Chapter 5 - Toddlerhood

Zenna works extra hard in her profession to get better at putting out fires in case harm ever befalls her darling home and endangers her new daughter. It turns out being a firefighter is teaching her a lot about responsibility.

I guess we should buy a fire alarm....

 She works out,

and upgrades her fire extinguisher,

and, apparently, saves the world.

Zenna is rewarded with more promotions!

She is convinced this painting will help prevent large fires from starting. 

Apparently, though, it's not enough, and she's out the next day saving the lives of Ethan Bunch and Jocasta Bachelor. 

She gets a trophy as thanks. 

Frankie doesn't want his daughter thinking he's a coward and a bad police officer, so he schmoozes with his boss and earns his first promotion. That actually took a lot of guts, Frankie. I'm proud of you.

Frankie also works hard on his garden. They grow just enough to cook with.

With all these promotions happening left and right, the family has enough money to afford a few new things for Bonnie's birthday: a teddy and a spring rider. 

They also splurge on a computer and a telescope. Frankie can now write reports on the various people in town, although he does feel that his manhood is compromised every time he sits down behind this thing. 

Toddler picspam!

A bit of trouble

A glimpse into the future

Zenna and Frankie take a break from their suddenly hectic lifestyles to admire the stars and reminisce. 

"Remember when you were bald?"

"Remember when you were an asshole? Oh right, you still are."

---

Notes- I was suffering a huge amount of lag and freezing and it was driving me crazy, so I haven't been playing much. I did solve most of the issues though, so I'll be playing more this week. 

I've also been busy stocking up on provisions for the hurricane, and watching Cloud Atlas twice. (Everyone should go see that, it's a movie adaptation of my favorite book!)

Anyway. Happy birthday Bonnie! She looks a lot like Frankie, with his kinda goofy-looking face and big nose, but with her mom's skin tone & hair and eye color. 

Chapter 4 - Bonnie

Yay, promotion!

One morning, Frankie wakes up to find Zenna coming in looking like… well, looking like this.

“Cute,” he says, “But did it have to be food?”

“Yeah, actually” she laughs, “I was elbow deep in vegetables and poo water at the Diner and I suddenly had a thought, ‘I need doughnuts and oranges on my clothes. Also a skirt and heels.’ It was very important."

Frankie doesn’t always wear clothes.

“Being in the nude helps me focus, Zenna. Not everyone thinks their clothing controls the weather, or whatever."

Zenna rolls her eyes. "Clothing is important. You'll eat your words one day, and then I'll have to put out your ass on fire."

 For some, the full moon means mystery and supernatural occurrences. For others, it’s just another night for going out and having fun.

And coming home and having fun.

The next morning, Zenna feels ill.

“Shit! Did we use protection???” she yells, waking up Frankie.

“My stomach hurts. I think there’s something in there.”

“What, like an alien parasite or something?”

“No, like… like another person. I mean, like, a baby.”

“Babies? Do those attract clowns? To be honest, I’m a little afraid of clowns.”

Zenna glares.

“I’m just kidding. Not about the clowns, I actually am afraid of them. I mean about the babies. It’s fantastic news. I mean, if it really is a baby, and not like an alien parasite or something.”

“You are such a dork,” Z groans.

Zenna later declares herself officially preggers. Both parents wish for a boy.

“See, I said it wasn’t going to be an alien parasite. How’s it feel in there?”

“It feels so freaking weird, man. It’s like… oh my god. There’s something inside me, that’s not me. How can something be inside of me, and was made from me, and not be part of me?”

“THERE’S A WHOLE OTHER PERSON INSIDE OF ME! HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE???”

Frankie wishes he’d just left it at “congrats.” It takes most of the night to get Zenna calm again.

Zenna is concerned her neurosis will be passed on to or otherwise rubbed off on her child.

Frankie is mostly just scared of the paintings that reflect her fear. “It’s healthy to have a creative outlet,” he tells himself firmly. 

“As long as she doesn’t hang that one in our room.”

“Since you’re all big and hurting and stuff, let me cook you something special.” Frankie offers. “Are you craving anything right now?”

“I want Hot dogs,” Zenna says. “My favorite food.”

“Your favorite food can’t be hot dogs! Gross. You’re kidding, right?”

“I love hot dogs. Make. me. hot dogs.”

Frankie has to buy a microwave oven to make the hot dogs, but he gets it done.

The wife is pleased.

Maternity leave means lots of upgrades around the house.

And lots of time spent on her painting obsession hobby.

The couple is just sitting down for a quick game of chess when Zenna goes into labor.

