and other amenities. No, let me finish,”
she responded as Tina opened her mouth to
interrupt. “I will go find him and let him know
that you want to talk to him while Jez here
will go to the mortal realm to get you some
food.”
“I most certainly will not-”
“Yes, Jez, you will. You have to, okay?”
“Fine!” Jezebel flounced out of the room,
displeased. Ruth nodded to Tina. “So, you’re
going to have some food and I’ll go get Zane.
Does that sound okay to you?” Tina
shrugged and Ruth turned to exit the room
herself.

16. “Why has he been avoiding me?” Tina called
after her. Ruth paused and looked over her
shoulder.
“He’s afraid that you won’t like him the same
way he likes you, that’s why,” was her
response before she left the room.
***

17. Ruth searched the manor and she eventually
found him in the library contentedly reading a
book. Or so it appeared. As she observed
him, she noticed that he wasn't turning any
pages, but he was doing his best to ignore
her.
Her lips quirked as she continued to stare at
him, not saying anything. She and Jezebel
genuinely liked him and they found
themselves taking on the more 'big sister' role
towards him. Of course, 'big sister' meant
teasing him in a good natured fashion, and
the fact that he tried very hard to not let his
irritation show was even more funny.

18. When it became apparent that he wasn't
going to speak first, Ruth cleared her throat.
“Black is a little cliché, don't you think?”
He shut the book and his lips twitched a little.
“Oh, I don't know. Black is the new blue
according to Jezebel. I like blue,” he casually
replied.
“So, you're not being morbid?”
“Weren't you guys the ones who picked out
my new outfit?”
“You bring up a good point. Besides, I'm
pretty sure that a certain someone will like
your new look. Speaking of a certain
someone, Zane, you really should go and talk
to Tina.”

19. His brow knitted lightly as he stood up,
getting ready to leave the room. “Ruth, I
really wish you and Jezebel would stop
pushing me about it. I..I know that I should,
but I can't. What if she does not like me?
What if she would rather completely die than
stay here with me? What if...”

20. “What if she were to die, right here, under
your nose, before you get around to
answering your own questions, hm?” Ruth
nonchalantly poked at the fire as she said this,
not looking at him.

21. She smiled slightly when she heard Zane gasp
and drop his book.
“She's dying? I..I thought that if...oh no!”
“Relax. She's going to be fine. She's just
hungry and has to take care of her baser
needs, something that I'm sure didn't occur to
you when you brought her here.”
“But...but, we don't have to.”
“No. We don't. Jez and I are made of Ether,
bound by the same magic you are, bound to
you; but we were never mortal. You are
Dead. Not undead, not the living dead, but
of The Dead. Reaper magic animates you.
The only time we have to worry about those
needs is if we spend extended periods of
time on the mortal realm not wearing our
robes of office.
“Tina, on the other hand, is not Dead, nor
made of Ether. She's a mortal, and as a
mortal, she'll need to be fed and taken care of
because she's technically still alive. You
bringing her here just made it so she didn't
die. You didn't make her immortal.”

22. “Wait, so she's going to age?”
Ruth sighed and spun around to face him.
“Zane, I don't know. Maybe, maybe not. But
this is all besides the point. My point to you
is that you need to talk to her. Find out what
she wants. This isn't high school, and you
can't afford to be childish about this. It isn't as
easy as handing her a note asking her if she
likes you with a check box next to a 'yes' 'no'
or 'maybe'. Be a grown up. You're a nice
guy, and I'm sure she'll like you. But you are
never going to find out until you talk to her!”
“I will, okay? Just not right now. I do not
know what to say to her and...”
“Whatever. Just remember to pick up some
amenities from the mortal realm while you
wander around brooding like a high schooler.
And while you're at it, make sure that you are
positive that she's worth it!”
“She is! I love her! I will do whatever it takes
and face any sort of punishment!”
“Then prove it!” Ruth shouted before she
walked out of the library, doing her very best
to ignore the look of hurt on Zane's face.
“But she might think that I'm some sort of
freak,” Zane whispered.
***

25. Eden woke up bright and early with a smile
on her face. Today was a special day.
She played with the blocks on her play table
for a little bit before toddling down the stairs.
She wanted everyone to know what day it
was.

26. First, she went into the greenhouse to find her
most favorite big person.
“Birf'day Mommy!”
Mary looked up from the plant she was
talking to. “It's Birthday, Eden sweetie.
You're going to be a big girl today, so you
must learn how to pronounce things
correctly! Don't touch that!” Mary scolded
as Eden reached for one of the plants. “You
don't want to ruin your pretty dress.”
“I yuv you, Mommy,” Eden replied before she
toddled back inside.

27. Next, she made her way to the living room to
find her father.
“Birfth'day Daddy!”
“J..j..ust...w..wa..wanted..to..l..look..up...g..
Grilled Cheese!” Goopy stuttered as the
shock of electricity from the computer
zapped him.
Eden giggled. “Daddy funny. I yuv you,
Daddy.”

28. She giggled as she went into the room where
her grandparents were located. They acted
so different from her parents, that the
affectionate spectacle that Sebastian and
Kitty put on always made Eden laugh.
“Birfth'day Gamma! Birfth'day Gampa! I yuv
you!”
Unfortunately, at that moment, Sebastian and
Kitty were preoccupied to respond to their
granddaughter.

29. She didn't too much though as she occupied
herself by bouncing in time to the stereo.
She looked over to the other end of the
room, and gave out an excited gasp and grin.
She stood up and began to toddle over to her
new point of interest.

30. The newest member of the Devereaux family,
Jack, made a tiny meow as he saw the
grinning toddler make her way towards him.
With a panicked look, the kitten tried to
escape the little girl's inevitable clutches.

31. To no avail, though, as the kitten's short legs
were no match for Eden as she managed to
catch him and give him a toddler snuggle.
“Birfth'day Jack! I yuv you kitty,” she said as
she planted a kiss on his head.
Jack mewed piteously as he tried to escape.

32. Sebastian managed to scoop the panicked
kitten out of Eden's hands before he started
scratching, though. He looked the kitten in
the eye and said with a smile, “Don't worry
Jack, in a couple of hours she won't be a
sticky little toddler anymore.”
Jack looked at Sebastian with a disdainful
glare, heaved a small, huffy sigh, and twitched
his tail.

33. A few hours later, after Eden had a nap and
was bathed by her mother, it was finally time
for her birthday. Mary gathered her daughter
into her arms and was about to call to her
husband.
She tossed about in her mind on how to
address him. Finally, she mentally sighed and
just called out, “Goopy. It's time for Eden's
birthday. Will you be joining us?”

34. In the recreation room, Goopy inhaled the
delightful scent of his grilled cheese
sandwich, completely ignoring Mary's call.

35. Mary waited a few moments and then just
shrugged. It wasn't like Goopy was all that
involved with Eden anyway. Not to mention,
there was nobody present to witness the
situation as Mary had opted to not throw a
full birthday party for the child.
“But, that's okay isn't it Eden? Momma knows
that you are a perky, pretty, perfect little girl,
Aren't you? Yes you are! Who is a pretty
little girl?”
Eden looked adoringly at her mother with a
smile.

36. They both leaned over the cake to blow out
the candles. “No no Eden, don't spit on
them! Blow them out like this!”

37. When she grew up and changed into the
clothes that her mother had left out for her,
Eden eagerly ran to the rec room where her
grandfather would be. He promised her a
present for her birthday, and she was most
anxious to receive it.

38. With a smile, she ran up to Sebastian and
held out her hand. Trying not to grin back,
Sebastian slapped her hand five. “Happy
Birthday, sweetheart,” he said.
Eden looked at her empty hand and then
back up at him, solemnly, still holding it out.
“Grandpa! You promised me a birthday
present!”
“It's your birthday? I don't remember anyone
telling me about it!”
Eden looked blankly at him, letting her hand
drop to her side. “But, you saw me blow out
the candles!” Sebastian laughed.
“Edie, I'm teasing you. Your birthday present
is upstairs in your bedroom, ready for you to
use.” Eden threw her arms around his neck
and gave him a kiss.
“Thank you!”
“You're welcome, sweetie. Happy Birthday.”

39. As she was heading upstairs, she overheard
her mother talking on the phone.
“Why, yes. She's grown up now so she can
take on more difficult roles. Umhm. Yes,
she's been working on her musical skills and
dance will now be added. Excellent. We
have a couple other commitments right now,
but once those clear up we can most
certainly let you know so she can audition.
Excuse me? Oh, yes, within the next week or
so. Outstanding, I will talk to you then!
Thank you.” As she hung up the phone, she
looked at her daughter with a smile.
“Great news, Eden. After you're done with
the next two photo shoots you'll actually have
some speaking parts on stage. Isn't that
exciting? We'll have to hire a tutor for your
school work. Oh! I should call one right
now! ”
Eden gave a small smile. “That's great,
Momma. I can't wait.” Mary blew her a kiss
while she dialed the phone. Eden kept her
small, neutral smile on her face as she made
her way to her bedroom.
***

42. Laurana looked around the empty bedroom
that she had briefly stayed in since the family
had been reunited. She didn't feel overly
nostalgic about leaving it as she hadn't been
in it long enough to gain a whole lot of
memories of it.

43. Aviendha, on the other hand, smiled sadly as
she and Ashley took one last look around.
“You gonna be okay?” Ashley asked.
Aviendha placed her hands on his shoulders.
“Yeah, I'm gonna be fine. It's just going to be
kinda weird not growing old in this house,
you know?” Ashley slid his arms around her
waist.
“But, we'll have the new house to grow old
in. It'll be a lot roomier and besides, the new
house will feel like home after a few months.”
She sighed. “I know. Besides...”

44. “...it's nice that we can do our friends this
solid after all they've done for us.”

45. After Marsha made sure that everything was
put away properly, she made her way to the
back yard where Xander was. She watched
him silently as he stared at the small bed of
flowers that were recently planted. “What's
on your mind, hon?”
Xander smiled as he turned to her and held
her hands.

46. “I was just thinking about how TOTALLY nice
it is to have them back home,” he replied.

47. That night, the ghost of Merlin poked his
head out from the Spirit Realm and checked
out the new surroundings.
“Uh, it looks, er, like our graves, er, have
been, um, moved.” Merlin called out to
Savannah.
“Well Family Sim, is it our actual family who
moved us, or grave robbers?”
Merlin floated around a bit more. “Er, family.
Xander's old. Looks, er, like we're great-
grandparents, um, as well.”
“Good. I was tired of floating around the
graveyard haunting strangers. “
“It's, er, nice to, um, see the family again,
too.”
“Well, then the family won't mind if we swipe
some food from them. Check out their fridge
and grab something good.”

48. Merlin opened the fridge and began pulling
some of the food out.
“Grab some of the good juice, if they have
any,” Savannah instructed. “Ansley wants
some of the pink stuff.”
Merlin chuckled. He was glad that he and
Savannah could host their own gathering on
the Spirit Realm now, instead of always
having to mooch off of Savannah's relatives.
“Er, what about your, um, father? What
would he like?”
“Dad says that by Bob, everyone will rue the
day that he got created for this legacy unless
he gets some decent chocolate cake. So,
chocolate cake.”
Merlin whistled in a ghostly manner as he
grabbed everything that was needed for the
party. It certainly was good to be home.

49. Most of the Lewis family had little problem
settling into their new home. Xander and
Marsha were both retired, so they spent a lot
of time in their new garden.

50. Because Xander had managed to pull some
strings, Ashley had a number of job offers.
Though, Ashley couldn't help but smile at the
fact that one of the job offers was as a school
teacher.
However, he chose the job that he thought
he would enjoy the most.

51. Besides, Aviendha thought he was dead sexy
in his pirate garb.

52. Aviendha had also managed to become an
acclaimed artist in some circles, but in her off
time she still painted multiple pictures with
the hope that someday she would be able to
open an art gallery with Frances and
Malcolm.

53. Moving twice and attending her new school,
Pleasantview Academy, made adjusting a bit
more difficult for Laurana, however. She
made a few tentative friends with her distant
cousins, but for the most part, she didn't
participate much in class discussions or any
extra curricular activities.
She decided that she wasn't going to let on to
her family about how rough it was for her,
though. Everyone else seemed so happy.