THIS IS THE WORST FEELING IN THE WORLD.

They try to head out to the hospital, but get jammed at the door.

Frankie: “Please, plumbob, let us get to the hospital in time. If I have to deliver this baby I will die.”

While Frankie goes into a near-catatonic state of fright, Zenna waddles herself over to the subway station to get her pregnant self to the hospital. Good on you, firewoman!

Frankie snaps out of it in time to realize his child is about to be born without him, so he rushes to catch up. “I’m coming!! Stop pushing! Wait for me!”

Better shape up, guy. You almost didn’t make it.

Zenna walks out of the hospital with… a girl! (No, she’s not considering eating her young. At least, I hope not.)

She looks at her newborn daughter with tears in her eyes. She decides to name her Bonnie, after her sister.

 ---

Notes-

"Gourmet" goal 1/2 completed...

Rolls for generation 2 are:

A.   Single

B.   Two children

C.   Freelance Photographer

D.   Expansionist

E.   Runs in the Family

I wasn’t gonna have the heir so early, but then I was looking at all the days Zenna had off for getting married and I thought, I’d better just merge the maternity leave with the newlywed leave so she’ll have more time to become a hero. I hope it works out that I can still peak her career while having her raise a kid; I haven’t played many families before so I’m unsure about the timing.

The girl was really surprising. I had this whole hilarious conversation planned out in my head for the naming of the baby boy, and I guess I was careless and didn’t have her eat enough apples. Bam! A girl! My dreams are shattered. But not really, because naming the girl after Zenna’s kid sister is pretty sweet. It’s just too bad neither parent got the happiness points for having a boy. :/

Well. I actually wanted a boy baby too. I’m a dude so they are probably easier for me to characterize and develop.

Bonnie was born with Heavy Sleeper, like her mother, and Friendly. So, “Runs in the Family” goal fulfilled...

Chapter 3 - Release

Z puts out a fire in a home with two kids - a child and a toddler. After putting out the tiny fire, she stands staring blankly into space for several minutes. It’s a long time before she snaps back to reality, and she gets a C for not checking in right after she finishes the job.

She gets promoted anyway, but that doesn’t do anything to quell the heavy feeling in her gut.

That night, after their date, Z takes Frankie’s arm.

“I need to tell you about myself,” she says. “I know everything about you and your family, but you don’t know anything about me.” “I know a lot about you,” Frankie protests. Z shakes her head. “Please, Frank, I need to talk to someone about this. And I like you, a lot, so I want that someone to be you.” Frankie nods. “OK.”

Z hesitates. She doesn’t know exactly how to start. “I just never really told anyone about this...” She sighs. “My real name is Suzanne. The only person who ever called me that… was my baby sister, Bonnie.” Once she starts talking, her sentences tumble out in a jumble. She’s desperate to get it out. “We were orphans, but then she died in a fire… when I was still a kid. She was all I had.” 

Her sentences are a jumble. “It was my fault; I should have watched her better, I should have known… Afterwards, every time someone called my name, I thought about her. I started insisting everyone call me Z, instead. “ She laughs, shuddering. “It suits me better, anyway.”

“And then I ran away. Because of my… weirdness… every foster family I was sent to decided I was too much work, I required too much care. I can’t blame them, really, even now I’m still always freaking out… Damnit, Frankie, say something!!” she explodes suddenly.

Frankie can see Z is scared. He reaches out, and takes her in his arms. He wants to be strong, for once, for her. 

“I’ll always support you,” he says. “I don’t think you’re too much work. You’re, um, you’re just enough work, actually. I like you the way you are, Z…”

She winces. “I don’t want to be called Z, anymore. It reminds me of those awful kids I kept trying to impress at the orphanage.” Frankie thinks, “How about Zenna, for short?”

She smiles, and kisses him.

Zenna is finally relieved of the burden of grief she carried for so long. She’s never felt so close to someone in her life.

The next morning sees Zenna anxiously checking the sink and brushing her teeth. “I’m not sure we should have done that,” she admits to Frankie. “I love you,” Frankie replies, his voice steady and firm.

Later that day, they marry in Frankie’s tiny garden.

---

Three cheers for the happy couple…

I’m not sure if Zenna is freezing after she puts out fires or what, but she just zones out there for like, one sim hour, staring into space. It’s a bit unnerving, but it did fit into the backstory I had in mind for her.

I dislike this chapter a lot, but I’m unwilling to spend more time on it. Sorry if it feels kind of rushed, I’m impatient to get their careers going but I felt like I couldn’t focus until I got the marriage part out of the way.