54. It didn't help matters much that the
headmaster sent a note home with Laurana
requesting a meeting with her parents. When
she got the note, she opened it up on the bus
and read it. Of course, it didn't say anything
very interesting other than that he wanted to
meet with the Lewis family, but Laurana was
certain that she was in some sort of trouble.
She threw the letter out.

55. “I didn't do anything wrong,” she mumbled to
herself as she sat down to do her homework.
“Why does he want to talk to them?” She
blew her hair out of her eyes and squinted
slightly at her homework. She soon forgot
about the letter as she settled in and worked
on her fractions.

56. A few days passed when Aviendha received a
phone call from the school. She listened to
Mr. Ryan on the other end and she explained
to him that, no, she hadn't received the note
he had sent home with her daughter and yes,
it was just fine for him to come over that
night for a meeting.
She gave an sigh when she hung up the
phone, irritated that Laurana had concealed
this information from her.

57. Headmaster Ryan showed up promptly at
five, and Aviendha made sure that she was on
the sidewalk to greet him. “Ah, Mrs. Lewis,
it's nice to finally meet you. I want to
reassure you that Laurana is not in any sort of
trouble. I generally like to meet with the
parents of new students and such.”
Aviendha breathed a sigh of relief. The
Headmaster wasn't finished, though.
“However, there are some minor concerns
that her teachers brought to my attention,
and I thought I would bring them up to you
and your husband.”
“Of course,” Aviendha murmured, “why don't
you come in. I'm sure that dinner is ready.”

58. Laurana sulked guiltily while she ate her
dinner. Both of her parents had scolded her
for throwing away the letter from the
Headmaster and her punishment was
pending. To make matters worse, apparently
there wasn't any major problems and she
wasn't in trouble at school, so tossing the
letter out had been pointless. She sighed
mournfully while the adults talked to each
other. Then, Headmaster Ryan addressed
her, forcing her to look shyly up at him.

59. “Laurana, your teachers tell me that you don't
participate in class even though you are a
bright girl who is doing very well. Why is
that?”
Laurana shrugged. “I don't know,” she
responded quietly.

60. “Honey, are you scared of giving the wrong
answer? Is that why?” Aviendha asked.
Laurana scoffed. “No Mom. I know all of the
answers. School is easy.”
“Then why don't you answer the questions?”
“Because...because I don't want to answer all
of the questions and be laughed at for being
a nerd,” she answered, not looking at her
mother.
Aviendha sighed. She knew Laurana wasn't
telling the full truth, but she didn't want to
press the issue in front of the Headmaster.

61. “She's lying,” Aviendha said to Ashley as they
began clearing the plates from the table after
the Headmaster left.
“Yep,” was his distracted response. He was
turning something about his daughter over in
his mind. Aviendha sighed, vexed.

62. After the dishes were done, Ashley went into
the living room, where he received a hug
from Laurana. “I'm sorry, Dad. I didn't mean
to be bad.”
He looked down at her and his suspicions
were confirmed: she was squinting. “Well
Lori, as long as you know that it was bad and
you won't do it again. You're still going to be
grounded from going outside for the
weekend though. Does that sound fair?”
“No!”
“Good. That means it's actually a punishment
then,” was his cheerful response. “You really
wouldn't learn your lesson if we grounded
you from television, seeing as you really don't
watch it. Right?”
“Yeah...”
Ashley kissed her forehead. “Alright baby, we
love you. Now off to bed.”
Laurana walked out of the room, dejected.

63. She sighed woefully as she crawled into bed.
It would have been better if her parents had
grounded her from television; but they were
right, she didn't really watch it. She flopped
her head down on the pillow and sulked.
Tossing the letter out was totally not worth it.

64. “Glasses,” Ashley said as he crawled into bed.
“What?”
“She needs glasses. That's probably a big
reason why she doesn't participate. Add that
to her just generally being shy and...” he
shrugged.
Aviendha thought about it. “You're probably
right. We'll schedule an eye appointment.”
They both snuggled down to sleep, content
with the thought they they were awesome
parents.
***

65. “Frances!” Aviendha shouted with glee as she
threw her arms around her friend. “We
thought you, Mal and Karen were out of
town!”
The newly tanned Frances J. Worthington
accepted the hug with a smile. “Well, yes.
We happened to have a slight layover and we
won't be leaving for the rest of our journey
until tomorrow. I wished to stop by and visit
while I had the chance. Malcolm sends his
regards, by the way.”
“How are you? How is Malcolm? How is
your daughter?”
Another happy smile spread across his face.
“Malcolm and I are doing splendidly. Karen,
of course, is a delight and we have been
enjoying showing her the world immensely.”

66. “Did you and Mal ever find out who her
biological parents were?”
Frances knitted his brow for a moment, then
shrugged. “No, we have not. We decided it
would be best to not press the issue, though.
As far as we are concerned, we are her
parents and we even went as far as changing
her name so that she bears both mine and
Malcolm's. It is most strange, though...” he
trailed off.
“What?”
“We'll find small trinkets and gifts for her on
our doorstep occasionally. We assume they
are from someone who is interested in her
well being; most likely the same person
who...gave...her to us.” He smiled warmly and
then outright laughed, which was surprising to
Aviendha, as he was usually much more stoic.
“Karen is under the impression that Santa
Claus is her guardian angel.” He chuckled a
bit more.
Aviendha smiled fondly at her friend.
“Fatherhood suits you.”

67. “Hey, hey Frances!” Ashley called out as he
entered the living room. “Nice tan!” Frances
beamed and then made a weird gesture.
Ashley raised his eyebrow. “What the hell is
that?”
“That, my friend, is the official greeting of
Twikkii Island, which incidentally also includes
saying, 'Hey, hey.'” Frances made the gesture
again. “Hey, hey Ashley,” he said like a pro.
Ashley laughed.
“I see that a congratulations is also in order,
huh?” Frances smiled even wider.
“Well, it is nothing official, and it is not
recognized here, but it was still nice to...stick
it to the man, I suppose one would say.”
“Well, congratulations either way.”
“Thank you. I'll be sure to pass the
sentiments on to Malcolm as well.”

68. Frances then regaled his friends with stories
from Twikkii Island: the sights, the sounds, the
food, and the historical monuments that he
and the rest of his family had seen while
there.
“We even saw the 'Witch Doctor' and got
that strange looking doll from him. I didn't
want to keep it, but Mal insisted on putting it
on display on our bookshelf. It is rather
disturbing to look at , but I suppose as long as
it remains on the shelf and it doesn't come to
life like that horrid 'Billy' doll from that one
online game, I suppose we'll keep it.”
“Ah, Nek Castle,” Ashley laughed. “I'm glad
you guys had fun. We wish we could have
gone with you.”
“Well, I am quite certain that Malcolm and I
will return there. Perhaps the four of us can
go together after Karen has grown up.”
“Sounds like a plan.”

69. “Speaking of Karen, however, I'm afraid that
she will be unable to attend Laurana's
birthday party, as we'll be in Three Lakes
during that time.”
“Ah, that's okay. We knew that, but we also
knew that it would have been rude to not
invite her, know what I mean?”
Frances looked relieved. “I did not wish to
offend and I do hope that Laurana will be
able to show up for Karen's own party when
she has it.”
“Dude, we'll be there with bells and whistles.
You know that. Besides, Avi kinda wants to
see what you've done to the place.”
“That would be splendid. However, I must
get going. We have a very early flight
tomorrow morning.”
And, with that, Frances left with a light spring
in his step.
***

70. Soon, it was time for Laurana's birthday. She
really wasn't one to want huge parties, like
the rest of her family, but at least it was
mostly people that she knew.

71. Even her distant cousin Eden was able to
make it. It was strange, Eden was away from
school a lot because of her performance
schedules. But apparently, Eden was still
doing well in school.

72. Indeed, Laurana knew almost everyone at the
party, except for one person. Apparently he
was another family member, but the family
was only just getting to know him. Xander
was one of the outgoing people, so after a
round of introductions, he pulled the young
man to the side to talk to him.
“So, you're my cousin Lillian's son, huh?”

73. Zane fidgeted with his hands slightly before
answering. “In a manner of speaking, yes.”
Xander nodded.
“I never met her, but from what I understand,
she is a real...character.”
Zane smiled wanly at the statement, but said
nothing. The two of them stood looking at
each other for a moment, not saying
anything. Zane shifted uncomfortably and
began to walk away.

74. “I also hear that you're the,” Xander lowered
his voice, “that you're the Grim Reaper.”
Zane closed his eyes and would have sighed.
“It really is not supposed to be common
knowledge. I honestly wish that the family
did not announce it to everyone.” Xander
shrugged.
“Dude, you TOTALLY can't expect something
like that to be kept secret. But, I'm pretty sure
the knowledge of what you are is only kept
within the family, and the children don't know
so they can't blab about it.”
Zane relaxed slightly. “I find that somewhat
of a relief.”

75. “So,” Xander said after a moment, “when am
I going to die?”
“What?!”
“Well, I mean, you would TOTALLY know,
right?”

76. “Xander, even if I did know, which I do not, I
would not tell you. That would be a horrible
thing to tell someone, even if they asked for
such a thing!”
“So, you TOTALLY don't know?”
“No!”
Xander yawned. “Well, then, what kind of
Grim Reaper are you if you don't have that
simple knowledge?”

77. Zane had spent enough time with Ruth and
Jezebel to know when he was being baited,
however. So, he simply smiled.
“Even if I knew, I am not a horrible enough of
a person to tell you. Knowing when you are
going to die is a curse, not a blessing.”
“Dude. I'll just TOTALLY throw a party
everyday then, you know. And I'll make sure
that you're invited. On the day that you don't
show up, I'll know that's the day I'm going to
die.”
Zane outright laughed and shook his head.
“That will not work as it would be impossible
for me to attend every party. I do have a job,
a job that has paperwork, you know. I will
appreciate the invites, though.”
“So, you really don't know?”
“No, I do not. Now, I believe Laurana is
going to blow out her birthday candles. I
wish to try out some birthday cake,” he said
as he walked away, still chuckling a bit.

78. Laurana looked around hesitantly at all of the
people who were gathering around her. She
had to keep reminding herself that they were
friends and family and they all wanted to see
her grow up well.

79. As she leaned over her birthday cake to make
her wish, a sudden panic rose up. She had
absolutely no idea what she wanted to wish
for. Her mind drew a complete blank and
she watched everyone cheer her on. Hastily,
she blew out the candles.
“What did you wish for?” Someone from the
crowd asked with a laugh.
With a small smile, she replied with, “You
know I can't say, otherwise it won't come
true.” She knew that answer was safe
enough.

80. After she and the rest of her guests had some
birthday cake, Laurana went and changed
into the clothes she had picked out. In the
bathroom, she looked at herself in the mirror,
pulled out her pigtails, and shakily put on her
new glasses.
She stared at her reflection for a long time
before she stuck her tongue out at the mirror.
“I look like a librarian,” she whispered glumly.

81. Everyone was happily socializing with each
other when she slipped outside. She stood in
the backyard for a while, looking up at the
stars. Finally, a birthday wish came to mind.
“I just want a quiet, happy life. Is that too
plain and simple to ask for?”
***

82. “You're kidding, right? Please, Mom, tell me
that you are,” Amelia sighed into the phone.
“No, I am not.”
“MOM! You promised a low profile life for
me!”
“And I had intended on giving you just that.
But your father insisted.”
“Mother, really, you guys don't need to go to
all that trouble. A small birthday party for
Rose is just fine.”

83. “Well, I suppose I ought to tell you that your
father is being insistent because...well..”
“Well? Well what? Oh dear God, is he
planning on making some sort of scene?”

84. “Rose, don't lick the plate. You know it
disgusts your mother,” Miles said as he
walked into the house. He didn't even have
to look over at his daughter to know what
she was doing.

85. Rose guiltily stopped licking the plate. “Aww,
how did you know, Dad?”
“Who do you think you inherited that habit
from?” Miles answered back.
Suddenly, there was a frustrated yell from
Amelia coming from upstairs.
“YOU OKAY?” Miles called up.
“YEAH, I'M FINE. JUST PEACHY. ROSE,
YOUR GRANDMOTHER WANTS TO TALK
TO YOU.”
“YOUR MOM OR DAD'S MOM?”
“DOES IT MATTER?”
“KINDA.”
“JUST PICK UP THE PHONE, SMART ALEC!”
“FIIINE.”

86. “Hi Grandma,” Rose said when she picked up
the phone.
“Hi sweetie. You know that your
grandfather and I love you, right? You know
that whatever your grandfather does, he's not
doing it to be mean, right?”
“Yeah, I guess...”
“Good. I want you to keep that in mind for
your birthday party.”

87. Miles held his wife's hand as they sat in the
hot tub together. “So, what was that all
about?” Amelia rolled her eyes.
“My Dad is being all embarrassing and stuff.
He's trying to make a point so he's planning
on making a scene at Rose's party, even
though my mom promised that we would
have a low key life.”
Miles caressed Amelia's shoulder. She had
told him a while back about the entire SimSelf
thing, so he knew all about the sacrifice she
had made for him. He had been flattered and
he honestly didn't mind not being in the
public eye all that much.
However, her eccentric parents could be a
trial, especially when they looked at him with
that knowing look...or when there was some
sort of stunt brewing.

88. Over the next day or so, Miles, Amelia, and
Rose all prayed that the earth would swallow
them whole before the birthday party.
Unfortunately, their wishes didn't come true,
and Rose's birthday was upon them.
Keith was one of the first guests to arrive,
strutting like a model, singing, “I'm...too sexy
for my pants, too sexy for my pants...”
Amelia did her very best to ignore him as
Keith made his rounds, making sure that
everyone saw him.

89. “How are you doing, Sebastian?” I asked,
with the intent on keeping my questions
vague as Ashley was standing right there.
Sebastian smiled as he looked over at his
family socializing with each other.
“I'm doing great.”
“Are you and Kitty okay?”
He smiled even wider. “Yeah, we're fine.”
“Good. Did she show you the...” I looked
over at Ashley again. He seemed vaguely
curious, but I didn't want to take any chances,
“Did she show you the information?”
He laughed. “Yeah, she did. It
was...fascinating, like you said it would be.
Though it's weird to know that...” he trailed
off as he, too, noticed Ashley listening in on
the conversation.
“Weird to know that you are alive in another
dimension when you're going to be dead in
this one?” Ashley finished helpfully. He got
surprised looks from the both of us and he
laughed. “Come on. I'm not exactly an
original Sim myself, you know.”
“Well, you hide your knowledge beautifully,”
I replied with a smile
“I know,” was the laughing response.

90. Sebastian's good humor didn't last very long,
though. When he sat down at the table he
noticed something odd out of the corner of
his eye, something that didn't seem quite
right. When he looked to see what it was his
mouth dropped open in disgust and horror.
“Put some framming pants on!” he shouted to
Keith. “This is your granddaughter's birthday!”
“No can do, Seb-a-roo,” Keith replied. “Not
until I get what I want. What I want isn't that
big of a deal but my wife seems to think it is.”
“Oh my framming lord,” Sebastian rolled his
eyes.
“Hey, watch your mouth around Rose. Her
delicate ears and all that.” Keith whistled as
he strutted away.

91. Much to everyone's relief, Rose's birthday
cake was brought out and everyone could
focus on her instead of the more
uncomfortable sights.

92. “Make a wish!” Amelia said.
“I know what I'd wish for if it were my
birthday!” Keith said with a smarmy grin.
“Well, it's my birthday and I wish that
Grandpa would put on some pants!” Rose
stated, matter-of-fact. Everyone in the crowd
groaned.
“Ha! You said your wish out loud! It won't
come true now! I'm...too sexy for my pants,
too sexy for my pants!” Keith started to sing
and do the “Carlton Dance,” much to
everyone's displeasure.

93. Aged up and clothes changed, Rose gladly
began talking to her little cousin, ignoring her
grandfather's pants-less antics as much as
possible.
“So, Edie, what's it like not having to go to
school all of the time? Is it fun?”

94. Eden shrugged. “I have a tutor and stuff, so
it's not like I don't have to do homework.”
“Don't you get to play with kids though?”
“Oh! All of the time! There's other kids in the
plays and photo shoots and stuff. We all get
tutored around the same time, take a lunch
break, and then we have a show that night.”
Eden shrugged again.
“So, you, like, have a job then? That sucks.”
“Aw, it's not so bad. I've been doing it
forever, so I'm used to it.” She smiled sweetly
up at her big cousin. “But, I really hope that
Momma will let me have a birthday party so I
can invite all you guys over. The kids I hang
out with are...snobs. They think they're better
than everyone else. But, they aren't better
than me, that's what Momma says.”
Rose was about to laugh at Eden's rather
grownup talk, thinking that she was faking it.
After listening a bit longer, though, she
realized that it wasn't an act. Eden did that
naturally. Rose mentally shrugged. Must be
because of all the lines she has to memorize
and stuff, she thought.

95. “So, Mom,” Amelia began when she had a
moment. “About Dad. Yeah. Tell him to put
some pants on.”

96. I gave an exaggerated gasp. “Oh my God,
Amelia! Why didn't I think of that before? It's
such a simple little thing that must have
completely escaped me! You, my dear sweet
child, are a genius. Pure genius I tell you! All
the money your father and I spent on college
for you was worth it, I see!”
Amelia rolled her eyes. “Yeah, okay, enough
with the sarcasm, I get it. By the way, you
and Dad didn't pay for college, remember? It
was all scholarships. But, seriously, about the
pants...”

97. I shrugged. “I can't give him what he wants.
Scratch that. I won't give him what he wants,
because I know that he'll get carried away
and probably kill someone. It's all fun and
games when it's only the pee puddle; but
when Zane has to get involved, it starts
causing problems.”
Amelia sighed. “Well, I hope Dad's happy to
know that he's probably scarred Rose for
life.”
“Honey, I think he's scarred all of us for life.”

98. Much to Amelia's relief, the party was soon
over and she and her family could go back to
their low profile life. Amelia hugged her
father, who was the last guest to leave.
“I hope you know that you've succeeded in
embarrassing everyone, Dad.” Keith smiled.
“Good! Maybe it'll get the Batbox situation
resolved faster!” Amelia just shook her head
as Keith strutted theatrically out the door.

99. After he left, she flopped down on one of the
dining chairs with a sigh. Everyone was quiet
for a few moments and Amelia began to feel
Miles' eyes upon her.
“What?” She said as she turned to look at
him.

100. “Your parents are weird,” was his reply.
“No they aren't! They're...eccentric.”

101. Miles turned to Rose and they both began to
laugh. “Nope, they're weird. At least my
parents have the decency to be normal.”
“Oh, yeah,” Amelia retorted sarcastically,
“real normal when your mother talks about
dressing up in Victorian clothing and having
your dad tie her to bedposts and stuff.”
Miles abruptly stopped laughing as a look of
horror crossed his face. “Nuh uh! No they
don't!”
“Yep. They do.”
“You..you take that back! They don't do...no
way! They're normal!”
“Nope.”
“Yes!”
“Ewwwww!”

102. She stepped into his arms and playfully began
to dance with him. “Oh, I don't know, Miles.
Maybe the clothing part isn't so bad. I mean,
I could go talk to that guy across the street,
you know, the one with the green coat and
spiffy knickers, and ask him who his tailor is.
I'm sure you would look absolutely charming
in a get up like that.”
“Don't...don't even joke about that. Victorian
clothing is dead to me. I'll never be able to
read Jane Austen books again without having
nightmares.”
Amelia laughed. “And, you only have your
normal parents to blame for that. Not mine.”
“And...that's point and match,” Miles replied.

103. It wasn't until the next morning that Rose
realized exactly what had happened the night
before. And, in the true embarrassment that
only a teenager can muster, she looked up
and groaned.
“Oh. My. God! Grandpa wasn't wearing
any pants, and everyone saw! I am so
humiliated!”
***

106. “Up, Jack, up. Do you want the treat? Up!”
Jack rose on his hind legs and begged for the
treat.
“Good boy, Jack! Who is so smart? Yes you
are!” Mary squatted down and fondly
stroked the cat. It was one of those rare
times where Eden wasn't in a show, so she
was on a normal school schedule. Mary was
bored and she was eager for Eden to turn into
a teenager so she land more high profile jobs,
such as a television series or even a movie.

107. “I've been practicing, Kit. I'm positive that I'm
finally going to beat you at this game,”
Sebastian said as he racked the pool balls.

108. “Confident enough to place a wager on it?”

109. Sebastian stroked his chin. “Kitty, you don't
need the money, so that would be kinda
pointless, wouldn't you say?”

110. “Not money, silly. Something much more
interesting.”
“And what would that be?”
“You, me, Victorian clothing, portrait painted
so it can hang in the living room. Possible fun
and excitement in said Victorian clothing
later, no need for that to be documented.”

111. “Um, the 'fun and excitement' sounds fine.
But...Victorian clothing?”

112. “Oh come on, Sebby. If you've been
practicing, then you don't have to worry
about it, right?”

113. “I don't suppose playing slop is an option?”

114. Kitty paused and gave a cheeky grin. “Nope.
You know that's not how I roll.”

115. “Mmhmm. I also notice that you've been
running the table.”

116. Kitty did a congratulatory fist pump as she
sunk another ball into the called pocket.
“Well, yeah. You see, I know that you've
been practicing. But, if you are unable to hit
any balls, then I win.”
Sebastian hung his head.

117. In short order, Kitty won the game. She
walked into the living room and began
looking at all the places the future portrait
could hang. Sebastian followed her and
gathered her into his arms. “You know, Kit, I
never agreed to the wager.”
“Too late, I already ordered the clothes.”
“When did you have time to do that?!”
“Before we started playing. Come on, do it
for me? It won't be tacky, I promise.”
“People are going to think that we're strange.”
“Who cares?”
Sebastian smiled. “Oh, alright.” Kitty clapped
her hands together gleefully and gave him a
kiss.

118. Sebastian sat on the couch with a sigh. “Oh
God, what did I agree to?” He mumbled. As
he sat there, he started noticing the
conversation that Mary was having on the
phone.

119. “Why, that sounds absolutely perfect for her!
I will let you know as soon as she turns into a
teenager. Thank you so much for giving her
this opportunity. Good bye!” Mary grinned
happily as she hung up the phone.

120. Sebastian decided that he wanted to have a
word with his daughter, and he managed to
catch her in the reception room. “Mary,
don't you think...don't you think you're driving
Eden a bit hard? I mean, she's barely had
time to be a kid. Let her live a little!”
Mary forced a bright grin on her face.
“Daddy, don't be ridiculous. Do you know
how many children would kill for the
opportunities Eden's been given? All of this is
a wonderful learning experience for her!”
“Mary, it's just that-”
“Daddy! I know what I'm doing. Please, trust
me on this, okay? Now, if you will excuse
me, Eden has come home and she might
need help with her homework.”
Sebastian sighed.

121. Eden was about to gleefully turn on the video
game that all the children at school were
talking about when her mother entered the
room.
“Eden, you don't have time for that right
now.”
“Aw, but Momma,”
“No buts, sweetie. First homework, then
piano lessons, then dance, then, maybe if
there is time, then you can play video games.
But not before then. Discipline is the key to
success, okay?”
“Okay,” Eden sighed as she turned off the
computer.

122. So, after her school work was completed,
Eden practiced on the piano for the
scheduled two hours.

123. And after the piano came the ballet bar that
she got for her birthday.

124. Unfortunately, there were not enough hours
in the day for her to play video games, she
realized as her mother came in to wish her a
goodnight.
“Momma?” Eden hesitantly asked. “Do you
think I'll be able to have an actual birthday
party tomorrow? I would really like to invite
some of my school friends.”
Mary looked down at her daughter and
smiled. “I don't see why not. You've done
very well with your lessons and everything
else. Good behavior gets reward, and you
certainly deserve to be rewarded. Now, off
to bed with you.” Mary gave Eden a loving
kiss and a smile.

125. As she happily climbed into bed, Eden
realized that there was one other person she
wanted to make sure was present at her
party. She quietly slipped out from under the
covers and tiptoed down the stairs.

126. “I wanted to say goodnight to you,” she
began.

127. Goopy chewed loudly on his sandwich,
apparently unaware of his daughter standing
behind him.
“Daddy?”
Startled, Goopy jerked around and peered at
her.
“Daddy, will you be at my birthday party
tomorrow?”
“My God! You're my kid, aren't you?”
Goopy stated, surprised, with his mouth full
of food. Eden nodded. “When did you get
so big?”
Eden smiled and shrugged, unsure of how to
answer. Goopy turned forward again,
forgetting that she was standing there.
“Mm, grilled cheese. I need to make more.”

128. When it became apparent that her father
wasn't going to say more, Eden kindly took it
upon herself to clear up the empty plates that
Goopy had left. “There you go, Daddy, I
made some room for you.”

129. As she started to walk towards the kitchen,
Goopy came out of his foggy, grilled cheese,
haze again and turned to her. “Your name is
Eden, right?” Eden stopped, smiled and
nodded happily. His mind struggled with
what he wanted to say as his concentration
had veered off of his obsession. “You seem
to be a nice enough kid, I guess.” Before he
could say any more, his mind snapped back
to the grilled cheese sandwich in front of him.
Eden, however, was beside herself with
happiness. That was the longest conversation
she had ever had with him.

130. Before she could say anything, he stood up
and passed gas over the table. “Ah! Much
better!”
Eden giggled. “I love you, Daddy. Good
night.”
***

131. “Edie, you can stop practicing the piano. I
thought your mother gave you the day off
today,” Kitty said to her granddaughter.
“She did, Grandma, but I really wanted to
make sure that I got this song right!”
Kitty sighed. “Well, it's birthday time. All of
your guests are here. You don't really want
to leave them hanging, do you?”
Eden abruptly stopped her piano playing.
“All of my guests are here? Really?”
Kitty raised an eyebrow at Eden's strange
tone. “Well, yes, everyone is here and they
are waiting for you by your birthday-” she
stopped when Eden dashed out of the room.

132. Eden smiled happily. It was true, all of her
guests were there, including the most
important one, her father. She waved happily
to him as everyone began cheering and
blowing on the party horns.

133. She cheered along with everyone else. She
honestly didn't mind being the center of
attention, and it was even better that her
birthday wish came true: Her dad was there
to help her celebrate her birthday.

134. “Happy Birthday,” Laurana said quietly to
Eden when a lot of the people cleared out of
the room. “It's so cool that we're all the same
age now. Maybe we'll be able to hang out
together. You know...if you want to.”
“I hope I can, it would be neat to go to the
movies and stuff. Maybe meet some boys,”
Eden responded as she gave her friend a hug.
Laurana blushed at the thought of having to
talk to strangers.

135. There was another guest present that Eden
was pleased to see. Jill Broke had been taken
under Eden's wing at the Pleasantview
Academy. Jill was a charity case there on
scholarship, so a lot of the snobbier kids
made fun of her. Eden, during her brief times
there, always made sure that she was nice to
the red headed girl, though.
“Hi, Jill. I really like that shirt. It's a pretty
color on you,” Eden said, sincerely.
Jill blushed and looked down at the ragged
sleeve. She was pretty certain that Eden
really meant it, but her shabby clothes were
still an embarrassment, especially when it was
present in a house of obvious wealth.
“Thank you,” the girl said shyly. “Um, Eden, I
was wondering, if you can, um. Well, I was
going to have a birthday party, and I wanted
to know if you could come?”
Eden looked at her mother for approval.
Mary gave a smile. “We'll see,” was her non-
committal response.

136. 'We'll see' usually meant 'no' in Eden's
experience, but she didn't want to let on, lest
she hurt Jill's feelings. She put on a big smile
for her friend. “I'm going to try real hard to
be able to, okay?”
Jill nodded and shrugged. “If you're busy, I
would understand.”
“If I can't make it, I'll make sure that we all get
together and have fun out on the town,”
Eden replied boldly, ignoring her mother's
cool gaze. She would find the time. She had
to.

137. After the guests had all left and the party was
cleaned up, Mary made her way to the
telephone to call Eden's agency.
Everything that she was doing, including the
sacrifice of her own happiness, was going to
be worth it in the end. Mary was determined
to end the hatred people had for the
Devereaux family. The key to it all was Eden.
If people loved Eden...then eventually they
will start to love the rest of the family. Eden's
children, her children's children, and so on
and so forth, just might be able to live in
complete happiness, never having to worry
about irrational hatred.
It seemed a worthy cause, in Mary's eyes.

138. “Hello, this is Mary Devereaux calling. Yes,
Eden's mother. I'm calling to let you know
that Eden is now a teenager and I was
wondering when we can set up an audition?”

139. Eden, for her part, was mostly unaware of her
mother's ambition. Being over scheduled and
exposed to the public eye was something
that she had grown up with. She knew it was
a bit more intense than if she were just a
'regular' heir, but...that's just how things were.
She honestly didn't mind. Much.
However, those thoughts were not going
through her mind at that moment. Her
thoughts rested on her father as he walked
out of the room, completely oblivious of her
existence, once again.
“Good night, Daddy,” Eden whispered.
“Thank you for coming to my birthday party.”
***

140. ”Zane, I tried to stop her but-” Jezebel began
as she, Ruth and Tina burst into the room.
Zane felt a number of emotions clamor up
when he saw Tina: worry, fear, sorrow,
happiness, and love. He tried very hard to
keep his face neutral though as he nervously
fidgeted with his hands.
“No, it’s okay, Jezebel. I suppose I cannot put
this off any longer,” he calmly replied.

141. ”Zane! Oh thank God it’s you!” Tina cried as
she threw her arms around him. “I was
getting so tired of those two telling me
horrible things like I’m dead. And then there
was that guy who looked like Death who was
in my room and he yelled at me and told me
that I am selfish. And I’m not! Really! This
place sucks, Zane! I want to go home!”
He held her in his arms for a moment,
wishing once again that everything was
normal and he didn’t need to have this kind
of conversation with Tina. He lightly stroked
her back before letting her go.

142. ”Tina,” he began and faltered. “Tina, you
cannot go home. You..you know that. I…” he
trailed off, pained. “I told you that you could
not.”
It wasn’t necessarily a look of dawning
comprehension that crossed Tina’s face.
More, it was like she had been denying the
truth for as long as she could, but she wasn’t
able to any longer. She took a step back from
him.
“You…You are Death, aren’t you?” Zane
nodded miserably. “Then, you aren’t human
anymore. You’re some sort of-”
“So help me, if you finish that sentence, I will
pop you one, Zane loving you be dammed!”
Jezebel threatened. But the damage was
done as Tina’s unspoken word cut through
Zane and he hung his head.

143. A thick silence filled the room as Zane set his
face to neutrality. “Believe me, Tina, if I could
wish back everything, I would; the Creator
knows that I have tried. But what is done is
done and now you are faced with a decision.
I can take you back to the Mortal Realm and
let you live out the last few seconds of your
life. When you die, I will be forced to collect
you and send you to the Punished Realm, as
that is where the spirits of people who
committed suicide, as well as other crimes,
go. There, you will have to live out your
entire life all over again in utter hopelessness.
“Or, you can stay here. You can never fully
leave my presence, but fortunately my estate
counts as my presence so you do not have to
be in the same room as me, seeing as you
find my Dead state so unbearable. There are
plenty of things here to occupy you, even a
stable where my horse is, if you like horses. If
I recall correctly, you do. Neither decision is
ideal, but one essential prison is far better
than the other. The choice is yours. Which is
it going to be?”

144. Before she could answer, everyone heard the
front door thud open as a voice called out,
“Lucy! I’m home!” Zane’s eyes widened and
the Hula Girls let out twin gasps.
“It’s can’t be!”
“Oh no!” And the sisters ran out of the room
in a panic.
“What? What is going on?” Zane asked after
them.

145. When he didn’t hear an answer, he turned to
Tina. “You have to stay here! Right here in
this room. Do not move, do not follow!”
“No! I’m coming with.”
Vexed, Zane grabbed her shoulders. “No,
you cannot! Do you know how much trouble
I will be in if a stranger finds out you are here?
You will not have any choice but to go to the
Punished Realm, me along with you, if that
happens. Stay here!” He ran out of the
room himself. Tina waited only a moment
before softly trailing behind him.

146. “Ruthie! Jez! How are you sweet young
things doing these days?” Thaddeus Wilcox
said in a leering manner while he smoked a
cigarette, ignoring the girls’ glares.
“When did you get released?” Jezebel asked
in a scornful tone.
“Ah Jez, you know how it is what with how
time moves differently here. A couple days
ago, a couple hours ago, who knows?”
“Well, then surely you need to settle into your
own home,” Ruth spit out. Thaddeus
chuckled.
“That shit hole? I already did. I just came by
because I was instructed to ‘report to Zane
Devereaux,’ and ‘offer any assistance he may
need.’ So, where is the newbie?”

147. ”I am Zane Devereaux. Who might you be?”
Zane asked as he sedately entered the foyer.
Thaddeus ground his cigarette out on the rug
and gave a mock bow to him.
“I am Thaddeus Wilcox, Pet Reaper
Extraordinaire, at your service. So, I am dying
to know: which of the two is yours?”
“I beg your pardon?”
“Jez or Ruth? Which one? I need to know so I
don’t step on any toes, Creator forbid. Or
have you claimed both? God, you’re a lucky
man if you did. Isn’t it great being a Reaper?
You can always get what you want.”

148. ”Zane isn’t like that!” Tina indignantly stated
as she stepped around the corner.
“Oh, Tina,” Ruth whispered.
“She’s bloody retarded. I didn’t think it was
possible, yet here is the proof,” Jezebel said
as she shook her head.
Zane said nothing as his hand shakily raised
up to his eyes.
Thaddeus, for his part, looked pleased as he
walked over to Tina.

149. Putting his arms around her, he inhaled
deeply. “A mortal. Oh, Thanatos, you’ve
been a very bad boy, haven’t you?” Tina gave
a pleading, terrified look to Zane.

150. -Something inside of him snapped, and he
strode over to Thaddeus and knocked him to
the ground. “Get off of her! Don’t you ever
touch her again! The same goes for Ruth and
Jezebel! Do you hear me?” He stood over
the Pet Reaper, his clenched fists shaking.
Thaddeus gave a feral smile, stood up, and
dusted himself off nonchalantly.
“You’re going to pay for that someday,
Thanatos. Nobody pushes me around and
gets away with it. But, you can worry about
that later. What you need to do is worry
about now.”

151. The slightest twinge of regret shot through
Zane, but he pushed it down while he still
stood, glaring at Thaddeus. “What do you
mean?”
“Well, of course I talking about the entire
mortal being here situation. You see, mortals
aren’t allowed to be here. And, if I am
guessing correctly, this particular mortal is an
uncollected soul. Very, very naughty. Not
only will you be punished, but Ruth and
Jezebel as well. You’ll be sent to the
Punished Realm, where I doubt you’ll last a
day. Ruthie and Jez, on the other hand, will
be terminated. Destroyed. Poof. Gone. Bye-
bye.”
A look of horror crossed Zane’s face.
Apparently, he never thought about his
actions getting his friends into trouble. He
looked over at the sisters. “I am so sorry! I
did not know!” The girls shrugged.
“We did. Don’t worry about it. He’s
exaggerating,” Jezebel said confidently.
“No I’m not, and you know it.”
“Shut up, Thad!”

152. Thaddeus crossed his arms and looked at
Zane. “Of course, I won’t tattle on you. As
long as you give me what I want, of course.”
Defeated, Zane asked, “And what would that
be?” Thaddeus smiled.
“Well,” he began, “I’ve always preferred this
house over my own. I’ll tell you what. You
trade houses with me, and I won’t tell about
the pretty little blonde you’ve been boning.
No pun intended, of course.”
Zane blushed at the comment and looked at
Thaddeus warily. “That’s it? That’s all I have
to do?”
“Yep.”
“You promise?”
Thaddeus smirked. “Cross my heart and hope
to die.”
“Don’t do it Zane. He’s a liar,” Ruth pleaded.

153. ”There is nothing I can do, Ruth. I do not
want to get you guys in trouble.” Zane stuck
out his hand and shook Thaddeus’. “It is a
deal, Mr. Wilcox.”
“Please, Thanatos. Call me Thad. It’s been
great doing business with you.”
***
And that's where I'll leave you. I hope you
enjoyed this installment and as always, thanks
for your awesome comments! Hopefully I'll
have the next chapter out on or around the
one year anniversary of this legacy. One year!
Until next time, Happy Simming everyone!